Gathering New Information about Stocks, Health, and Sports

          So often when we are a diet do we get certain urges to for have a small scoop of ice cream or to eat that bag of chips left unattended on our table. While such a situation may seem innocuous, the real truth is that one small offset to our diet can bring a dangerous situation to deal with.
         We say to ourselves, that we have lost a good amount in terms of mass, and now we should reward ourselves with a little treat. Such an attitude becomes treacherous in the long run however as we continue eating these little treats eventually straying completely off our diet. Unfortunately during my dieting routine I have fallen prey a few times to letting loose process every once in a while to eat that "small" slice of pizza.
         My last such episode can be traced back a few weeks ago. I just arrived in Austin eager to begin my new college lifestyle by attending orientation. After settling in and doing the necessary requirements it was time to have some lunch. Unfamiliar with the courses served in the cafeteria, I was unsure what to order to substitute the diet I was currently on. Seeming stressed by the unusual environment I quickly went through the line choosing a pint of chocolate ice cream and half a liter of water. I knew in the back of my mind that such a purchase was going to be nothing but detrimental to my plan, and I was losing everything I accomplished up to then. Nevertheless, another powerful emotional response triggered, and I bought the ice cream.
         Understanding how I might have made a big mistake, I told myself I would eat one or two spoons and give the rest to someone else. I put my spoon into the carton, felt the tenderness of how my utensil cut the cream so perfectly, obtained a medium sized tablespoon of the substance, and put it to my mouth. I felt a sense of bliss and euphoria. My guilty feelings subsided and I dug away into the carton, finishing such an unhealthy snack in less than five minutes. Not understanding such consequences during the duration of my eating rampage, I later scorned myself heavily after I was finished.
         I felt ashamed. I could not believe how I was able to do that to my body after sacrificing so much during the past four months. However, hesitantly, I told myself it was only a one time thing and would not happen again. Nevertheless, as soon as I had said that, dinner rolled around and it was back to the cafeteria.
         At first the situation went smoothly. I picked out some chicken, vegetables, and fruits eager to overcome any more hidden desires. As I reached towards the cashier, I immediately became overcome again with the wide freezer filled with ice cream. I mechanically opened the glass ceiling, picked up a frozen Snicker's bar, and paid for my dinner. This time without having as many guilty thoughts, I ate my dinner along with the Snicker's bar. Like lunch, after eating such a dissert I felt uncomfortable of what I was doing to my body. The same situation rolled all through orientation (three days) with the same reoccurring thoughts after each meal was completed. I had lost the battle; my motivation was gone, and I went back to my old habits.
         Upon returning to my house, I immediately went up to my bathroom and got on the scale. Expecting to see a large margin in terms of mass gained, I was not disappointed when the scale showed a number five pounds heavier than I was accustomed to seeing. From that moment I made the commitment to do whatever I could to go back to my healthy customs.
         I eventually did, but the process was one of the hardest I had gone through; it was even harder than when I first decided to go on a diet four months back. I had to fight such urges with incredible power and motivation. I was continually telling myself that I had had enough pleasure during my orientation. The psychological battle eventually was won by the good thoughts, and I came back to my healthy routine.
         While such a story may have been over exaggerated, such a situation can happen to anyone. Everyone once in a while during his or her diet will be overcome with such an urge which they may or may not be able to control. Relying on subconscious emotions illustrating how one piece of cake will be alright can sound more dangerous than the situation is, especially if such a person is weak in terms of motivation. I was fortunate to both realize such a situation and be able to control it, but again someone else on a similar diet may not be so lucky. So the next time you feel an urge to take pride in your weight loss by celebrating with an unfavorable choice of food, it may be hard, but think of the long term effects and how my experience can be juxtaposed to yours.

-Dennis Biray
August 4th, 2006