Pop Quiz: Without hesitation, name the four most important “things” in your life.
I believe some of the answers to this include:
- The health of yourself and your loved ones
- Your professional career
- Your pets
- Your and your loved one’s happiness
There are most likely some other answers that people will place on their own “4 most important things” list.
There is probably a very low likelihood that any weight-derailing food/drink sources are listed amongst the “Top 4 Most Important Things” list. So, if the foods and drinks that bring us to an unhealthy/unhappy weight are not very important to us, why do we continue to incorporate these in our lives, at the risk of hurting the items on our “most important” list?
The answer to this question, in my opinion, is the almost instinctual-like behavior patterns of seeking immediate gratification. Although intellectually, we know that these foods/drinks are not really important to us, the instinctual part of us propels us to engage in their consumption. We are compelled in a number of ways (mostly chemical) to engage in immediately gratifying behaviors.
We all need to take a step back and reflect on what is truly important to us. Try to take several second delay before consuming a food/drink source that we know is detrimental to our weight control and think through the “Important list”. By taking this slight delay, you may be able to avoid the action of actually consuming the derailing food or drink.
YOU are important. Stay focused on your weight control efforts!
