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| No need to turn me into "Hoarders" quite yet, though. |
What does the clutter having to do with what I'm eating? Technically, they are two separate issues. But I think that external clutter is partially about one's internal state of mind, a reflection of whatever is going on within us. The house is cluttered because I've got mental clutter, and part of that is conflicting emotions about losing weight. I want to do it, and on some level maybe I don't want to, too. It's easier to eat what I want. It's fun to eat certain foods that I love. There's the little kid in me that likes the sense of rebelling, of saying "But I WANT it, and I don't care!"
The house is also cluttered because -- at least I suspect this is the case -- I can use the clutter as an excuse NOT to take the time to take care of myself. When the kitchen's a mess, gee, how can I focus on preparing meals? It's easier to eat out or snack. When the rest of the house is piled high with disorganization, I can tell myself I am too busy picking up (which is a lie) to worry about food shopping and menu planning.
It's a scam. I'm scamming myself. I don't need to be Suzy Homemaker in order to put the focus back onto making healthy choices in my diet. Yes, ideally I function better when the house is orderly. But once again I have caught myself in the act of creative excuse-making.
I received an email from my niece today, who has lost 20 lbs on Weight Watchers Online. She's one of the reasons I decided to start back on the program again; she's not at all obese but she just wanted to get her weight under better control (college students often gain weight because of bad habits they develop at school). I thought that if SHE were taking control of her health, why wasn't I? So hearing that she's found losing this 20 lbs to be "easy" makes me realize that, as usual, I am WAY overcomplicating this whole thing.
Buy healthy foods to keep in the house. Take the time (and it doesn't take MUCH time) to prepare good things to eat and keep handy so that I don't get tempted to snack on crap out of convenience. Track what I'm eating. Drink more water.
How freaking difficult is THAT? Answer: It's NOT.
Weigh-in on Thursday. Will report in.
And I just went in and cleaned up my kitchen. So there's that. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting correlation between disorder in the home, and disorder in eating habits. I am going to go straighten up the kitchen RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!!
ReplyDeleteI find that I make poorer eating choices if I wait to decide what to eat until I'm about to eat. If I already know what I'm eating for lunch at breakfast, then when it's time to eat I go do that.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to plan 7 days in advance. That's too big. Last night, I planned what we would have for breakfast, lunch and dinner today. If I waited until this morning to plan breakfast, I'd make a worse choice in the heat of the moment.
And I know that on Saturday, we're totally going off plan so if I think, 'I'd really like some X', it's immediately followed by the thought 'I'll put that on the list for Saturday.'
One other thing - people who are 'naturally thin' or who successfully maintain weight loss tend to eat the same thing over and over. Not for every meal, but they have a small 'routine' - maybe 2 or 3 breakfast choices, 2-3 lunch choices, and dinner has a bit more variability. Taking away choices strains willpower less (interesting essay on the psychology of willpower here.)
Actually, Cyndi, I don't know that I'd agree that naturally thin people eat the same things over and over (although perhaps those who have been heavy and lost weight find that to be a good strategy for maintenance). From my observations both here in France and back in the U.S., the people who are naturally thin seem to enjoy a wide variety of foods and they don't much worry about what they're eating (worry = stress out about). That being said, it seems to be that naturally thin people also don't OVER-eat very often (if ever). They enjoy whatever they are eating, but don't eat to the point of being "stuffed"; when they've had enough, they stop (my super-skinny step-son is that way; he loves desserts and sweets same as any kid, but it's common that he eats his dinner and then doesn't even WANT dessert because he feels full enough!)
DeleteSo I think that's a critical difference in outlook; those of us who have weight issues because we overeat? We don't really KNOW when "enough is enough". That's something we have to work on if we want to get leaner and stay that way.
It's not important to me that you agree - I was offering something that might help you overcome your hurdles. And it's not an opinion - it's a measurable fact.
ReplyDeleteHere is one citation, but I'm sure if you look you'll find more. http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/eat-skinny-women?page=2
Thanks, I'll check it out. And I do appreciate readers offering helpful information. :) But still, as I said, my own observations of naturally thin people are that they DO eat a wide variety of foods, as they want, when they want, within reason and limits. The idea of restricting your foods to a fixed set is something that those of us who diet do, because it does tend to work better for us. But why would a naturally thin person even need to bother thinking about it? In my opinion - they don't. :) I'm just saying.
DeleteBut I'm happy to read the source information you provided. Thanks!
When my house is messy, I feel depressed and overwelmed , so I know what you're saying. There are only two people here. Why so many dishes/laundry? It just never ends; when I get it nice and think I can relax then a bit for a few days, the whole place falls apart. Makes me want to just cry or run away.
ReplyDeleteSheila
Portion control is everything. I ate at an American chain restaurant this past weekend which I normally never do but they had printed the calorie content for each entree on the menu. WOW! More than an entire days worth in some of them! So, when my food arrived which was 1100 calories, I thought it is already massive, and overflowing from the plate, so why not split it immediately and save it for later? Then it was a normal meal's calories.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, that was just a rambling way of saying basically if you eat proper portions, you can eat anything! :) And I do believe WW takes that into consideration. I think it's a good way to "diet." It retrains you for life.
Everything in moderation.
I was just recently invited to go on a trip to Belize in October. This will require bathing suits, warm weather clothes, and shameless displays of flesh. heh! Plus pictures. The trip will require pictures and for those pictures to be actually shown to others. Awesome motivator for weight loss! I simply WILL NOT be the size I am now when I arrive.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's the WILL NOT's that facilitate the MUST DO's.