I celebrated with food as a kid. Party = FOOD.
Birthday, graduation, bar mitzvah, wedding, promotion, etc. Time to PARTY!!!!!
Does that sound familiar?
Nurses week! Teacher appreciation week! National breast feeding week! - celebrate with lunches and doughnuts! Eat, Eat, Eat!
And it’s not quinoa and kale, it’s cake, tortilla’s, churros, pizza, and beer. That’s how we do celebrations.
Celebrations are all about the moment. And there is a lot of advice about celebrating the small victories. Positive MEME’s about tiny victories leading to bigger victories and winning wars.
So in my head each victory was another reason to eat.
That’s a recipe for obesity.
Maybe you associate, Party with gifts?
Simply remove food and eating from above and replace with presents. Then replace obesity with debt.
It sound’s like a very western, first-world problem. But it’s not.
It’s a personal problem. It’s my issue.
It’s not a problem out there and on the streets of America. It was a problem in my home and in my life.
So how did I lose weight? How did I quit smoking? How did I get out of debt?
It took practice. It took an incredible amount of determination.
I denied momentary gratification. I kept my focus on the long term goal and wasn’t distracted by every flashing light, and shiny object that crossed my path.
And it sucked!
I wasn’t having fun along the way. I wasn’t - happy. I didn’t celebrate each small victory and each time I said no to a slice of cake or took coffee black instead of with cream and sugar.
But I noticed I was getting results.
And when I was getting closer to my goal I moved the line a little further. I pushed a little harder. I upped my game.
I now make decision based upon my long term goals rather than what I desire immediately. I know the immediate gratifications will only side-step my progress and throw me off track.
I still celebrate with food, but I don’t celebrate the small victories. I crush them.
Food isn’t a reward or the enemy. It’s my fuel.
You may need a coach to push you, to set the goal, the finish line. You may need some help to stay the course.
I didn’t know what was healthy and what was causing issues when I started making changes to my life. I read a lot of books on health. I asked lots of advice, I still do.
If you decide that it’s no longer someone else’s issue and you want help with your long term goals. . .Reach out.
And I sincerely hope that you reach your goal.
