After reading IM Able’s fantastic post today, I started thinking about something I had read in a triathlon article. Two triathletes were out biking and one asked the other what his “Lifetime Ironman” was. She was talking about much more than the race and the preparation, she was asking about his life overall. He hadn’t heard of that concept before, but it made sense to me.
I will probably always need to battle overeating and medicating with food. It is such a deeply ingrained response/habit/thought pattern. It goes way back to abuse and dysfunctional environments in my early life. It would be nice to get “cured” and be free from the desire to medicate or comfort myself with food. It is more realistic to think that it will be a challenge for the rest of my life. There will be those times when I will be confronting the temptation to overeat/medicate with food. I can choose my responses and the outcome. I can trash my life and die too soon, wallow in self-pity and shame, or I can overcome and be victorious and happy. It is my choice. The bagel does not jump in my mouth and no one forces me to overeat. When I do overeat and medicate with food, it is because I choose to.
Hence, my “Lifetime Ironman” is to become slim and healthy, stay slim and healthy, and to win the battles with myself when tempted to give in to this ineffective and destructive behavior.
I will, instead, love and nurture myself correctly.
Thank you so much IM Able, for stimulating my thinking today.
8 comments:
I think I might print out this post and carry it around for a while. It's a great perspective :)
Knowing your enemy is the first order of business in battle. And... All plans are perfect until they meet the enemy. Those are two good principles to carry into battle, Duane. You will kick ass, my friend.
Hey Duane - Not sure if you realize how inspirational you are. I just love reading posts like this. It makes me stop and think about what my lifelong ironman is too.
I second what Lisa says - I love reading your site because you have such a positive and honest approach to all things "life." Thanks for the thought for today. And thanks for the cold weather support - I really need it right about now! m
Thanks, Duane. You just made a day that was otherwise in the toilet much, much better. The best part of knowing you own history is that you can make those choices later. You really just turned my day around! Instead of being bummed out, I'm going home to jump on the bike and earn myself a manicure!
Keep pluggin along!!
Great post Duane!! As I read your words, I feel your pain. Together we can over come our demons and feel that great thing called, SUCCESS!!
Beautiful post, Duane!
You deserve it!
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