Alternative Activity

I’ve been thinking about writing about this subject but have put it off because I wasn’t sure I would be able to practice what I preach. But a line from my daughter in law’s blog, about her own personal weight loss journey has convinced me that it’s time to “put up or shut up”.

In referring to her reaction to another person’s inconsiderate behavior she wrote:

 “Last year I would have reached for a pint of ice cream, today I went shopping for nail polish”

The line was written in a post about making good choices to control emotional overeating. She has in one sentence summed up an essential psychological principal that will prove vital to her success. I’m talking about recognizing alternatives.

Although I really didn’t find much help in the handful of Over Eaters Anonymous I attended back in the 90’s I do remember them saying something I’d never considered before. Non-action is as much of a choice as taking action.

The application of that in regard to over eaters, like me, is this. Choosing NOT to do something can have a positive effect on my weight loss effort. These decisions of dietary abstinence occur in two situations. One comes at the moments of temptation that will pass with the change of circumstances or location.

I’m talking about deciding to pass up the Krispy Kreme donut shop, avoiding the break room at work that’s filled with “potluck” desserts, or not buying a candy bar in a convenience store. 

Those are relatively quick decisions and should be considered positive actions.

I don’t know about you but those types of decisions always make me feel deprived not victorious. But making the “wrong choice” in any of those scenarios keeps me from getting to my goal.

Okay so let’s say I leave the Minit Mart without a pack of Reese’s peanut butter cups or stay away from the vending machine at work during my 15 minute break. That’s what’s commonly known as an “act of omission.”  In an effort to lose weight that’s a very positive thing. 

But the mind, like nature and my dogs, abhors a vacuum. If you decide not to do something you create a psychological vacancy that sucks the air out of your though pattern until it’s replaced.

The other situation is when there is a lingering temptation. If I sit home fighting the urge to make the short drive to any of the local fast food or convenience stores for a sugary and/ or carb loaded snack  the decision not to go is a good thing.

But if I don’t do something to get my mind off of that temptation I’m going to give into it. I need to do something to fill that psychological gap; aka an alternate activity.

I’ve got to link overeating temptations to alternative activities. I won’t bore you by giving specific examples. But my goal is to get myself into this thought pattern:

“I’m really feeling (add overeating trigger emotion here) and I really want a (insert name of unhealthy food). I know consuming it has not helped me be healthy and has contributed to my past weight gain. Instead of snacking I could (insert alternate activity here).”

The “menu” of alternate activities will depend on where I am at the time. At home they may include, cleaning or organizing the house (not my first choice but the one that first comes to mind), practicing ventriloquism, studying the Bible, writing a blog post, doing something with my music collection, reading a book, organizing our finances, taking the dogs for a walk or exercising.

You get the idea. Like everyone else in this world, I have plenty of things I want or need to do. The key is to link doing those things, a positive action, to the “dark side” of dieting as a means of countering the overpowering temptation to overeat. Doing this could not be anything but a win/win situation.   

Have you ever seen or heard of someone doing something stupid or “disastrous” then using as their excuse “There was nothing else to do”? It is my goal, going forward, not to use that as my excuse for giving into eating temptations. I want to look to other choices.

I am not a theology expert and this blog is not the place to discuss such things. But I do have to make this statement. I believe God ultimately directs my life toward the fulfillment of His will for me. Within the context of that providence I also believe He allows me to make choices. Those choices make the path of my life either easier or harder. But my desire is to make the choices that take me down the right path.

One of the keys to achieving that goal is to weave into the fabric of my heart and mind the habit of following alternative activities.