As I mention the challenge of going without sugar and flour to other people, I can guarantee that no one will respond with an optimistic phrase or a “sounds like a great idea”. Instead, most people can single out a food or drink that would make it impossible to live without. For me, it was pizza and there was a point in my life that I would have slapped you across the face if you suggested that I should give it up for a couple of weeks.
What is it for you?
I realize now that I wasn’t saying to the world that I couldn’t live without pizza, I was actually putting pizza higher on my personal list than a lot of other things, but I couldn’t admit it yet. But before I get too deep into this topic, let me remind you that I don’t believe any food is really bad for you. In fact, if you are one of those people that can easily moderate your favorite foods, then you probably don’t even need to read this. Instead, this article is for the people like me, who put a food or drink into the regular consumption category and can’t imagine a world where it isn’t consumed on a regular basis.
I want those of you who stuck around and are still reading to do a little exercise with me that hopefully will open your eyes just a bit. Instead of saying the word pizza below, you go ahead and substitute your food that you can’t live without.
When I said, “There’s no way I could give up pizza for two weeks or longer!”, I was really saying the following:
Pizza is more important to me than my health.
Because honestly, I would consume an excessive amount in one sitting, which would quickly lead to ice cream or some other sweet shortly after. This behavior led to massive weight over my life.
Pizza is more important to me than my family.
I realize now that I was supposed to model healthy behaviors to my kids and show them how to not be selfish, but when pizza was involved, those concepts went out the window. Instead, I showcased excessive eating, hogging leftovers, and grabbing as much as I could before they could grab another slice. They were taught to grab everything they can and eat it quick, especially at a buffet, where we all had to get “our money’s worth”.
Pizza is more important than feeling good.
As much as I loved pizza, it never treated me decent in return. If pizza were a woman and we were in a relationship, then everyone in my family would have been warning to stay away from her because she was no good. Every time I encountered pizza I felt bloated, achy, sluggish, and never had a good night’s sleep due to heartburn. I always knew what was going to happen before I started eating, but still did it anyway, trapped in a relationship of excess.
Pizza is tied to emotion.
I have an emotional link to my favorite food, just like you do. There is something that drives you to crave a food and it’s not your stomach missing out on some special nutrient in your favorite dish. Somehow, at some point, this food or drink that you can’t imagine living without, started fulfilling an emotional need and you didn’t even realize it. If you don’t want to admit that, and instead would rather say that your body won’t function without your daily latte, donut, or soda, then you might have an even bigger problem. You need to step back and really look at why the food has this immense control over your life.
Look, I’m not saying to give up your favorite food or drink for the rest of your life, but you need to realize that you can’t clearly see the hold it has on you while you consume it regularly. Taking part in a no sugar/flour challenge for two-weeks or a month will give you the power to objectively look at some of these food items that have you in a strangle hold. Even if you think two weeks isn’t going to make a difference, I assure you it will, if you do it right.
I can promise you that reading this article now and then reading it on day 13 of the two-week challenge will be two entirely different experiences for you. It’s the person at the end of the two weeks that I want to talk to, so you just have to decide to get yourself there.
What is it for you?
I realize now that I wasn’t saying to the world that I couldn’t live without pizza, I was actually putting pizza higher on my personal list than a lot of other things, but I couldn’t admit it yet. But before I get too deep into this topic, let me remind you that I don’t believe any food is really bad for you. In fact, if you are one of those people that can easily moderate your favorite foods, then you probably don’t even need to read this. Instead, this article is for the people like me, who put a food or drink into the regular consumption category and can’t imagine a world where it isn’t consumed on a regular basis.
I want those of you who stuck around and are still reading to do a little exercise with me that hopefully will open your eyes just a bit. Instead of saying the word pizza below, you go ahead and substitute your food that you can’t live without.
When I said, “There’s no way I could give up pizza for two weeks or longer!”, I was really saying the following:
Pizza is more important to me than my health.
Because honestly, I would consume an excessive amount in one sitting, which would quickly lead to ice cream or some other sweet shortly after. This behavior led to massive weight over my life.
Pizza is more important to me than my family.
I realize now that I was supposed to model healthy behaviors to my kids and show them how to not be selfish, but when pizza was involved, those concepts went out the window. Instead, I showcased excessive eating, hogging leftovers, and grabbing as much as I could before they could grab another slice. They were taught to grab everything they can and eat it quick, especially at a buffet, where we all had to get “our money’s worth”.
Pizza is more important than feeling good.
As much as I loved pizza, it never treated me decent in return. If pizza were a woman and we were in a relationship, then everyone in my family would have been warning to stay away from her because she was no good. Every time I encountered pizza I felt bloated, achy, sluggish, and never had a good night’s sleep due to heartburn. I always knew what was going to happen before I started eating, but still did it anyway, trapped in a relationship of excess.
Pizza is tied to emotion.
I have an emotional link to my favorite food, just like you do. There is something that drives you to crave a food and it’s not your stomach missing out on some special nutrient in your favorite dish. Somehow, at some point, this food or drink that you can’t imagine living without, started fulfilling an emotional need and you didn’t even realize it. If you don’t want to admit that, and instead would rather say that your body won’t function without your daily latte, donut, or soda, then you might have an even bigger problem. You need to step back and really look at why the food has this immense control over your life.
Look, I’m not saying to give up your favorite food or drink for the rest of your life, but you need to realize that you can’t clearly see the hold it has on you while you consume it regularly. Taking part in a no sugar/flour challenge for two-weeks or a month will give you the power to objectively look at some of these food items that have you in a strangle hold. Even if you think two weeks isn’t going to make a difference, I assure you it will, if you do it right.
I can promise you that reading this article now and then reading it on day 13 of the two-week challenge will be two entirely different experiences for you. It’s the person at the end of the two weeks that I want to talk to, so you just have to decide to get yourself there.
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