"Eating healthy is a great idea. In theory. But who has time?"
This same comment has come up several times in the past couple of weeks -- so I thought we might like to toss it around. I'm thinking a couple of posts. Today we'll cover two of the most common kinds of faulty logic that might lead people to that conclusion. Next time two more. And the time after that, a quick & solid look at how to make things happen to feed yourself well.
Now first of all, let's set the record straight. All logic that might lead people to hedge in the kitchen is not faulty! With all the conflicting information available in the marketplace about what is or isn't a healthy food choice, it's easy to just become so confused that you throw up your hands and head for the drive-through.
So let's say that's not the problem. You actually have taken the time to come to an informed conclusion about what to eat and how to prepare it. You just don't ever seem to be able to pull it off! The question is why?
Let's start this right. Eavesdrop on yourself for a minute. You say you don't have time to prepare healthy food for yourself and your family. How does the conversation go in your head? That little voice has you explaining it to yourself somehow (to justify your choice). What's it say?
Here are the first two of several possible options:
Faulty thought pattern #1
What you hear (in the privacy of your own mind): "I'm just too busy. Things are really crazy right now. There's a lot going on."
How it rates on the faulty scale: Pretty high. What this internal conversation really says is you don't value your health and well-being (or the health and well-being of your family) enough to make keeping yourself alive and healthy a top priority.
In other words, you're telling yourself "all the stuff I do in the world is so critically important that I don't have time to keep myself alive."
Think this through. See the problem? If you don't keep yourself alive and feeling well, you won't be able to do all that crazy stuff!
Faulty thought pattern #2
What you hear in the privacy of your own mind:
"Cooking is menial work. It's for other people. I'm too [too good, too important, too manly, too rich, too whatever] to bother with that kind of menial drudgery."
I realize that some of you may be raising your fists to this background conversation, but I promise you it's out there. So hold your fire, please. Let the people it applies to have a chance to recognize themselves.
How it rates on the faulty scale: You're too important to keep yourself alive? How does that work, big picture?
Here's my observation. Many people I encounter doing genuinely important work in the world have embraced the reality that caring for their own health has got to top their "to do" list.
Perhaps they don't personally spend the half-hour in the kitchen making home-made yogurt. But they've either hired someone else to do it for them or they've researched and found other reliable sources for the quality foods they need. They're not buzzing over for a McBurger on their lunch break. And they're not popping a frozen packet in the microwave for dinner. They're eating real food.
Positive take-away for today: Genuine self-worth means taking care of yourself! Be clever enough to work out a solution. You're worth it!
Elizabeth Eckert can help you explore how simple everyday choices create health — or undermine even the best of intentions. With a background that ranges from energy medicine to structural bodywork to developmental psychology, this "Stick-To-It Coach" has the experience to support you in creating the healthiest possible expression of — you!
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