Trick or Treat?

I have started a new, quirky game I play with myself.  I just decided to call it "Trick or Treat." It works like this:

When I am in a situation where I find myself wanting something unplanned that could derail my progress, I do not tell myself I can't have it.  I instead invent a suitable game to play to keep the possibility of eating it open.  Let me give you two examples from this week.

Scenario One: Out with the Gang

About 30 coworkers and I went out to dinner this week and were seated in a big horseshoe.  A gentleman a couple of folks down from me ordered a pie which also came with ice cream and he didn't want the ice cream so he offered it to all of us.  I could have easily taken it, but I didn't, and instead watched it go down the line.  My game was that if it made it all the way back around to me, I'd eat it.  I told the guy sitting next to me about my game and we cheered the plate on as it went down the line with a "Yay, come on, come on" and a "awwwwww" when someone scarfed it up.  I laughed and told him it was a creative way to enjoy the food without actually eating it.

Scenario Two:  Red Lobster

I ate tonight at Red Lobster.  Home of the cheesy biscuit goodness, for goodness sake.  Not so much a game, but I told myself I'd eat my salad before entertaining having a biscuit.  After the salad, I decided I'd have all of my dinner first and if I was hungry after dinner, I'd have a biscuit.  By the time I was done with dinner I was totally comfortable and not interested in the biscuit anymore!

I had broiled (dry) flounder, asparagus and a plain (dry) baked potato.  Site note:  Instead of one big flounder it was a whole flipping school of baby flounders.  I have never seen such a thing!

My old boss (she reads this so I'd like to be clear, I mean FORMER and not "old" hehe) used to say "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels" and I kind of remind myself of that.  Or another way of saying it, "I feel so good now, why would I want to eat junk and ruin it?"

I think with the healthy eating that once you make up your mind that no matter what, you want to be healthy - it becomes so much easier.  You don't fight with yourself.  You just use your energy to creatively figure out how to accomplish your goal and not get sidetracked doing things that set you back!

So next time you're thinking about sabotaging your healthy day, ask yourself...is it worth it?  Or make up a little game.  In this case, the real treat in "trick or treat" is treating yourself to the next right choice!  :-)