What is APPROPRIATE?

Bear with me on this one.

Food is NOT an appropriate reward.

One more time.

Food is NOT an appropriate reward.

Part of losing weight is changing how you view food. Not just what you ingest. Not just how much you consume. But how you view food. For me, the eternal fat kid, I have been in love with food my entire life. I am quite positive it will be the one consistent romance that I will ever have. From the time I was a kid food has been used for everything from a bribe, to a comfort, to a reward for a job well done, and last (and unfortunately, least) as nourishment. Macaroni and cheese if I had a bad day at school, especially if I had a fat day. Taco popcorn if I was good kid and we were just chilling at home. Out to eat for a treat if my grades were good. My grades were always good. You name it, I think of a reason to eat for it. This will by far be the hardest thing to overcome. I may not get it done. You may not get it done. But trying, even a little each day will help. It has to.

This is my beef with most diets. They advertise amazing results. You even get a CHEAT day. How many times have you heard that? You can have (fill in the blank) once a week. Aren't you lucky? It will be so easy.

When was the last time they let a heroine addict have a cheat day? Every Sunday you get to have hit, won't that be fun?

This is a concept that people who aren't in love with food don't quite understand. And, of course, by in love I mean addicted to. Lucky us, we absolutely HAVE to have our drug in order to live. We have to have it daily in order to survive. But now we have to have it in moderation in order to achieve a healthy looking body. Falling into the occasional cheat has never worked for me. It tends to snowball into breaking out my fat pants again. Or in reality, buying fat pants again because I gave all mine away swearing that I would never have to wear them again. I can't just have that little dessert and not think that I should have another right then. Or better yet, a whole tray of something sweet in secret tomorrow. That way no one knows about it, except for the fact that a month from now my pants don't fit. People that don't have this struggle don't get it. They can have that treat without it turning their life upside down. They don't understand why you can't just have it with them. It's not their fault, it just isn't their walk. Me, it's just better if I refrain from even trying it at all. For me, this also pertains to alcohol. Now, mind you, I don't have an alcohol problem. I could probably go the rest of my life without drinking a drop. But I like to drink socially. I am a good time when I drink socially. Notice I didn't say I have a good time, I am a good time. But you know what alcohol does to me? It makes me fat. So, being diligent and good all week so that I can have a few drinks on the weekend, isn't a great trade-off for me. People don't get that. My metabolism doesn't accommodate cheats. My choices are fat-fun-girl or skinny-stick-in-the-mud-chic. Maybe there is a balance out there for me, but Lord help me, I haven't found it yet.

Back to where I started. Food is NOT an appropriate reward. So, what the heck is? For me, next week, it is going to be new athletic shoes. I have two pairs of VERY worn out tennis shoes. I will have completed phase 1 of T25 and be halfway through Hip Hop Abs, so I deserve a pat on the back... And shoes that don't kill my knees and feet. Amazon is running a special right now, if you spend at least $75 on athletic equipment you get $15 off your order. Code: 15ATHLETIC   I am going to take advantage of that and get myself a non-food related treat. If you have some awesome treat ideas, shout them out! Be sure and take a drink of water first though. Have a great weekend all!!