I used to be very slim and last year (when I really lost focus on my goals and life) – although I was working very hard, I let my myself “Go to the Dogs” and put on an incredible amount of weight.
In fact, I put on 12 kg! It was totally disgusting and my clothes changed sizes multiple times. I have reclaimed much of this now and have about 4kg to go to get back to normal. I am well on track now, but I am sitting her thinking back to “Why the hell did I do that?”.
Although I am very glad that things are going the right way for me, I look back on my behaviour and am really pondering what on Earth made me do that?
It wasn’t lack of knowledge. I think everyone knows “Eating Salad for Lunch” will help with weight loss. Everyone knows that eating lots of chocolate is a great strategy for becoming a porker.
Yet I did all the above + more. Looking back on this bad experience, I realized what I did. I didn’t have clear goals at the time and my life wasn’t going the way I wanted. Instead of just turning around and working on this and putting a plan in place, I just “Went with the flow” and:
– Did what I felt like with my eating, compared to:
– What I must do with my eating.
This screw up of mine taught me a valuable lesson in that quite often “We Know Exactly What to Do”. It’s just that when we lose focus of our life, goals or whatever it maybe and “Go With the Flow” bad stuff is likely to happen.
I then thought about this more. If you head to the Supermarket or turn on the TV or open a magazine – it’s completely amazing how much money and effort is being pushed at you to over eat or buy crap. The obvious cliche example are the Chocolate Bars at the Registers – those cunning Marketers are taking their final shot at you!
This has really got me thinking in that in our Society, there are people who are really trying hard to “Control” us to behave in way that suits them. Even if it means the destruction of our own health.
Now, I know what you are thinking (and honestly a part of me thinks like this) – that Ed is just blaming the Food Companies and is not taking responsibility. You are actually right (to a point). It’s completely my fault as I know my behaviour was destructive, but man think about it – with all the Advertising Dollar thrown at us – it’s not a very fair game! It reinforced the old lesson to me – it’s dangerous to “Go with the flow” these days.
If you don’t have your own plan and stick to it, someone (generally to your disadvantage) is only to happy to enlist you in theirs.
Bastards!
2 Responses
Hi Ed,
A common excuse I hear from people who CHOOSE fattening foods over making healthy choices is that is that healthy food is expensive!! Puh-lease! From what I have observed from the ads for the next Biggest Loser series I am betting making healthy choices would be cheaper than the choices they are making (I think one family goes through a large tub of ice-cream each day!).
It is a matter of balance and allowing the odd treat (the golden arches is my guilty pleasure).
Yes, the shopping centre psychologists/marketers are partly to blame but the responsibility of not resisting the Snickers at the check out is solely on the individual. I will have the pleasant experience of pester power when Eli gets older. I will endure the tantrums and if other shoppers don’t like it then they can build a bridge. Parents give in because it is easier and doesn’t disturb others. Sorry but I am in control, not my child.
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year.
Cheers
Bec
Hello Bec!
Great to hear from you and I trust you are well. It was a great holidays but now back into it.
I like what you said in the respect of the “Reasons” that people had to eat fattening foods. As I have put more conscious attention on my own thinking, a lot of complete “BS” has come up in my own thinking with all these elaborate reasons to try and “Justify” me to pick up the pack of Tim-Tams and of course, not put it down.
Very interesting stuff! You must see some amazing things in your line of work.
Talk soon 🙂
Ed