No Eating After Dinner Challenge: Day 4

By removing the craving, the easier it is to stick with the plan.

Sure, by not buying the Oreos, I would be tempting fate less to dig into the box after the kids go to bed. Truth be told, I have a pretty strong will power when I am determined to succeed.

Proof is in the Social Media Challenge.

If I can stay off social media for 30 days, I can walk away from a pack of cookies, right? And it’s not like they will tell anyone what I did but I will know. I get that feeling of immediate gratification, but then the stomachache hits, the bloating begins and the satisfaction goes away.

It’s like sweets in general know I am an emotional eater. My biggest trigger is boredom and the need to keep busy. Putting food into my mouth is giving my hands something to do. I’ve spent most of my life trying to stay busy that it is difficult for me to be still. By simplifying my life and our activities, I’m beginning to learn to say no to things and yes to myself. During these challenges, my brain is pouring on the guilt real thick.

Get up, do something you lazy bum, you.

It turns out that I have those moments of clarity when I sit and do nothing. With no distraction, I’m like an idea machine. The words flow out of my head like a faucet. When I’m in the zone not even food become a crutch. It’s when the negative thoughts start rolling in that I bring food or other addictive behaviors into the picture.

Hunger is not even an issue. I could be full physically but I am filling another void by eating.

Might need to dig a little deeper into that, Dr. Freud. 

You would think as a mom of four, boredom would not be in my vocaulary, but it is.

As is my children’s.

Yes, nighttime is my time to unwind from they day so I could make time to read, take a bath, relax with the hubs and I do. It’s when we are hanging out that the good snacks can come out. I know we shouldn’t hide things from the kids because on a subconscious level they will pick up on it. As I think of it, I’m aware now, as an adult,  my mom did the same thing and that’s why she rarely kept junk food in the house because she would eat it. So even though I think I am being sneaky, I am teaching my kids the same habits.

I have even caught myself telling one of them not to sneak food and to ask if they want a snack.

By changing my nightly bad habit, I’m not only helping myself but walking the walk for my kids. The more this becomes a part of who I am, the easier it will be to incorporate even more good habits that will benefit our entire family.

 

 

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