Firstly apologies for the lack of posts .. in theme with today's post.. blogger has been having an attitude problem all of its own.. groan... New challenge incoming.. and a great post from guestblogger Mr.Q to start off your week ... Doll x
A person can change their future by merely changing their attitude
by @quinlivan
‘What came first… The chicken or the egg?’ It’s an age old question with no definitive answer that people bandy around a lot in discussions/arguments. Here however is a more important question: What came first… The weight or the attitude?
Six months ago food played such a significant role in my life. The same applies today, however my attitude towards food has changed so much. In the past I have tried dieting many times (including numerous failed Weight Watchers attempts). Recalling my past attempts, I always felt like I was depriving myself of something I deserved in dieting and foregoing certain foods.
This time around, I can honestly hand on my heart say that I have never deprived myself of anything – which I know has been helped me in losing weight this time around. Of course there have been lots of times when I have wanted something someone else has – but isn’t that life? Yes some people have better cars or faster metabolisms than us but just because I want something doesn’t mean I always get it. Hell, I want to win the Lotto and I don’t see that happening any time soon.
The difference this time has been asking myself either of these two questions:
Why do I want it? or did I earn it?
I have never denied or forbidden myself anything as to do that kind of places it on a pedestal or deep in a bank vault. It will be all you think about. You can’t avoid certain foods like chocolate as it is in every shop, petrol station and vending machine that you pass. Instead of regarding chocolate as forbidden or bold, I see chocolate as… chocolate.
Just like the way I don’t see Weight Watchers as a diet… I’m changing my attitude towards the food I eat by being more informed and educated about the foods I CHOOSE to eat. I don’t torture myself by putting food on a pedestal, if I want chocolate, have it & point it. Simple. Instead of rushing out and buying every diet cookbook, joining the gym and signing up to a strict fitness regime, I took the time to change my attitude and approach to eating and food first!
From sitting in my Weight Watcher classes, I hear loads of people either talk about the foods they had & subsequent guilt they suffered from it (e.g. ‘I was at a friends birthday/night out and I went crazy – now I’m up’), or they talk about the foods they didn’t have and how hard it was (e.g. ‘I went out for a meal with friends – I had the soup and salad and drank water while they had steak and wine.’).
Why are we constantly so hard on ourselves?
I went out for a friend’s birthday two weeks ago – I drank what I wanted and had a great night. At the end of the night we ended up in the local chipper – everyone ordered their kebabs and curry chips while I ordered a bottle of water. I drank my water while they chowed down on their takeaway in the cab on the way home.
Did I feel like they were eating/doing something I wasn’t allowed? Honestly, No! I didn’t order food because I didn’t want to. I wouldn’t order a take-away at 2.30am any other night of the week so why would I do it now? Someone who doesn’t smoke isn’t going to smoke just because all of their friends are on a night out.
So, how does one go about changing ones attitude to food? To be honest, I don’t have the quick-fix solution to this, I can only tell you what has worked for me. Someone said something in class one of the first weeks I joined Weight Watchers which really opened my eyes to the possibility of change when they said something along the lines of: You don’t have to be GREAT to start, but you have to START to be great.
So what came first - The weight or the attitude? In my case, it was definitely the attitude. My new attitude towards food is: If you want it (chocolate, crisps or a take-away) – have it! Just remember to point it and be honest with yourself. No one else cares if you ‘sneak’ a sly treat on the side but if I do and if I don’t point – I end up feeling guilty about it. That does nothing but re-enforce a negative attitude towards food.
Oprah once said that ‘a person can change their future by merely changing their attitude’ – and who am I to argue with Oprah?