Friday, December 5, 2008

Three Reasons to Drop Your Fork and Back Away from the Chocolate Cake

As a chocolate connoisseur it pains me to say it, but it’s time to end my everyday love affair with foods that aren’t treating me right. I’ve shared many stories about losing weight and exercise, but haven’t always focused on food. Yes, I’m guilty, there’s a big part of me that wishes if I exercise extra hard – a full hour instead of 45 minutes – that I could eat whatever I want and it won’t find a home on my hips or thighs. Even though I know better I’ve still lived in denial, until now.

At 37 years-old my body just doesn’t humor me like it used to. At 21, I could put away a Big Mac, large fries and finish it off with a half bag of Oreo cookies and still fit into my skinny jeans the next day. Now, if I even look at one of my kids’ fries I feel the button on my jeans pop open.

I’ve decided to change my eating habits by eating foods that are good to my body - that provide energy, nutrients and will make me healthy - and to limit the foods that don’t do anything but weigh me down – literally.

There are three things that keep me focused when I suffer from chocolate withdrawal and am in danger of wavering from my plan.

My Health
I know, duh, right? Everyone knows that eating foods that are good for you – lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains – improves your health, while foods with no nutritional value – candies, processed and fatty foods – harm it. So why are so many people still choosing the latter? It’s proven that so much of the crap we eat is killing us – literally – but we just keep shoveling it in anyway. Ignorance is bliss… and extremely harmful. I’ve decided to listen to the facts, which leads me to my next point.

Results
The sh*t works! Quickly. Eating foods that are meant to provide your body with the nutrients and energy that it needs makes your body run more efficiently. I feel better, have more energy, I’m sleeping better, my skin looks healthier, I feel sexier, ahem, I’m more confident, and yes, the fat is MELTING off of me. Need I say more?

My Kids


Every time I look at their happy little faces I think about how much I want to be there to see them grow up, about the example that I’m setting for them, and how much responsibility that holds. Like it or not, I’m the most important role model in my children’s lives. How will they learn to take care of themselves if they don’t see me doing it?

So, I’m dropping my fork and slowly backing away from the chocolate cake. Sure, I’ll still rendezvous with it at a holiday party and I’ll take care of Santa’s cookies for him on Christmas Eve, but for the majority of the time my darling chocolate is going to have to survive without me.

How about you? Are you willing to break up with some of your unhealthy loves? Health conscious minds want to know…

Winks & Smiles,
Wifey

6 comments:

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Great reminder!! I've been way over doing it lately concerning sweets and I so need to stop...once in a while I think a treat is good, but dessert shouldn't be a part of a daily diet...

Anonymous said...

Hola prima Wifey, I salute you on your mission to back away from the daily chocolate cake. Actually, I can do more than that...I shall join you in eliminating chocolate as its own food group in my diet.

Good health is our only true wealth. And I can totally cosign on the fact that doing the right things health wise totally makes you feel better.

Get thee behind me Hersheys, Godiva & Dove!

: )

D

heather said...

Okay this is just wild!
I gave up all sugar for at least 30 days! on Dec 4th, the hardest day for me at the day of my Mom's Night Out Holiday Party!
I have a horrible problem. When I start, I can't stop. So if I start at 8 am, it lasts until bedtime!
So if I don't start, I have better will power interestingly! I'm hoping the next 30 days will change my habits so I can enjoy it occassionaly.
And all of this was truly a desire to be around for my children, my grandchildren, and even maybe my great grandchildren! And hopefully to get rid of my last 11, plus bonus 5 pounds, because I already work out twice a day, 5x a week, for an hour each and run 3x a week! I can't add any more fitness! LOL
Funny we are on this same little journey huh?!
Hey, thanks for making me not feel so alone on this ;-)

TerriRainer said...

I bow to your will power...it far surpasses mine!

I think I would do better to start an excercise program BEFORE a diet. That whole diet thing worked for about two weeks back in September, and I feel off the wagon.

:) Terri

Unknown said...

Thanks for the input and kind words, ladies! I appreciate the love and support; and hope that I can be motivating to others, too. Smiles!

MOMSWEB said...

Uh well...I own an online dessert shop, so I actually sell these tempting treats, however, I exercise daily, drink nothing but green tea and water, and I eat only fish - no pork, chicken, or beef. Okay, so does this count for anything? Everything in moderation and keep backing away, Wifey!