motd Wed April 14, 2010

[Guest guest]

PERFECTION?

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

I was raised to be a perfectionist. I acquired that quality from my parents who always strived to do everything, well...perfectly! I was a perfectionist when it came to my handwriting. I'm left-handed so, many times, it caused me to smear the homework I was working on. I'd make lots of smears all over my assignment with the ink, doggonit! Lots of times, I'd have to start all over again...and again!

I was a perfectionist about my hair, too. It always had to have that nice "round" look! Yep, from my head...to my toes, I was also a perfectionist So I polished my shoes every couple of days so I had always wore the shiniest pair of shoes in school. When I finally got the hang of losing weight, (the right way), I began trying to be a perfectionists with my eating. I would sit and make out my menus so I'd know just what I'd be having for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. And oh yes, I was a quite the perfectionist when it came to measuring my portions.Now I'm sure you all know the feeling, that is, when you get a little craving for something that's not on your food plan. Like maybe...a Payday candy bar. So, for that one moment, you detour from your food plan and, in only two minutes, you've gobbled down that Payday bar, salty peanuts, caramel and all...gone! And there you stand, now looking at that empty wrapper as you start thinking.It dawns on you what you've done...you've become "imperfect!" Oh, no! How could you have let this happen? Then, the negative thoughts begin entering your mind. "How did I allow myself to sway?" The guilt settles in and you're so disappointed in yourself. "I blew it...I've ruined this whole day by giving in to temptation. Why even bother trying to get back on program now?"And to make matters worse, all of that negativity leads you to eating whatever else you want to eat! Oh, oh! I'll admit, I've done just that before. So, how about you? Oh, what a "perfectly" stupid thing to do to ourselves! Beating ourselves up that way.

Hey, none of us eat perfectly. We may sometimes have a little something we know we shouldn't have or a larger portion of the foods we can have.

Look, if you had that Payday bar or that Egg McMuffin, you know, foods that are not on your program, you simply have to forgive yourself and get back on program, right away! A couple of hundred calories of food that tempted you and won are not going to totally ruin your day. Not if you don't let it!

You just have to adjust your calorie consumption for the rest of the day, that's all. And okay, if you were really bad, it may mean you can have only a couple of cherry tomatoes, a handful of celery sticks and maybe an apple for dessert! (Remember, it's calories in...calories out!)Seriously, please don't try to be a perfectionist about your food. Be a realist! You know what it takes to lose the weight. If you slip and fall, stand up and be tall. Get yourself right back on program.

And by the way, here's another idea. If you went off program with your eating, one way to get back on program is by increasing your exercise that day. It'll make you feel better right away. When you do one of my workouts, take a nice long walk or pick up your weights and do some toning, you can burn off many of the calories that went from the kitchen into your mouth! And my third suggestion is this: Be wary of which foods you bring into your home, which foods you bring to work with you or keep in your car. And when you feel that temptation to detour, immediately start thinking about your goals and why you're on a weight-loss program in the first place.Love,