LOL. I read that the other day on Facebook.
It was a comment written by an old friend from high school.
And boy is it ever true.
I didn't make a bad choice today.
I made good ones.
I have made bad choices in the past..
(obviously..you don't get morbidly obese by consistantly making great food choices, now do you?)
Choices usually build on each other.
Get some good choices under your belt, and you build good choice momentum.
A few bad choices and it's the same thing.
From my recent experience of Good choice making...
Here is the thought process
I am tired and getting gas. (This is tonight folks)
I told the kids I would get them gummies.
I am hungry.
I am in the gas station...
I could just buy a candy bar.
It's only 210 calories (for a hershey's bar)
or 250 for a milky way bar (caramel).
Now..hungry, cranky and tired....
How do I say no to that?
Well,
here's how.
Okay, you know it will taste good..let's not bullshit ourselves.
But, they are so small, and you know it won't fill you up.
(see that's number one...once you start where do you stop?)
You eat the candy bar, you aren't full...you've already "blown it" so what is the point...
(BTW...this is fat brain speaking, and it is usually your fat brain giving your ID the go light to pig out...you have not blown it if you have eaten something you shouldn't have, just get right back on program and let it go...)
And knowing my defective brain...it's burgers, fries and popcorn from there..
So, best not to start..
so, hows about something sweet that is kinda junky, but more filling...like sweetened almonds...
HOLY CRAPSTICKS...300 calories!
No way...
I don't like almonds that much.
okay, how about something sweet with no calories...coke zero it is. lol.
look at that...got something sweet with no calorie payment.
okay...still hungry.
You know you have fish at home...( I say in my brain)
You said you would make it and some grilled zucchini...so why are you hovering over the candy aisle when you know it won't fill you up, it will set off a binge and you will feel shitty about blowing your workout today for something that took 3 minutes to eat?
DON'T DO IT.
I didn't..
And when I got in that car and went home without all that.
I felt like a winner.
But you have to get out of whatever situation you are in with your eating integrity intact.
so just start thinking.
Don't turn off your brain.
And,
Whatever you do, don't say
'OH, it won't matter...it's just one ____________"
day...meal...candy bar....
It does matter.
Each day matters...
If I burn 500 calories a day for two or three days...
say I have a 1500 calorie deficit..
and then I blow 1000 in a big old binge, and I do this every three days or so...
that ends up being around a 1000 calorie a week deficit..
or a one pound a month weight loss.
And really..who wouldn't get discourage with that..
If I didn't do that and I do 500 calories a day for 6 days out of the week with a caloric wash one day...That's almost 3.5 lbs a month...and in a year it's the difference between losing 12 lbs and losing 41 lbs.
Yes....That's how big a difference it makes.
I Just have to win the next battle...and take them as they come along.
I get hungry, and tired..and discouraged.
I write many times for me...It would be easy to sit down...open bag of doritos and watch bad remakes of jane austen movies.....
But I have to remind myself of what I want...
sometimes I have to do it daily..
sometimes HOURLY.
Whatever it takes.
I can do this.
We can do this.
Chris out.
9 comments:
So true! That thought process resembles my thinking a lot too! But when I don't give in and I stay strong... I feel SO MUCH better later on and I feel empowered to make better choices even more. It's that dang sugar addiction... if I just don't taste it or think about it I'm good! Good for you for resisting and using your logic to make those better choices. Dang if this isn't a daily battle our whole lives! But we can do hard things!
Take care!
~Margene
Oh my--the games we play with ourselves at the convenience store or gas station. I saw myself clearly in this post! I think the more we say no to ourselves, the more skill and strength we will acquire. Will we (I) ever be normal and be able to easily say "no" to the chocolate, caramel, etc. It's doubtful, but one battle at a time.
Yep, I can identify with those inner dialogues, too. And it can happen lightening fast, we've done it so many times. It takes a HUGE effort to stop a runaway train. So for me, it's better not to let it get started in the first place.
I'm glad you made it out of the gas station alive with plan intact. :-D
Sounds familiar! I've learned that success is making the same good choices numerous times a day for days and months on end. Now I just need to learn how to DO it!
When you get to the point where you can have that kind of conversation with yourself and come out a winner nearly every time then you know you've changed your lifestyle.
Great post. I think everyone has this inner dialogue, but I don't think everyone makes the GOOD choice each time. Or even most times. By putting it all out there so clearly, there is now a reason to fight harder for that good choice. And if weight is not your demon, then you need to have fought that brain game and know that answer before you ever enter your own convenience store. Thus when temptation comes your way, rational thought has a fighting chance!
So good of you to share your own personal struggles. It's nice to know you are human as well. LOL.
I do relate to your posts so much, so often, on so many levels. For me, the fat thinking goes like this: for my family, I was thin when I was 50 lbs. overweight, wouldn't want to succeed too much- that's not allowed, they'll ostracize me for being holier than thou, then I won't fit in and they'll talk nasty about me behind my back...
Yup, heaven knows we don't need this garbage- be it food or bad thoughts. As always, right on the money, Christine!
P.S.- left a reply to your last comment on my blog.
Way to go Chris! Every day you are closer to your goals!! Keep it up and stay focused!!
I love how you wrote out your whole thought process throughout that span of time very encouraging!
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