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Tackling the Dreaded Ds of Dieting: Deprivation and Discipline

Dieting sucks.

There, I said it, putting my English degree to good use.  Why gloss over what everyone knows to be true?  The worst part of battling the bulge doesn’t even have anything to do with feeling hungry; it is the mine field of mind games that goes along with any diet.  The moment we decide to follow a healthy eating plan, our brains become obsessed with food.  A sense of deprivation and lack of self-discipline can undercut every move we make.

It is easy to forget that we actually have control over our brains.  Changing your thoughts can really help you change your body.  A subtle shift in perspective can be a very powerful tool in accomplishing any goal.  Here are a few thoughts on tackling the dreaded Ds of dieting: deprivation and discipline.

Deprivation
Dieters are often advised to add a “cheat day” or a “cheat meal” to their eating plans, so they won’t feel deprived.  That perpetuates a disordered way of thinking.  It locks you into the idea that healthful eating is an act of deprivation when, in fact, healthful eating is the very opposite of deprivation.  The word, deprivation, is often misused in our society.  Deprivation means being denied access to something to which you are entitled.  All human beings are entitled to food, shelter, medical care, dignity, education and love.  Are we really entitled to eat chocolate cake and chips whenever it strikes our fancy?

This is not just about semantics.  Words have incredible power to shape our perceptions, which in turn guide us in our understanding of the world.  Here’s an example:

Two dieting women attend a birthday party.  After singing Happy Birthday, they both refuse a slice of cake.  One woman looks at her empty plate and feels sad.  She feels envious of those eating and deprived because she can’t have any cake.  The other woman looks at her empty plate and feels a flush of pride at having turned down the cake. She feels one step closer to reaching her goal.

Guess who is more likely to have a late night date with Ben and Jerry?

Feeling deprived leads to self pity.  Self pity is not only obnoxious for others to be around, but it will also undermine your own goals.  You will naturally want to relieve your sense of suffering, so you may cheat on yourself.

The best way to handle a sense of deprivation is to recognize that dieting is completely unrelated to it.  Deprivation exists in our world.  It is most visible in Haiti right now, but it certainly is not present at a birthday party where half a cake was left uneaten.  Choose your words carefully to frame your experience in a positive manner. This will help shape your thoughts about dieting into something wonderful and proactive, rather than a completely negative experience you resist.

Discipline
Discipline is not scary.  It is not an exercise of willpower, which most people feel they have in short supply.  Discipline is simply taking active ownership of your choices. At any given moment ask yourself, Am I going to choose to follow my habit, or am I going to choose to actively pursue my goal?  You make the choice whether your realize it or not.  Inaction is the result of a choice in the exact same way action is.  Habits are not abstract ways of being imposed upon us; they are simply the repetition of a single choice.  We forget that it’s a choice because we feel so comfortable with it.

How many good choices does one have to make to lose a pound?

There is no universal answer to that question.  We know it is necessary to create a deficit of 3,500 calories, but it is impossible to say how many choices that entails.  Every time you think about eating a cookie is a choice: eat it or don’t eat it.  This thought may repeat seconds later, again, it is a choice.  When you’re working out and you feel like quitting, it is a choice to continue or not.  If you feel like quitting for the entire session, but choose not to, you have made hundreds of choices in order to do so.

Taking ownership of your ability to make choices is an act of empowerment.  Each time you actively make a choice, you gain more power to do so in the future.  You tap into your own freedom and gain a sense of control over your life.  You learn to define your life, rather than feeling like life defines you.  Who knows?  Maybe this time around dieting won’t suck.

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  1. Weightloss Diary: Week 1 « mamaguru says:
    June 22, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    […] Tackling the Dreaded Ds of Dieting: Deprivation and Discipline […]

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Hi there and welcome to Mamaguru! My name is Rebecca Cofiño and I created Mamaguru to help people live happier lives by living deliberately. It’s so easy to get caught in the hustle and bustle of busyness, and to feel like we never get the chance to live the life we really want.  As a working ...

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