Off the wagon / On the wagon

gentle_sir_hulk
gentle_sir_hulk Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I spent a nice weekend upstate New York - and different to the last four months I had some generous helpings of Gin cocktails, Red Wine, french fries and pasta.

In the past, I was always paranoid that such an event would totally throw me off course and I would simply go back to my old habits.

This time was different, and it is really a great feeling. I enjoyed the weekend, enjoyed the comfort food, but I am super happy to go back to my great way of eating and living - organic and pasture raised meat, non-starchy vegetables and not poisining my liver with a daily dose of ethanol.

This is the difference between lifestyle and diet: a lifestyle must be able to cope with the occassional 'sin' - whatever this might be for you. Enjoyed guilt-free. Like a treat; its rarity is what makes it special. So I am back 'on the wagon', happy about it and I dont worry about it changing my life.

Who else had such an experience and how did y'all deal with it?

Replies

  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    edited September 2021
    I think this is great!

    I think in the abstract most of us can understand the value of "feast days" and "fast days" as they were/are observed in more traditional cultures - the idea that there is a time and season for everything and we should observe accordingly. In practice, though, especially with weight loss, I think some of us can bring to it the idea that we should constantly be at the same level of effort, the same rigorous adherence to perfect practice (whatever we've determined that to be), and we forget to respect the natural ebb and flow or rhythms of life, beyond the 24-hour day. We can say "one day at a time," and I think there can be value in that, but there are also weeks, months, seasons and years.

    Maybe that's a more philosophical answer than you were looking for, but it's an approach that's been very helpful to me with food and in other areas of my life too (a biggie would be making time for work AND leisure AND rest.)
  • snaxandpop
    snaxandpop Posts: 71 Member
    For me, as soon as I break the pattern of healthy eating, intermittent fasting or anything else for that matter, I am off in a completely different direction! I have to stand firm and stay the course. Penguinmama has an amazing way of looking at it and hopefully I can draw from that and get to the point Sir-gentle-hulk is one day. Heck, I am still trying to get back "on the wagon" after a vacation a month ago. Having Covid affect my taste for the last year (I am in the long haul group) has not helped either. Thanks for sharing!
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited September 2021
    There is no way anyone who is human will be 100% consistent 100% of the time. If you can't deal with disruptions and changes, you're just going to fail. Maybe sooner, maybe later, maybe it's going to be into becoming a yoyo dieter--

    but it's going to happen.

    Being able to get back to it quickly is probably THE most important skill you can learn.
  • Dnusha
    Dnusha Posts: 1 Member
    It also took me a long time to realize that just because I had a bag of chips on occasion, it did not mean that I blew my diet. Sometimes, I get a food into my head that just won't leave me alone. When that happens, I wait as long as I can and if the feeling does not pass, I do eat it. The difference now is that I usually don't eat more than I should and I don't beat myself up about it. I do add it to my food diary, even if it puts me over my daily calorie requirements. I find that a break now and then actually helps me continue counting calories and actually losing weight.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's a good thing to learn...eventually it will help to really see the bigger picture which comes with passing time. I've been at this good livin' thing since the winter of 2012 and I no longer really see it as being on or off of "sin" and that it really comes down to what is going on most of the time, not the "sometimes" of life events, celebrations, vacations, and other occasions.

    I didn't necessarily get that conclusion during my initial weight loss phase, but really started to see that bigger picture in maintenance when I came to the realization that the weight loss phase is relatively short...but maintenance goes well beyond the weeks and months it takes to lose weight obviously.
  • NYPhotographer2021
    NYPhotographer2021 Posts: 510 Member
    We need to be free of guilt or shame, or try to hide when we overindulge. It's life, and life happens. I've been super diligent to sticking to my regime. However, today is my son's birthday. I'm ordering pizza and we will have cake and ice cream. I am going to eat pizza, and have a slice of cake and a scoop of ice cream. And enjoy the heck out of it! And tomorrow I will be right back at it. Who knows? I've been in a bit of a slump lately. This may be just the thing to get me moving down again!
    @sir_gentle_hulk, where were you? Anywhere near Lake George? They had the Americade this weekend, as well as the Adirondack Balloon Festival. So a lot happening in my neck of the woods!
  • gentle_sir_hulk
    gentle_sir_hulk Posts: 52 Member
    @NYPhotographer2021 - we were around Rochester / Geneva / Waterloo. Heard a lot about Adirondack!
  • NYPhotographer2021
    NYPhotographer2021 Posts: 510 Member
    sir_gentle_hulk wrote: »
    @NYPhotographer2021 - we were around Rochester / Geneva / Waterloo. Heard a lot about Adirondack!

    Oh, hey I lived near Rochester too! Moved back east though, because I missed the mountains!

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