March 24th, 2016
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walking shoes

Jelly beans.  Cookies.  Cakes.  They are all calling out.

Especially the jelly beans.  They are like crack for me.  There is a guy in my office who gave up chocolate for Lent and now he has a bowl of jelly beans on his desk which he continues to constantly refresh when the contents get low.  Ugh!  To me, that is just replacing one kind of sugar for another but oh well; each to his own.

Anyway, I can’t tell you the amount of self control it takes for me to deny myself the jelly beans as I walk past his office at least 30 times a day.  The temptation is really high.  My inner voice tells me to go ahead; that it would be so easy to grab a handful as I walk by but I try to tune it out as quickly as I can.

Walking down the office hallway, I remind myself over and over that there is a bigger prize in this sugar denial.  The main reason I need to stop indulging is that I am trying to fit into a dress for my son’s wedding in June.  Bam!  Thinking about that definitely explodes my sugar dreams.

Other times when I am tempted by sugary delights, all I have to do is picture the wedding event in my head and my hand slowly starts to move whatever fattening food I was going to feed myself away from my mouth.

We all have triggers that make us want to find something that will relieve the tension or pain of life’s events.  In times of life changing turmoil, whether it happens to be the tragic loss of a loved one or a personal life crisis, we all reach for something that will make us immediately feel comforted, something that gives us a quick fix good feeling.

For sure it’s not healthy, but it certainly is human.

I totally get the need to give into sugar or carb cravings because taking care of myself and making healthy choices is the last thing on my mind when I am in one of these situations.  That is when I am most vulnerable to eating way too much of something I shouldn’t.  I just want an emotional boost; something to break up the pressure and the feelings of isolation and sugar always makes me feel better.  It really is a constant balancing of unhealthy v healthy foods.

Did you know that stress contributes to fully half of all illnesses in the United States?  No wonder we are all constantly looking for ways to slow down, relax and find serenity.

There are many things about losing weight that is flat out frustrating and one of them is that as we age it’s so damned easy to put the weight on and so excruciatingly hard to take it off and keep it for an extended period of time.  Maybe you don’t have this problem and lucky, lucky you if you don’t.

It’s not fun to approach each meal as though it is a healthy living/skinny decision making exercise but that’s exactly what happens to me when I am trying to jump start a personal weight loss campaign.  Wouldn’t it be great if you could stay at your perfect weight and yet eat anything you want?  I think that only happened to me when I was 16 years old!

I have to say I am glad that the weather is finally getting warmer and the day is staying lighter for longer periods of time.  This is motivating me to get outdoors and move around a lot more than I did in the winter and walking in turn keeps my mind off sweets.  Around my office in Washington, DC, which is close to the national Mall and the gorgeous and infamous cherry blossom trees, flowers and colors are starting to pop up everywhere and a feeling of renewal is in the air.

Here’s to Spring’s great recharging and refreshing vibrations: May I (and perhaps you too!) make and keep our diet and exercise promises to ourselves!  At least until June!!

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2 Responses to “Sweating For The Wedding”

  1. Debbie

    I am thankful for my body each day. When I think of all we have been through together, it’s amazing. Creating a child is the ultimate accomplishment that comes to mind. As a cancer survivor I take good health and fitness seriously. But every once in awhile I do long for a personal chef and a personal trainer!!

    Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy your son’s wedding!

    (I am a pain in the neck. “Losing” not “loosing.” The nuns did it to me!)

    Reply
    • Mary Kate Cranston

      You are not a pain in the neck. Please! Always point out grammatical mistakes. I’m always open to comments and corrections. Good point about being thankful for a healthy body. I should not take it for granted. I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter!!

      Reply

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