Focus

Most days, as I'm driving to the office, or driving home, I'm thinking of our clients and comments they have made regarding all the challenges they face. This morning I found myself reflecting on the food I had eaten the day before, but more importantly, asking myself what it is I want to achieve by being careful with my portions and especially my evening snacks. For me, it was to reduce some weight so that my knees wouldn't grumble as much when I ran. This is important to me as I find my running (limited now after many years), relaxing. (Let me qualify that: Relaxing when I'm finished, not as I start out!)

My mind shifted then to a patient I had the evening before who, like many others, said "I just can't get enough focus and purpose to control my mindless snacking. What can I do?”

Until we have drugs that might slightly inhibit our desire to eat, I'm afraid we are left to finding our own goals; our own purpose. The main difficulty is doing this daily, weekly, monthly and yes, for the rest of our lives. We must find a reason not to have excess pleasurable treats or extra portions. What is the gain? The gain may be you simply feel you are finally on the road to weight loss. It may be that you want your clothes to fit looser or, like me, your joints to hurt less.

I make this sound easy and it's not. Food is everywhere. It's advertised regularly (usually with models of abnormally low body weight); you are encouraged to eat by the food industry, the advertisers, the corner store, your grocery store, the big box stores (hey, don't just by a normal amount, buy triple the amount, ‘just in case'); your friends, your family and your co-workers. It seems we are in this fight to control our intake by ourselves. So, it is paramount you develop strong reasons not to eat foods that will sabotage your health.

I will dwell daily on what I should or shouldn't eat. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose; but after so many years I know that if I keep my eyes on my goals my dangerous snacking will lessen.

Don't beat yourself up; don't feel guilty. It's akin to practicing mindfulness. You are in the moment: no past, no future, just now. No judgement. No memory of past failures; just you and how you want to eat and why. Sometimes I can sustain these thoughts for many minutes, sometimes in futility I say "…the heck with it!” and eat the potato chips.

What is it you would really like to accomplish? Why? What would it take? What would you have to change to achieve this? Will it really be that hard? Will you starve? Will you feel deprived or healthier?

Ask yourselves these questions often. As I've said many times before, it's not about a specific dietary plan, it's about asking, "Are you and I willing to change to make ourselves fitter, healthier, more confident?”

As I end all of my letters, NEVER GIVE UP! We need to work on our purpose and focus on our goals every single day. Then, and only then, will following a food plan become easier, and eventually become a lifestyle.

Dr. Doug