Perfection is not my aim
If you're new here, you may want to get my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! I couldn't do this without the help of my commenters!
On my last post Bikinime wrote a comment that got me to thinking:
I know this probably isn’t the kind of support anyone would ask for, but a great big part of me was so glad to read that you had a bad week of eating. You are so inspiring to me — heck, you run in the RAIN, you’re that committed to / in love with running! *grin* — that I was starting to feel intimidated by your perfection. *grin*
What ran through my mind: “So, wow. Andrew had a bad week of eating. Andrew. Had a bad week of eating. Even Andrew. A whole week.” And yet, you’re still here and not letting it derail you. And I realized that, once again, I’ve been letting a perfect plan get in the way of a good plan.
Thanks, Andrew! Reading about your human failings really cheered me up! LOL!
One thing I have realised is that if I strive for perfection then I fail. This week I’ve had fries, I’ve had burgers, I’ve had chocolate brownies, chocolates, cake, more cake, more chocolate brownie type things and scones. Not all at once mind you! And let’s not even count the number of Mochacinnos I’ve had. There has just been something on at work or home pretty much every day this week and for one reason or another I’ve indulged.
If I had to go through life knowing I could never eat another piece of cake…well shoot me now! I’ve tried that. Strict diets work for about 10 weeks with me…then I have a meltdown and eat, eat, and eat some more. I’ve been through the cycle of dieting and regaining one too many times and I’m not going back to that.
Sustainability is the key requirement for me. My current lifestyle choices mean I can have a piece or two of cake and it’s not the end of the world. If I have a bad week with my eating decisions then I just have to control myself a bit more the next week. The byline of my blog is one day at a time. With my eating I’m very much a recovering foodaholic. I try and live healthy one day at a time. If I fail to live up to my principles today, well, tomorrow is another day and I’ll try again. God knows I’m not perfect and I don’t want to be. Cake is too good. 
My aim is to live healthily and it’s not just a healthy body I’m after. It’s healthy mind and life too.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
We are all fallible.
If you expect to be ‘perfect’, you set yourself up for disappointment.
Nice post to end the work week
DRs last blog post..Scientists Discover How to Create “Anti-Obesity” Brown Fat
[Reply]
Great reminder andrew (and bikinime)! This is one area where I often fall short. I am such a perfectionist that I end up with an all-or-nothing attitude which leads to cycles of “being good” followed by binges and regaining all the lost weight. So depressing. I’m trying to do things the right way this time and your post really helped!
charlottes last blog post..A Big Chest Does Not Make You Fat
[Reply]
Andrew, even though perfection may not be you aim, I feel the plan you are on is pretty close to perfect.
Andrew(AJH)s last blog post..So You Think You Can …
[Reply]
Hi Andrew, I think this is my first comment but I have been reading and enjoying your blog for a while now. Just wanted say you certainly are an inspiration and inspirational people are even more so when they aren’t perfect.
Nobody’s perfect but a lot of us (me included) set ourselves up for failure by constantly comparing ourselves to the so called ‘perfect’ people. Breaking this habit and understanding that everybody has bad days and weeks is more that half the battle.
CLs last blog post..Here we go round the Merry-Go-Round.
[Reply]
YESYESYES!!
consistency & cake every now and then.
totally works for me as well.
Mizs last blog post..A little bit o’link love.
[Reply]
Well said Andrew! When I set out to do something, I want to do it perfectly or not at all. In the past, when I ‘failed’ or slipped, I would be SO unforgiving of myself that I just gave it up all together. I am still in the beginning of my ‘overhaul’, so I’m still in that ‘perfect’ stage, but I feel the challenge coming soon - not so much with food (yet) but in terms of skipping the workout because I can’t fit it in.
It’s nice to be reminded that ‘tomorrow is another day’, it’s not all over just because of one bad day or week for that matter.
Great thoughts!
Cyndis last blog post..Close Call
[Reply]
I like this entry Andrew, and it is my aim to long term, healthy mind, healthy body, healthy life. We can’t be perfect everyday!
[Reply]
You know, I’ve also adopted the one day at a time mantra. And since realizing that I can’t be perfect, you know what I find? I have less bad days. Instead of denying myself, now I just allow things in small portions, it helps so much more. I just realize that its not about being “good” 100% of the time, It’s about making good decisions 95% of the time, and not sweating the 5%…
Kates last blog post..
[Reply]
I totally agree. I once had a “diet” consultant ask me, “So do you like Caesar Salad? Because I do - I love it. ”
Me: “Yes, I really do like Caesar Salad.”
Consultant: “Well that’s too bad because if you want to be thin you’ve got to give that up today. No more Caesar Salad. Get used to it.”
Thanks for nothing, diet industry.
Metroknows last blog post..Photos of What We Eat #6: Fish tacos with rice, beans, and corn
[Reply]
People have to realize that it’s not perfection that they have to aim for but a health style.
In my opinion, they key is to learn how to get satisfy with a brownie and not 2 or 3, by achieving that you will be easier on yourself and you’re are going to appreciate more your journey.
[Reply]
Great post Andrew. With all of the exercise you’re doing, it’s great to be able to enjoy some of the finer things without adding every calorie back to the waist line. Well done!
[Reply]
Cheers to that Andrew. I’m right there with you on the “recovering foodaholic”. Your thought process sounds eerily similar to mine since I’ve been running. Running kinda releases you from being perfect all the time (or at least me).
[Reply]
That’s what life is all about, balance! Not perfection
And it’s always good to see someone else do the same.
suzannes last blog post..Awwww
[Reply]
[...] public links >> indulged Perfection is not my aim Saved by peachyfrekus on Thu 25-9-2008 How I stayed Fit on Holiday Saved by hotchick903 on Sun [...]