Not alone (my peptalk to myself today)

[SilverMtns]

Thanks for the support. I think for me, the noncompliant foods are just better tasting and more satisfying, but if I eat enough of the right stuff, I stop feeling like I need to quit, so right now, I'm just eating decent food because I know it will calm down the urges for fried stuff. (Not gorging or anything -- I don't need to stuff myself, just make sure I'm not hungry when the urge for french fries hits or something like that.) There's also an element of not wanting to work at finding food -- grabbing a handful of cheese or salami is easy -- so I'm also trying to make it easier to grab good stuff.

My partner is definitely supportive of whatever I want to eat, but I'm also supportive of his choosing his own path, so I'm not willing (nor do I want) to restrict what/where he can eat. I'm an adult; I will find ways to nourish myself that don't require him hiding his food away or something. So far, so good.

[SilverMtns]

I just found the success stories. I think that will be a useful tool for me, too. Also, my streak ticker is helping me. I want that number to go way higher than 13.

[SilverMtns]

End of week 2 and I did pretty well. Never ate anything that's on my absolutely-not list (animal products, added oils, or foods I don't know the ingredients of), but I ate towards the higher calorie density for the last few days. However, I kind of see that as a win, because my real desire was to just quit, so I loosened up and had a few nuts and some avocado and didn't stress about it because it's the long-term habits I'm trying to cultivate, and the biggest habit is to eat mindfully of whole foods instead of mindlessly diving into a bag of potato chips. So I'm quite happy, but wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow's weigh-in shows I haven't lost weight this week. I really am feeling like my best pep talk to myself is to keep doing the program every day even when I don't want to, so I can just get to where it's second nature. Hoping that happens before I'm 100 years old.

[sirdle]

Happy to hear what you all tell yourselves when you want to quit and successfully keep McDougalling!

"Bet you can't eat just one."

Do you remember that commercial? That's the United States Food Industry betting that they can manufacture a drug, market it as food, and -- if they can get you to taste it -- you will be forevermore addicted and won't be able to stop eating it until you die. Preferably after a long, slow, drawn-out death, so you can continue to consume the drug for many, many, years before you succumb. But if you die sooner, that's okay too, because there are lots of other suckers who will take that bet. So far, they've been winning hands down.

That's what I tell myself.

Obviously, this doesn't work with nutrient-dense foods that are just a little too salty, a little too fatty, or a little too sweet. But it works with most of the "food" that I might be tempted with. I have invested far too much time and energy getting to where I am to throw it all away by accepting a hit from a drug pusher.

When I see a doughnut at work, I don't look at it longingly, thinking about how good it will taste. I think of slavery. I think of selling my free-will for a quick sugar rush, and I feel angry. I recall that 3/4 of Americans are obese and I get angrier. I remind myself that roughly 1,000,000 (one million!) Americans die every year due to the combined effects of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other diet-related diseases that are almost entirely preventable and I become even angrier.

Then I go put a bowl of frozen blueberries in the microwave for 90 seconds and cool off with an icy, blueberry, treat that squirts delicious blueberry juice down my throat with every bite. The blueberries turn my lips black and my wife says I look like Lurch (from the Addams Family). So I stick my tongue out at her and she laughs hysterically at my totally-black tongue. What other food is so much fun?

I'm reminded of an incident from a few years ago. I was in the hospital with pericarditis. After speaking with me, my cardiologist moved to the next bed. Her patient started telling her what he ate today, and tonelessly, but with an edge to her voice, she interrupted him and said, "That's not food."

That's also what I tell myself.

That's not food.
That's not food.
That's not food.

And sometimes, I think of my mom. If I knew in my 20s what I know now, I could have helped her and she would still be alive today. I miss her.

You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be free. Don't let the drug pushers win.

Cheers,
sirdle

[SilverMtns]

Happy to hear what you all tell yourselves when you want to quit and successfully keep McDougalling!

"Bet you can't eat just one."

That's not food.

Great stuff, thanks!

I had such a happy thing happen today. I go to the farmer's market when it's open and there's this woman selling home-canned vegan soups and stews, but I've never looked closely, because, like, EVERYone uses oil in their cooking, right? Well, I got the courage up to ask her if anything she had was oil-free, and it's ALL OIL-FREE (and gluten-, salt-, and sugar-free, none of which matters as much to me as the oil. I'm slightly nervous eating canned goods from my neighbors, but that's a city-girl bias. And it's not cheap -- a couple dollars' worth of produce in a jar for $14 is a splurge (she gives you $1 back if you return the jar), but how many times have I spent that much on a burger, fries, and drink at my local cafe? Anyway, right now, I'm eating a boiled red potato topped with some really good borscht, and that lady is gonna be my best friend forever. The world is a beautiful place.

[SilverMtns]

I know some people say that all-or-nothing isn't useful, but several times this week, the only thing that kept me from eating junk food was that it would break my streak. I think (and hope) that knowing I always have a "feast day" coming up within a month or two may keep me from just saying "Forget it; I want junk and I want it NOW!" (Also, some of you don't do this, but I allow myself to eat a little bit of higher-fat plant foods on days when I just really want junk, and it does help.)

Another thing that's helping me is to always have GCCS in the fridge. Honestly, I had both oil-free hummus and the sauce in the fridge, but I always reached for the sauce, and eventually threw out the weeks-old hummus. I like the sauce on almost everything. It's truly a game changer, like its name says.

[Ejeff]

SilverMtns,

Glad you have found a sauce you love. Thanks for reminding me of this one. I haven’t made it in quite awhile. Will do a batch pretty soon. I’ve been making KiKis sauce with potatoes and carrots, but nice to mix it up a bit.

Also, way to keep your streak alive!

Erin