So, I’ve been thinking this week. Dieting is a lot like coffee drinking.
You have your hard core coffee drinkers who know every blend and which goes best with what meal (do different coffees go with different meals? I have no clue, let’s pretend they do). These people drink seasonal coffees and have extremely refined pallets. They often scold people at Starbucks for ordering Pike’s Place when they could have gotten the other, “better”, coffee on tap.
Then, you have the refined coffee drinker who also can tell a good coffee from a bad one, but they are more casual about their habit. They are secure in what they are drinking and feel no need to comment on other’s beverages.
Next, you have an occasional coffee drinker who gets into the habit every now and again and becomes extreme for that stint of time, but in the end they wake up too late in the morning to brew a cup so they slide back to their sodas and the company’s coffee for their caffeine. And, finally, you have the clueless coffee drinker (might I add that I fall into the category). This person can happily consume a Folger’s instant coffee crystals cup of coffee or a $7 starbucks blend and not be able to tell much difference. They never become a true coffee drinker because it never becomes a part of them.
So do you see my analogy? The OCD coffee drinker is the hard core dieter/exerciser. This person makes those of us on the outside scared. We think, “Do I really have to be THAT hard core to be THAT thin?” They are above us… or they think they are above us. They act superior and don’t understand why everyone doesn’t see life the way they see it. It’s easy to run ten miles a day!
I don’t want to be this kind of dieter. They are disconnected with the entire world. Their nutrition and exercise are literally their life. I don’t know about you, but I have more to live for than food and exercise!
Next, we have the ideal balance. Someone who knows what to do and how to do it, but doesn’t press their views on everyone else or become so obsessed with it that it overtakes their life. They are still connected with reality. They can deign to have Wendy’s from time to time! : ).
Thirdly, you have the Yo-Yo dieter who annoyingly preaches to everyone about about their current trend and then backslides after a week. Finally, you have the clueless dieter who is never committed and so they never succeed. They will always settle for Folger’s instant over the high end fancy stuff.
In order to be a successful dieter we need to commit to our nutritional knowledge in a way that is not trendy nor complacent, but in a way that is easily incorporated into our current lives. Yes, you should bend for your diet, but you should also find foods that work with your lifestyle. Your diet is a part of your identity. Think about it! What you eat largely defines what you do. Do you eat out and engage in social eating? If so you need to know the point values at your favorite restaurants. Do you sit in a corner quietly by yourself with a homemade sandwich? Then you can prepare foods in advance that meet your point goal for the day. Our personalities surround how we eat. Therefore, how we eat should compliment our personalities and create a lasting healthy lifestyle.
Starting weight: 197.2