Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: The Honest Eater

From a very young age we are told to always tell the truth. Never tell a lie. Honesty is the best policy. As we grow into adults, we learn this to be true and some of us are now instilling these same values on our children. Yes, honesty is an important factor in maintaining healthy personal and professional relationships. We see the value of honesty in these areas of our lives and for the most part, we stick by it. But let's not forget to mention another relationship where honesty is important; the relationship between you and your food.

What I mean here is that in order for us to fully grasp an understanding as to why our "diets" may not be working out the way we planned, we must first obtain an honest assessment of what is really going on. Did you really only have a grilled chicken salad for lunch or did you have a salad AND the remainder of your daughter's macaroni n' cheese (Yes, this may have happened to me once or twice. Busted.)? Was it really just a serving of Wheat Thins or half the box? When details are left out or we lie to ourselves about what is really going in our tummies, it's no wonder we are so confused about the disappointing results. So, what do we do?

When the jeans get a little snug and I can't figure out why, I give myself a food and fitness reality check. By keeping an honest written log of what is going in (every sip and bite) and what is going out (by this, I mean exercise), I am able to see where things may have gotten out of hand or off track. What I think is going on with my food and fitness may not always be the case. This happens sometimes. Life distracts us. By taking a step back and really looking at the reality of the situation, I am able to make adjustments and get back to business as usual. For me, it is the act of writing everything down that really forces me to be honest with myself.

The take-away from this post is that in order to put together the most effective eating and exercising plan to meet our lifestyle goals, we first need to be honest with ourselves about our current situation. Before feeling helpless and discouraged, are you really being as "good" as you think you are? Think about this: How can a teacher give the best instruction without knowing where the child is academically? How can a doctor give the best diagnosis and treatment without know ALL of the symptoms? The same goes for our eating and exercise goals. Taking an honest look into the whole picture, every detail, will allow us to see exactly where we are and most importantly, why. Armed with this knowledge, we are better prepared to reach our goals.

When it comes to analyzing our eating habits...yes, honesty is the best policy.

Have a great  "truthful" Tuesday!