I have known that this type of thinking was NOT healthy. I knew if I continued to think this way, I would go back to my old habits once I reached my goal weight. I have heard it spoke in many of my WW classes that I am allowed to eat anything as long as I count the points on my tracker. I have very rarely ever came close to getting my weekly points in everyday. So why was it so hard for me to allow myself the ok to eat outside the "GOOD" foods?
My dad is here from Alaska this week and we talked in great depth about this issue. I kept telling him "I can't do it!" "I can't let myself eat that food!" "It is not ok for me to eat those foods" "I can't" "I can't" "I can't"!!!!! He told me to STOP saying "I can't" and start saying "I can"! He reminded me of all the success I had over come that the doctors and specialist said I would not be able to do. He said I have always been a fighter and since when did I add the words "I can't" in my vocabulary? He said to focus on the positive not the negative.
I thought about how my WW leader always starts the meeting out by focusing on the positive things we have done over the week. And I thought I should use that same thought process in my food issue.
I had no problem getting all my healthy foods in each day (a few were missing a couple of things but mostly I did well). So WHY was I having issues with allowing myself to enjoy something like a treat? I have the points. I was losing more than my .5-2 pounds, on an average, ever week. I was attending all my meetings. Was it the fact I feared I might mess up the routine? Was I afraid I might not lose? Whatever the reason I was not making a " life style change", I was still living as a "diet"!
So tonight I went out to dinner with my dad and family. My dad told me that I needed to leave my WW Dining Out Companion Book home. So I did. We went to the Golden Corral, which I knew they had good foods and bad foods. I knew I could just stay clear from the "BAD" food tables and I should be fine. As I finished my healthy food dinner I looked at the families desserts. My dad said "Honey, if you want a dessert its OK. You have the points." I saw a chocolate cover banana on my daughters plate. It was a small piece and I took a tiny bite. OH MY GOODNESS!!! That was so good! I even asked her if she would get me a small one. I looked at my dad who was very proud of my break through. And so was I! I did it! I ate something that was not on the healthy food list. This was BIG for me!
I wasn't tempted to eat more, or other desserts, or even feel guilt from eating that small chocolate covered banana. I know some of you can't relate with my excitement but for me this was BIG! It only goes to show "You should always be a good girl and listen to your dad!" (And after getting home I put in my points for the day and I meet my points for the day. Not over or under. And that banana was only 7 points).
What a great night for me!
Funny, I have the same mentality about food too. I know what is good for me and I know that foods which do not provide me with nutrition are to be avoided. I think I took that to extreme too. Once in awhile isn't bad. I just don't want it to set off a chain reaction for me. The fear of getting fat again is overwhelming to me.
ReplyDeleteThat's part of the mind set you get into. You think that if you eat something that's not good you're cheating on the whole program. If you eat it you may set off a chain reaction to eat way more of it than you should. Okay, now comes when you have reached your goal. You denied yourself all those bad foods.
ReplyDeleteTell me, would you deny yourself, your body, water? There's no nutrition it it, yet your body needs it. It's okay to once in a while have a treat, not because it's bad but because your body does need it....to balance your system out.
Believe it or not, you still need some amount of fat in your system. It helps keep your skin soft, keeps the muscles stable, keeps your hair from becoming brittle or from losing it all together. It's all in what kind of fatty substances and how much you take in, that leads to an excess. You need carbohydrates too, not in excess of course, but they are what gives you the energy to keep going.
You ever wonder how some folks can eat all kinds of stuff and stay trim or someone who eats very little doesn't. That has to do with metabolism, how quickly the body burns it's fuel. Not everybody has the same level of metabolism. And it's harder when you get older as your metabolism slows down. It doesn't need to work as hard as when you were a kid.
Treat yourself once in a while.
Good for you and what a blessing to have your Dad with you and support you like that!!
ReplyDeleteI totally have to allow myself a treat or I just couldn't stick with it so I can only imagine how liberating last night was for you.
Congrats and keep up the great work!!!!
diane :)
You are so lucky to have your dad here. He sounds incredibly wise. He knows you and he knows that you have already accomplished miracles in your life - there is nothing that YOU can't do!
ReplyDeleteOh...the good food bad food dilemna...
ReplyDeleteI think it's so important to include a treat in as you lose weight. The reality is that no one can live treat free forever. If the treat is "forbidden" it makes it even more alluring which can turn into an easy binge...for me anyways.
I just came across your blog. I just joined WW a couple days ago. I'm not a plan person one bit, but it was time to try something new.
I look forward to following you :)
Your Dad sounds like a very smart man. It is nice to have people who understands us so well!
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean about "good" and "bad" foods and the mindset that it puts you in. My "alternative eating lifestyle" calls for a serving of fat at lunch and dinner (1 tbls butter, dressing, sour cream, etc ...). It was really hard to incorporate it into my food. I had been "dieting" for years and that always meant staying away from such things.
I think it is a success when your able to allow yourself to get out of the "eating less" mentality and make sure that your eating enough. It is a very hard balance to find, I know. But, when you're able to find the balance, then your "diet" becomes a way of life.
It is such a struggle with good or bad food. I rationalize that I can't eat it because if I do, I will fall of the wagon and never get back on it again. Plus, when I did eat something good that wasn't on the plan, I would hate myself because it may ahve caused me to stop progressing or go the other way.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. It's a battle never won or a battle that never goes away.
That's awesome. You are so inspiring!
ReplyDeleteWay to go girl. I know what you mean. Sometimes I can be a all or nothing type of person. I can get into almost an OCD type of routine. Way to break through it! Big kudos!
ReplyDeleteI still plan to e-mail you the instructions. Your signature looks great! Sorry, life has been so busy this week. But I'll see you tomorrow!
Hey girl...thanks for your tips on my blog :) It's WW online that I'm doing...I couldn't find a convenient meeting time. I'm on day 4 and so far I don't feel like I'm on a diet...whoohoo.
ReplyDelete