Thank you everyone for your comments and advice on my last post regarding my problem with chocolate and the 2-4 p.m. time period. I appreciate all the suggestions for alternative snacks during that time. I am happy to report that yesterday I stayed away from the hot fudge in the fridge and had some apple slices with natural peanut butter instead. I hope to be able to skip the peanut butter next time.
The comment that resonated most with me was Kyle's. Here's what he said:
"Ok..here is some strange advice on your 2-4 period...give up chocolate. For awhile anyway...treat it like an allergy.If you can create that level of discipline to substitute a different item, then you'll really demonstrate to yourself that you control the chocolate, it doesn't control you.After you have proven it, you can add it back in, because it'll be your choice and not something a craving is compelling you to do."
The reality of his comment hit me. Yes, I need to be in control of my eating and not let the chocolate control me. Yet at the same time I was mad (not really) at Kyle for even suggesting that I give up chocolate because that is not something that seemed reasonable to me! Um...yeah...I think the chocolate has been in charge for too long.
Back in January I wrote a post about self-discipline and about how great it felt to be exercising self-discipline in my new journey. I think I need to get back to that. I have lost a step regarding my self-discipline and eating over the past month or so. I need to prove to myself that I eat what I eat because I choose to and not because "a craving is compelling" me to eat it. And I need to learn to choose to eat more healthy things. I would love to get to the point where I choose to eat healthy things because I want to not because my weight loss goals compel me too.
I am not going to give up chocolate totally, but I do think I will outlaw it during that 2-4 p.m. time period and substitute a healthy snack. I liked Margie Ann's comment about getting the highest quality of chocolate I can afford and only having a couple of pieces. I think I will do just that. I will get some great high quality dark chocolate and allow myself one or two pieces each evening as long as I have stayed true to my eating plan throughout the day and only if I actually want to eat the chocolate. There may be some days that I actually don't want to eat it.....yeah right!
The reality is that this journey is hard! In fact, in some ways it gets harder...harder to maintain the gusto I had in the beginning. Harder to kick it up a notch when it is time to. Harder to be happy with .5-1 pound losses each week. Harder to blog every day. Etc.......
Thanks to Kyle for his wisdom and for giving me a big dose of reality! It's time for me to take control of my eating and not to let it control me.
That was an awesome comment! I think I needed that, too, because I let the sweets control me, not me control the sweets! So, thanks from me, Kyle! And I agree that the journey gets harder the longer you go, because if you feel you've been withholding something from yourself, i.e. chocolate, then at least for me, I start to think I deserve it because it's been so long since I've had it. That's why I haven't given up the sweets, because when I do that, then I pig out for too many days in a row and negate all my success.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone has a "time of day". Mine is always after the kids are in bed and I can devour something-anything, in peace. Maybe Kyle will have advice for me! lol
ReplyDeleteI actually really think Kyle's advice is the way to go because I did it myself and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. For me, knowing that chocolate was in the house made it too tempting (and not just between 2-4, lol!) It's possible that once you give it up only the really good chocolate will appeal to you and then you can treat yourself.
ReplyDeleteThis journey is so hard especially with so much chocolate in the world!!
ReplyDeleteYep - it IS hard, but you are doing it! Kyle has a lot of good advice and I, too, like what he said. I gave up baked goods for six months and it was easier, really, than trying to use portion control. Sugar just gets a strong hold of me, what can I say?!?
ReplyDeleteYou go girl!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are going to be just fine. You are considerate people. Even of yourselves. Respect your body's needs before you indulge the wants and you will balance out.
ReplyDelete"as long as I have stayed true to my eating plan throughout the day "
ReplyDeleteThat was a key thing for me. Planning to have the occasional piece of chocolate or 3-4 animal crackers as part of my healthier menu kept me on track throughout my loss, but my requirement was that the healthier part had to be met first. No skipping any of my daily veggies or fruits so that I could have enough calories left for a Hershey's Kiss. :)
Love that idea of no chocolate during the "danger hours." I may adopt and adapt that one for myself!
How flattering! Thanks for the honorable mention. Looks like I've had my one right thing this year...I only get one so the rest is downhill from here! Oh well, if it helped, it was WAY worth it.
ReplyDeleteYou have a good outlook on this and you will do fine. I'm telling you, only allowing myself that one treat a day is making a difference, because it forces me to stop and think twice before munching something sweet, because once it's gone it's gone for the day. Banning it from 2-4 might be the perfect option for you and then the good chocolate will be all that much more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteOkay, rambling here...but basically... GOOD JOB!!! Have a great weekend!
the journey is hard! but you have come far....really a few months ago would you have admitted that you have a chocolate addiction between 2-4? Sometimes just looking back at where we have come from is enough to push us over another hump!
ReplyDeleteHey, do you have a Trader Joe's near you? Their dark chocolate bars are my most favorite dark chocolate. I started out eating a whole bar, and now I am satisfied with one small square (1/12 of a bar!) they sell the bars in 3-packs by the check out stands.
ReplyDeleteI eat a single square of Newmans Own Organic super dark chocolate each and every night. I take the time to slowly savor it and it kills my sweet tooth everytime.
ReplyDelete