Healthiness Challenge

I've been doing an 8-week healthiness challenge with my mom and sister. We get points each day for doing good things like exercising, eating fruits/veggies, drinking water, and not eating treats. I only have 2 weeks left and I really feel like I've learned a lot. I learned that I really do see results when I exercise regularly. I learned that eating mostly fruits and vegetables for all my meals is awesome and makes me feel great.

However, there are still some things I haven't mastered, and I am scared of what will happen after the 8 weeks are up. What happens when I can eat anything I want for meals without having to write it in a food journal? More importantly, what happens when I'm "allowed" more than one treat day per week? My current treat days usually include eating treats at every meal, since hey, I've got to take advantage of the one day!

I overeat---all the time. Every meal, every opportunity. I never realized it growing up, because I just thought everyone got seconds and thirds of everything. I can eat cookies and brownies and any treat like nobody's business. And if it's free food...that's when I truly have no restraint.

The main reason I wanted to do this challenge again (we tried before, but didn't make the full 8 weeks) was so I can develop a healthy, manageable lifestyle about food and exercise. So I guess I want to set some ground rules for my transitioning back to a "normal" life (clearly this challenge wasn't that unusual in my life...but it has kept me in check in a lot of ways).

1. Exercise. Just do it! It makes me feel so good about everything, and it does make a difference- but it takes persistence. Also, when it gets too easy- step it up. A little more will make me feel even better!

2. Desserts- enjoy one. This is what scares me most about myself. I inhale treats like I do air. It's okay when desserts are offered to me- just have one. Enjoy it, savor it, and move on. It's okay to make treats, but do it for a treat, not as something I "deserve."

3. Overeating. People don't have seconds at every meal. Just have one portion- and again, savor it. Food will still be there tomorrow, and the next, and forever. I can make the meal again. I don't need to taste while making it, and I don't need to lick every bowl clean. If I'm thinking too much about food, it probably means I'm not filling my life up with enough other good things. Don't obsess, and don't don't don't become defensive. Share the food with others, and give it up. It will make me feel better.

Fhew. It feels so good to finally write out those rules. I can do it- 3 simple rules. My main food problem has always been self control. And with these next 2 weeks of the healthiness challenge, I'm going to try to improve that control. Yes food will always be what I love to make, plan, eat, and what I crave and think about so often. But, I will feel better when I'm enjoying the little bit rather than gorging on too much.

I love feeling healthy.