Failure on the Way to Success?

I skipped last week.  Sorry.  I was not feeling well and was a little frustrated that my oils were taking longer to work than usual.  And now, this week.  I could have written something for the past week, but I'm out of ideas.  But keep reading, I'm sure I'll think of something!
Ha ha!

So, I've proclaimed on this blog that I was going to eat healthy, exercise, and lose weight.  You know - improve myself and my health.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to stay true to my word - a promise I have broken not so much to you, but more to myself.  I am pretty disgusted at my inability to take control of my life, prioritize the things I need to do, and make self-care the main focus in self-improvement.   Anyone else in this boat with me?

Why do we always know what we should be doing, and yet it is such a long, hard journey to actually get 'er done?  Well, I do realize not everyone "knows" what they should do, as I have seen so many people putting the worst things in their body (and on their body), but for me, I must admit, I do know what I should be doing.  I am educated and I am continually researching and reading to find out more.  

Perhaps that is the issue?  I have to get away from the research and just choose something and follow through.  What's the issue?  Here are some choices...
1.  Addiction
2.  Laziness
3.  Lack of mental clarity
4.  Peer pressure
5.  A weakened resolve

I believe it is probably all of these - and more.

1.  Sugar Addiction
I've talked before about the addictive power of sugar, and I believe I am addicted.  Some days the urge to indulge is stronger than others.  Why is this so?  Probably because so many of us are emotional eaters.  We're bored.  We eat.  We're upset.  We eat.  We're stressed and short on time.  We eat.  When we're having a bad day, the enemy, sugar, knows it and strikes for the kill.  So we give in because we're having a sh!##y day and it makes us feel better -- temporarily.  

Ooh - sidenote!  I was reminded of an interesting fact that I saw on a video I was showing my fourth graders about the immune system.  Did you know that when you overindulge in sugary treat (candy, carbs, sodas & fruit punches) that your body stops producing stem cells for a full five hours.  What?!!!  And it will also stop your white blood cells' production of antibodies.  So eating more sugar can not only make you fat, give you heart disease and diabetes, but it can make you more susceptible to germs.  Yup.  It can make you sick!  (Sorry, I just find that fascinating and had to let someone know!)

2.  Laziness
So addiction is one of the culprits, but I give full credit to laziness, too.  However, I think the two are related.  We all know that sugar is a quick pick me up when you are feeling sluggish, but it doesn't last long.  SO, you need something to get you through to dinner, when you plan to make a healthy meal, but after the sugar rush recedes, you're too tired to make that healthy dinner and end up eating whatever looks good in the fridge.  Or maybe the thought of prepping, cooking, and cleaning up after dinner is just too much.

3.  Mental Clarity
I blame mental clarity.  I have read SO much about healthy ways to eat and care for your body.  This diet versus another, or don't eat this food and be sure you include that one in every meal ...  it is truly overwhelming and after a while it all melds together into one big pot of an unidentifiable mess.  Was it kale at every meal or don't eat too much kale?  What day is it?  Is coconut oil good or bad today?  What about food specific dietary plans?  Gluten free or keto?  Paleo? Dairy free?  Butter or margarine?  (Parkay!)  There are just too many theories to keep track of and when it comes down to it, eventually I give in to #2 again and just eat whatever's in the fridge.  Once you do that, however, you've blown the program and anything goes.  Yeah, I was on that program, but now I'm just eating "sensibly." (Until I need a sugar hit or am too lazy or busy to prepare something healthy.)

4.  Peer Pressure
After all of that (and I am exhausted just thinking about it), you're ready to jump at the chance to go out and have some fun and eat whatever you want.  All bets are off when your bestie says, "Let's go out for Happy Hour," or "Shopping and dinner?"  It's not enough to go out, we have to really ENJOY ourselves and order drinks, delicious food, and maybe even dessert.  Well, you can't say no to a friend, can you?  Diet totally blown, you drift through the days thinking about getting back on track, but stuck in an ugly cycle of sugar, laziness, and not knowing where to turn.

5.  A Weakened Resolve
Now, mind you, this is not an ordered list.  One can happen without the rest, but if you were following this path to hell, by now you don't even give a damn.  And that is weakened resolve.  So, what does that look like?  You pretty much eat everything that comes your way.  If it looks yummy, you take it and shove it in.  This is where we start believing those skinny people who say, "Life is short.  Buy the shoes.  Eat the cake."  Yeah, well, at this weight I can't wear the shoes, so what the heck.  I'll eat the cake.  Except unlike those skinny bitches, I wear the cake.  On my thighs, butt, and belly.  Oh well.  Pass the donuts.

And so it goes ...
Please tell me I'm not alone here.  Anyone else living in this horrifying life cycle of the sloth?What advice do you have?  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I've heard it.  "Just do it." I do, but it never lasts.  Seriously.  I'm thinking I need to divorce my husband because he is such a good cook.  (A good cook

who doesn't think about whether anything is healthy or not -- just that it tastes amazing!)  Let's make a list of "to dos" and "not to dos" and see where that takes us.  Are you with me?  Maybe we can conduct our own research here and become rich and famous for the secret to permanent weight loss and good health.  Yay!

Seriously.  I know what we'd find out.  The answer to weight loss.  
You've always had the power to change.  You just had to believe it, and it is this...










Just do it.