Getting back on track - breaking habits

* Warning this post contains some talk of the Mormon religion. If you have any further questions regarding this book or my spiritual side, just ask me. :)

So I knew it was going to take something to get my tush back in gear. And my friend Stephanie along with the help of this fabulous book, was exactly what I needed to get back on the road to becoming a healthy me.

It all started when I was about to go downstairs with my leftover Cold Stone Ice Cream and read my book. I was in quite the "cry me a river" attitude. I had a 100' fever. I was missing Dan. Ben took a good 2 hours (most of that time filled with screaming) before going to sleep. My friend Steph(whom I rent the basement from) was hanging out on the couch talking with me as Ben fought his bedtime. I kept going downstairs to put him to sleep. He just wanted to scream if I wasn't reading him a book! He would get out of his bed and pound the walls, and scream so loud. Steph was amazing and so understanding with Benjamin's tantrum he was throwing. It could have quite easily threw off the peaceful sleeping Graham(Steph's little boy who sleeps in the room above Ben) and woke him up. But, she was cool as a cucumber and even offered to trade off with Ben if I was close to losing it. ;) Now, that's a friend! Needless to say, Ben eventually fell asleep(in his bed) and Graham did not wake up......and I kept my sanity!

But, before going back down to my part of the house holding my carton of Ice Cream....... I told Stephanie as my "personal trainer"(she helped me lose weight the healthy way 5 years ago) to promise and swear to not allow me to buy ice cream again. I told her I needed another person as a witness as I tried to swear off the evil Cold Stone packed with a bazillion calories. I explained that everything in the house(besides the Cadberry mini eggs) was totally healthy. Ice cream and mini eggs were my only down fall. This sparked quite the discussion....in such a good way.

She happened to have this book(picture above with title) near her. And over the period of time that we were talking, we mostly discussed this speech. Title: Flaxen Threads ; by Carlos E. Asay.

In this speech he speaks on the subject of habit. He talks about 6 steps required in order to cultivate a new habit.

I answered these steps in my head (red color is my thinking process)

1. Define the desire habit (to choose healthy food over un-healthy foods)

2. Bind yourself to act He goes on to say that, " I feel that one binds himself best to a desire action by sharing his resolve with a friend, with a wife, with a husband, with a bishop, or with someone else who can monitor his progress. I also feel that one finds strength as he shares his desires with God and begs for divine assistance. (Healthy blog, talking to Dan, sharing lows and highs with friends, prayer)

3. Put the new conduct into operation - he quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson and said, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased." (Think back to when you stopped eating fast food and sugar 5 years ago and lost 35 pounds! You did not miss the sugar or fast food after just a week. It became easier to eat healthy foods)

4. Bolster your will or desire by riveting your mind upon the virtues of the desired habit. (think of how you will feel in your skinny jeans, how you will make Dan feel when he sees you after deployment, and how your heart and arteries will pump and flow better with healthy food)

5. Do not look back (quit thinking about the taste of the oatmeal cookie ice cream and quit doubting your self control)

6. Plunge wholeheartedly into the new conduct (Quit saying tomorrow, or next week.....JUST DO IT today)

So after this discussion, I realized I wasn't even hungry! I was totally dehydrated and thirsty. I drank a glass of water and then threw the ice cream away(gave ice cream to Steph's husband Kevin who wants to GAIN weight) and went to cupboards and tossed in trash; the half bag of chocolate chips, the sour cream, and yes.....even the cadberry mini eggs. It felt so good. So I guess I am finally starting a resolution of the year....

Wow, so much longer than expected with writing this post. But can you feel my fire? I am so ready to really kick it into high gear and work on building this new habit of healthier food choices! I hope this post inspires you as it has me. A few friends of mine (B, M, and H) came to mind that are also trying to lose weight and become healthier people, but find it hard to resist the tempting foods. I hope this helps you , like it helped me. Let's get serious people!