Ben’s Profile Journey: I’m Being Stalked by Bread!

Hi, Ben here, and I’m embarking on a mission to not be fat when I turn 42. To do that I’ve partnered with Profile by Sanford and I want to take you with me on my journey

Hey everyone, I have some positive news for a change. After a horrible August and a rough September recovering from that August, I am back on track. I have been eating on plan everyday for the last week and even made it to the gym a few times since I talked to you. I got the familiar pinprick headache that signals the start of ketosis in my body, and my energy level is going back up.

One of the mysteries of this process that I’ll be turning over and over in my mind will be the draw of going off plan versus the reward of staying on. When things were rough and I’d break and have some pizza, the reality was never even close to the fantasy. I’ve learned that lesson is so many different aspects of life that I don’t know why I thought it’d be different here. I guess sometimes I have to burn my hand before I realize that the fire is hot; for real hot.

Things are on the upswing. I know without a doubt that I’d have not made it through without the help of my Profile coach. Our weekly discussions kept me honest and on track. I may have been white-knuckling it for a few weeks, but I didn’t stop. Which is what has happened when I tried other weight loss plans. I cannot overstate the difference the Profile coaching has made.

It’s good that I’m back in it too, because we are entering the season of food everywhere. And not piles of spinach and cauliflower everywhere. No, we’re nearing Halloween candy season. Then it’s that carb-apolzoa known as Thanksgiving. With its various potatoes and bread based bird stuffings. Then we’ll careen headlong into Christmas cookie season. Fudge, those white dough balls with walnuts, and sugar cookies. Tins and plates and boxes of sugar cookies.

Heading this parade of tummy tempting trouble is the autumn scourge of office dieters everywhere: bread. Not white bread or its brother wheat; not even their cool city cousin multi-grain. No, it's the bread that answer the question, “Hey, what do we do with this stuff we grew in the garden?” I don’t know about where you are, but it seems like everywhere I go I am being stalked by zucchini and pumpkin bread.

To be fair to the people that bring this stuff into offices, I get it you’re being nice. You do not have to change your life because I’m working on myself. It’s my responsibility to stay on plan and not eat those beautiful shining diamonds of moist delight.

But, they are out to get me (to eat them), I know it. Maybe it’s an evil demon that has latched onto me and it’s placing these Ziploc bags of temptation in my path. I just watched The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2, so I’m a little paranoid about demonic infestation right now. They are good movies though, great for Halloween.

When I see these loaves, the mean voice my mind tries the trick of, “Well, they are made with vegetables of a sort, so you know….”

“Yea, but also flour and sugar, mean guy in my head,” I'll say.

“But they are full of yummy love.”

“No they are not, and I fell for that with some Doritos a while back, and it was a lie then.”

“Fine, eat your real veggies and Profile soup and feel good, if that’s the way you want to live your life. Like a nerd,” the mean voice says.

“First, why do you think that’s an insult? And second, I will. Now shut-up mean voice, the folks from the Anxiety department want to go over something I said to a coworker last year and that’ll distract me for awhile.”

And scene.

I call that little play: A Sad Peek at Ben’s Inner Dialogue. I see it on a set like the movie Inside Out. Not as colorful though, more black and grays. And lots of workers stopping other workers from throwing our boxes of important information and replacing them with boxes of song lyrics and details of Monica and Chandler’s relationship. And there’d be one overworked tech guy trying to fix all the self-loathing bugs that’s in my self-esteem software.

Anyways, what I’m saying is that it feels like I’m surrounded by bags of loafs of various breads. And I’m avoiding them! Yes, I’ve been walking by them and not sneaking a bite! I keep moving when I see them in the break room. I move past them when they’re on the counter in the office area. Quite frankly, I’m surprised at how easy it’s been to do that once I tried it. I’ve learned that I have to stay focused and make that decision every day, but I’m doing it. Take that pump-cchini chocolate chip bread!

Keep up with Ben's journey by bookmarking Ben's blog. Got a question or comment? Connect on Twitter or email at ben@hot1047.com.

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