Here's a thought...

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

Post Reply
wosnes
Posts: 4168
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:38 pm
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA

Here's a thought...

Post by wosnes » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:52 pm

I think it was Bill Phillips who said, "It's about progress, not perfection."

It's not about not making mistakes, not getting frustrated with backsliding, making consistently good choices and so on. It's about making progress. Like it or not, progress often comes slowly. Baby steps.

It's been 11 years -- actually, exactly 11 years ago today -- that something happened that made me realize I HAD to change my eating habits. It was a life-threatening event. Anyway, it's just been over the last year or so that I've realized that there are certain foods, especially extremely rich desserts, that no longer call my name. In fact, many don't even sound good anymore. There are some things that I used to LOVE that aren't appealing anymore.

While I can't say I've completely lost my taste for some rich foods, or that vegetables taste 100% better than sugar -- vegetables are a lot more appealing than they used to be. Fruit and simple fruit desserts, too.

I can walk by the cookies, candies, crackers and baked good at the grocery and not be tempted 99% of the time. Some things will look good, but not be appealing enough to jump into my cart.

I've found that now when I want some decadent dessert or treat, I want something really good, not average or just okay. A Twinkie or Chips Ahoy or Oreos just won't do it (can't explain those Cheeto's, though). And I don't need much of it. Many times, a single serving is way too much.

I rarely bake or make desserts anymore and I don't often buy more than single servings of desserts/treats. I don't want the leftovers around. Or, at least I rarely want them around. I know that if they're here, I will eat them -- and I just don't want to anymore.

The point is, this didn't happen overnight. It's taken time for me to progress to this point. It's taken time for me to change my preferences and my habits. And it will take time for you, too.

I'm not sure why it is that we expect to start something and be 100% perfect immediately. Pretty much nothing in life happens that way. But we certainly expect it when it comes to diet.

Relax, don't be so hard on yourself and remember that as long as you're doing your best (which changes from minute to minute), and making progress in the right direction -- that's all you can ask or expect from yourself.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

kccc
Posts: 3957
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:12 am

Post by kccc » Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:15 pm

Lovely post, Wosnes. Thanks for sharing.

I particularly like your Emerson quote at the end.

And yes, I see the same patterns in myself - gradual change over time.

I listen to zencasts (podcasts from iTunes), and in one the speaker drew the analogy of almost-parallel lines. If you look a little way down, there doesn't seem to be much change. But if you go down a long way, the difference is dramatic. So, a little change now may not look like much... but in 5 years, or more, it can add up to a completely new direction. Liked that. (Still don't do standard meditation, though.)

hexagon
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 2:53 am

Post by hexagon » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:38 am

That's a very inspiring post. Thank you.

zoolina
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: In Transit

Post by zoolina » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:12 am

Thanks for the insight, wosnes! In the daily struggle to change habits, it's hard to imagine that it will some day be easier.

Post Reply