“Abstainer vs Moderator…”

 

Shared by Breanne Smedley

I’ve always been envious of those people who can have a chocolate bar in their house for more than 24 hours.

Just nibble on it from time to time. Allow themselves a square here or there.

Nope, not in my house.

When it comes to sugar, it’s life in my cupboard is short-lived.

My subconscious knows it’s there. 
Knows where to find it. 
And won’t stop until it’s gone.

I’ve often tried to live by the sensible advice of:

“Be moderate. Don’t indulge every night, but don’t deny yourself all together. Allow yourself the occasional treat.”

Or

“80/20. Be healthy 80% of the time and indulge, within reason, 20% of the time.”

Sounds like great advice. It makes sense. I want it to work.

But what I end up doing is obsessing over when that “occasional” treat should be. Or what “20%” looks like.

“Tonight, or tomorrow?”
“Does this count?”
“Can I break up one treat and have some now and some later?”
“If I’m 100% healthy for five days in a row, does that mean I can be 100% unhealthy for one day?”

For me, it takes an enormous amount of energy, and self-control to live this way.

Whereas recently, Kristina and I gave up sugar as part of a 28 Day Challenge within our business entrepreneurial group.

We both reported that it was “easy.” 
No choice. 
No waffling back and forth while staring at a brownie, wondering if now is a good time to eat it, or later.

If it has sugar in it, don’t eat it.

It made me think of what Gretchen Rubin talks about in her podcast, “Happier.”

She says there are two groups of people:

Moderators: 
-Do better when they avoid absolutes or strict rules
-Find the occasional indulgence heightens pleasure and resolve
-Get panicky at the thought of “never” getting or doing something

Abstainers: 
-Find it easier to give up something completely than to indulge moderately
-Have trouble stopping something once they’ve started
-Aren’t tempted by things that they’ve decided are off-limits

Ugh, I’m totally an Abstainer.
But a wanna be Moderator.

It’s come back to the constant journey of knowing myself.

Uncovering what works for me.

And experimenting, for the sake of better health.

Because I don’t necessarily care about what method ends up working.

But I do care about optimal mental, emotional, and physical health.

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#MindfullyEvolving

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