Why Torture Yourself?
I’m totally laughing at myself right now, because I had the most ridiculous eating frustrations this weekend… {just after posting some of my clean eating menu plans! yeah, that’s really cool!} 
Anyway, the reason why I think it’s so funny is because I went against all the good advice that I give to others… which is to keep your “weakness” foods OUT of the house and away from yourself!
It’s pure torture when you have a weakness for salty chips, chocolate chip cookies, {or in my case, granola}… and then you have it stocked in your pantry, staring back at you every time you open the door! Why do that? It is SO much easier to just leave the “weakness” at the grocery store, so you don’t have to put forth unusual amounts of willpower and strength to keep yourself from snarfing it down!
So my tip for today is, know what your weakness are when it comes to food and steer clear! Be aware and pay attention to the foods you just can’t say “no” to, and don’t buy them! Use my experience as your “what-not-to-do” example. I am fully and completely aware that granola is one of my weaknesses, so I usually don’t buy it. However… when I was out shopping the other day, I noticed that my favorite granola was on sale! {And it was a great sale, might I add!} Anyway, regardless of the fact that my mind was saying, “Um, Liz… you really shouldn’t buy that… you know you don’t have any control over granola…” my arm reached out, grabbed four boxes and threw them into my cart! {Oh dear!}
Don’t worry, I won’t go into detail on how I pathetically ate granola for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and an occasional mid-night snack over the past two days… And I won’t dive into my thought process that rationalized, “Well if you just hurry and eat it all, then it won’t be here anymore to tempt you!” {Oh, please tell me I’m not the only one who has had that thought before!}
However, I will give everyone a friendly reminder that it is SO much easier to eat clean, healthy foods, when you don’t bring home the junk food in the first place! {I know you’re thinking, “no duh” Liz!} But really… it’s such a no-brainer, yet too often we throw something into the cart thinking that it is for the other family members… or that we have enough willpower to stay away. Well, if you DO have heroic amounts of willpower and can say NO to foods that seem to call out your name, I say more power to you! In fact, if that is a quality you possess, I would suggest figuring out how to bottle that trait and sell it to others, because I’m sure you’d quickly become a millionaire!
Having said that, if you are like me… {and like most humans in the world}, don’t torture yourself! Don’t make life more difficult than it already is, by buying foods that are unhealthy and tempting! Just leave them sitting on the lonely old shelf in the grocery store and WALK ON BY! Leave that junk food in the DUST!
And just to help me feel normal, I’d love for you to leave a comment telling me what YOUR weakness food is! This actually is quite a funny question because the answers are so extremely varied… I mean come on?? My weakness food is granola? Seriously! How bizarre is that?
Make A Comment: ( 7 so far )
7 Responses to “Why Torture Yourself?”
Super Healthy Kids
May 19th, 2009
It’s so good to hear that you are human!! My weakness is peanut butter cups. If I get going I can’t stop – and I eat myself sick!
Rachel
May 19th, 2009
Ha! I TOTALLY justify eating it by telling myself that the sooner it is gone, the sooner I can go back to eating well. And I hate for food to go to waste. Not great logic…
My weakness is practically anything involving sugar, but I love cookies and quick breads like pumpkin bread or banana bread. The problem is, I I find great joy in baking delicious things, but then they are sitting in my house ready to be eaten. How can I resist?
Roxanne
May 19th, 2009
My weakness is mixed nuts! And I did the same thing as you! I bought a thing of them at Costco. WHY?!?!? I actually portioned them into baggies and that is helping but just a little.
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Lindsey
May 19th, 2009
I have been going through this exact sam thing for the past week plus. So great to hear you have the same problem.
Jodie
May 19th, 2009
Those dang chocolate chip cookies I make. Seriously, I love them more than anything. And cupcakes…..oh sweet cupcakes. I just avoid walking by any bakery because cupcakes practically reach out and grab me. Ugghhh. Pass the lemon water please?
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Lily
May 20th, 2009
haha, I laughed when i read this cause my total indulge splurge item is granola too! omg! I have a container of it in my pantry and its so tempting. Granted the kind that I have is no sugar added, no oil and relatively low in calories for a serving size so I cant feel toooo horrible about it, but its my total weakness as well! (Im so glad Im not the only one=)
Chrysta
October 27th, 2009
Those animal crackers (or the Disney crackers at Costco). I can shovel handfuls into my mouth all day long.
Also sweet cereals, like Lucky Charms. I’ve probably never actually used a bowl.
Oh yeah, and trail mix (the one with M&M’s and raisins. I can NOT keep that in the house.