The Problem with Guilt
June 9th, 2008
It’s inevitable that from time to time, you are going to eat something you really shouldn’t or not exercise when you really should.
It’s how you handle these times and the guilt associated with it that really will determine how successful you are going to be with your health journey.
This can be summed up by the following quote: “I will not condemn you for what you did yesterday, if you do it right today.” by Sheldon S. Maye
I think there is quite a bit of power in this quote and one I hope you all take on board. There is absolutely no point in beating yourself up if you fall off the wagon, so to speak. It is a human condition that people have weaknesses. No-one is perfect, even those you might hold in high regard. Politicians, public figures, sports people often make headlines when their indiscretions are revealed. Stick thin models with drug addictions, actors with drinking problems and many more make headlines on a regular basis. For some reason, we are more forgiving of their weaknesses than we are of our own.
People who may give in and eat something they shouldn’t often hate themselves for it. It’s so self destructive and incredibly unproductive. Many will totally give in to impulse and give up altogether which I think is really sad.
Rather than beating yourself up when you make a mistake, pick yourself up, stop hating yourself and start over. Judge yourself on how you handle crisis rather than reacting to the crisis by giving up.
You can use indenialhealth.com to share your stories and help others who might be feeling down or lost. I might start the ball rolling by admitting that I ate three Cherry Ripes last week. For those who don’t know, Cherry Ripes are a chocolate bar filled with cherries. That almost sounds healthy but it isn’t!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Taking ownership of one’s actions is one of the best ways to lose weight (I lost 50+ pounds over the past 1.5 years).
Falling off the wagon should never be considered the end of the world unless you let that wagon roll so far away, you can never climb back on. :) It’s tough but it’s ultimately quite doable.
Barbara
June 9th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Hi Barbara,
Sound advice and congratulations on your weight loss!
Thanks for commenting :)
Sally
June 9th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I really had a hard time losing weight when I was younger. I would be good for a while and then I’d eat and give up.
It can be difficult to get back on track but when you do succeed, it’s a great feeling!
Thanks for the great post.
Brian