Friday, January 14, 2011

Clearing Up my Spill

Yesterday, I posted about my goals, rewards, and deadlines for 2011. All of the things that I want to will accomplish in 2011 is nicely laid out with mini goals, dates that I want to will achieve my goals, and the nice rewards I will receive when I get there.

Today, I feel a lot more excited.  No.  That's not the right word.  Not excited, more like dedicated.  Yes, that's much better.  I am more dedicated than I was - because I like a challenge.  I like deadlines.  I like having the control to make things happen - and having only myself to blame if I don't put forth the effort.

I had planned on talking about my long term goals today - things I want to achieve in the next 5 years.  I've decided to put that post off today, and discuss something else.  Don't worry - I will get to my long term goals tomorrow.

Today, I need to clear something up.  Yesterday, I received a comment that made me realize I should mention an explanation.  I'm not trying to be defensive - on the contrary.  I know what the person leaving the comment was thinking - and I love her for it.  She is a very close person to me, and I know that she had no intention of hurting my feelings or being negative or trying to bring me down.  Her words were her opinion, and I've always, ALWAYS respected her opinion.

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that my reward for completing a 5K in under 30 minutes would be a family dinner at one of our favorite restaurants...and then I said "not caring about the calories or fat". 

The comment from yesterday made a reference to the fact that because I made that statement, I felt like I was depriving myself of those things - and not really thinking about living a healthy lifestyle.  Anyone reading my blog probably came to the same conclusion.  That's why I felt the need to clarify that statement. 

That statement was actually a little of an inside joke - with myself.  Of course, you're not going to know what that joke is - so I'm going to share it.

I have mentioned numerous times that I'm not on a diet.  I want to live a healthy lifestyle - not concerned about counting calories.  I believe if I eat good, healthy, nutritional foods - I don't have to count calories.  That mentality is working. 

The statement I made about the fat and calories is because I often get comments made to me anytime I mention going out to eat.  People say things like "Aren't you supposed to be on a diet?"  "It's not really a good idea to be eating out if you're trying to lose weight" and my favorite "Well, make sure you read all of the nutritional information before you eat anything at a restaurant, because one meal and you'll blow your diet completely".

For some reason, just because I'm trying to lose weight, people think that I should never be able to eat in a restaurant again.  Well, if I was on a diet - maybe that would be the case - but I'm not.  Many restaurants offer healthy options.  Many restaurants have foods that are better for me than eating a greasy steak and french fries.  Being that I'm not on a diet, and doing this for life, I can't have the mentality that I can't enjoy a normal life - full of going out to eat with friends and family once in a blue moon.

So, the long winded point for my comment yesterday about "not caring about fat and calories" was more a little stab at all those people that believe it is a cardinal sin to eat at a restaurant when trying to lose weight.  I don't think that I'm depriving myself in any way.  If I wanted to eat junk food - I would.  I don't, so I won't. 

Yes, it's been a struggle to really see why I want to live a healthy lifestyle - but I've also discovered (the hard way) what that crap does to my body...and I NEVER want to be that way again!!

I believe that, especially by the time I've reached that particular goal, I would have truly taught myself all of the secrets of making good choices when it comes to reading a menu.  There may be a few traces of temptation left in me right now - making the leap to junk-food queen to healthy goddess is a hard one! 

I can't deny that I still think "why bother with all of this...it would be much easier to eat anything and everything and just stay fat and unhealthy" - but then my goddess voice jumps in "remember how you felt when you took those 3 months off?"  Then my mind refocuses - and I look at a bag of potato chips like it has maggots crawling out of the top of it.  I don't want it in my body.  I don't want it spreading it's poison into my system.  I don't want to EVER feel bloated and tired and sick and miserable and sad about what I'm eating again!

OK, so my plans of not sounding defensive don't really seemed to have played out very well.  Again, I'm not trying to be defensive.  I truly do appreciate the honest opinion of everyone - especially the person that made the comment yesterday.  It also allows for me to do posts like this...clear up any confusion or misrepresentation on my part. 

I am in this for the long haul.  I am still a student in "Healthy Living High".  I'm still learning what it truly takes to be healthy, live healthy - and it's going to be a while before I graduate.  I don't feel deprived, I feel ALIVE!  For the first time in a very long time I feel POWERFUL.  I feel like I'm slowly but surely redecorating this body of mine - and I'm downsizing.  I love the choices I'm making.  I love the food I'm eating.  I don't miss the junk - or the feelings associated with it.

Today, I want to know:

What funny things have you heard people say to you in regards to your journeys?
Do you feel like people have weird expectations of people trying to lose weight?
What is your personal opinion about enjoying a normal life, despite living a healthy lifestyle?  What things do you feel you can and can't do?

Till next time.  ;)

4 comments:

  1. Wow, this post was very inspiring and motivating!

    I'm sure many people have said things to me, of course the most resent is "You never finish what you start".

    No More Monkey On My Back

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  2. I think that once you get completely on track with eating healthy and living healthy, it will become an enjoyable and normal life... I'm not addicted to running and eating a salad with my dinner and drinking plenty of water, etc...You'll really find that any other way of eating, or not working out, makes you feel nasty later in the day...also.. just a thought that might help you with what to eat... i've started the "Abs Diet for Women" and it has an awesome food plan that does NOT include counting calories..and it has lots of great recipes=]

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  3. I actually DON'T have people that say those things.. and I wish they would sometimes..

    Most of my friends either don't care, or don't think about, how I'm trying to get thinner/healthier.. they don't ask if I can eat things "here" or if it's gonna be harmful to my "diet".. but I don't say anything usually.. I'm thinking I may start to, as I really don't need to go to the Cheesecake Factory or McDonalds.. I need to go somewhere they have chicken and veggies or something equally as healthy for me..

    I think that while in the transition of weight loss, "living a normal life" isn't really an option, as I hope that once I get to my ideal, that I won't have to work out as much, will be able to have days where I just don't care, will be able to go to a restaurant without having to look up their menus online to configure point values..

    ** This is coming off more hostile than I wanted it too.. I apologize.. **

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  4. I eat low carb and regularly exercise and I believe that, for me, that IS a normal life now. I have days where I might have a high carb treat and days where I sit on the couch all day, but I feel like crap when I do, so I try to CHOOSE not to do that very often. It's like being diabetic (which I am.) You have to choose not to eat foods that raise your blood sugar. That becomes your new normal. Just my 0.02 cents. =)

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