On Guilt and Gifts

Gifts

Sometimes I think I have the coolest job. Like today my very first task was to wrap a cart full of gifts to be given to a retired minister and his wife later this week. How awesome!!

I love wrapping gifts! It put me in such a Christmas mood!! Not to mention I have been pinning Christmas pins like it's no body's business!! Oh man I have some good pinterest boards!!

Guilt

So here are some random thoughts for you on guilt.

 My fitness journey has lasted for my entire adult life. It started in Jr. High School and through ups and downs has never and will never come to a complete stop. But any time my progress isn't what I think it should be, I have to fight off an old familiar and unwelcome friend, Guilt.

For this past week we have been packing, sorting, yard selling, and moving TONS of stuff. It is a long story but basically three households in our family (including me and Nathan) are moving. Of course everyone is helping out everyone else and it has been quite the project. I have missed many workouts.

Well last night, everyone decided to call it quits pretty early. So after fixing Nathan's tire on his truck....

He and I decided to just call it a night. No workouts. No healthy dinner. Let's just curl up on the couch with a pizza and watch the VP debate. (what a date!!) ;)

We got a stuffed Chicago style pizza from Papa Murphy's.

It was oh so good!!

We even got a FREE!! container of cookie dough!

I knew even before I ate anything that I could easily beat myself up for choosing such a dinner. And on a day with no workout!!

So I developed my battle plan!

• Take every thought captive. The Word instructs us to make every thought obedient to Christ! No matter what thought entered my head, I had to compare it to the truth. Am I a failure? No. Am I an unhealthy person? No.
• Enjoy the moment. Yes I have to deal with the consequences tomorrow. But this is the choice I am making today. It is worth it. 
• Be realistic, not fatalistic. I can get extreme with my guilt. I begin to imagine a future where I have abandoned fitness and 'let myself go.' I have to remind myself that this is not what I am doing. Will I be 5lbs lighter in the morning? Probably not. Will I continue living a healthy active lifestyle? YES. So let it go......
• Don't be extreme, on either side. One good binge eating day is all it takes for me to go overboard the opposite direction. It is just as unhealthy to starve myself and push my body too hard. Actually more so. I don't eat like this often, and I don't miss very many workouts. So don't swing too far the other way. Just jump back on the wagon and keep going. 

It's working, but every moment is a new choice. I have done well so far, but I could easily allow myself to give into the guilt at any time.

I am very impressed with myself! This is a lot of progress for me!


How do you deal with guilt?