I have mentioned before that weight loss is a journey and not a sprint. It doesn't happen overnight, and a good diet and exercise needs to become a way of life, rather than a temporary fix. I started this journey over 8 months ago and throughout that time I have dramatically altered my diet, my lifestyle and my outlook on health. But with every passing day, my diet, my lifestyle and my outlook on health changes. I am constantly learning new exercise routines, a wider variety of health foods, and I am also learning what works the best for my body. What works for me, may not work for someone else and what works for someone else, may not work for me. My metabolism is different, my diet is different and my workouts are different, so therefore my motivation and willpower is different. Even though I have embraced a healthier lifestyle, I still simultaneously hate and envy those people who can eat fast food, lay on the couch all day and remain skinny. If you happen to be one of those people, please don't take it personally, but I do hate you.
I have lived my 22 years of life without any sort of willpower. I have conducted myself as though I was one of those naturally skinny people. If I wanted a heaping plate of french fries, I order them and ate them all. If I wanted an ice cream shake alongside of my heaping plate of fries, I ordered that too. Somehow I was able to justify having fries and ice cream for dinner, because I wasn't eating it everyday. However I was having pizza in the same week. And I was having a burrito in the same week. It finally caught up with me, and I no longer act like I am naturally thin. I have more willpower and dedication than I have ever had in my entire life. And you may be thinking, "where did this willpower suddenly come from?" That's a good question, and I have had a really tough time coming up with an answer that is more concrete than "umm, I don't know."
So finally I had an aha moment that could perfectly sum up the willpower that I now experience. My favorite junk food is chips. I love them. A lot. I used to get a giddy feeling when I was at the store picking out a bag of chips. Ridiculous, I know. But now, if you were to put a bag of jalapeno cheddar kettle chips (my mouth is watering just typing that) in front of me, I wouldn't eat them. I wouldn't eat them because that giddy feeling that I used to get when I was picking out chips has now been replaced with a giddy feeling that I get every time I step on the scale and my weight has gone down. I have finally started to see the bigger picture, which is the only logical way that I can think to describe willpower and dedication. And if it still seems confusing, I have come up with a highly complicated equation to illustrate what goes through my head when faced with a decision to eat poorly or eat healthy: a well balanced diet - junk food + working out = looking good while naked.
Now don't get me wrong, I still love chips, and I will still eat them but just not as frequently. I have now learned that there is a time and a place for indulging in the junk food that I really love. Because I have learned that there is a time and a place, I have really decreased the amount of times each week that I go out to a restaurant. Since most restaurants don't list their nutrition facts, I find that it is easier for me to avoid going out altogether. Again, this must be the willpower at play, because 8 short months ago, I couldn't have cared less what the nutritional value was in any entree.
Now the idea of going out to a restaurant has actually started causing me anxiety because I am afraid I will order something that has a high amount of calories and regret it later. So when picking a place to eat, I will frequently recommend a restaurant that has their nutrition facts listed online or a staff that is knowledgeable about low cal options. Additionally, I will avoid places that have a buffet, bottomless plate, or large portions. I have willpower when it comes to saying no to junk, but if I have started eating something, I cannot stop myself. And I eat as though I am starving to death. It's not a pretty sight. But at least I have identified my dieting weaknesses, and avoid places that I know will cause me trouble and regret. So if you are struggling to find your willpower, just remember: a well balanced diet - junk food + working out = looking good while naked.
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