Regret

I struggle a lot with regret.  I feel guilty that I haven't been the healthy weight I needed to be to be active with my son, I feel regret that my weight had kept me from having meaningful relationships, regret that I treated my body poorly, etc.... 

One of the things that really pushed me towards a Keto way of life is a conversation that I had with my son, Jack.  He asked me what it was like to be skinny (because he knew I had once been), the initial word that popped into my head was "liberating." Now, I don't think that when you're thin, you have no problems, but I do believe that as a general rule, people feel less of a prisoner in their own bodies when they carry less weight.  I really didn't answer his question, I just felt really sad that he couldn't remember what it felt like not to be plagued with the shame of carrying excess weight.  I wanted better for him, even if that meant I had to make major changes too.  

We had a serious talk about health, and where we wanted to be.  We committed to a healthy lifestyle together.  Jack is picky, so he had to try a lot of new foods that he now totally loves... I had to learn to like foods that I didn't prefer before.  The most important thing that had to happen is that we changed our mindset about food.  Instead of eating for pleasure, we eat for nourishment.  It seems so simple, but it makes all of the difference in one's relationship with food.  

Guilt and regret have kept me from being successful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for years!  I would eat really healthy, and exercise, then fall off the wagon and beat myself up about it to the point that I gained everything back, and more.  Tale as old as time!  Here's what's different about Keto, you don't feel deprived, so you don't want to cheat, and when you don't cheat, you don't feel regret. Instead, you feel a constant sense of pride that you're doing all that you can to be healthy.  When you're not shaming yourself for your food choices and weight, you have the brain space to focus on more important things in life that help you grow into your best self.  

We can beat ourselves up over and over again for where we've fallen short, the poor choices, and mistakes we've made in life, and about food, or we can be courageous and proactive.  Regret gets us nowhere. Regret begets regret.