Comments on: Curse of the Bad Girl Desire: New Year’s Resolutions Gone Awry

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:22:27 +0000

I think I’m finally learning the merits of incremental change. I’ve tried to do the strict resolutions, but I succomb to the polar bear effect. (Quick! Don’t think of polar bears! Or sugar, alcohol, as the case may be.) I’m happy right now with the vegan thing, even though I still do grains and alcohol. My newest goal is to lessen my sugar intake. Any tips??

By: christine

christine — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:39:56 +0000

@Shelley – yep, usually those cravings are our body trying to tell us we need something, even if it is considered “bad.” Speaking from an evolutionary standpoint, cravings came into existence to let us know that we were missing one certain vital nutrient or another. Of course, we have messed up our “trigger” systems with refined foods, so we often crave what isn’t necessarily good for us. Even then, it is usually something in that food that our body is trying to get to (i.e. some nutritionists believe it is the magnesium in chocolate that pre-menstrual woman’s bodies are looking for, not necessarily the chocolate itself).

@Julie – glad you appreciated that!

@Candice – it took me many years to work up to this “nutritional willpower,” and that’s my point exactly: taking one’s time to shift habits, not going balls-out, means it doesn’t feel like willpower now. It’s just the way I eat (on the whole! and what tastes best to me nowadays.

By: Candice

Candice — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:58:12 +0000

I remember my first few months of university, my roommate and I picked up a gym membership, ate only health stuff (minus beer), and worked our asses off. At one breaking point, we went to the grocery store, picked up three tubs of ice-cream and a dozen chocolate bars, and literally ate ourselves sick. Agh, moderation! I could use your nutritional willpower.

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:49:01 +0000

“I realize these aren’t usually considered “bad girl” things – usually cocaine, quaaludes or a stripper named Sausage figure into the equation – but they are mine.”

LOVE it!

By: Shelley Seale

Shelley Seale — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:29:28 +0000

Well put, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s the main reason I don’t do a strict vegetarian diet. I’ve tried it for even six months at a time, but eventually something too yummy for words – and those CRAVINGS – get in the way. For the most part I eat extremely healthy, mostly veg with some organic, locally grown poultry in there as well as seafood. My boyfriend and I have made a pact to grow a vegetable garden and buy only at our farmers market. That being said, I allow myself indulgences once a week, maybe it’s something not good for me but yummy. The point is, if it’s only occasionally then it’s okay. Otherwise I do think that total deprivation has a huge backlash later on. Great article Christine!