| Banish "All or Nothing" Thinking | |
Moderation is the Key
If we let ourselves think we can't tolerate mistakes, we may give up on healthy eating entirely for the day… the week… when will it end? When will you get back on track? Next Monday? Bathing suit season? In time for the 10 year reunion? Those are good goals, but there’s no reason to put off your weight loss if you’re ready to deal with it now. When you’re ready, you’ll know it. No matter where you are along your weight loss journey, don’t let yourself think that just because you made bad choices today, you can’t start over tomorrow. It sounds trite, but every day truly is a new beginning. You can’t erase the effects of last night’s binge, but you can aim for a much healthier day today!
If you find yourself in an endless cycle of constant splurging/deprivation, you’re actually making your weight loss journey much more difficult than it has to be. Take it easy on yourself as you’re learning how to be a new, improved, healthier you. No matter what happens today to throw you off course, keep on trying. After all, you’re only human… a soon-to-be-much-lighter human.
<< Return to Part One
On the other side of the coin, allowing ourselves some eating freedoms doesn’t mean we get a license to overindulge. Again, moderation is the key, as we have said previously in our articles about portion control. You know you can stop at one cookie, but sometimes you just can’t. So what if our sense of balance fails? What happens when we do overeat for several meals? Does that mean it’s time to give up altogether? If we slip up again and again, are we just not cut out for such a major lifestyle change?
You're Such a Good "Loser"!"...Laugh at a fall, and baffled, get up and begin again."
- Robert Browning
Another good way to arm yourself against all or nothing thinking is to praise yourself for the small challenges you surmount. Yes, choosing to use one percent milk over the rich 100 percent you love is a victory. Getting up off the couch on Friday to do an exercise video is a triumph, even if it’s the first day you’ve exercised this week. For me, walking past the bakery across my workplace parking lot on a daily basis without sneaking in for a delicious treat is a coup. I did well today... my feet just kept right on going while my nose asked, “What is that heavenly aroma?”! ;-)
