I think that more overweight people are overweight because they are perfectionists. I can't do it perfect and to fit my expectations? Then I won't try to do it at all. I just had three cookies? crap, I failed, I suck. Case in point. My wife. She has jumped on the bandwagon. She has lost 20 pounds over the last 3 months just for having started to cook food I can eat for her and Lauren. We have sworn off fast food burgers and crap food. The other day, she committed to start exercising and has made a real effort to start counting her calories for the day. She has been doing great at it too. But, we had a cookie rally for Girl Scout Cookies sales Friday night. She had been spot on all day diet wise. But she had 4 cookies and a slice of cake. In her head, she had failed her diet. I had to explain to her no. First, no food is out of bounds. Second, you had 4 cookies and some cake. 4 months ago, you would have had a dozen free cookies and gone back for seconds on cake. At the end of the rally, there was extra cookies that were left over and they were bringing them to us. She said no thank you to that. However, in all that, all she saw was she failed by eating cookies. That is usually the beginning of the end for us fat folks looking to change our lives. But, rather than making small changes that are sustainable, then building on them, we think we have to be perfect from jump street. Please for you newbies, I am begging you. Don't do the perfect or nothing, wholesale changes approach to your weight loss journey. Start off with one thing, one habit you know you can keep up. Go walk a mile at a comfortable pace today, cut your calories down to 2000 for three days, don't eat that late night snack for this week. Just make small changes that once you do them, make you proud, make you able to build on them. In two weeks, you can cut it down to 1800 calories a day, and this time, pledge to get some vegetables in your diet. Don't shoot for the whole enchilada at once. One bit at a time folks, one bite at a time.
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Here, here! It's not all or nothing. If you ate the cookies, go brush your teeth and get right back on the wagon. Great post, Shane, as usual.
ReplyDeleteKathy has lost 20lbs!! Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteI vote you give Kathy a guest post :)
You are definitely right, there is no such thing as perfect. Definitely not in weight loss.
One step at a time is right! One small change at a time works great for most!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for Kathy!! I think she should guest post or better yet, start a blog! I know that there are LOTS of us who would LOVE to support her!!!
All or nothing...perfectionism...all of us chub a lubs seems to struggle with this. Bizarre.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Shane! Kathy has the best coach living at her house! :)
ReplyDeleteYup...that was my life story. Ate one bad thing so I may as well be off plan all day and start tomorrow. That was how I used to live my life for years. So glad to see the light now too!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Very interesting observation, Shane. I'm one of those who'd rather not do something than do it and be mediocre. Ironically, I'm trying to excel at weight loss, since I'll probably never excel at weight. Make sense? I'm not a perfectionist, but it's related.
ReplyDeleteThanks Shane for getting it. I think it's great your wife is sharing this journey with you. Makes it so much easier. And, I think your wife did great turning down those cookies. I've found out you can say no without hurting anyone's feelings.
ReplyDeleteI love this post, Shane! You're so right -- trying to be perfect all the time is self-defeating, no matter what goal you're trying to achieve. Instead, be flexible, go with the flow, learn from your mistakes, and just do your best. But above all, don't give up! Never ever ever give up! It's so true!!
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