Since the end of the Whole Foods Challenge, I've been feeling a little bit lost and confused. For the month of September, I was completely focused on the goal of eating more whole foods and staying away from highly processed and refined junk foods. By the end of the month, I was feeling healthier, lighter, and happier with all aspects of my diet.
But once that month was over, I was no longer as focused. I lost my footing and began to slip back into some of my old habits. I discovered a few interesting things during the episodes of slippage.
First of all, I went from drinking no alcohol at all to having a glass of red wine on Friday evenings. Oh, one little glass of wine? What harm could that do? Even doctors will tell you that one glass of red wine is a healthy choice! But I found that small amount of alcohol created a slippery slope that I began to slide down. My willpower was softened and I suddenly found myself craving those sugary carbs I had lived so easily without for more than a month! Luckily we don't have anything too terrible in my house, so I satisfied my craving with whole grain cereal. But I had never felt a need to munch on cereal UNTIL I drank that wine. Hmmmm.
The next Friday evening, it was my anniversary. Mr. Balancing Act had brought some treats into the house that we normally don't have around. I went for a glass of red wine again (not yet seeing the pattern) and immediately developed that same carb craving. This time, we had Ben and Jerry's in the freezer! Thank Goodness, my husband had already made quite a significant dent in the pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch because once I got started with my spoon, I did not stop until that sticky carton was empty. As you can imagine, a headache of royal proportions ensued. I hadn't eaten that much sugar in the past 8 weeks combined! Then I made the mistake of reading the number of calories in one half-cup serving. You don't want to know. (280!)
So, I learned a couple of important things. Wine, or alcohol of any kind, is not helpful to a person attempting to reduce or eliminate the sweet stuff. Although I enjoy a glass of red wine, I do not enjoy the cravings that seem to accompany it. Also, it is IMPERATIVE that I keep junk foods OUT OF THE HOUSE! If your loved ones are bringing in junk that you just can't resist, have a heart-to-heart chat and explain how you feel about this. Anyone who truly loves you will respect and honor your goal to be healthy. Hopefully they want the same thing for you AND themselves!
Last of all, I decided that I need a new challenge to focus on, to help me stay on track. Maybe you are feeling this need as well? So I have come up with the Healthy Holidays Challenge! We are creeping toward the time of year that is notoriously difficult for people attempting to lose or maintain weight loss. I'm not sure if Halloween is a tricky (get it?) holiday for you all, but Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are usually centered around eating, drinking, partying, and putting on the pounds. So I hope you will join me, beginning on November 1st, to work on creating a plan, with menus and recipes included, for having a happy and healthy holiday season! Let's do it together!
But once that month was over, I was no longer as focused. I lost my footing and began to slip back into some of my old habits. I discovered a few interesting things during the episodes of slippage.
First of all, I went from drinking no alcohol at all to having a glass of red wine on Friday evenings. Oh, one little glass of wine? What harm could that do? Even doctors will tell you that one glass of red wine is a healthy choice! But I found that small amount of alcohol created a slippery slope that I began to slide down. My willpower was softened and I suddenly found myself craving those sugary carbs I had lived so easily without for more than a month! Luckily we don't have anything too terrible in my house, so I satisfied my craving with whole grain cereal. But I had never felt a need to munch on cereal UNTIL I drank that wine. Hmmmm.
The next Friday evening, it was my anniversary. Mr. Balancing Act had brought some treats into the house that we normally don't have around. I went for a glass of red wine again (not yet seeing the pattern) and immediately developed that same carb craving. This time, we had Ben and Jerry's in the freezer! Thank Goodness, my husband had already made quite a significant dent in the pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch because once I got started with my spoon, I did not stop until that sticky carton was empty. As you can imagine, a headache of royal proportions ensued. I hadn't eaten that much sugar in the past 8 weeks combined! Then I made the mistake of reading the number of calories in one half-cup serving. You don't want to know. (280!)
So, I learned a couple of important things. Wine, or alcohol of any kind, is not helpful to a person attempting to reduce or eliminate the sweet stuff. Although I enjoy a glass of red wine, I do not enjoy the cravings that seem to accompany it. Also, it is IMPERATIVE that I keep junk foods OUT OF THE HOUSE! If your loved ones are bringing in junk that you just can't resist, have a heart-to-heart chat and explain how you feel about this. Anyone who truly loves you will respect and honor your goal to be healthy. Hopefully they want the same thing for you AND themselves!
Last of all, I decided that I need a new challenge to focus on, to help me stay on track. Maybe you are feeling this need as well? So I have come up with the Healthy Holidays Challenge! We are creeping toward the time of year that is notoriously difficult for people attempting to lose or maintain weight loss. I'm not sure if Halloween is a tricky (get it?) holiday for you all, but Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are usually centered around eating, drinking, partying, and putting on the pounds. So I hope you will join me, beginning on November 1st, to work on creating a plan, with menus and recipes included, for having a happy and healthy holiday season! Let's do it together!
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