It takes them hours of milling around to do ten minutes' good hard work. But, they are learning to focus you know. It's all about breaking it down into pieces. So now I take a picture of the crime scene and then we compare when the timer goes off ten minutes later.
Works like a charm. Nobody can argue with concrete evidence. There's a reason why before and after photos are so motivating. We can see progress.
It used to be that they would work hard, come and get me, and I would still see the same old junk that had been driving ME crazy as I stumbled through on the way to the treadmill. I couldn't tell they had picked anything up. We were all frustrated and about to become gremlins.
We broke it down, and we've been consistent. You know what? It's made it easier.
Yesterday, some of the comments made a lot of sense. Well, all of them did really, but these relate directly to what I'm pondering today.
Josie @ YumYucky said:
I know it doesn't make much sense (I think), but not eating sugar for so long makes me NOT want to eat it. Yesterday something weird happened and I craved it, but my no-sugar training gave me ample superpowers to tell it to shut da hellz up. Ya know?
KCL Anderson @ Before and After: A Real Life Story said:
I'm with Josie/YumYucky. The longer I go without eating sugar and/or any other type of thing I crave, the less I want it...and the more disappointed I am in whatever it is if I DO have it.
and finally Mishe @ Eating Journey said:
look at it as a lifestyle and not a diet.
I find that I agree. The more often I do it, the more consistent I am, the easier it is to do and keep doing. When I a problem that gets me off track, getting back in line is difficult. So, the longer I can go without straying makes it easier to get back to consistency. Am I making any sense people? Do you think it's easier to refrain then longer you go without?
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE
Totally agree it gets easier. I don't even want sugar anymore, and in fact when I do eat it I notice how much it makes me feel like crap. Same with any foods I've decided I'm not going to eat...diet coke, etc. They're really not that great.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! The longer I'm out of sugar, the more glaringly apparent it becomes how much it affected me. I'm a totally different person in vs. out of sugar. And its scary who I become. Every bit of forward movement and progress I've made comes crashing down in two bites of a donut or 1/2 a snickers bar.
ReplyDeleteIts not worth it. Its not worth the mental anguish and torment for 2 miliseconds of 'ahhh' in sugar. So, yep, abstaining confirms itself.
Sober, good. Sugar drunk....hell. The longer out of sugar the more committed I am to living life out of it.
Jae
It's getting sooo much easier. Last night I went to dinner with a high school friend I only see maybe twice a year. This is definitely a special occasion, so we did order a dessert plate. It was small bite-sized pieces of cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, fresh strawberries to dip in warm milk chocolate, etc. For the first time in my restaurant-eating life, I took a few small nips and left the rest. The dessert plate went more than half uneaten. This is major stuff. I feel in control. I AM in control! Dessert was a decision, not a pressurized situation filled with uncontrollable urges and guilt at the end. This is the eating lifestyle I've always wanted. And now I'm living it. :)
ReplyDeleteTotally makes sense! I am finding that I don't miss it as much as I thought I would! The weirdest thing that is happening since being off sugar is that my taste buds seem to be coming alive! I am noticing the distinct tastes and flavors of food so much more. And fruit tastes so much sweeter than before!
ReplyDeleteI loved everything about this post!! Now you've got me thinking. By the way, sounds like you're a phenomenal mom!!!!
ReplyDeleteI know all about the joys of cleaning the playroom! I love your 'take a picture' idea. I am going to use that!
ReplyDeleteI can see how going without sugar would get easier over time. I just have yet to try it. :)
Absolute sense and I totally agree!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. It definitely gets easier. Maybe it will never go away completely but I bet you'd find you just don't crave anymore.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to clarify that I do eat some sugar, but my goal is cut, as much as possible, packaged/processed foods with *added* sugar (I aim for no more than 5-7 grams per serving). If I were to make dessert myself, and add sugar, that's different, because I am in control of how much I add, not to mention what type.
ReplyDeleteI think it's also important to choose your battles, so to speak. For example, I can have dark chocolate in the house and have a small square or two and be satisfied. But milk chocolate is a different story. I'll want to eat the whole thing. So a little bit of sugar in the form of dark chocolate is a much better alternative than a lot of milk chocolate.
Another huge sugar issue for me used to be wine. I could drink a lot of it. And I think it's what caused me to crave sugar at other times. Now I am able to have a glass (or two) and stop. That's huge for me. I guess it helps that it makes me feel like crap if I have any more than that, or have it along with dessert.
Thankfully, this is true for me as well, and for all unhealthful foods, not just sugar. Example: now that my MIL, SIL, et al, have finally gone home and I no longer have to stare down Hershey bars and bags of Lays chips . . . I don't crave them, don't even think about that kind of stuff! It took about 1 week or 2 to get back in a good frame of mind, but definitely the key for me is out of sight, out of mind -- IF I'm consistent about it.
ReplyDeleteYay You!!!!!
I love the photo idea for the kids cleaning. I am having a battle of their bedrooms! Great work. I am totally going to try that ... no, rephrase that ... not "try" it ... I am totally going to achieve that.
ReplyDeleteTotally true!!! It takes my kids HOURS to finish their jobs too.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant idea from a brilliant mom...or should I say Superwoman?
ReplyDeleteOh! I hope it gets easier! What a mom you are!
ReplyDelete