Keeping it in proportion...
scandiebirdie
Posts: 58 Member
No pun intended, or maybe yes, a little bit...
We're all on here to change our lives for the better and lead lighter, leaner and healthier lives. That is all a good thing - no doubt about it.
But there seems to be a lot of "whining" (also on my own part) about "this is so hard", "they're having pizza at work, might as well give up", "I ate a burger - help" etc. and the answer is so simple: YES, it is probably fairly hard, leave the pizza/the burger - they're not forcing it down your throat, and if you chose to eat it, get over it and move on to better and leaner choices!
While I understand the need to "whine" or talk about how hard it all is, I sometimes or even often times do think we need to stop and think that it is "only" fat and being overweight or unhealthy (I say "only" knowing myself how much I detest my fat and lack of - but slowly improving - fitness level, and knowing how much I want to get RID of the belly fat, wobbly thighs etc, so I'm not underestimating the yuck-factor that comes with it).
But what is "wrong" with us is something we can totally fix and something of which we can be in total control - given varying but often healthy and substantial doses of will power. It is fixable, it can be changed, it can be improved. It is sometimes or even often times hard, but a lot of those times I also believe we just need to "suck it up" and keep at it.
Our problems - in respect of this site - is only food, and it's only fat.
A friend of a friend of a friend (yeah, that sort of very far removed, but still very very harrowing) is spending this week and hopefully with a bit of luck the next one as well saying goodbye and trying to be strong for her 6 year old who is losing her battle with a brain tumour.
My dad is battling bowel cancer - I lost my grandmother, his mom, to the same earlier this year.
A guy with Down's was issued a "Do Not Resuscitate" order - without his or his family's consent and without consulting with any of them - should he stop breathing. He wants to live - the doctors are saying no.
THAT is a problem, THAT is courage, THAT is hard.
The list of these sorts of troubles and problems is of course endless. For some, their problems are similar varying degrees of disaster: war, disease, hunger, personal problems, bereavement, etc. etc. etc. Often these people have no control over their own fate and their problems are much much more serious and grave.
So when I find it very hard to keep "at it" and be "good" (i.e. good to myself and my body and do right by it by exercising, eating varied, healthy and lean foods packed w. nutrients and the good stuff, when I really want to stuff my face with take-away pizza, eat my own bodyweight in cake, bread, pasta, butter and all that is bad for me (as moderation wasn't really my strong point on that front - but it will be and then I CAN have those things - in small doses); when I whine to myself and don't want to go to the gym or "hit it" once I am there, thinking at the very basic level of it all, I remember that the fat and the unfit body is something I created - my fault, my stupidity, my indulgence - and I CAN CHANGE THAT. I CAN FIX THAT. Other things in my life, I have little control over - but this one, I totally do.
And then I reach for the healthy food, drink the water, take the long walks, run that treadmill, use the weight equipment, swim w. my kid -- and count my blessings for those of my problems that can be fixed - which is exactly what I intend to do!
We're all on here to change our lives for the better and lead lighter, leaner and healthier lives. That is all a good thing - no doubt about it.
But there seems to be a lot of "whining" (also on my own part) about "this is so hard", "they're having pizza at work, might as well give up", "I ate a burger - help" etc. and the answer is so simple: YES, it is probably fairly hard, leave the pizza/the burger - they're not forcing it down your throat, and if you chose to eat it, get over it and move on to better and leaner choices!
While I understand the need to "whine" or talk about how hard it all is, I sometimes or even often times do think we need to stop and think that it is "only" fat and being overweight or unhealthy (I say "only" knowing myself how much I detest my fat and lack of - but slowly improving - fitness level, and knowing how much I want to get RID of the belly fat, wobbly thighs etc, so I'm not underestimating the yuck-factor that comes with it).
But what is "wrong" with us is something we can totally fix and something of which we can be in total control - given varying but often healthy and substantial doses of will power. It is fixable, it can be changed, it can be improved. It is sometimes or even often times hard, but a lot of those times I also believe we just need to "suck it up" and keep at it.
Our problems - in respect of this site - is only food, and it's only fat.
A friend of a friend of a friend (yeah, that sort of very far removed, but still very very harrowing) is spending this week and hopefully with a bit of luck the next one as well saying goodbye and trying to be strong for her 6 year old who is losing her battle with a brain tumour.
My dad is battling bowel cancer - I lost my grandmother, his mom, to the same earlier this year.
A guy with Down's was issued a "Do Not Resuscitate" order - without his or his family's consent and without consulting with any of them - should he stop breathing. He wants to live - the doctors are saying no.
THAT is a problem, THAT is courage, THAT is hard.
The list of these sorts of troubles and problems is of course endless. For some, their problems are similar varying degrees of disaster: war, disease, hunger, personal problems, bereavement, etc. etc. etc. Often these people have no control over their own fate and their problems are much much more serious and grave.
So when I find it very hard to keep "at it" and be "good" (i.e. good to myself and my body and do right by it by exercising, eating varied, healthy and lean foods packed w. nutrients and the good stuff, when I really want to stuff my face with take-away pizza, eat my own bodyweight in cake, bread, pasta, butter and all that is bad for me (as moderation wasn't really my strong point on that front - but it will be and then I CAN have those things - in small doses); when I whine to myself and don't want to go to the gym or "hit it" once I am there, thinking at the very basic level of it all, I remember that the fat and the unfit body is something I created - my fault, my stupidity, my indulgence - and I CAN CHANGE THAT. I CAN FIX THAT. Other things in my life, I have little control over - but this one, I totally do.
And then I reach for the healthy food, drink the water, take the long walks, run that treadmill, use the weight equipment, swim w. my kid -- and count my blessings for those of my problems that can be fixed - which is exactly what I intend to do!
0
Replies
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Great post! Thanks for the thought-I read it twice!0
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Great post! Thanks for the thought-I read it twice!
Yep, me too! Thank you for that. My indulgent ways have led me here and now I am on track for a better life. I will get there, and I've got so many blessings to enjoy on the journey
Good luck on yours!0
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