I've started getting updates from people on how they did. The stories are inspiring, and they are not without their struggles. It will be fun to share them with you. You will see the many different goals and victories and obstacles and it's all good because we are just trying to achieve better health.
I've thought more about my weekend splurge. I realize I have just been using visitors as an excuse. When I think about each time I did this in the last year, none of my visitors expected me to eat their food. Most were more interested to try my food than have me prepare theirs. Last night, the kids visiting me helped me with my food prep, and they were astounded that I was planning to eat all that salad in one day. I gave them an apple and they made their own fresh squeezed orange juice. One of the girls said, "I wished I didn't like chocolate like Barb". So you see, they like me to be this way. I just used them as an excuse. There was no pressure. Boy the excuse machine is so clever!
Today I saw some nice looking home-made oatmeal raisin cookies at a talk, and thought "I could restart tomorrow!" Oh boy. The first few days are always tough because of that one. Then I thought, maybe I could make some of my own nutritarian oatmeal raisin cookies. Another interesting thing I realized today is that I wanted those cookies only about 15 minutes after hearing this nightmarish health story from a friend, due completely to diet. You'd think that would be more of a deterrent, wouldn't you?
In some ways, this journey we are on is very easy--the food is good, we feel great eating this way, our health and energy goes up. There is no rational reason on earth not to eat this way 100% of the time. So then why is it so hard sometimes? I don't know. Because we are social. Because we don't react well to forbidden foods. Because sugar, fat and salt are addictive and excite our pleasure centers and taste really good and call to us---the funny thing is, even after we have lost our taste for it. Oh, I guess smokers go through this too. They physical addiction wears off long before the psychological.
3 comments:
I totally understand the oatmeal cookie after hearing of someone's health problems. I watched Supersize me as a springboard to help me not want fast food. As soon as it was over I thought, "I could go for a Big Mac"! Why? I was baffled too! Hang in there.
haha, thanks. we are funny. I think I'll be okay (knock on wood!). it is interesting to observe my thoughts. I think I'll do more of this. It fits in well with my current attempts to meditate. :)
I totally agree that a lot of it is social. Some is just plain habit, however. A few years ago, I was on a diet--totally avoiding sugar. I was standing in the kitchen at church, talking to a friend, and all of a sudden discovered that I had a brownie in my mouth. I never made a conscious decision to eat the thing, I just suddenly realized it was there. I started thinking about my eating habits and realized that I even ate things that I didn't like, just because it was there. Compulsive, I guess. Since then, I have tried to be a lot more conscious of my eating and making my food choices count. Having made that journey helped make this challenge easier for me. I am happy with where I am now, except that I need to drink more green juice/green smoothies. I think my goal for the next challenge will involve meeting that goal.
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