I find that if I don't journal my food right away after eating (or even before, if I know what I'm going to have) I have a tendency to forget things, not that I'm trying to be dishonest, I just honestly do forget. Almost every day I have to go back and correct my journal because there was something I missed. I think that's probably why I thought that I didn't eat that much before -- it's easy to underestimate your food intake. In Mindless Eating, the author Brian Walsh showed that even nutritionists tend to underestimate.
It's important to me to be honest. In one of our Weight Watchers meetings, the leader posted this quote: "The body keeps an accurate journal, no matter what we write down."
----------- Jen
Posts: 2868 | Location: Ohio | Registered: March 11, 2004
How honest are you with yourself where food is concerned? I'm always honest with myself. But not always with the journal or everyone else. I always know when I feel like I'm rebelling, and I know exactly what makes me feel that way. (And like Brie, sometimes I just don't care if it's not the "best" choice.)
Do you go in spurts where you can be brutally honest about why you want something and then turn around and pretend you don't see the problems? Not anymore. If I'm reaching for food and I'm not hungry, I *know* there's a reason. (Which is different, in my mind, than going out on purpose and eating well, or choosing ahead of time to eat/drink/be merry. "Reaching for food" is that mindless "I'm-not-doing-anything-else-I-might-as-well-eat" stuff.)
Does it matter to you if you aren't honest about food issues? If it does, what steps can you take to be more accountable to yourself to be honest? It does matter. And part of what I'm getting to now is feeling very ashamed when I'm out of control, and not wanting to deal with those feelings because I'm Perfect. and Wonderful. and Loveable. and Cute. and Must Not Complain or Ever Show Anything Other Than Happiness to the World. The short answer is that I need to be okay with not being perfect, and I'm not there yet.
Challenge Goals: *10 minutes of unplanned exercise five times a week *Gym time twice a week *Socialize at least once every two weeks.
How honest are you with yourself where food is concerned?
I'm always honest about it but sometimes I just don't care if my food choices suck.
Do you go in spurts where you can be brutally honest about why you want something and then turn around and pretend you don't see the problems?
Again, it's not an honesty thing because I do record everything in my food journal but I'll play little games with myself that the extra bites of dd's lunch, or the bite of chocolate or the extra wine won't matter because of my workouts. It may not matter for a day here or there but it certainly does if it becomes a habit.
I've also gotten much better at recognizing my stress eating triggers. The problem is that although I recognize them and know what works for me to avoid stress eating, I don't always do what I know that I should. Goes back to my answer to part 1 about sometimes just not caring.
Does it matter to you if you aren't honest about food issues?
I would be in big trouble if I weren't honest about what I was eating. Food journaling and calorie counting have been a big key to my success.
If it does, what steps can you take to be more accountable to yourself to be honest?
I've kept a food journal for over 4 1/2 years now. Publically posting here is a great layer of extra accountability for me as well. Plus it can help me with some planning.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
What I want and what I allow myself to have are two different things. I want (very much) a hot fudge shake, I have wanted one for two weeks now. There is a seasonal ice cream place that makes the best, and that's what I want. BUT I know if I eat one, I am doomed to eat another and another, and then it will be chocolate candy for a month. It's not healthy for me to act on my wants sometimes. Do I do it, sure, but only when I know I am in control of my wants. Right now the reason I want it is because I am not in control of my house, my living conditions, some of my time, and my anger. So I won't be having a hot fudge shake anytime soon, maybe the place will close for winter before I get it. AND maybe I will be 5 lbs less and in a different home, and be in control of my anger and my feelings, and maybe then I won't want it.
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3473 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
How honest are you with yourself where food is concerned?
It's really variable. See below.
Do you go in spurts where you can be brutally honest about why you want something and then turn around and pretend you don't see the problems?
Yes, I'd say this describes me to a T. Sometimes, I will write down EVERYTHING or acknowledge in my brain EVERYTHING I eat. And sometimes I will play this little game of "I won't tell if YOU won't" with myself. During this period of intense stress at work (which has lasted almost a year now), I have really discovered that I crave chocolate and fast food much more when I am feeling out of control in other aspects of my life. I suppose that makes sense--feeling out of control emotionally begets wanting to eat out of control--but it is very frustrating to feel like I'm always fighting for control of myself.
Does it matter to you if you aren't honest about food issues?
It does and it doesn't. I mean, absolutely positively I want to be AWARE of what I am putting in my body; I spent top many years eating unconsciously and paid for it both weight-wise and health-wise so I don't want to go back to that.
I think where my version of "honesty" crosses the line is that it sometimes means (esp. in the past) that I beat myself up and that just isn't helping. So that's what I mean when I say it both does and doesn't matter. It does matter to my health but it doesn't matter to the extent of flailing myself raw over eating a candy bar.
If it does, what steps can you take to be more accountable to yourself to be honest?
I think a food journal is a great way to keep yourself accountable. Of course, a food journal will only be honest if you write everything down. I am fortunate in that I live alone and therefore I know that if a food that isn't good for me comes through my door, it's only going to end up in MY mouth. I can't fool myself into thinking it's for the husband or the kids because it's just me. That keeps me pretty darned honest about what I bring home. Then again, what I eat at home has never been my primary problem.
Personal Healthy Habits Challenge - 10/1 to 12/31/08: 1. Exercise: Get back to consistently working out 3-5 X week. 2. Food: Get back to consistently preparing healthy lunches for the week with increased veg servings. 3. Behavior: Reduce intake of sweets.
Posts: 7313 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
For the most part I try to be honest with myself. Even when I don't want to hear it. And even if I'm not honest with myself, I'll hear about it from either my registered dietician or my trainer (or both). Which is exactly why I have them both.
I'm pretty analytical. I tend to see a problem, my bigger problem is I tend to not want to deal with the root of the problem for the most part.
Besides, I've never been that great a liar, which is not a bad thing in itself. Getting me to admit that there is a problem is tougher.
Last night is a good example. You may have seen I wanted ice cream really bad. And I fought the urge, because I knew I didn't need it. But I didn't want to figure out why. It was really just the "I'm tired of studying but I need to" don't wanna can't make me's. I wasn't sure I'd get the new section.
I'm still working on it, but I think it'll take way more practice.
Life is like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, but the curves, spirals, loops and corkscrews are what make life interesting.
I am fortunate in that I live alone and therefore I know that if a food that isn't good for me comes through my door, it's only going to end up in MY mouth. I can't fool myself into thinking it's for the husband or the kids because it's just me. That keeps me pretty darned honest about what I bring home. Then again, what I eat at home has never been my primary problem.
