The Game

Planning. Strategy. Mental acuity.

Forethought. Being three steps ahead.

Controlling. Every. Move.

Man, this weight loss thing, it ain't easy. Who ever said it was?

I think the general response to a statement like that is, "If it were easy, obesity wouldn't be an 'epidemic,' now would it?"

Losing weight is largely a mental game. Basically, it's like playing chess with yourself... when you've never played it before in real life and have only clicked the mouse randomly on the spaces that light up telling you that yes, the knight can move to that square.

Really, it's like going up against a grand master in an international tournament... and being 99% assured of falling flat on your face in 2 moves.

A lot of people lose this game. Far more than ever win it. It takes some serious, serious dedication to figure out the things you need to know to win.

I've been on a losing streak for a while, now. I have the usual to say about it: "Life got in the way," "I've had a lot of stress in my life recently," excuse, excuse, excuse, etc. A lot of people may not have the wherewithal to win the game, but they sure do have a lot of "the dog ate my homework"s to explain away the failures. I point no fingers, I am no different at times like this.

But really, how hard SHOULD it be?

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Oh, Michael Pollan, how you tease me with your overly simple mantra.

I tend to be most successful when I can stick to a kind of 90/10 strategy - be "on" and perfect 90% of the time, while giving myself a little break to have "off" meals or days the other 10%.

Do you know how hard that is? Who wins 90% of every game they ever play? Who?

Doesn't that just make you want to go and bury your head in a vat of fudge?

Time to try it again.