Guilt-free choices

I find myself being very aware, every minute, of what I’m eating and what it’s doing to me and it’s making me crazy. I had a bowl of ice cream last night and it tasted great, but even while I enjoyed it I was thinking, this isn’t good for me, this isn’t healthy. I never planned to go cold turkey. I’m not going to give up the foods I love. I just decided early on to smaller portions less often and I’ve stuck to that. And it’s worked. I’ve lost some weight and I’m definitely healthier than when I started making these changes in January. I’m also more conscientious. And more often than not, I’m making good food choices. But now I need to rid myself of the guilt when I decide to eat a bowl of ice cream. The experts say feeling bad can be a detriment to the changes you’re trying to make. Instead, they say, I am to acknowledge the choice – or setback, depending on how you look at it – be aware that it was my decision and then strive to make different decisions down the road. O.K. I can do that. I get to choose what to eat and how to think about it. That’s empowering. I am in control. So, I will eat ice cream when I feel like it. I will enjoy it and then I’ll choose to have oatmeal and skim milk for breakfast and celebrate the fact that my healthy efforts will not be derailed as long as I stay clear about what I want and what I’m doing to live a healthier life. Now, if I can just kiss the guilt goodbye.