What I am putting into my mouth……….

What I am putting into my mouth will NOT change the circumstances of my life, but what I am putting in my mouth WILL change how I am able to deal with those circumstances.

In other words………..

Last night at my office Christmas party, I ate stuff that was not WW-friendly. Why? Because, as I kept telling myself, I only get this particular food or this recipe this time of year. Or, I skipped lunch. Or, I'll eat more carefully tomorrow.

Well, HELLOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Is it not possible to make that same recipe in April or August? Does tomorrow ever come?

Huh? Never thought of that, did I?? Well, yes, but I kept pushing those thoughts back and pushing more food into my face.

Now, understand, I was not overly stuffed when I finished. I didn’t eat totally out of control. I did refuse tasting all of the desserts and I only ate a couple of bites of the homemade cheesecake.

But, I did eat too much………too much according to my daily PointsPlus allowance.

Sooooooo, how does this NOT change the circumstances of my life? Did I enjoy the party more because of what I ate? Did co-workers chat and laugh with me more because of what I ate? Did I feel more joyful, more a part of the group, more loved, more energized by what I ate?

Ummmmmmm, let me think……………

Uhhhhhhh, NO!

I didn’t FEEL any of those things.

Then, what did I feel as a result of what I ate?

Actually, what I felt last night was not the result of what I ate at that particular meal. What I felt last night was the result of what I have been eating these past several months.

This time last year, I was on the losing path. I was gaining muscle strength and better/more mobility. I was able to walk a bit farther and stand a bit longer without excruciating back and knee pain. I was lighter on my feet, literally.

The poor choices I have been making this year, especially these last 4-5 months, with regard to eating and exercise brought about the feelings that I had last night.

While everyone else was fluttering around the kitchen putting out their covered dishes…….while everyone else was wandering around the coworker’s home seeing all of her pretty Christmas decorations…….while everyone else was having fun playing charades…….while everyone else was stirring about chatting and laughing with each other…………………….I was sitting on the sidelines, and at one point, fighting back the tears.

No, Cynthia, what you put into your mouth last night did not change the circumstances about your evening………..BUT, it did change the way you were able to enjoy and respond to those circumstances. It (what I ate) and probably the fact that I cried my way to sleep, caused me to awaken with a sick headache today.

Dear Cynthia, when will you learn that your choices--food choices and exercise choices--if made correctly, will bring about more freedom, more mobility, more laughs, more fun, more joy than you can ever imagine?

So, what I am putting into my mouth WILL NOT change the circumstances of my life. But, what I am putting into my mouth WILL change how I can handle those circumstances.