The Food Police
(I have crossed over!)
By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation
As a little girl, someone always seemed to be taking inventory of my food intake. “Watch what you are putting in your mouth, Jennifer Anne!” “Do you really think you need that piece of pie, Jennifer Anne?” And when I asked my grandmother what I could do to lose weight, she told me, “You will never be able to stop eating. You will probably be big—all your mama’s people are big.”
I hated it. Why did everyone have to tell me what to eat and what not to eat?
Then, after my surgery, my parents said, “Oh, Jennifer, you need to eat more than that! Two teaspoons is not enough to live on!” So, when I began to be able to eat more, they said, “Jennifer, if you don’t watch out, you’re going to be as big as you used to be—surgery or no surgery!”
As much as I hated to have other people take MY inventory, I recently crossed over, became the enemy, and became the self-appointed food police in my household.
You see, I was the weight-loss surgery patient in the house until September 2007. That’s when my husband had RNY.
It happened suddenly and without warning. All of a sudden one day, I said to him, “Do you really think you should eat that?” “Yes, you are losing now, but when that window of opportunity is past, I hope you don’t put the weight back on…”
Well, shut my mouth! What could be more de-motivating than to have your spouse turn into the Food Police?
I’m going to be a kinder, gentler wife. I will TRY not to take my husband’s inventory. I will be humble. I will not complain about his choices…
But, if he doesn’t watch out….!!!!
BTW, I took Colleen Cook’s advice in Success Habits…I weighed. It wasn’t so bad. I also hit the pool last night. Back on track again, Baby!
Later.
