Part of my job as a cardiovascular nurse was to educate and motivate heart patients to change many of their life long unhealthy habits. You see many of those habits were what got them into trouble and now they needed to change. This can be very challenging, to say the least.Why do you do what you do? He said that our behavior is motivated by the desire to gain pleasure or to avoid pain. And the greater motivator is to avoid pain.
Think about it. Why do you eat that piece of cake when you know that your slacks are tight and you want to lose a few pounds? Or why do you keep smoking when you've heard all the warnings about the danger to your health?
To gain pleasure!
How about avoiding pain? You have a deadline for a project and you procrastinate about completing it. The night before it's due you stay up late to finish it. Why? Because the pain of being unreliable or losing a job is more painful than the pleasure of a good night's sleep.
For real change to take place, we often have to get to the point of threshold. What's threshold? It's when you finally get to the point where not changing is more painful than the pain associated with changing.
You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and can't believe it. How did this happen? Did you really buy those slacks last month when they fit like a glove? How can they now be so tight? Something's got to change. 
Welcome to your threshold! It's actually a good place to be. To continue the same way is finally too painful.
I remember a patient once said to me that he wished he could have a tape of how painful it was after his heart bypass surgery. He would pull it out and watch it every time he was tempted to return to his old habits. The painful reminder of what he went through would be so painful and a reminder to keep up with the new changes.
Where are you at this point? Have you finally reached your threshold? Or are you still at the point of enjoying the pleasure your unhealthy habits bring? I'd love to hear from you.
This is kind of what happened to me. I have not mentioned it in blog world but since Christmas last year I have lost close to 30lbs. Why?
ReplyDeleteI looked in the mirror and did not like what I saw and I weighed the heaviest I have weighed in a long time. I could not fit in my clothes.
I had to figure out what my weakness was and why I ate so much or gained so much weight. I have found for me it is bread.
I now only eat the Ezekiel bread and I gave up sodas, candy and cake. If I had bread before, even wheat bread I would over eat. It was hard at first, but now I don't even miss them...seriously.
My struggle now is with the people's comments. MIL or SIL keep asking "when are you going to go off your diet?" I have repeatedly said, "it is not a diet, it is a life change of eating healthier." I don't want to get back to where I was...ever.
I feel better, I can fit my clothes a lot better, and right now I am happy where I am. It feels good.
Sorry so long.
No apologies necessary Laurel. I appreciate the feedback and to learn also from your own experience.
ReplyDeleteYou're right on when you say, "it is not a diet, it is a life change of eating healthier". That's why typical diets don't work. You can stick with it for a period of time but it's not something you can live with for the long term.
Congratulations on your success in this area. You sound like you're reaping many of the benefits; clothes fitting better, you're happier and you feel good. Bravo Laurel!
I am with Laurel...I didn't like what I saw in the mirror and how my jeans didn't fit any longer. I just bought them, but within 30 days I couldn't get them on...My problem was pop and coffee creamers. So, I cut the totally out - "cold turkey" and YEAH I fit back into my 'pretties' :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes we do need to make a slight change in our life-style and voila - no diet needed...
Looking in the mirror and not liking what you see can take you to your threshold instantly. Thanks for your feedback, Eph2810.
ReplyDelete