Some random thoughts on the dieting deal.
Questions people ask me “How do you do it?” or “Do you ever just want to quit?” or “Don’t you crave (really desire) ___________?”
How do I do it? Just the way you do anything. You stop “trying” and start doing! You just get up each day and make a choice as to how you are going to live. Is it always easy? No! Is it a constant battle? Yes! Is it much fun? Not really. Is it hard? Of course. So what? Many important things in life are just the same (parenting, serving others, living for the Lord) and yet we carry on and persevere with these things even though they are not always easy or fun and take hard work.
Do I ever want to quit? Well of course…just about everyday when I drive by Starbucks, walk by the ice cream section of the grocery store, bake a birthday cake for my kiddos, make cookies for tea or when watching my girls chow down on buttered popcorn while we watch a movie as a family. But I don’t quit….because where will that get me? Overweight and unhealthy
Do I crave (really desire) certain foods? You bet I do! (see list above) However just because we really desire something does that mean we should just take it? (or in this case eat it) I really desire my neighbors truck too but that doesn’t mean I walk next door and take it. If I can control my desires (cravings) for others things – can’t I control my desire for certain food? Yes, we all can and do all the time.
Someone recently said to me when commenting on my new shape – “Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels”
Hmmmmmmmmmmm….I will have to disagree with this statement. I can think of lots of things that taste as good if not better than being thin feels (although I am not yet thin) –
- fresh corn on the cob slathered with butter & seasoned wih salt & pepper
- fettucini alfredo with shrimp
- home baked bread dipped in olive oil & balsamic vinegar
- sweet potato ravioli’s (made by gourmet chef and friend Scott Fichtner – in fact just about anything Scott cooks tastes better than thin feels!)
- dark chocolate covered pretzels
- ice venti vanilla latte with whip cream
- homemade cookes – snickerdoodles, peanut butter and chocolate chip
- a brownie sundae
- homemade yellow cake with dark chocolate icing and an ice cold glass of milk
- a warm Starbucks chocolate croissant with hot coffee
- cowboy dip with a bag of tortilla chips
- homemade fajittas
Ok, that list is long enough. (and believe me I could make it even longer) My point is that – yes being in good shape and healthy feels great – but eating delicious yummy foods feels great too! I think that one of the ways that I can stick with the diet is because I take off one full day a month as well as my date night dinner with dear darling Dan and enjoy anything I want..and enjoy it I do! It feels fabulous!
When I finally get to the maintenance part (which by the way I think is much harder than the losing part. Of course in the past 18 years I have rarely had a chance to stay very long on a maintenance routine because I am quickly blessed with another baby!), I hope to be able to eat healthy (fat flush plan) Monday thru Friday and then take the weekends off and enjoy the foods I love! And if it works (ie: I can maintain my health & weight)…then that will feel better than both eating whatever I want and being thin!
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