The diet goes forth. Nothing new to report. A friend of mine asked me how I stick to the diet. I don’t really know how I do it. Not sticking to it is just not an option I even consider. Here are more of my thoughts on it…
How to stick to a diet
I don’t consider myself to have an iron resolve in regards to a lot of things. I can be a little impetuous and take on a bunch of different projects only to abandon them a few days later. In many matters I have little self-control, but I have no problem sticking to a diet for some reason.
I think it comes down to whether or not you’re willing to negotiate with yourself in regards to it. There are certain things you just aren’t willing to negotiate on. For instance if you’re in bed and you’re exhausted but you have to go to the bathroom, it doesn’t matter how tired you are, you won’t let yourself shit the bed. I won’t let myself go to bed without brushing my teeth no matter how much I want to get sleep. Some people have an iron-clad work ethic and wouldn’t miss a day of work unless they’re in the hospital, other people will wake up in the morning and negotiate with themselves in regards to whether or not they should go to work that day.
So, I think the key to staying on a diet is just not entertaining the possibility of not staying on the diet. The way you set yourself back is when you start bargaining with yourself. There are men who cheat on their wives all the time and there are other men for whom it doesn’t matter how attractive the other woman is, and how aroused they are, they will just never cheat on their wife. And I guess what I’m saying is that the mindset you need to have going in is, “I don’t care how hard it is or how hungry I get, I’m going to eat this particular way for the next week (or whatever) and see if it works.” But I think the attitude most people have going in is, “I’m going to try and eat 1500 calories a day.” Then a couple days in they think, “This is hard. I really could go for some cookies. Hey, there are some cookies over there! Should I eat those cookies? No, I’m on a diet. I have to stick to this diet. Maybe I’ll just have two but then tomorrow I’ll start a 1200 calorie diet. No, I shouldn’t. Dammit, Irene, why can’t you stay on a diet you fatass! That’s why Roger left you! No, I’m not going to have any. Well, maybe I’ll have one. No, two. Okay, I’ll just eat the whole damn box.” If she didn’t entertain the notion of negotiating with herself, the conversation goes like this, “This is hard. Yup, it’s hard. So what?”
I realize all I’m really saying is “Stay on a diet by staying on the diet,” but ultimately you’re the one in control so there isn’t really any way around it besides that. Realistically you can’t rely on anybody else; and why would you want to?
