Ok not a total fail but as you all know I’ve been jet setting all over the place so I haven’t made a new recipe for nearly two weeks. I’m slowly getting back in my own time zone rhythm and I’ll resume the amazing and wondrous food fest postings next week.
But I want to talk a little bit about a real food fail. It’s making me crazy and I don’t know why I don’t stop it. Notice I don’t say I “can’t” because I CAN I’m just NOT.
It’s been busy and stressful at work as it normally is this time of year and I’m giving in over and over again to the candy jar. My nemesis. My kryptonite. I am consciously walking over to the jar and basically shoving my head in it, consuming as many chocolates that I can get down my gullet. WTAF? I hate this so much – I know it doesn’t help me, not in the slightest so WHY DO I CONTINUE THIS BEHAVIOR?
Why does it take so long to unlearn lifelong consoling habits? Do I need to figure out why I ever did this in the first place? To be honest with you I don’t want to delve into the past – do I need to do that now to fix the present?
You know, I used to smoke cigarettes (have to clarify that since people associate the Netherlands with weed, which I don’t smoke either) and even did for a few years here and a few years there, meaning I did quit and restart but always years after quitting. Each time I quit I just QUIT. Stopped. The last time I quit was 4 years ago nearly and I have no intention of starting again because I just don’t think it would be conducive to my lifestyle now (we all know it’s not healthy and I’m not judging you if you smoke, I’m just saying for me it would be a dumb move to start again).
So why can’t I quit shoving chocolate in my face when I’m stressed? If I had to pay a fine of €1 for every time I put candy in my gob In a stressful situation I’d be really broke. I don’t want to do it anymore! I have discipline in so many areas, why do I insist on sabotaging myself?
I realize only I can answer these questions for myself and come up with solutions, but I would love any feedback as to how others deal with this kind of thing.
In any case, today, I am not going to do it. I need a good food day. I need to feel in control. I need to look at the bigger picture and remember that I only do things that add value to my life. This stress-habit doesn’t so at least today it won’t be happening.
Maybe move the candy jar or throw it away? Either way big hugs and have a great day :)
Yeah, see my response to Steve. Not going to work. Will definitely need to find some other way to stop. But thank you Penny, hugs back and hope you are having a great day yourself! xx
Candy is the bane of my existence. If I have ANY in the house, or am anywhere near it otherwise, it’ll be gone in an hour?
Is the candy jar your candy jar, or is it a coworkers thing? If it’s your, the answer is easy and you can just trash it…if it’s a coworkers, its a bit more tricky. :/ You could try telling the coworker to tell you no, or just avoid going anywhere near it (walk around it, don’t look at it, etc…). It’s a bitch either way though, but I know you can do it. :)
Steve -yeah, you know, I don’t usually buy it. Or any junk for that matter. We just don’t have that stuff in the house. I don’t have it with me in my bag either and I don’t just casually buy it. The jar at work is a sort of community jar. A colleague buys huge bags of candy every week for “everyone” to enjoy. It’s sitting on top of the little refrigerator we have in our department. I use the refrigerator to put my lunch and snacks in so I’m confronted with it. It used to be on another colleagues desk and he finally was able to put his foot down and request we move the damn thing. I don’t think I’ll be able to move it or avoid it. That’s the problem. I mean, I work, well, at a place that have ALL KINDS of delicious things available and yet I don’t partake in those treats. I just have to say “no”; I know this is the right thing to do for myself, yet I am just faltering so much in this area lately.
It’s hard to break old habits because, well, they’re habits. We have a lot of those experience to look back on, we can recall how they felt, how it tasted, how it relieved that stress just for an instant. Humans have an amazing ability to forget the bad feelings associated with “rewarding” activities, such as childbirth or eating chocolate.
I don’t think you necessarily need to delve into your past to solve it (unless you want to), because that might not actually help. In the past, we dealt with things in the best way we knew how, and often that was through food. What we have to learn now is how to deal with the same situation, i.e. stress, in a way that is healthy for us. It could be walking a flight of stairs, taking a few deep breaths, reading some blog posts, whatever works for you.
It takes a while to get through that though, to get to the point that the healthy replacement behavior is the first instinct before heading for the candy jar. We have to build up a store of positive actions in our “bank” before the new action will become a habit. It takes a long time, but the only way I can see to get through it is to do it over and over and over, until you’ve changed your habit to something that benefits you.
I know you are right Elisha. Actually a long time ago I told myself I had to go up and down the stairs at work 3 times if I were going to go for the candy jar. I stopped going for the candy jar because 1) I couldn’t be bothered to walk up and down the stairs 3 times and 2) I usually didn’t have the time to walk up and down the stairs 3 times. I think it’s time to put that into place again.
thanks hon!
Ahhh….I can relate to this post! The last two days I haven’t eaten terribly, but I haven’t really tracked or paid attention either. And, I feel terrible! I have no excuse for not tracking other than I didn’t feel like it. When I do track consistently, I feel GREAT! I like to look back and know that I’ve done a good job. I always lose weight when I track, I feel better, I feel proud. So, why do I quit tracking? And, I do the same thing. I hit the chocolate jar and think I’m fooling someone by not tracking and eating three or four pieces when I usually stick to one or two. Who am I fooling exactly? This behavior baffles me, yet I don’t stop it. I feel like I need one of those zapping dog collars.
Heather I think you are onto something! We should get zapping dog collars and this pesky problem would be solved quickly!
I’m a former smoker as well. Like you, when I quit, I just QUIT completely cold-turkey. I do so wish it were as easy with tempting foods, but it just isn’t. We’re confronted with our demons at least 3 times per day, perhaps more if eating lots of mini meals. I don’t have any words of wisdom, but just wanted you to know that I can relate. {{hugs}}
thanks Melissa. it’s true, food is different from smoking or drinking for example. I need to somehow get a different perspective on the chocolate. I’ve already decided that what I REALLY need right now is a good run. or a good workout at the gym. and maybe a good cry thrown in there as well. xx
You inspired my post for today: http://www.mindovermayo.com/
sweet!!