Thursday's Thoughts on...ELIMINATING TEMPTATION
.jpg)
HAVING good food = EATING good food!
This may seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes it is so hard to put into practice. If you're anything like me, you probably have a million excuses why you need to keep "a few" things around the house. Some of mine are...I keep the Goldfish crackers for my kids (yeah right, I'm the one who can mindlessly devour a bag of these in one sitting). I need the Fruit Snacks for quick portable snacks when I'm on the go (OR "these are FRUIT snacks, they must be healthy...maybe I'll have a bag or two). My husband likes having a couple of chocolate bars in the freezer (these I can avoid...I need some nuts, nougat or butterfinger in mine). Or I spent money on this candy...I can't just throw it out!
The problem with all of these excuses is...I'm the one who ends up eating all the crap in the house that I've "saved" for everyone else! It is there tempting me...calling out to me...reminding me how much easier it is to open a box of animal crackers than to wash the apple sitting on the counter. I know, it makes absolutely NO SENSE, but this is how I think! And the worst part of it is...there are times (a lot of times) that I'll grab a box of crackers or chips from the pantry AND THEY DON'T EVEN TASTE GOOD...or they are stale and old...BUT I STILL EAT THEM. (Seriously, I may need to see someone about my relationship with food.)
This past week, I've started throwing stuff out. There were some nasty dark chocolates sitting on the counter that I would occasionally nibble on...and literally they tasted like vomit (ok, maybe not actual vomit, but they were NOT good), and I would think, "ew, that's disgusting...who eats this stuff?" And then ten minutes later I would convince myself that I had probably overreacted and they really weren't that bad. So I would take another little bite, and remember, "Oh yes, these are still gross!" I finally found a tiny ounce of will power from somewhere inside and threw them in the trash. Yay me!! My husband was not pleased with this decision because he had not even tried them yet. I assured him they were DISGUSTING and that I really had done him a favor. I don't think he was very amused...oops!
The second step in getting rid of the junk...is stocking up on the good stuff (no, I'm not talking about donuts). I am soooooo proud to say that I went grocery shopping today and only bought 2 items from the middle of the store. You know how they always say to stick to the outside of the store where the fresh foods are and avoid the middle where all the nasty processed stuff lives...I DID THAT! And the only two items that I purchased from those aisles lurking with preservatives and artificial flavors were coconut oil and white beans, which will be taking the place of eggs in my next attempt at healthy baking! I know it's impossible to avoid those aisles forever, but today was a small victory for me (and I'll take those whenever I can)!
The point of this entire post is...GET RID OF IT. You know that keeping it around to tempt you and test your will power is just like taking your recently sober friend to the bar "for the music"...YOU ARE GOING TO FALL OFF THE WAGON! So get that crap out of your house. You will have moments of weakness. In those moments, if there is ONLY fresh fruits and veggies nearby, you'll eat those or you'll realize that you actually aren't hungry...you're angry or frustrated or irritated or stressed out or a million other emotions that make us turn to food. Just because you spent money on it, doesn't mean you have to eat it (I know, this one's hard for me too). You're stomach is not a garbage can. Eating something you don't need or really even like so that it doesn't go to waste...is still wasteful. So don't be a waste basket! Keep good food on hand and then EAT IT!!
Valerie Hendricks
About the author
Useful Links
What We're Saying
About
Transform your lifestyle by creating common-sense healthy habits. Earn points daily for making choices that ultimately improve your health.
Our 8-week challenges provide the friendly competition and accountability you need to make your weight loss journey fun AND effective
We provide the tools and training that you’ll need to succeed - no diet, no fads. Overall wellness is the NUMBER ONE goal at LWC.
©
2024
Lifetime Wellness Challenge