No Eating After Dinner Challenge: Day 7

It’s been one week… (Thank you Barenaked Ladies for that little diddy).

While this challenge isn’t as hard as the last one, it’s more about the intention set everyday than breaking the addiction like in my social media hiatus. Last night, the hubs and I went out to dinner where it was totally heavy on the salty palette. Previously, I would have come home to stand in front of the pantry scouring to see what candy we had lingering about or head to my go to Oreo cookie four stack.

I’ve always leaned towards sweets more than salty. When I was pregnant with all four kids, it was all about the Oreos, Root Beer, Frosties, chocolate and fruit, if I was feeling particularly healthy. I couldn’t imagine my life without that sugary goodness at least once a day.

Hmm, sounds eerily familiar to what I used to say about social media. there is unnecessary pull towards sugar like it has a tight hold on me. If I don’t get it then I go into a Jekyll and Hyde version of myself. It’s not pretty but it’s filling a void somewhere for me.

Ahh, more self exploration.

We don’t need refined sugars to live but dang, they taste so good. They are my vice when it comes to food. I could have ten bags of chips in the pantry and they would end up going stale before I finished them.

Throw a Reese’s egg in the house this time of year and I could sniff that sucker out like a bloodhound. I have even begun thinking about the candy my mom buys that we only get once a year and how good it is going to taste.

Mouth is salivating right now. 

Serious obsession here! That can’t be good, can it?

As much as I want to brush these thoughts aside and engorge myself in chocolate turtles, raspberry filled chocolates, chocolate malt balls and gourmet jelly candies, I can’t help but notice what message this is sending to my kids.

In past years, I would inhale a bunch of the candy on the way home and finish it off in the next couple days as my night time snack while also sneaking other pieces throughout the day.

My personal food choices have been at the forefront of my mind and how they are rubbing off on my kids. I don’t want them to go down the same path as I did, but if I’m not diligent about my relationship with food then they won’t be either. If I become too lax on letting them eat when and whatever they want then we are headed down a rough road. I don’t necessarily want to deprive them now and then see them binge on stuff when they are older, either. It’s more about me being the stronger person and sticking to my NO’s even when they beg.

I want to be able to teach them habits that include moderation, so when they are forced to make their own decisions they will consider what is better for their energy and body instead of what tastes good in the moment.

hmm, so many other life lessons stem from that one thing.

 

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