What's your perspective on the beginning of a new week -- AKA the usual time those of us with a dieter's mentality decide whether or not to continue with and/or recommit to our dieting and healthy eating efforts? Do you dread days like these? Do you long for a life without rice cakes? Are you angry that you can't start things off with a Triple-Super-Duper-High-Sugar-Latte? Do you begin your week with a "I hate this" attitude? Or do you realize what a wonderful gift you're giving yourself by choosing (key word) to eat, live and be healthier?
Dieting to get rid of excess weight does not have to equal torture. And yet us dieting types often approach our need to shed some excess weight with a "The glass is half empty" attitude -- almost as if we're being punished. Or, worse yet, like we deserve to be punished.
First the bad news: this kind of "I'm a loser" mentality does not actually help you be a loser. But the good news is that the opposite attitude can offer you and your weight loss goals a greater chance of success. And the even better news is that none of this requires repeated trips to a therapist and/or a shock therapy lab. You can simply decide -- during this very moment -- to flip your mental switch and see your glass as half full (even if it is half full of 2% reduced fat milk instead of a milkshake).
The key concept here is choice. Try keeping this word in the forefront of your mind today and, perhaps, every day this week -- even if you have to write the word on a Post-it note and put it on your bathroom mirror, computer monitor, dashboard (or even your forehead) to do so.
It's your choice to get healthier.
It's your choice to fit into jeans with a smaller waist.
It's your choice to exercise so that you can be healthy enough to walk across the room or even run a marathon without risking a medical malady.
It's your choice to show the world (not to mention yourself) that you are in control.
It's going to be a lot tougher to reach these worthwhile goals if you're down on yourself or see your plight as one filled with angst, torture and restriction.
If you loathe rice cakes (or whatever), don't include them in your eating plan. And if you're craving carbs, then find a balanced (and healthy) eating program that allows for whole grains and other foods from all four food groups. You are in control. And you don't have to punish or deprive yourself to reach your goals. Check out some of the delicious and healthy recipes in the food section of my blog or on other blogs/foodie sites.
Dieting doesn't have to be about "lack." It doesn't have to be about "can't." Instead, it can be about "This tastes good and I feel good -- and this journey to better health that I've chosen is worth it."
Why? Because you are worth it.
Take it from someone who used to weigh over 450 pounds -- and now weighs around 175 pounds (and has stayed at this weight for over a decade). I loved food then. I love food now. And yes, even I am constantly having to recommit to my overall goals of healthy eating in order to maintain a healthy weight. (Whose Post-it note do you think I took a picture of anyway?) And guess what? I do it without rice cakes. And (mostly) without self-torture.
Out with the old (tortured) attitude and in with the new (supermodel) one. And yes, that's what you are. A supermodel. Right now -- in this very moment. No matter what the scale is telling you.
Again, you are in control. And you are amazing. So let's all make it our choice to have a kick-ass, glass-half-full kind of day and week together, shall we?