I've been reading Happy Are You Poor by Thomas Dubay lately, and this (quoted from John Kenneth Galbraith's The Affluent Society) keeps jumping out at me.
"[W]hat is called a high standard of living consists, in considerable measure, in arrangements for avoiding muscular energy, for increasing sensual pleasure and enhancing caloric intake above any conceivable nutritional requirement."
Now I have to admit that even pregnant I do try to avoid exercise or difficult work that I could do, I eat more than I should or things that are not good for me, and generally subscribe to the idea that, as a pregnant lady, I should "treat" myself to good things whenever I feel like it.
And so I've been thinking again and again about balance, especially in the realm of food. One thing that Dubay mentions is how often we feed our mouths instead of our bodies, eating either more than we need or things that are not healthful for us. Thinking over my cravings...chocolate, pumpkin spice lattes, ice cream, 3rd helpings...I realize that I'm getting out of balance again.
So this week I've decided to work on my self control. Instead of giving in to cravings, I'm going to resist temptation to constantly buy myself treats, and instead treat my body and the new baby better.
My goals are to then--for once!--have a healthy weight gain across my pregnancy (so far only about 5 pounds at 3 months) and come out of this pregnancy with a new stronger muscle on my self control bone. :)
A balance of Mind-Body-Spirit
Thursday, September 20, 2007
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A balance of Mind-Body-Spirit
Thought for the Day
"Good friends are good for your health."
~Irwin Sarason
"Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy! And happy people just don't shoot their husbands!"
Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde
Contributors- (Email Leonie or Cindy to join)
4 comments:
Great goals, Rachel - ikwym about the giving of food treats to one self. I do the same thing and I think I am sometimes too self indulgent!! And I'm not even pregnant! :-(
Leonie, you surprise me! You always seem the model of self control to me! :)
I wish! lol!
I really like your goals, Rachel- I think they are for everyone, not just the pregnant!
I think synergy helps (or hurts ) too. ONce I start moving more, I want to move more.. when I am sedentary and eating then an object at rest wants to stay at rest.
On this eating plan I am doing I have discovered a lot about myself- how often I would begin to reach mindlessly for food everytime something needed healing or nurturing (If I was tired, upset, hungry, or just 'deserved it'...)
I know you do deserve pampering, being pregnant... and maybe there are other treats you would enjoy as much? These took me a while to find, and I still like food (it is instant gratifciation for sure!) but other things have begun to sneak in and they have better long term effects on me than the ice cream did.. lol
Keep us posted!
Cindy
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