When "want" and "need" meet in a dark alley...

...What happens? The dark alley I’m referring to is those dark places in our mind. (It’s true I just love talking about them.) I was at work today and my boss hands me a cheesecake. She is walking out the door to an all day meeting or something and tells me to spread the word and make sure that it gets eaten. I’m looking at this thing and thinking, “Woman, you may as well handed a six pack of beer to an alcoholic!” UGH! This beautiful cheesecake is lined with whip topping (YUMMY! anyone that knows me knows I’m a SUCKER for whip cream) and has a BIG bowl of cherry topping sitting there looking SOOOOOO pretty. Cherry filling in pies, on cheesecake, in turnovers or over ice cream is just about the greatest thing ever invented by man!

So I throw it in the fridge and plan to spread the word at lunch that it is there. About 11 o’clock I pull it out and tell everyone to have at it. Here’s the thing, now I can see that damn thing out of the corner of my eye. It’s sitting on the table and it’s calling my name. I SWEAR I can actually hear it saying, “Mindy! Mindy, you know you want me!!!” That damn cheesecake; someone ought to tell it to shut the hell up!

Anyway, my point: This cheesecake has started an internal debate in me. It is true that I do not “need” a piece of cheesecake but, damn it, I sure do “want” one. So here they are: want and need… going at it in my head…. Who will win?

Well, yesterday is was WANT but today I’m thinking NEED is taking the lead on this one. You see for every realization or hurdle that is over come there is one more standing in front of me. Having an “ah-ha” moment, about rationalization of poor choices getting me here, does not mean that I won’t have to face those same choices every day. Let’s face it. Temptation is out there and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Right now I still feel week when it comes to tempting yummy food. I have to really fight to make the “good choice” and some days I just don’t have a fight in me. In an effort to make it easier on me I’ve decided I’m going to make a “want list” to use when these little situations come up. This list will consist of all of the things that I REALLY want in/from life. For instance: I want to reach my 150 lb. weight loss goal. I want to take first in this competition and win some money. I want to complete my ½ marathon in 3 hours or less. I want to be a good example of health and fitness for my daughter. I WANT TO LOOK SMOKIN HOT IN A BATHING SUIT. (I’ve got a great hour glass figure so ditch some of this fat and I’m there!) Sure I can probably get there by sneaking in little pieces of cheesecake here and there but I’LL GET THERE SOONER IF I DON’T!

Every time I choose what I really want for me and my future and ignore that voice in my head, tempting me with the simple pleasures of the moment, I believe it will get easier. This is a lifestyle change I’m making. I’m not slinging HCG or having things stapled. I’m not fad dieting in an effort to rush into being skinny. I’m changing the way I think, act and live. I’m changing the way those temptations affect me and when I reach my goal I’ll be able to stay there because I’ll have actually produced change in my life that will stick with me and my family, FOREVER.

Now THAT is tempting!

As a special treat I thought I'd add this to my blog. I got this in an email today and I thought I would wet my pants I laughed SO HARD!!! This was SOOOOOO me!