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December 21, 2006
When You Focus On Nutrition, You Make The Right Choice
One of the new CR Society members, Heather, wrote an inspiring story to the list today. I republish it with her permission (the spacing is a bit off but I don't have time to fix it!):
Visions of Calories Dancing In My Head
I just had an amazing experience …
There are still many calories to cut … still many foods to be removed
from my diet … still many pounds to shed … still a long way to go before I can
truly say that I have reached my goal and achieved true CRON status.
However, this holiday season is proving to me that the changes I have made thus
far are working and that my way of thinking about food is inherently changing.
We had our office holiday party yesterday, luckily there were tons of
healthy foods to choose from and I ate well and wise. There were lots
of cookies, cakes, pies, etc. but the desert table was out of view from
where I sat and I didn't even see them. This morning however, before I even
went into the kitchen, my boss told me that all of the snacks were already
out on the tables (at 7:15 am!?!?!) … I headed to the kitchen prepared to be
tempted by all the chocolate, and cookies, and cheesecakes that I have
always loved and enjoyed – prepared to battle the desires that I knew would
arise …
But when I got to the kitchen and looked at all the cookies, cakes,
etc. I had a vision. My mind flashed to the Cron-O-Meter and I saw the
little bars at the bottom of the screen; and as I watched the calorie bar
filled up quickly, turned that dark, over your limit color, and the numbers
before the percent sign kept rising and rising – all the while the vitamin and
mineral bars remained empty … and when the vision passed I found that I
didn't even want anything on the table!!!
I don't even know who I am anymore … ~LoL~ :D
Posted by april at December 21, 2006 10:23 AM
Comments
That scenario sounds so familiar. I can't look at a piece of cake now without mentally calculating the calories, sugar and fat in it. And when I do, I find I have absolutely no desire to waste all those calories on something almost completely devoid of nutrition. It really is a complete mind-shift.
Posted by: Robin at December 21, 2006 1:25 PM
I must admit that I'm still in the process of this mindshift. More and more, I have been researching CR and mentally exploring if moderate CR is a possibility for me. Can I do it? The tools and the resources are out there, so it's just a matter of putting into action. The more I read you, the more intense that desire to act becomes.
Posted by: Gina at December 22, 2006 11:53 AM
And I don't understand people who think cake tastes good anyway. I'd rather eat my bathroom sponge.
Posted by: istanbulwitchy at December 22, 2006 5:48 PM
aprilitamu,
you need to get rid of the puritan in you in order to fully appreciate life. The puritan in you restricts your life.
Posted by: istanbulwitchy at December 22, 2006 6:48 PM
April falls a sleep too early. She can't be a subject on this search. She is weak. You need stronger subjects you marine people. Take me.
Posted by: istanbulwitchy at December 22, 2006 8:38 PM
Your blog has been an inspiration to me. I discovered your blog just recently, after reading about you in Salon. I am overweight at 145 pounds and 5 feet 3-1/2 inches, and although I don't think I'll ever practice CRON, I would like to lose at least 20 pounds. In the past few days, I have been following your advice to focus on getting proper nutrition. I downloaded a personalized food pyramid from the American Dietetic Association and learned that a woman of my age should be eating 2 cups of fruit, 2-1/2 cups of vegetables, and 3 cups of milk/dairy product a day. I am following this recommendation, and I am feeling full and eating less junk. Instead of thinking about what I should be avoiding, I'm focused on what I should be adding to my diet. I have had weight issues my entire life (from being overweight to being very thin by not eating properly), and this focus on nutrition represents a shift in my way of thinking about eating. I realize now that weight control is not about depriving yourself; it’s about giving your body what it needs.
Posted by: A Barz at December 23, 2006 6:03 PM