Chocolate is Not My Enemy

As most of you know, the initial days of trying to eat better are hard. When you haven't been paying attention to nutrition for awhile, the first time you bump your head on the idea of eating more consciously, it's uncomfortable.

But going on the third day of the year, its getting easier more quickly than I thought it would. I'm rather pleasantly surprised. Losing weight is no longer a life or death struggle. The consequence are not dire if I eat something unhealthy. I have not failed in life. I have just had a piece of junk food. I don't know why this makes it easier to resist said junk food, but it does.

So my first dilemma in the new year was what to do all the Christmas candy I still have at work. The company I work for gifts every employee a stocking full of treats for the holiday, and I still had a drawer full of stuff. My first instinct was to throw everything away because I'm on a "diet" now.

But then I thought about it. Do I intend to give up chocolate for the rest of my life? Perish the thought! Can I eat just one mini candy bar a day and not binge? Yep. I can stop with one. Is it the healthiest option? No. But for me deprivation leads to an ugly chocolate ring around my mouth and a pile of empty wrappers.

So the candy is still in my drawer. And I'm okay with that. So far, I'm not constantly thinking about the chocolate and looking forward to the next piece. I actually forget that I have candy. I am not obsessed by it. It didn't used to be this way. Part of this shift is because I'm more relaxed than I have ever been about changing my eating. Food is not the most important part of my life, so I don't focus on it. And I want to work on keeping it that way.