Living the Lifestyle -- wildcard Tuesday! 11-23-2021
steve0mania
Posts: 3,405 Member
We meet here to explore, share, celebrate and (sometimes) agonize over how we do (or don't) incorporate weight loss guidelines into our daily lives. "It's a lifestyle, not a diet" is easily and often said, but sometimes not so simply put into practice.
This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!
Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.
Monday - crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday – Wildcard!
Wednesday - misterhub (Greg)
Thursday -imastar2 (Derrick)
during Friday - Flintwinch (Tim)
Today's Topic: cognitive dissonance
We're all here because we have weight issues. Generally, we're all trying to lose weight, or keep lost weight from coming back. To accomplish this requires a high-level of focus, and to "make the better choice" more often than not.
However, we also often do things that are not aligned with our weight goals. Thanksgiving (for me) is a good example. I refuse to restrict myself on Thanksgiving, and I usually rationalize this by reminding myself that (1) this is THE food holiday of the year, and (2) it's just one meal.
I realize that I am often able to keep two inconsistent weight-related thoughts in my head, such as "I'm trying to lose weight, but I'm going to stuff myself silly on Thanksgiving." This is, at some level, cognitive dissonance.
What examples do you have of cognitive dissonance in your life (food, or otherwise)? How do you rationalize keeping both disparate thoughts together in your mind? Should you be doing something different? Discuss...
This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!
Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.
Monday - crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday – Wildcard!
Wednesday - misterhub (Greg)
Thursday -imastar2 (Derrick)
during Friday - Flintwinch (Tim)
Today's Topic: cognitive dissonance
We're all here because we have weight issues. Generally, we're all trying to lose weight, or keep lost weight from coming back. To accomplish this requires a high-level of focus, and to "make the better choice" more often than not.
However, we also often do things that are not aligned with our weight goals. Thanksgiving (for me) is a good example. I refuse to restrict myself on Thanksgiving, and I usually rationalize this by reminding myself that (1) this is THE food holiday of the year, and (2) it's just one meal.
I realize that I am often able to keep two inconsistent weight-related thoughts in my head, such as "I'm trying to lose weight, but I'm going to stuff myself silly on Thanksgiving." This is, at some level, cognitive dissonance.
What examples do you have of cognitive dissonance in your life (food, or otherwise)? How do you rationalize keeping both disparate thoughts together in your mind? Should you be doing something different? Discuss...
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I’m thinking somewhere there must be a university offering a degree in rationalization. I should be granted a Masters based solely on life experience in that subject.
For me, what resolves the issues of cognitive dissonance is two-fold. First, it’s a focus on the definition of “better choice”. Second, it’s the addition of the element of timing.
The better choice, for me, considers not only whether something is the best option on the surface, but also what the consequences are for making that choice. I can choose not to have pie at a meal, for example, but if my resentment of that choice leads me to overindulge elsewhere, it’s no longer the better choice.
The addition of timing, therefore, adds the element of “what next” to the question of “better choice”. What appears to be a better choice in the immediate may no longer be the better choice given the likely or potential ramifications of that decision.
Of course, that’s where that ability to deceive yourself comes in. I could justify anything on the grounds that if I don’t do X today, I’ll likely do Y tomorrow - and that would be worse. Over time I’ve gotten better at that, but it’s always a question whether it’s a reason or an excuse.
(And since most of my internal thoughts are inconsistent, this is an area where I have a lot of experience. 😊)1 -
But then there was that one post Charlie did (he likely doesn’t recall but I do) where he framed the big picture as trying to live within some reasonable limits. A lot of things become blurry when put in those terms. Contradictions aren’t so easy to find when things are blurry.
We don’t get these posts over here at MFP but we used to get the “I want what I want when I want it” posts. Those guys wanted to reject other whole notion of limits. OK, That’s absolute opposition to what has to be done to lose weight. But once we accept that there are going to be limits, we’re driving on a pretty wide road.
Mother Nature didn’t plan on this much food. We have bodies that were designed to see us through hard times. We need to find a way to live without giving into the urge to eat all the time just because it’s available. Its kinda like how our brains aren’t designed for non-stop electronics. Our bodies are not ready for the modern world.
Tomorrow I’m having a belt of rum and some sort of appetizer, turkey and roasted Brussels sprouts. And of course pumpkin pie under a pile of LF cool whip. But stuffed? No. It just doesn’t feel good anymore.0
