Treat Yourself « Temporary? Insanity

Treat Yourself

by Kym on April 3, 2009

Dear Self,

I don’t hate you the way I did as a teenager. And I don’t dislike you in that apathetic way I did in my twenties. In fact, the advent of a new decade has even brought feelings of fondness and, dare I say, love onto the scene. I’ve seen how far you’ve come. I’ve caught glimpses of your potential and I’m hopeful for you. You could be pretty amazing, you know.

But for heaven’s sake…Put…the cookies…down! Your addiction to the sweet stuff is seriously messing with you. And don’t put on an expression of injured innocence, because I know you know. There’s no use pretending. You’ve read too many books on nutrition and conducted too many personal experiments not to know that the sweets do not make you happy.

They are not a treat.

It’s not just about the extra pounds. We both know that isn’t the only issue, or even the most important one. These supposed “treats” of yours aren’t rewards, they’re punishments. You’re punishing yourself with diminished self-respect. The only cookies that make you feel good about yourself are the (few) ones you manage not to eat.

Physically, you are messing with your happiness level in very profound ways. Not only are you hauling around that extra forty pounds, sugar makes you feel sluggish and cranky. It eats away at your patience level. It drains your energy. Your sugary days are the days that climbing the stairs is a trial and you barely manage to accomplish the bare minimum. Let’s be honest, on the bad days you don’t even manage that.

I wonder why you can’t get this simple lesson to stick in your head. The days you eat well are the days that you feel brighter and cheerier. You get more done. You aren’t plagued by headaches. The kids are positively affected by your happier outlook. You enjoy them more and they enjoy you.

You call your indulgences “treats”? No, dear self. A treat is something that makes you feel good. Try a few chapters of a favourite book. A bubble bath. A cuddle session with your kids. Try turning on a fun song and dancing. Try eating something you enjoy that nourishes your body and your self-respect both.

I think that’s the only way to change this around for you. For you to see those treats as a punishment. As something that hurts you. Please. Please work on this. I hate seeing you hurt yourself like this.

Lovingly,
The Quiet Voice You Don’t Listen to Near Often Enough

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26 comments

Don’t blame YOU blame the COOKIES!!! They’re the TRUE villain, sitting there on the counter looking all seductive and innocent. “Come on,” they say, “you’ve been eyeing me all day. You know you want me.” Vile temptress! BACK WITH YOU, BACK!!!!

It’s not you. It’s them.

L.T. Elliot´s last blog post..Rot Spots

by L.T. Elliot on April 3, 2009 at 2:25 am. #

My 30′s have been my favorite decade so far. I feel I have really grown into myself and I know have much more growing to do. It only gets better from here.

by Tonya on April 3, 2009 at 4:19 am. #

So insightful….. and true.
Good luck to all of us.

by melinda on April 3, 2009 at 5:31 am. #

bless you, sweet kim.

want to know a favorite treat of mine? popping in to your blog for a good dose of wisdom or funnies.

and right now, i’d like to wriggle into your enchanted forest picture (up yonder to the top right of the screen–that perfect image of light and serenity, yum!) with a walking stick and a pair of sturdy boots. that, too, is my kind of treat.

nic´s last blog post..switzerland part eins

by nic on April 3, 2009 at 6:14 am. #

We are conditioned to think they are treats as children. Case in point, we took the kids out for ice cream as a treat after my youngest starred in the class play (and he was GOOD!) And that was after the cookies AT the play and the darling decorated cookie on a stick his friend gave him as a “treat”. Anyway, that’s the kind of stuff that makes it so hard to give up the sweets. In other words, blame society.

Heidi Ashworth´s last blog post.."Miss D Has A New Look" Win A Book Contest

by Heidi Ashworth on April 3, 2009 at 6:28 am. #

I totally get this. I finally went on a ‘dessert fast’ this week… for as long as I can do it. I know once I get past the first week it gets dramatically easier. Here is my brag- last night I was totally craving cold and sweet. So rather give in to the girl scout cookies frozen in the downstairs fridge- or the fat boy ice cream sandwiches upstairs (BIL brought them- dang him!) I had a 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries. They were SO good! I’m down 19 lbs from the beginning of March.

Amber@soggy cheerios´s last blog post..April Fools! and some other stuff

by Amber@soggy cheerios on April 3, 2009 at 7:20 am. #

Crud. This is like a letter to me or something. I feel like I should print it out and tack it to the wall.

Annette´s last blog post..Writing Journey: Part XIII

by Annette on April 3, 2009 at 7:51 am. #

I think this is a GREAT way to look at things. I’m going to send this link to a couple of friends that would love this perspective.

Melanie J´s last blog post..Not on my watch.

by Melanie J on April 3, 2009 at 8:03 am. #

I should print this. And NOT get the chocolate bar hiding in my pantry …

Rebecca – That Girl from Brazil´s last blog post..Mothering 101

by Rebecca - That Girl from Brazil on April 3, 2009 at 10:14 am. #

I was watching the Biggest Loser the other night and one of the girls made a comment that really struck me… she said, “I finally decided to stop killing myself”. She had realized that her current lifestyle was not bringing her any happiness and was putting her life on the line by being so unhealthy.
It’s something I should conquer… but I don’t really want it yet, ya know? Not bad enough to do something about it… isn’t that terrible? :S

Melissa´s last blog post..

by Melissa on April 3, 2009 at 10:20 am. #

I’m not much for sweets as they make me pukey. That said? I still eat them if they’re there. I suffer from boredom eating.

Good on you for identifying the immediate results of not eating well – maybe you need to tack that on your fridge and cookie containers ‘warning: this food will make you feel like the crap that it puts in your body. Try an orange instead.

Thalia’s Child´s last blog post..Creative Me!

by Thalia's Child on April 3, 2009 at 11:04 am. #

I’ll take the cookies, if you’re not going to eat them. ;-)

Seriously, though, I hear ya. I finally realized a couple years ago that not all chocolate was created equal, and yesterday when the boys were digging into chocolate Easter eggs (thanks Grandma), I was able to resist because I remembered it’s just not that delicious.

by Beth on April 3, 2009 at 2:06 pm. #

Wow, I am going to link your post to my blog! You so eloquently say what I am talking about this week, about how when you binge, you are trying to fill up a hole that cannot be filled by sweets. How food does not equal happiness. Thank you for your insight!

Jen´s last blog post..Skinny Habit of the Week: Set Limits for Treats

by Jen on April 3, 2009 at 3:01 pm. #

My cookie and ice cream eating self always beats up the quiet voice self. Beats her into submission.

by Heffalump on April 3, 2009 at 3:51 pm. #

So true and so well said! Those “treats” aren’t rewards, they are punishment. I think it really helps to have a healthy alternative to go to when you feel you need a treat. I started drinking interesting herbal teas. In fact, a girlfriend and I regularly meet to go tea shopping at different tea shops in the area. A nice cup of tea “takes the edge off” for me on most days.

Andrea@WellnessNotes´s last blog post..Favorite Poem

by Andrea@WellnessNotes on April 3, 2009 at 6:49 pm. #

Just this week, I tried to eliminate sugar snacking from my diet. And with the exception of 2 cookies at Enrichment, I did it, and I’m quite proud of myself. I’m debating whether to let myself off the hook on weekends or not.

Steph @ Diapers and Divinity´s last blog post..Oh, the noise . . . the noise, noise noise, noise!

by Steph @ Diapers and Divinity on April 3, 2009 at 8:09 pm. #

A friend of mine has this theory – if it tastes really good, then it’s bad for you!

by david mcmaon on April 4, 2009 at 4:37 am. #

I’ve been contemplating that treat notion too. Where did we get that, and how do I keep from passing that one on to my kids…

Lisa Milton´s last blog post..40 looks good on you

by Lisa Milton on April 4, 2009 at 7:31 am. #

um…you hated me in your teens? you disliked me in your twenties? how cruel.

i will put the cookies down now.

but they were so good. and now i’m sad – sad enough to have another cookie….

yours in cookie-ness. (i’ll put mine down too…)

Zerilda The Superfluous Blogger´s last blog post..Cennynpedr asks a favour

by Zerilda The Superfluous Blogger on April 5, 2009 at 3:48 pm. #

This is fantastic. I need to print it out and say I wrote it to myself too. You’re brilliant.

Jenna Consolo´s last blog post..Tower of Strength

by Jenna Consolo on April 5, 2009 at 3:50 pm. #

We’ve all done this, usually in front of the mirror, naked, with our bountiful flesh aglow from the too hot water. Thanks to David at authorblog for pointing us in your direction.

moannie´s last blog post..ALL OR NOTHING AT ALL.

by moannie on April 6, 2009 at 3:09 am. #

I love this! I can soooo relate! Well-written and very clever! Your blog is beautiful! Congrats on your mention in POTD!

Janine´s last blog post..Beware the Blog!

by Janine on April 6, 2009 at 6:52 am. #

This is so me! In fact, because I so often nurture through food, I have found myself ramping up the sugar the past couple of weeks because I think it will help everybody feel cared for and loved. It’s a little backwards, I know. But I keep needing to do it. I need a 12-step program or something.

charrette´s last blog post..To My Firstborn in the Wilderness…

by charrette on April 6, 2009 at 10:32 pm. #