One of my goals for this year is to strengthen my habit of checking to see if I'm hungry before I eat.
When I look back over 2009, one of the biggest changes I see in my behavior is in my awareness of what I'm eating, when I eat, and why I eat.
It doesn't necessarily shield me from my own ability to make bad choices. It just means I don't make them on auto-pilot. And that's important.
For 2010, I want to make my rule to not eat when I'm not hungry even more ironclad.
How will I do this? For me, it comes down to a mental switch. I need to reframe the issue in my mind so it comes from a place of power, of positivity. Not from punishment, and denial.
I'm too prone to looking at "dieting" and "weight control" as a punishment that's visited upon me by the unkind Gods -- or my parents and their bad DNA, depending on my mood.
But you know the mentality...poor me, why can't I be like everyone else, why is it so hard for me? Etc etc etc.
That way of looking at things doesn't get me anywhere!
To reframe the issue, I'm going to look at my eat-when-I'm-hungry-rule as a budgetary matter.
So it's not about food, and it's not about me or my weight.
It's about my budget, and how I want to invest (or spend) my very hard-earned money.
I don't want to waste it on grabbing bad food that will give me no nutritional value. I don't want to waste my money on a mad impulse that will be over in 20 minutes (or seconds) and leave me feeling regretful and unhappy.
What do I want to spend my money on? I want to spend it on food that really fuels me, that keeps me healthy, that makes me feel like I'm doing myself some good, and hopefully, possibly the environment as well.
Before I buy any food that's not part of my weekly shopping trips, I'm gonna ask myself, "Are you hungry?"
If the answer is no, my next question is: "Is it worth your money to buy something to eat when you are not hungry?"
I'm hoping by reframing the issue to focus it on something other than food, it will help me stay on track.
In other news, am almost done with freelance project #1.
Man, I'm tired of it! I'll be excited when I can go back to losing weight as my full-time second job!
How can this be possible
2 years ago
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This sounds like a great approach. I have been very guilty of mindless eating...and I feel you on the "WHY CAN'T I EAT WHAT I WANT ALL THE TIME?" Poor us.
ReplyDeleteI try to think more often about those who have nothing to eat or are unable to afford the great food I can afford. That works for me too.
"But you know the mentality...poor me, why can't I be like everyone else, why is it so hard for me? "
ReplyDeleteI still struggle with this at times. Sometimes I feel like a 4 year old wanting to have a tantrum about it. But, I have accepted it.
Oooh yes, I know those cruel gods/genes/general unfairness of life too! Sounds like a very laudable ambition - I will watch with interest and hopefully pick up tips too.
ReplyDeletelove
Peridot x
That's a great idea, Ish! I think we each need to find that piece of motivation that helps us to keep on track--and it looks like you've found yours. I like how it's not about how much food can I get for how much money. But rather, it's how much satisfaction and sustinance can I get from how much money. Nice!
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm late to the party, but found your blog via (yikes, how did I get here? I think it was Andrew is Getting Fit...) Anyway browsing your Archives and this resonated with me. I too track calories and try to not put any food off-limits, but rather work within a general caloric budget. But it's easy to write down "1 c. steamed broccoli, plain" {halo} versus "1 piece chocolate cake with frosting. And ice cream" {horns}
ReplyDeleteI think, if one can do it, working in "splurges" helps alleviate the woe-is-me-I-have-to-eat-celery-for-lunch mindset. This is what I'm working on, anyway. Good luck to us all!