Deceptive Demons

I sympathize with alcoholics. I've said this before, but honestly I do. Or any addict, for that matter. Name your addiction, whatever it is. Addictions are nagging, controlling, relentless, and they demand extreme discipline and vigilance.

Can they be overcome? Yes. But it is NOT easy.

 

 

No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty

whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same.

-Viktor Frankl

author, neurologist and psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor

(1905-1997)

 

I think about how good I feel when I eat clean and make good choices. I feel better, move easier, sleep better, my skin is clearer, more energy ... the list goes on.

Why do I allow the sin of temptation to sneak onto my shoulder at times and try to maniuplate me with its taunts?

 

"Oh, you poor thing. You can't eat THIS, can you. How tragic. It is so delicious... Remember how it tastes? Remember how satisfying it is? But YOU can't have it now. It's off limits to you....You just have to eat the same boring food over and over and over..... Don't you get bored? Aren't you bored? Don't you feel cheated? Look around you. Everyone is eating [this] and having the time of their life. No one cares if you eat it or don't eat it.....You're just inflicting this pain and deprivation on yourself. You're the only one who is suffering from it, you know.....Just think how happy you'll feel when you eat [this]. It's really too bad that you can't have such pleasures in life...shame..... What a pity..."

On and on and on, the taunting comes and goes.

When I'm strong, I thumb my nose at the voice of temptation. I ignore it. I refocus my thoughts on how I good I feel when I'm eating clean.

And then there are times when I falter, fail, and feel sorry for myself .... woe is me -- I begin believing the lies of The Voice.

And the self-sabotage happens. I suffer the consequences. And then the cycle begins again.

I had this conversation with a friend of mine last night at the gym. We laughed about it. Yeah, I suppose it is funny. But it's a demon that many of us face on a daily basis.

I was searching for recipes online the other day, trying to find a yummy appetizer recipe to wow my friends at an upcoming Christmas party. In my search, I saw tons of delicious recipes for cakes, cookies, breads, carb-and-fat loaded appetizers -- oh, the temptation. I wanted it all. I found myself saving recipe after recipe to my laptop.

 

Why? Am I gonna bake all of this junk over the next few weeks? Just because "well, it's the holidays, after all ... live a little." Really? That's the reason?

But what about AFTER the holidays? When life returns to "normal" -- whatever that is -- and people go about their daily lives, back to work, winter sets in, days drag on ...

Where will I find myself?

With the extra weight and sluggishness from the holiday indulgences?

Or will I be enjoying the endorphins of clean eating, regular exercise, sufficient and uninterrupted rest at night?

Which will it be, T?

Will you be the victim of deception once more?

Food demons be damned!