The other night Dan expressed his concern for me and his desire to help me. I was taken off guard because I had not been feeling down-trodden or bad about myself. I analyzed the situation and realized that the house was a mess, I hadn't been keeping up with the dishes, our dinners were of the boxed variety for the most part, and I'd been staying up really late reading and doing Pinterest. Normally, these behaviors would signal a sad Potato Girl in need of help. So why did I not feel that way? Why did Dan's concern seem surprising and somewhat unnecessary?
I have actually been feeling like Wonder Woman lately because I'm still following my new diet. Every day I make many small choices to continue this diet. They are not easy choices for me to make, and I've been making them consistently without flubbing up for...well, today is day 25. I'm pretty sure I've never gone this long without sugar, bread, fruit, milk, yogurt, cereal--basically, all of the things I normally eat.
Today is Adam's birthday. For several years now I have made him Rice Crispie treats to take for his class. I asked him the other day if we could please just send in a store-bought treat this year so I wouldn't have to handle all of that yumminess. But this was really, really the only thing he wanted, so this morning I made them. I had the stuff all over my fingers and I did not have a single little lick. That makes me feel good about myself, and I don't often feel that way. One of my diet books says that you need to give yourself credit for all of your little successes. Dan and I thought that was kind of cute, so we have a habit now of saying to each other, "you deserve credit for that!" It makes us laugh because it is such an awkward, unnatural-sounding thing to say, but at the same time it feels good to recognize those little choices. I do think it makes sense to celebrate and acknowledge all of the small choice you make instead of waiting until you've lost 50 pounds to give yourself any praise. I think a difficult lifestyle change is more sustainable if you recognize all of the little daily things that are going into it, like not licking your fingers when you are making a dessert.
One idea that has been helping me has been thinking of carbohydrates as alcohol, coffee, tea, or tobacco--something that I am absolutely prohibited from even having a tiny taste of. Following the Word of Wisdom my whole life is now making this diet easier for me. This is the first time I've had myself treat sugar as a completely off limits item, but that seems to be a lot more sustainable, in the long run, than having little bits of sugar and trying to not go too far. If I think of myself as a recovering addict trying to stay sober, I can see that "one little bit" of my addictive substance is all it will take to get me back to a place where I'm no longer in control of myself. Feeling in control of this aspect of my life gives me a great sense of success and well-being.
So I think this explains why I was not feeling bad about myself or lost or down in the dumps when Dan thought I was. Take home message for me: if I can focus on one small positive change, and really work on it each day, and give myself credit for the efforts I'm making, it can help me feel good all around, in spite of the fact that there are many other changes I want to get to but can't yet.
11 comments:
Yea for you Andrea! For me, I can avoid chocolate, sugar etc. if I don't even take one single taste. One taste makes it feel impossible to resist more and more and more. I decided on Monday morning that I wouldn't eat any chocolate or candy for this whole week. I decided that because I keep waking up in the morning with a headache. On Monday, I thought about how I had had two pieces of Dove chocolate the night before, and I wondered if that was why I woke up with an aching head. I have wondered about the chocolate/ headache possibility before. So, no chocolate--or candy of any kind--this week. So far, I haven't had any headaches, but it hasn't been very many days either. I've been trying to have a green smoothie every day--or as often as possible. My visiting teacher told me how much green smoothies have helped her family's health--and how much weight they have lost. She directed me to this website: www.greensmoothiegirl.com
I've often wondered how to get kale and greens into my diet more. I can use raw kale in the smoothie and not even taste it.
I'm having a hard time posting to your blog,so sorry if this is redundant. Good job!
Awesome! Isn't it just so empowering to succeed at this? I always feel so silly that it makes me feel so much control over my totally uncontrollable life, but it really makes me feel like I'm doing things right when I make cookies without snitching or whatever the small thing is.
It is hard for me to come to terms with the idea that I have to treat sugar like I'm an addict. I mean, I am and I do need to, but I always think, after doing so well for X number of days, that I can have a tiny bit. And I do fine, and another day have a tiny bit...and before I know it I'm just pigging out again. Stay strong! :-)
BTW, your blog does a weird thing now for comments. I write my comment, I put in the word verification I click publish, then it takes me to a new commenting page and my comment is lost but I can retype it (or, this time, I remembered to cut and paste). That is the weird commenting problem people have mentioned and why people keep wondering if they are commenting twice. :-)
Okay, I turned off the word verification for the comments, but I don't know if that will solve the problem. Please let me know if it is still being weird. Could it be this new template? If so, I could try switching back to the older template.
I keep forgetting to tell you something: I was feeling in such a veggie rut after a few weeks, but then I found a great book, "Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without" by Mollie Katzen. It isn't a low carb book, so some recipes have breadcrumb topping (like the Cauliflower Gratin) but there are a whole bunch of delicious things that are just veggies or that you could leave the bad carbs out of (like the gratin, would be just as good or better with just the roasted cauliflower, cheese and onions) or that you could serve with a lean meat for a more filling meal. Anyway, check it out from the library if you're starting to feel like you're eating the same 5 things over and over. I'm not very creative when it comes to veggies. It was a great way to add some variety to my diet and try some new veggies that I hadn't really had before (or hadn't had properly prepared!).
And the bok choy, broccoli rabe and shiitake mushrooms with roasted garlic was so good I almost cried. I was just so happy to eat something new and delicious!
Now I will leave you alone.
Whatever you did fixed it - my last comment didn't do the weird thing that was happening before.
And NOW I will leave you alone. :-)
Okay, found and requested Mollie Katzen's book. Can't wait to see it!
Not that I'm posting regularly, but I'm missing your posts! How are you doing?
S is on a low starches diet; I'll have to find that book as well!
Congrats on your successes, the both of you!! :)
Way to go girl. I have noticed your clothes getting baggier and baggier. I am just so proud of you for sticking with something and I love the thought of congratulating yourself for every small good choice. Way to go!!!!!!
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