[Prazteam]

STINKING THINKING
I know I'm not the only one that has these thoughts because I've read about them here from some of you; "I have to pass up on so many treats", or "I'm missing out on those _______" (fill in with brownies, chips, cakes, pies, donuts, etc.)
I realized this morning that this is the first vacation we haven't planned around our eating! Usually, we are planning where we'll eat (which restaurants), what we'll eat (type of food), how we'll eat (buffet, sit down, or fast food), and then plan the rest of our vacation around that!
I've also noticed that "we" seem to blow it more on the weekends than during the week! Why is that?!?
Well, I think it's because we have been taught to associate food with being social or in other words "Social Eating". As I said yesterday, I was never taught nutrition or how to eat healthy as a child or as an adult either (until now). But I do remember the wonderful "socials" at our church as a small child. Tables and tables of all sorts of homemade foods, tables and tables of desserts. I remember how everyone was excited and happy and piling their plates up like there would be no more food after this meal.
Or we call a group of friends to get together and the first thing we think of is how we're all going to get fed (and for some, what are we going to drink).
We equate food to being happy and social. We think things like, "I deserve it", "I worked hard for this", "I'll be able to lose it next week", "It's only a little "TREAT", "I'll "TREAT" myself this time", and so on.
WE'VE GOT STINKING THINKING!!!
In this new way of life - LAWL - we've got to REPROGRAM our thoughts as well as our eating habits and our food choices! We've got to get rid of this STINKING THINKING!
What we "deserve" now is beautiful fresh fruits, gorgeous fresh vegetables, and fresh seafood. What we "deserve" now is to plan our meals to fit into our lives, not plan our lives around our meals! So that means we have to have those wonderful healthy choices immediately available to us, take the time to prepare healthy foods because THAT is what we deserve, and realize that we actually DESERVE to be healthy, not overweight. We DESERVE to make the right choices because our lives depend upon it! We DESERVE a life changing attitude because we are WORTH IT!!!
What we do NOT DESERVE - is to make choices that deter us from our choice to live a healthier life full of good choices. We do NOT DESERVE to eat those things that hinder our health. We do NOT DESERVE to have food control us! We DESERVE the mindset to CONTROL THE FOOD!
So, is that ____________ (fill in with brownies, chips, cakes, pies, donuts, etc.) REALLY the "TREAT" you think it is??? Or is it really a detour in your plan to live a healthy life and make healthy choices? If you REALLY want to "TREAT" yourself - splurge on a fresh pineapple, fresh shrimp, make your own fresh V8 juice, eat dinner on the "fine china", get dressed up for dinner for no reason, "give" yourself an extra 15 minutes of exercise, make yourself a bountiful salad full of fresh, vibrant veggies. Take a walk and focus on the beauty around you. Go volunteer to help someone else and take your mind off yourself. Go play in the rain, snow, or sand. Go the to park and play on the swings, merry go round, or climb the monkey bars. Have a squirt gun battle in the house with your kids! (it's only water!) Call an old friend on the phone. Tell someone you love them just because. Look up an old teacher or professor, pastor or someone that has invested in your life. Send someone flowers. Send a thank you note for no reason except that you appreciate that person being in your life. Give an hour to your child's school. Take the librarian, teacher, boss, secretary, neighbor, shut-in, your mom, your grandmother, a rose! By yourself a rose!
Now those things - are real treats!
Let's get rid of this "STINKING THINKING"!
That's my thought for today!
Hugs,

[reddeborah]

Pearl: My mind isn't even in gear yet and you've already been up and about, sharing your thoughts with us and better yet, thoughts that will help us all reach our goals. How do you do it, sister????

Thanks so much. You are right. Today I deserve to eat healthy fresh foods, exercise a little bit, and focus on me. Why is it always more expensive to do the right thing?? Nothing is cheaper than a McDonald's dinner...

[winkie03]

pearl: wow!.... what a great way to start my day. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. So, today I deserve to fill my body with healthy fruits, vegetables, and seafood. I DESERVE IT!

God Bless and Take Care!

[Joni135]

Great post - this will certainly come to mind the next time I'm pondering a non-POP treat. Thanks for sharing these words of wisdom~