So, this year, like most of us, I have set a goal to lose weight. However, to do that, I refuse to go on another diet, per se. Instead, my goal is to eat healthier and permanently change how I eat, rather than go on another diet that will end and then when it ends, I go back to bad eating habits, and gain any weight I lost.
So, I am trying to focus on two things.
1. No food is off the table... literally. I'm allowed to eat anything, because I know me and the minute I say I am not allowed to eat something, I will want that one thing and I will want a lot of it.
2. I must engage in portion control. Since I am allowing myself to eat whatever I want (see previous number), I have to have limits. If I want a cookie... one or two cookies are allowed and that's it. Portion size & control is crucial.
Now, with that said, I am also trying to limit processed carbs, because I do believe a low-carb lifestyle is a healthier one and works for me. I also believe that is how I will limit my sugar intake as well.
Ok, so now let's get to my food victory. I love burgers, especially restaurant burgers. I have rarely met a restaurant burger I didn't love. And when it comes to restaurant burgers, I have been known to stuff myself absolutely silly to polish one off. I mean, how can you leave any bites of a delicious juicy burger, piled high with cheese, bacon, ketchup and whatever else I might add? It's ALWAYS been a problem for me. I stuff myself and then I feel like crap, physically, & then I beat myself up emotionally, because I know I didn't need to do that.
So, we come to yesterday's lunch. I decided to eat at Mojo Bar-B-Que on University in Lakewood, which is across from my hairstylist, where I had an appointment. The problem was I really really really wanted a burger. I've never had one there. I thought about it and this is what ran through my mind:
Don't order it, are you crazy, you'll never eat just a little!
Order it, and screw it, eat the whole thing!
Order it and cut it in half immediately, eat only half & take the rest home. You can do it!
These thoughts ran like a loop over and over while I looked at the menu and waited for the waitress. Don't order! Order it & eat it all! Order it & eat half! I didn't know what to do!
So, the waitress came and I had to decide and..... I decided to order the burger. I got a side salad with oil & vinegar dressing, which is my favorite.
So, in my mind, as I ate the salad, I gave myself a pep talk. You will only eat half the burger, you can do it! Only half! This salad & half a burger will fill you up, half, half, half!
I ate the salad and then came the burger. It looked soooo good!!! The thoughts started again:
OMG, I really want this whole thing, it looks so good!
It looks so good but I only need to eat half... cut it in half now!
Ok, so the moment of truth was upon me. I knew what I should do, but what would I do????
You know what I did.... I cut it in half!!!! I put ketchup on it, I cut it in half, I ate half, I was full and I asked the waitress for a box and I took the leftover half with me!!!
I did it!!! That may have been the first time in my life that I only ate half a burger.
But you know what I found out after eating that burger?
A half a burger and a side salad is PLENTY. I was totally full after that.
Food does NOT have power over me!
That burger was delicious and I would rather have had half of it than none of it and half of it was just perfect.
It's a small food victory that will hopefully lead to more food victories this year and I am proud of myself for doing that.
Here's to all the food victories you and I may experience this year! ~Toni