Instant Gratification

In a moment of weakness last night, I ate a pint of Halo Top. Sometimes, I am slave to my own gratification. But, not to worry, I had plenty of weeklies in my budget to back it up. I actually plan for the one pint of Halo Top per week.

A pint of Peanut Butter Cup Halo Top is 11 points. Pint of Ben and Jerry’s “The Tonight Dough”: 52 points.

Full disclosure: on a few occasions, I’ve had B & J’s on this plan, too, and still lost weight those weeks. It’s not about the isolated indulgences or little mistakes, it’s how you do over the longer term. One food choice won’t make or break you, it’s patterns and habits that are the real determinants. Bonus points if you’re very physically active.

Before I went back to working full time, I biked six days a week, 30 minutes a day. I got to the point where, if I skipped a workout, I really missed it. I put on my music and I’m good to go. I need the music. If I don’t have the music, I’m not motivated to go fast enough.

And it can’t be just any music. I have playlists representing every emotion, e.g. Happy, Melancholy, Leah Mad, How You Like Me Now. I play them loud enough that I can hear them, quiet enough that the kids can’t (my most motivating workout music tends toward the profane: Mindless Self Indulgence, Orgy, NIN).

Anyway, I’ve gotten over making the small “mistakes.” I used to obsess and spiral, which just made it worse. I would give up after one little mishap, and that’s how I gain weight. “I’ll start tomorrow” is the kiss of death for me.

Now I just look at mistakes or indulgences as blips on my radar, and move on. Since then, I’ve had almost 60 pounds worth of success.