The Challenge Trap!

If you follow my posts you'll know I set myself challenges including the month I went without refined sugars. I need to do this to keep myself achieving my goals. I'm an emotional eater and I personally believe everything in moderation but quite often I find the whole moderation thing difficult to do. So instead it works for me to set myself cold turkey challenges. This works much better for me as there is no room for 'well I can just have one more as long as I'm good the rest of the week', which then slowly slips out of control. Generally the more I have the more I want and to be quite frank when it comes to food I get quite addicted to the wrong stuff. I never get bored of eating bad food and that's where my problem lies. I eat rubbish for pleasure, boredom, comfort, celebrating as well as when I'm feeling sorry for myself or stressed. I also eat junk when I don't see the results I want quick enough and think what the heck it's not working so I might as well eat what I want anyway.......as if that's gonna help!!

So as you can see this is why a challenge for me is just much more beneficial. Challenges are bloody hard work or it wouldn't be a challenge, but I'd definitely recommend it if you know your not good at the whole moderation thing as there is no room for I'll just have a little as the plan doesn't aloud for this until you finish it. However be warned it's going to take a lot of grit to get through it.

Now for the most important thing before you start....THE TRAP! Are you aware of this when starting any diet or challenge? 

When I finished my last challenge I was so proud of myself that I'd actually achieved it  I felt I deserved a reward. So what did I reward myself with.....the obvious CAKE, CHOCOLATE, PIZZA, POPCORN AND CHEESE! Wait it doesn't stop there this wasn't just one evening but I kept doing it. On and off for about 2 weeks until I finally decided enough was enough and I'd just sabotaged a whole month of bloody hard work. 

You see a diet or challenge is great if your realistic and don't try to convince yourself you can have something naughty because you've just done so well. It's totally pointless and defeats what you'll done so well at. 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a treat but it should just be a treat. Not a treat evening or weekend or even a week of booze, takeaways and sweets. In just one evening you can undo all your hard work. Sometimes you can get away with it for quite a while but the truth is eventually it will catch up on you because junk food is addictive. The more you eat the more you want. Basically in the long run you are just making things harder for yourself. Even if your a healthy size you still need to think about what your putting into your body. Bad food will cause you health problems maybe not now but one day. 

Be kind to your body and don't fall into the trap of I know I'm going to a party next week so I'll start my healthy eating after that. Well it's perfectly fine to have the night of but why wait till after? Instead be good up till that occasion then enjoy the special occasion and then get straight back on it. 

Enjoy those times and don't feel guilty, but earn that special occasion if you want to succeed. Have a treat but make sure it's just the one. Thats' what will get you results and keeping them. 

I used to do a treat night and I don't now. I just have a treat when I need one and try to minimise this (it's a working progress to be honest) ,but I'm getting there and it's not about looking at what your still not getting right it's about comparing yourself to how you were. I'm not there completely with the healthy eating but if I compare myself to my food habits a year ago then my palette of food has been amazingly cleaned up. Much more variety, nutritional value and definitely less junk and yes my weight has stayed off even with the slip ups because I always get back onto it. I don't give up on myself. I have a family to think of so my health is important so fighting bad lifestyle demons is a priority. The whole you only live once is true, but I'd rather live a long happy disease free life if I'm fortunate enough to do so and so I'll do what I can to maximise my chances. 

Healthy living is not about perfection but consistency. It's not about feeling deprived but learning to control you addictions first and foremost, because without the addictions and cravings there is no feeling deprived. I gave up fizzy drinks and sugar in my tea a few years ago and it no longer bothers me. It did for a long time but now I couldn't care less, I don't feel I'm missing out in fact I cringe thinking about having either now.  

Watch for your trap and be good to yourself

xxx