Today I need to veer off schedule to talk about my week. Car troubles, work, school, kids, and money have all assisted in derailing my diet this week.
So here it goes:
“Oh my diet, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins, because of your just punishments…” Sound familiar?
The act of contrition is what we tell a priest when we have committed a sin, it helps us get things off our chest and start anew. Sometimes you feel like you committed a sin when you slip up with your diet. Days or weeks go by, the weight creeps back on and you can feel like a failure, which is utterly discouraging.
This week has been like that for me; stress has a tendency of put eating right on the back burner. One night of ordering out turns into three, which is a huge roadblock to weight management goals, which in turn adds more stress and creates a vicious circle.
During the weight management program, we talked about how to not let a lapse turn into a relapse. Essentially what we’re doing when we try to lose weight is to make a lifestyle change. This is not too different from someone who is trying to quit smoking. Lifestyle changes won’t happen over night, and lapsing is to be expected, it’s how we deal with the lapse that doesn’t allow it to become a relapse.
Here are some ways to deal with a lapse:
- Don’t beat your self up about it.
- Try to identify what triggered the lapse. Figuring out what triggered the lapse will help you come up with a game plan on how you can avoid it in the future.
- Realize that you can’t take it back, and that what’s done is done.
- Say your act of contrition and clean the slate. Don’t let weeks of hard work go down the drain because of a few days worth of bad meal choices.
So, I’m going to hop back on the horse by perusing some healthy recipes and getting a good night sleep. First thing in the morning, I’m going to the gym and rewarding myself with an afternoon of relaxation.
Next post: “To lift, or not to lift.”
