Perfection

What a wisdom nugget this is! I am bookmarking this for weekly reflection. Thanks.

 No bookmarks anymore.  Sharon

 It does suck that they took the bookmark option off this site, but you can still bookmark in Google!

 Thank you Rob.   I am in pre-op diet phase now....my surgery is on the 21st of Aug.  I am determined to get and remain healthy (and thin!) and this is what I know I need to do.   Thanks again.   I am determined to succeed and have learned so much from you.

 I'm reading a book right now about our choices and why we make them. Sometimes I need something simple and direct to think about when i need a fast reminder to not eat something or workout today.

In this book one thing that resonated with me was; my machine (body) should never be in control, my mind should always be in control of my machine. Our machines will always chose the fun stuff like staying in bed instead of getting up to work out, or eating cake instead of staying on program. This allows me NO EXCUSES.

Great post Rob.

Best,

Sharon

 This is probably my overeater mind thinking and grieving that food loss thing, but do any of you in maintenance give yourself permission to how shall I say - indulge? Say Thanksgiving? 

 That comes to the accountability point - You say you are grieving food?  Are you working to understand that feeling? Are you working through your over eating issues in either a psychological support group or counseling?

Once you get to a healthy relationship with food, the food becomes nothing more than fuel, you don't need it for pleasure or as an emotional supplement.

To the thanksgiving question or any other special occasion - the task is to plan and execute to that plan.  You can't allow yourself to just go wild.  IF you eat off of your plan, log it and understand why you ate off plan and what its impact is.  

As I said above, sometimes you eat just because you want it.  Just don't make excuses for it and understand what it does to affect you.  For example, at thanksgiving if I splurge and have a piece of pecan pie I would have to log that in my journal and understand how many calories I ate.  Then I can plan on how to recover from that splurge - How does it affect my weight and how much exercisedo I have to do to burn off those extra calories?  I also need to know did I just decide to eat off plan and say screw it?  Was I eating emotionally?  Did I give in to peer pressure or family pressure("A small piece won't hurt you, you are so skinny now").

 Rob, Thank you for this post. I have bookmarked it. I am almost two years out and along the way I have learned many of the things that you write about in your post. Attitude is so important for success. I am responsible for my choices and sometimes eating off plan is just making a choice to do so. Other times, I have to ask myself, "What is going on?"  I don't look at staying on plan as being deprived. It is a choice. This helps me to retain my power over food. When I go off plan, it is a choice and is something that I have planned for i.e. holidays. I never view not having having certain foods as deprivation. It is a choice that I have made and helps me to retain my own power. I am certainly not perfect and I have my days, when I don't like my choices. So far, I just jump back on the exercise wagon and eating plan. It isn't always easy. It takes constant mindfulness.



Gail

Thanks, Rob. I do need to get into counseling, definitely. And I will be going to support group also, yes.  I appreciate that feedback. I think for me it's easier for me to emulate behavior (ultimately that's what we are doing is copying successful weight losers eating habits) when I know they aren't perfect.  I get what you are saying. For me in the past if I wasn't perfect the plan was over and this is the first time ever for me during the past couple months pre op diet stuff that I have been able to "screw up" (even ever so slightly) track it and get back on course.
Anyway, thank you. :) 

 All or nothing thinking is common in people who have lifelong struggles with Obesity.  The idea that Oh no I screwed up, its all down hill from here is a common mental process.  Thats one of the first things to combat.  Next it helps to start really focusing on your own motivations.  When you eat, why do you want to eat?  This can be very hard - you have to be willing to be more honest with yourself and possibly face some painful issues.