I’ve spent years trapped in the dieting mindset. Going back and fourth from dieting to binging. It was a constant battle. I would say to myself “Okay, there is a party coming up in three days, so I cannot start my diet now. Will start next week instead.” But then next week comes, and on Tuesday hubby wants to take me out for a dinner. “Oh I love that restaurant! I’m only 1 day into my diet anyway. It’s not a big deal. Will go to the restaurant, enjoy my meal, and then start again on Wednesday…”
Does this sound familiar?
It’s like constant planning for the event that will never happen. It will never come. Only the guests arrive, the uninvited ones – the feelings of regret, disappointment, shame, guilt, and the two voices in my head, in constant arguments.
“You are out of control! Why can’t you be like other people? Just eat a little and stop. But no! You stuffed yourself again! – one of them scolds me.
“Oh it’s okay, we enjoyed a little overindulgence today. Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow we’ll be good.” – the more forgiving voice adds in.
But it felt as if I was taking two steps forward and three backwards. There wasn’t any progress at all. If anything I was getting deeper and deeper into the trap of dieting.
And it took me years to find the way out. And these are the three lessons that I learned. The faster you learn them, the faster you will be free.
1. Birthday cakes, pastries, cookies, pizzas and other junk foods are NOT treats.
They are not something that we should use as rewards and they are definitely not something that we should associate with comfort and enjoyment. Just the opposite. Just think of the heavy bulge in your stomach after a party. Or the foggy mind after lunch at office. Or the lethargy you feel day in and day out. Is this comfort? Is this enjoyable? I wouldn’t think so. These foods are designed in labs in attempts to make them look and taste irresistible. But just like the poisonous beautiful apple in the Snow White and the seven dwarfs, they are killing you slowly inside.
2. Parties, gathering, outings…
Thankfully, these will always come and go. Imagine a world where you live all by yourself, always staying home and have no friends and no family. But hey, your diet is going well. Isn’t this what you always wanted? Of course not! You need people around you and you need joyous moments and events. But you need to learn that you can enjoy the company of all those people and you can enjoy all of those events whilst enjoying a healthy eating plan. There are healthy alternatives for almost every bad food. Just a couple of weeks ago I celebrated my birthday. And my family took me to my favourite restaurant. I made myself a very healthy birthday cake out of quinoa, dates and lots of fruit, which we took to the restaurant. And as a meal I had a salad. It was so delicious and satisfying. I felt so powerful. The usual feelings of sluggishness, bloating, and heaviness were not there and instead I felt amazing. I felt like a winner!
3. But am I not going to experience the joy of good food ever again?
Now that is the biggest misconception. The one that kept me in the cobwebs of junk food for such a long time. It takes no more than a month to reeducate your tastebuds. The cravings for bad food disappear completely and you start enjoying more simple foods. You start taste the real food again – a strawberry, a blueberry, a ripe banana. These are nature’s candy. But you cannot really taste them whilst eating junk food too. I promise you! Give yourself the gift of real food for a month. And you will fully understand what I am talking about here.
So, here you go girl. I hope you find these lessons helpful.
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