I have been thinking about this moment for several days now. I knew it would come sooner than later. There is always this honeymoon period when I get serious about eating well, etc. and then, dang if "that old feeling" doesn't hit me. And I mean it hits hard. The one that just. won't. quit. Not until I make it go away with some chocolaty concoction or crunchy salty carb. I despise that feeling.
But I didn't want to be afraid of it this time--I wanted to be ready. So I made a decision a few days ago that I'm going to be brutally honest with myself and admit that under no circumstances can I budge from what I have planned to eat. That leads down a road I no longer wish to travel. And, if I have doubts about eating a certain food, under no circumstances, will I eat it. NO matter how rude, illogical, or strange it may seem to myself or others, this is the decision I made. Seems a little extreme, yes I concede to that. But as I have said before (&conveniently tend to forget) extreme problems like mine call for extreme measures.
Although my defensive plan may seem extreme, it really isn't and this is why: What I am choosing to put to death through hardcore, relentless denial is just a feeling. A feeling that, for me, can easily lead to sinful actions. When I feel all fidgety and panicky and it seems like eating a package of...anything is the only thing that will help, then I know. When I am not hungry at all and the minute I turn on the TV the Pavlovian craving for a big bowl of...something...is unbearable, then I know. When a pizza that I consider to be nasty is placed before me and the smell alone is sending me into convulsions, then I know. It's like a trick my mind is playing on me. It's just a feeling. Nothing bad will happen if I don't eat the pizza or...whatever. I just won't have eaten it.
Sometimes I will give-in to the feeling. I didn't today, thank you Jesus, but I might. And then I will be tempted to dream up an excuse cleverly disguised as logic or self-forgiveness. See, I know that pizza is not a "bad" food. Well, actually, it is kinda a bad food but anyways...I realize that a person could ingest C.C. pizza in moderation from time to time (although I know not why you would actually want to do this) and still be an extremely healthy and fit individual. The reason it was so important for me to not eat the pizza today was completely an issue of the mind. Not an issue of being flexible or living in the moment or being able to forgive myself because I had a slip-up. It's really not about any of that now. I've learned all of those lessons--in the most difficult of ways. But now I know how to forgive myself and move on. Perhaps even now a bit too quickly, too frequently. And I've learned how to be flexible. With meal planning and changing things last minute because of certain situations, I can do that and still stay afloat. I've also learned that being in the moment with my family has nearly nothing to do with eating food with them and everything about just being there. Really being there.
What I'm saying is that in the past I might have just eaten a piece or two of that pizza (even though I knew I was about to go eat a salad at Chick-fil-a) and chalked it up to living in the moment with my kids, or because I can be flexible and just track that instead of what was planned. Or because "tomorrow is a new day."
I can't keep doing that. I can't use any of those handy little ideas as a scape goat anymore. I had a plan for the day in place. I had made a decision. And I needed to stick to it. THE END.
Was it easy? No. Will it be easier next time? Yes. And am I wishing I had eaten the pizza as I sit here writing that I didn't eat it? All together now: "NO!"
This moment will come again all too soon. For me and for you. We have to be ready and we have to be honest. We have to do the hard work of resisting and saying no--over and over and over again. If we really want to change, that's just the way it is. That's the cold hard truth.
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7 comments:
Okay. I'm so confused. This post opens with a picture of a partially eating slice of pizza and the title is "My Chuck E. Cheese Moment."
But the post sounds like you didn't eat pizza....
Soooo, did you eat no pizza or just not a whole slice of pizza? sigh.
Either way, congratulations. Either is hard to do.
Deb
It is the relentlessness of saying no that I think gives me, and many people, trouble. It can be so wearing, especially at first. I know it gets easier the longer you do it. Congratulations on your victory!
After years of yo yo dieting on and off, and on again, I too know that 'well this little... won't really matter" when we are truthful we know that that little... can lead to our downfall - not because of hunger but because of mindset and you've acknowledged that and are now making changes. Last night I was sat on the sofa stating - "I'm so hungry..." it was 10 o'clock at night I'd had a low fat hot chocolate earlier - I wasn't hungry I was tired and I was fighting it which is why I thought of food, last week I gave in, ate crisps when I wasn't hungry and then was confused the following day, last night - I went to bed and slept this morning I'm ready for breakfast. Taking each day as it comes and trying to plan for 'those' moments! You can do it hun, you know you can and the biggest thing you should do is pat yourself on the back for achieving your goal - not eating pizza! That's a true moment in your plan to reclaim your life! That's my word this year, 'reclaim' I can pretty much use it in every scenario!
Hugs
oh...that hit home. LOVED it. It IS just a feeling and nothing bad will happen if you don't surcome to it. In fact, there is only GOOD to come out of resisting that yucky piece of pizza - VICTORY and strength, instead of shame and self-doubt.
Good on ya!!
fantastic. Good job. I know all about those rationalizations as they have kept me 30 pounds from goal for a year and a half. Good job not eating the pizza. It's hard but worth it. You always feel much better inside after having done the right thing. That is what I am doing today. The right thing.
Yes--this was a confusing post. LOL! I did NOT eat the pizza or the left-over crust (which was what the pic was) Sorry. Trying to pack a lot of thoughts/info into one post quickly, probably with a little one screaming in my ear. It's a wonder I ever get anything published! hahaha.
I feel the same way about CC. I don't like the pizza but as soon as I smell it, it's like I have to have a piece. ug. Good for you. That's hard.
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