My dog must not have realized he easily could have escaped through the open gate. He was so used to the gate being closed that if I let him out with the gate open he would not even notice or care. After the gate broke, he was continually exposed to an open gate and yet stayed put. Baby steps and soon he was running out of the gate. The constant exposure was too much temptation for him to resist one moment longer.
Oreos are my open gate. I don’t mind the children having Oreos every now and again Why should they be punished just because Oreos are not part of my diet? So, Oreos enjoyed a place in my home for a short time. I could easily walk away from the bag of Oreos without hesitation. I could give the kids a few Oreos and milk without thinking twice. However, when my defenses were down, the presence of the Oreo would prove to be disastrous to my diet. I would sneak one when I gave a few to the kids. Then, I would sneak one when I walked into the kitchen. Then one day, I would sneak a serving size without thinking twice about it. Finally, I was pigging out on Oreos.
What is the problem?
The problem is a drunk should not be a bartender. Someone who has a problem with sweets or is trying to lose weight, should not be surrounded to such items. Eventually your defenses will be down and you will reach out for the slice of cheesecake with abandon. It happens to all of us.
No one wants to punish the rest of the family when one person goes on a diet. So don’t diet. Denying yourself and your family food will cause problems. Think portion control and leave the self-discipline for getting in an exercise routine. Yes, eventually, we all need to be able to be around a cupcake and not devour it. But, do yourself a favor…baby steps….baby steps.