I used to come home from work, open the fridge, cut off a piece of cheese and pop it in my mouth. I was partial to old cheddar and stilton (good strong cheeses), and particularly enjoyed a blend of goat cheese with cream cheese on a cracker with a dollop of jam. I liked quality cheeses but to be honest, I’d also eat the discount bricks of cheese. It wasn’t about the kind of cheese, but rather the cheese itself. I enjoyed it so much that it was pretty much a daily treat.
And then I decided to loose some weight. Steve and I agreed to each give up something that we’d be better off for. I openly admit chocolate and cheese were my vices so we bought our will at the grocery store, as my friend Jeff Pickett likes to say. No chocolate or cheese in the house.
Heaven help you during the first few weeks if you got between me and the cheese platter at a party or event. If not for that nagging inner voice of “what’s appropriate” I would have eaten the whole platter myself (and perhaps may have).
Giving up a favourite food is a hard transition.
We now have chocolate in the house but I don’t eat it. Why? Because baking chocolate is not the creamy rich flavour I enjoy. When I actually miss chocolate, I pop a pinch of cocoa nibs in my chai tea. Works wonders!
We also went back to buying the discount bricks of cheddar for Steve’s lunches – but here’s what’s weird: I don’t like the taste of cheese.
Honestly! I find it has a sour taste that I don’t enjoy. Even this past weekend, I had cheese on my burger and after a few bites, peeled the rest off.
Why am I sharing this? If you come across a recommendation on your path to better health that says “just cut it right out of your life” it may seem IMPOSSIBLE … it could be dairy or wheat, or maybe drinking coffee black. I thought it would be impossible to stop loving cheese.
As Alice said in the newest movie Through the Looking Glass about her ship, The Wonder: it’s only impossible if you can’t believe it’s possible.
Believe it is possible. Believe in your ability.
Hit reply or leave a comment with something that you didn’t think could be possible to give up. It would be my joy to encourage you on your journey because I believe you can do it.
