iDiet

[a weight loss story]

kathrynoh at nemesis dot com dot au

::10.1.07::

Resolve

I've been reading an interesting post on Voluntary Simplicity. I really like these concepts and it's something I try to do in my life but have never really thought about in these terms before.

As far as dieting goes, this quote really struck me:

Gandhi said, “As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, you should keep it. If you were to give it up in a mood of self-sacrifice or out of a stern sense of duty, you would continue to want it back, and that unsatisfied want would make trouble for you. Only give up a thing when you want some other condition so much that the thing no longer has any attraction for you.”

How often do we decide to lose weight or start a healthy lifestyle because we think we should?

Lately I've been reading a lot of posts on New Year's resolutions - some full of workable goals infused with energy and positivity, some made with a spirit of 'it's new year so I guess I should do this'. No prizes for guess who'll achieve their goals.

I spent so many years making plans and resolutions to lose weight because I thought I should and, each time, I'd crumple as soon as I saw the first chocolate bar.

When I read that quote now, I realise I got more inner help and comfort from eating than the imagined payoff. It wasn't because I lacked self discipline, I needed to overeat. I needed the comfort, I needed the distraction, I needed the joy and, at the time, the only place I could find it was in food.

My weight loss plans always involved sacrifice - I'll go without this and not eat that. When I found something I wanted more, I could do it. I wanted to experience life as a healthy person. In order to do that, I shed the things I didn't need - not just the weight and not just the food, but the reliance on these comforts to see me through life.

I'm far from done but I see now that I need to focus my energy on the things I want - and, it's true, the things I give up will no longer have a hold on me.

# 8 comments * Post a Comment

Somebody wise once said that before you can successfully transform yourself, you need to reach a point where staying the same is WAY more uncomfortable than anything you might have to go through in order to change.

Only he said it much better than that. Wish I could find the quote...

One thing I've learned is that it's far better, mentally, to ADD things than to GIVE UP things. Like: add some exercise, add more water, add more vegies. Sooner or later the good stuff begins to crowd out the bad stuff and you don't feel that you've actually "given up" anything.

By Kek, at 8:16 am

Wow, this is good, and so is kek's comment. Changing your viewpoint can make so much difference.

By Anonymous, at 9:23 am

Great post Kat...especially since it tends to indicate that my resolutions may actually stick. lol

By Lisa C, at 11:27 am

Wow, great post! and so true. Thanks
Bri

By Anonymous, at 12:03 pm

Thanks for this post, you've given me a lot to think about!

By Anonymous, at 8:31 pm

I forgot to add that I have no intention of giving up chocolate. I just choose to have a little of it occasionally, rather than eat a family block every day.

Not that I ever did that. Um.

By Kek, at 9:32 pm

A good post and you are so right regarding New Years resolutions, why do people feel compelled to do this. If you want to make life changing goals then make them when you are ready!

Stu was here :-)

By Stu Mac, at 9:14 am

Gandhi, thank you for sharing! I really dig the idea of Voluntary Simplicity and YES the idea is not to take away and make it a negative experience. My success comes from wanting to be healthier too :-)

By Anonymous, at 12:03 pm