The Lies We Tell

Liar! 

Yes, you!  Me too, if I'm being honest.  We all tell lies to ourselves about the food we eat, especially this time of year when there is so much to lie about.  Do any of these sound familiar?

No one saw me eat that (or I just had a tiny bite), so it doesn't really count. Truth: if your body digests it, it counts. If it goes down your esophagus, it counts. Your body doesn't know it wasn't supposed to count. It's gonna do its thang either way.

I've been so good all week, I deserve to have a treat. Truth: you're right! You do deserve a treat! Go get a pedicure! Buy something pretty to remind you of your hard work. Call a good friend and brag on your great week. Treat yourself right...by not ruining all of that hard work.

I'll make up for this tomorrow.  Make that next week. Truth: you might. But when I tell myself this lie, I almost never follow through and if I do, I resent it.  Exercise should be proactive, not damage control!

When I notice that I am telling these little lies to myself, I try to see it as a sign that I am feeling deprived or too restricted in my nutrition. If I was truly happy with my nutrition plan, I wouldn't be looking for ways to rebel (and then try to pretend never happened), would I?  So I relax things a little and give myself some wiggle room until I feel like I am sufficiently indulged.  But this is the clincher - I still log it, I still eat clean, and I still remain accountable to myself for what I am eating and what that means for my fitness. And sometimes I think about those added calories (and the added water weight I will carry as a result) and decide it's not really worth it.  I mean, it's just food.  Food is a temporary situation.

If you hear yourself telling sweet little lies, take a step aside and ask yourself why. Do you need some wiggle room?  Are you feeling left out of the food celebrations? But are your fitness goals bigger than that?  Maybe so, maybe not.  Either way, be honest with yourself and about the reasons you feel that way.

Santa's watching, after all!

Be merry and bright today. :)