As I sat on the couch looking at the empty box of Girl Scout cookies that I had just mindlessly devoured, I couldn’t help but think about how many people would tell me, “tomorrow is a fresh start” if I shared a picture of it on Facebook or Instagram, and I instantly wanted to pretend like it didn’t happen and not tell a single soul.

Now you might be thinking that my reason for not sharing is out of shame and not wanting others to know what I had done, but that’s not the case.

In fact, when I realized I had eaten that entire package of Girl Scout cookies, my first thought was, “I need to take a picture of this to share with the I’mperfect Life community to remind them NOT to eat out of the package…especially while watching TV!”

One of my goals as a healthy lifestyle coach is to share that I am not perfect, because I know others can relate. I always want my community to know that they are not alone– they are not broken, we are all totally normal, even when we eat too many cookies. I take pride in how I manage situations like this, and want to empower others to let go of perfection to life their own happy, healthy I’mperfect Life!

That being said, you should know that I am very, VERY grateful that my initial concern wasn’t about all the haters who might comment. I have seen some of the horrible things people say to other bloggers/social media influencers from behind their keyboards. It can be downright disgusting. I am proud to say that I do not attract those types of people. (Please don’t prove me wrong!)

I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by amazing women from all over the world who, not only get the IPL philosophy, but they also provide love, support and encouragement to me, and others who are working to live their best, happy, healthy, I’mperfect Life!

Because of these amazing women, the majority of the comments will be one of two, well-intended, popular responses I get when I share my “mistakes”.

One of two popular comments

The first one goes something like…

“Thank you for your honesty! You make me feel normal!”

This is my favorite comment ever, no matter the topic.

The other popular comment I’ll receive about mindlessly eating a whole package of Girl Scout cookies will be something along the lines of…

“Tomorrow is a fresh start!”

Aaaaaannnnd, that comment will make me twitchy.

Now, I know that those words are meant to be supportive (I told you, my readers are the best!) but those words are a huge part of how I found myself at 328lbs back in 2011. So that mindset does not sit well with me.

For nearly every day of my life, prior to 2012, I counted on tomorrow being a “fresh start” or “a new day.

It’s what kept me trapped in the cycle of diet-fail-repeat.

Counting on “tomorrow” is what had me wishing and hoping things could be different, that I could be different. I kept waiting for tomorrow…or Sunday…or the first of the month…or the first of the year…or after vacation…or???

There was always a “fresh start” somewhere in the future.

But the truth is, tomorrow is a continuation of today.

The choices we make today aren’t magically erased overnight, and they don’t need to be erased, even if they don’t necessarily honor ourselves, our bodies, or our healthy lifestyle goals. They’re simply choices we made that deserve reflection.

They don’t deserve feelings of guilt, shame, or remorse– just a moment to stop and think, what, why and how?

“What happened?”

“Why did it happen?”

“How can I avoid this in the future?” (no matter how many times it happens)

No fresh start needed!

I didn’t feel guilty or shameful about eating all of those cookies, but I did have some regret.

I regretted that I hadn’t truly enjoyed them. That I hadn’t savored them. That I was completely disconnected from the experience because I was preoccupied with Brooklyn 99.

I didn’t really taste these once-a-year indulgences…or notice when I was full.

Instead of truly enjoying them physically, mentally, and emotionally, I was left feeling uncomfortably full. And I wished that I had NOT brought the entire box into the living room, because I know that this is what can happen. This isn’t my first rodeo!

I’m not beating myself up over it. I spent too many years of my life doing that as part of the cycle of diet-fail-repeat. Instead, I’m using this as another reminder for why I make every effort to eat mindfully, especially when it comes to indulgences. I want to enjoy every aspect of them!

The next day was not a fresh start. The next choice was my next choice.

I could have chosen to berate myself, as I would have “way back when”. I could have chosen to say, “well this day is ruined, I might as well eat the Thin Mints too! I’ll just start over tomorrow!” But instead I took a picture of the empty package, watched a little more TV, and then went to bed– no remorse, guilt, or shame.

Eating Mindfully

My hope is that you don’t live in that never ending cycle, looking for a fresh start. I hope that you also eat mindfully, savoring your food and pay attention to hunger cues so that, you too, can truly enjoy your food– physically, mentally, and emotionally. It takes practice, but life is so much better when we eat mindfully…even if we accidentally eat an entire box of Girl Scout Cookies.