Fried chicken was my thing too. And I haven't touched it in almost 4 years. That's right. Something that was such a huge thing to me, something I thought that I couldn't live without is now a thing of the past. I've eaten lots of *off* plan foods since hitting maintenance almost three years ago, but never fried chicken. I can't go there. Such bad memories and I have ZERO interest in it.
Though I haven't eat fried chicken, I've eaten - roasted chicken, sauteed chicken, stir fry chicken, boiled chicken, cornflake/oats/almond *breaded* chicken, grilled chicken, sesame chicken (baked not fried), lemon chicken and a slew of other fabulous types of chicken. Each one of them more delicious than the next. Not only do they taste good - but they're good for me. I no longer settle for foods that JUST taste good. They have to taste good and be good for me long after I'm done chewing. I raised my standards. I require more from myself.
Yes, our lives are very focused on food - still is - I just switched the food. I used my love of food to my advantage and created/found excellent foods to eat that like I said earlier are good tasting and good for me. Be creative. Experiment.
It is wonderful to feed yourself and your family well. The sense of pride that comes with it is amazing. It feels great to treat yourself and your family with the dignity and respect that your bodies deserve.
The changes that need to take place are nothing to dread. The only thing to dread would be to stay as you are missing out on a higher quality of life and hopefully a longer one.
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle is not a prison sentence. But a ticket to freedom. It will open up doors to you that you didn't even know were closed.
I plunged in, dove in head first and never looked back. I made the DECISION to lose the weight, once and for all, no matter what and permanently.
After a difficult couple of weeks, more like 10 days actually, it got, dare I say easy. Yes. Work past that initial, temporary discomfort stage as you transition out of the bad habits and establish the new healthy ones. Make yourself some rules, set some boundaries. Get rid of the garbage - add in the healthy. Make a plan and stick to that sucker like glue. Like glue. The more you stick to it, the easier it gets. Map out your food schedule in advance. Know where each and every morsel you're going to eat comes from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Much easier to stay on plan when you've got one. Plan, plan and than plan some more. "Failing to plan is planning to fail".
Just know this - you have the ability to lose the weight. We all do. We are all capable of it. Push yourself. Stretch. Reach. Grow. Strive. Prosper. Find out what you're capable of and stand back as you amaze yourself and transform your life.
You don't have to be fat if you don't want to be. You CAN lose the excess weight. It is within your power. This is something you can control.
Make the decision, make the commitment and be willing to do what is necessary. You won't regret it, not for a teeny tiny second. In fact, you will wonder why you didn't do it earlier.
I look forward to getting to know you better and hearing of your progress.