Is it easier to eat well when there’s a big chocolate cake sitting in front of you or when there’s a lovely plate of veggies and hummus?
Veggies, of course. So don’t put a chocolate cake there.
It’s all about avoiding the need to use your willpower. Save it for when you really need it; those times will certainly come. Don’t test yourself just for kicks and don’t make every day a battle royale. Find a way to design your day that makes it possible to meet your goals.
Great post from Brad Pilon about throwing the Halloween candy away to eliminate temptation. I also heard a wonderful podcast by Bevan James Eyles about creating the right environment to promote success. Everything seems to point at the same thing: Take charge. Plan. Change the environment. Create a context conducive to your goals, be they weight loss (like me) or studying for school or anything else.
For me, candy is my downfall. My plan: avoid it entirely. I don’t have it in my house at all. If a guest has it I’ll stick it out of sight in a cupboard. In stores I avoid the candy aisle like the plague. I lie to friends and colleagues who offer chocolates, saying, “No thanks, I’m not big on sweets.” If I were Pinocchio my nose would stretch across the room. (Is it magical thinking to hope that it could become true through repetition?)
Though I have to admit, all the holiday candy out now makes me a little nostalgic. Mmmmm. We had some good times together, Christmas candy and I… Eating bags of Reece’s alone in my room then feeling so gross and embarrassed that I hid the wrappers so no one would find them in the trash… Oh wait, maybe those times weren’t so good. ;)
The point being, we don’t need to torture ourselves unnecessarily.
A timely post for me. Just last night, we just threw out all of my Daughter's Halloween candy and other sweets. You're right, we don't need to torture ourselves.
ReplyDeletePerfect! That is SO true. Why torture ourselves! We have a vending machine here in the office. A selection of us campaigned to try to get it removed but didn't succeed. It just sits there with all the yummy candy in it, calling. Why do we need it here? If you want chocolate go out and get some, at least then there will be a minimal amount of exercise required.
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas treats out now call to me too. Every time I see them I want to buy a big box of chocolates and eat the whole box myself. It is hard to just keep walking but I do. If it is there, it will be gone...And I don't need it!
Too true! It's nice to hear we all go through the same thing. Here's to staying strong over the holidays! :)
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