Today I am linking up with shell at:
October 2010
One of my personal goals, indefinitely, is to be less judgemental and defensive. I have learned through my experiences of losing weight and sharing my eat to live journey that people are very judgemental and defensive about food.
Of course, because we associate food with feelings, people, and events. But when you learn about food and how it fuels your body, it is easier to say no to things that should only go into your cars gas tank. And even then those things would cause your car to run poorly.
"Oh, you lost weight. You look great. What did you do?"
Enter 'Eat to Live' by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and my Dr., Dr. Whitaker who recommended it to me.
"Oh, Well that's too extreme for me." "Oh, well I can't eat beans". "Oh, well I don't like vegetables or salad".
This is where the conversation ends for me and the head nodding and uh huhs begin. Your mind is closed so I am not going to waste my breath sharing with you when you have already defeated yourself.
Well, this is how I used to be in response to the negators and nay sayers until my 6 year old gave me a little perspective the other night.
It's bed time, time to brush our teeth.
"Erin it's time to brush your teeth".
"UGHHGGHHGRRRR, I don't want to brush my teeth".
Repeat repeat repeat.
"FINE!!! Don't brush your teeth, it's fine, let your teeth rot and get holes in them!!"
This happens most evenings.
Until the last two nights Erin retaliated.
"But mom, I was just saying how I don't want to brush my teeth. I wasn't saying I was not going to".
Shuts door and proceeds to brush teeth.
Took two nights to sink in.
So, just because I whine and complain about something does not mean that I am not going to do it. It simply means that I am expressing my feelings. I am sharing how I feel. "I don't LIKE brushing my teeth, but I know I have to".
Kind of like those people who want to know how I lost weight. 'I don't LIKE what you are saying, but I know I need to lose weight too. So, maybe I will try it but I am not going to tell you that'.
So, maybe instead of shutting out the "I don't want to brush my teeth" -ers and the "I don't like beans, vegetables, or anything resembling whole foods" -ers, Instead of tuning them out and nodding my head or in Erin's case yelling "Fine, don't brush, don't eat your beans, don't eat vegetables, don't be healthy", maybe I should stop being so defensive, judgemental, and annoyed and listen, educate, and share.
Eat to Live.
I hear ya! I'm not a big fan of exercise, but that doesn't mean I won't do it. I'll just complain the whole way to the gym. ;)
ReplyDelete