Changing Your Mindset

So, now that I have made this big decision about being a healthy and fit Mommy, I, of course, set a date for myself to get started. Not an arbitrary date, mind you. I gave it a lot of thought. It would be silly to start during the holidays, what with parties and food everywhere. And the week between Christmas and New Year's was out because my husband took a few days off from work and we had a little mini vacation at home, complete with eating out (and making some pretty crazy dinners ourselves). And this weekend wouldn't work because who starts a new diet on a weekend? So my date to start? Tomorrow. January 4. A Tuesday. Close enough to January 1 that it's still sort of a New Year's Resolution, but giving me enough time to finish off my long weekend in style. See? Not so arbitrary.

I was really resolute in this date. All weekend I thought "I better enjoy this junk now, because I'm not going to eat it next week." Which I know is sort of insane. Only sort of insane. Because this afternoon I started to seriously consider moving my start date for my big transformation. Why would I do such a thing? Because I still have 7-layer taco dip leftover from New Year's Eve. Even as I type it I know how insane that is. Aside from the very real fact that by January 4 I should throw leftovers from New Year's Eve out, I love 7-layer taco dip. And there is a very real part of me that would rather eat leftover (and potentially spoiled) taco dip instead of eating healthy. I would be lying if I thought this wasn't why I'm fat.

The thing about it is, I know it's not really even about the taco dip. If it wasn't the taco dip, it would be the last piece of chicken pot pie in the fridge, or the fact that my daughter and I have a lunch date on Thursday, or that she has a doctor's appointment this week a block away from Chick-fil-A. There is always a reason. And it's always about food. I would say that it's not normal, but I am sure that I'm not alone. Most of my friends plan their weeks around that random effort that takes them near a good place for lunch. Or use food as a reward. Or deal with the stress of every day life by indulging in an extra piece of pie or a venti Starbucks (ok, I self-medicate with a large Starbucks...I would get an extra large if they made them). And it's not good.

I can change my eating habits. I can even make time to exercise. But the thing I really need to do is to change my mindset. To make it ok to not eat the rest of that taco dip. Or to even eat a little of it as part of my calories for the day. But it's not going to happen overnight. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't eat it for breakfast tomorrow morning.