Let"s Be Thankful!
I am celebrating getting over the 90-pounds eliminated mark this week, and it feels great! The goal I set for myself about midway through this journey is less than 20 pounds away.
It's amazing to me that I feel so confident that I'll reach that goal when always before it remained impossibly out of reach, even in my imagination.
That's the difference this time - my mindset has changed.
I am much more compassionate with myself, less perfectionistic, and the intention is clear yet not all-consuming or overwhelming.
I just feel different about how I approach my eating.
Oh, fast food signs and images still call to me, but I'm really clear that I no longer want to pay the price their temptations exact of me.
I like how I feel now! I'm enjoying my body.
Wow.
I don't know if I've said that since I was in my early 20's.
We're heading into the holidays now, and I know it's a time of even greater temptations and distractions with so much food and desserts around, eating family meals, and enjoying special dishes and comfort foods we associate with home and family.
We do want to be thankful and partake of this special time.
I enjoyed a piece of pumpkin cheesecake this week, and it was divine.
Depriving ourselves doesn't work and isn't the answer.
Did you know that when we resist a temptation, our brains actually have less ability for a time thereafter to resist a second temptation? So, when mom or grandmom invites us to have seconds, we may refuse and feel great about it.
But when they push that piece of pie toward us a few minutes later, our ability to resist is so reduced that we often feel helpless and find ourselves accepting it and maybe other sweets as well.
When I learned about that reduced ability to resist second and third temptations, it helped me to prepare and make choices ahead of time.
I anticipate the temptations as much as I can and think about what I want and how I want to feel.
I accept that I'll want to enjoy some favorite foods and desserts.
That's just fine.
But how much do I want or need? I realize I can have more another time.
It's not like this is the last time I can ever have that food.
And I think about how I want to feel.
Just pausing a bit to think about this ahead of time is a big help.
I also know that I may not be able to resist despite my best intentions.
So, I think about that, too.
Can I still love myself afterwards? Will I give up all that I've accomplished toward my health because I indulge for a meal or a day? No, I decide right now that I'll be right back to my healthy way of eating the next day, and I'm already looking forward to that.
My healthy way of eating feels so much better to me now.
Rich foods aren't as enticing as they once were.
Besides, I eat dark chocolate every day now.
I already treat myself! I can incorporate some holiday eating right into my regular routine with no problem at all.
I get to be creative and fun around this, too.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.
Love yourself and treat yourself magnificently.
Get second helpings of hugs and laughter.
That sits comfortably on the body and in the spirit.
(c) Copyright Distraction Diet 2009
It's amazing to me that I feel so confident that I'll reach that goal when always before it remained impossibly out of reach, even in my imagination.
That's the difference this time - my mindset has changed.
I am much more compassionate with myself, less perfectionistic, and the intention is clear yet not all-consuming or overwhelming.
I just feel different about how I approach my eating.
Oh, fast food signs and images still call to me, but I'm really clear that I no longer want to pay the price their temptations exact of me.
I like how I feel now! I'm enjoying my body.
Wow.
I don't know if I've said that since I was in my early 20's.
We're heading into the holidays now, and I know it's a time of even greater temptations and distractions with so much food and desserts around, eating family meals, and enjoying special dishes and comfort foods we associate with home and family.
We do want to be thankful and partake of this special time.
I enjoyed a piece of pumpkin cheesecake this week, and it was divine.
Depriving ourselves doesn't work and isn't the answer.
Did you know that when we resist a temptation, our brains actually have less ability for a time thereafter to resist a second temptation? So, when mom or grandmom invites us to have seconds, we may refuse and feel great about it.
But when they push that piece of pie toward us a few minutes later, our ability to resist is so reduced that we often feel helpless and find ourselves accepting it and maybe other sweets as well.
When I learned about that reduced ability to resist second and third temptations, it helped me to prepare and make choices ahead of time.
I anticipate the temptations as much as I can and think about what I want and how I want to feel.
I accept that I'll want to enjoy some favorite foods and desserts.
That's just fine.
But how much do I want or need? I realize I can have more another time.
It's not like this is the last time I can ever have that food.
And I think about how I want to feel.
Just pausing a bit to think about this ahead of time is a big help.
I also know that I may not be able to resist despite my best intentions.
So, I think about that, too.
Can I still love myself afterwards? Will I give up all that I've accomplished toward my health because I indulge for a meal or a day? No, I decide right now that I'll be right back to my healthy way of eating the next day, and I'm already looking forward to that.
My healthy way of eating feels so much better to me now.
Rich foods aren't as enticing as they once were.
Besides, I eat dark chocolate every day now.
I already treat myself! I can incorporate some holiday eating right into my regular routine with no problem at all.
I get to be creative and fun around this, too.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.
Love yourself and treat yourself magnificently.
Get second helpings of hugs and laughter.
That sits comfortably on the body and in the spirit.
(c) Copyright Distraction Diet 2009
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