Discipline and enviorment

portexploit · July 2011

Lately a lot of people have been telling me, “your diet is very disciplined” or “your diet is hard work.” I think to myself WTF are these people crazy? It’s the easiest diet I ever done. Takes me back to something I was reading not too long ago, I think the person said “discipline isn’t resisting a food or anything like that. That is an external process. Discipline is a internal processes were you modify your world so that temptation doesn’t even exist.” I do buy my own food, I know from experience this isn’t possible for some people, some live with their parents or something like that. I do live with other people too, but I don’t eat what they make, I make my own food. I see it like this, If I don’t buy junk, I can’t eat junk, it’s that simple. I have created a successful environment for myself. If I went back to the old environment of not buying groceries and eating fast food all the time, I’d go back to my old results. I believe your environment is the most important thing for success.

This is kind of off topic. I was watching on tv some diet expert came to a woman’s home who wanted to lose weight. She would buy junk for everyone else, and eat healthy for herself. She would eat the junk food she’d buy for the kids. Why would you even feed children junk in the first place, I don’t get that. Your children’s life and success should be more important than yours. The typical excuse is “why must everyone else suffer if I am on a diet” If you’re suffering you’re not doing it right. I know some people have financial issues, “supposedly” junk food is cheaper, as I said I know some people live with other people and currently can’t fully support themselves. All I can say to them is the best of luck.

taso42_DELETED · July 2011

Agreed! Diet is the easy part. If you know what foods you should eat and only stock that food in your house, there is no room to **** up and eat cupcakes.

And as long as you stay fed and not starve yourself, you won't make some desperate decision to eat junk.

supertracylynn · July 2011

I fully agree. When I started my journey in 2009, I was a geo-bachelorette with 3 small kids. Instead of buying them separate stuff, I'd have them eat when I made myself... It was so much easier that way!

Thanks to that, my 8 y/o flips labels, my 7 y/o wants to be a vegetarian, and my 3 y/o eats fish like the rest of us do. My kids are part of my inspiration

portexploit · July 2011

I fully agree. When I started my journey in 2009, I was a geo-bachelorette with 3 small kids. Instead of buying them separate stuff, I'd have them eat when I made myself... It was so much easier that way!

Thanks to that, my 8 y/o flips labels, my 7 y/o wants to be a vegetarian, and my 3 y/o eats fish like the rest of us do. My kids are part of my inspiration

That's really cool tracy.

chevy88grl · July 2011

When I first started this journey, my kids complained a lot about the lack of "junk" in the house. Now they eat the stuff that I eat and are actually logging their food and stuff on MFP with me. They are 15 and 12 and know about serving sizes, portion control and such. Rarely do they even ask for something like cookies, candy or ice cream now.

supertracylynn · July 2011

I fully agree. When I started my journey in 2009, I was a geo-bachelorette with 3 small kids. Instead of buying them separate stuff, I'd have them eat when I made myself... It was so much easier that way!

Thanks to that, my 8 y/o flips labels, my 7 y/o wants to be a vegetarian, and my 3 y/o eats fish like the rest of us do. My kids are part of my inspiration

That's really cool tracy.

Thank you! They're great kids!

jkestens63 · July 2011

I agree with a lot of what you said. Environment is very important to being successful. But really that internal discipline, I believe, is the key. You cannot control your environment 100%. If you walk into any store, even a pharmacy, you're going to be confronted with temptation. You have to learn to resist the temptation. I read something by Bob Greene recently, although he doesn't necessarily like the word "lazy" he states people are more "emotionally" lazy than physically lazy. They don't want to muster the inner strength to do what needs to be done. They don't like the discomfort it may cause, the self-denial, the responsibility. I think he has a point. I know what to eat, just don't always make the good choices.

As for kids - hubby and I don't have any but he has a couple that visit on weekends and vacations (now they are here for a a month). He is not into eating healthy (can't tell you the last time he had a vegetable) and I know the kids exist on fast food with their mom's. I don't force my lifestyle on anyone. I try to make healthier versions of the things the kids like and I'm trying to teach them to have "treats" in moderation. Not always successful but I try not to eat their cookies, etc because it doesn't fit in with my goals. There is no "rule" that says just because I keep stuff around that satisfies the kids that I have to eat it. Again, comes down to that internal dialogue/choice.

DragonSkip · July 2011

So true! This is like the best and easiest thing I have ever done. For me it's controlling those junk binges by actually eating when I start to get hungry! No starvation diet here, lol.

CakeFit21 · July 2011

This thought has been bouncing around in my head for a while. I was at a holiday party last year and a woman asked my what size my dress was, (WTF?) and then said, "Well, gosh I guess I could wear that too if I were as disciplined as you are." This has obviously stuck with me. I do not punish myself. I love what I eat. I love how I train. Do people think my life is miserable??? I am not on expensive cholesterol or high blood pressure meds. I can run for miles. I LOVE FOOD. GOOD FOOD. So does the rest of my family. I cook, we eat healthy and we eat dessert...when I make it myself. It's how I do things. I understand that it's not how everyone does things, but it does not mean that I have to discipline myself. That sounds like torture! The real torture would be having that crap around for others to eat and not eat it myself. THAT would be horrible!

Processed junk foods do not equal a happy, carefree life. Real foods and exercise do not equal discipline and torture. Although, I suppose it's all a matter of perspective.

Crystal529 · July 2011

I wholeheartedly agree with you. And to the people who think that way I always think "How bad do YOU want it?" Thats always been my inward thoughts as to my own self discipline. I dont want to be 40 pounds heavier, ever again in my life. I want it THAT bad - maintaining my goal weight. And I love food too but I wont lose sight of what I have accomplished to let others derail me. And when people ask me "How'd you do it?" HELLOOOOOOOO food choices. We all have a choice, its about making the right one.

portexploit · July 2011

I agree with a lot of what you said. Environment is very important to being successful. But really that internal discipline, I believe, is the key. You cannot control your environment 100%. If you walk into any store, even a pharmacy, you're going to be confronted with temptation. You have to learn to resist the temptation. I read something by Bob Greene recently, although he doesn't necessarily like the word "lazy" he states people are more "emotionally" lazy than physically lazy. They don't want to muster the inner strength to do what needs to be done. They don't like the discomfort it may cause, the self-denial, the responsibility. I think he has a point. I know what to eat, just don't always make the good choices.

As for kids - hubby and I don't have any but he has a couple that visit on weekends and vacations (now they are here for a a month). He is not into eating healthy (can't tell you the last time he had a vegetable) and I know the kids exist on fast food with their mom's. I don't force my lifestyle on anyone. I try to make healthier versions of the things the kids like and I'm trying to teach them to have "treats" in moderation. Not always successful but I try not to eat their cookies, etc because it doesn't fit in with my goals. There is no "rule" that says just because I keep stuff around that satisfies the kids that I have to eat it. Again, comes down to that internal dialogue/choice.

You made a good point, and reminded me I left something out in the original post. It’s about habit, the longer you’re in the environment the more at healthy the strong your habit of healthy eating will be. As I said I don’t live alone, people have junk food in the house. I just don’t eat it, I have no urge for it. When I was younger I lived with my parents, and yes I’d eat the junk food, the temptation was strong. I’d give in. I see myself if I went back to that house, and prepared my meals, I don’t see myself giving in to the temptation.

portexploit · July 2011

I wholeheartedly agree with you. And to the people who think that way I always think "How bad do YOU want it?" Thats always been my inward thoughts as to my own self discipline. I dont want to be 40 pounds heavier, ever again in my life. I want it THAT bad - maintaining my goal weight. And I love food too but I wont lose sight of what I have accomplished to let others derail me. And when people ask me "How'd you do it?" HELLOOOOOOOO food choices. We all have a choice, its about making the right one.

A lot of people ask me, "does this or that diet work?" or "does that exercise equipment work?" My answer is always the same, "everything works if you do it, that's not the issue, the issue is able to do it consistantly for the long term" someone brought up the topic of the "shake weight" haha they got me there.

Mommawarrior · July 2011

Love your post. I totally agree. I have no problem with temptation cause I simply don't want to put crap in my body. When I think of the ingredients in junk food or fast food, I literally get sick to my stomach.
A "diet" will never work long term. Only a lifestyle change, only a new way of eating, only CHOOSING to eat healthy and exercise will work long term.

runner328 · July 2011

I was at a holiday party last year and a woman asked my what size my dress was, (WTF?) and then said, "Well, gosh I guess I could wear that too if I were as disciplined as you are.

A) I can't believe she asked you that.

Obviously she was jealous/envious of you. She was probably hope you where going to reply "I am only this size because I just awoke from 5yrs in a coma"

Discipline and enviorment

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