#140: Resisting Temptation

Many years ago, during Army training, I attended a class on prisoner of war conduct. This was during the Vietnam conflict and becoming a POW was a likely possibility. After the instructor told of many of the torture techniques used by the opposing military, all of them more devious than Edgar Allen Poe's pendulum in his short story, The Pit and the Pendulum, he pointed out an eye-opening perspective.

"No matter what hardship you undergo, when you feel like giving up, ask yourself if you can hold out for ONE MORE SECOND. If so, then you haven't held out as long as you could have."

I put on my profile page that second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, anything can be overcome.

This has come to mind recently as I feel I'm turning the corner on giving in to eating urges, especially when I know it's an emotional hunger and not a physical one.

I've been asking myself in these situations if I can wait ONE MORE SECOND, maybe ONE MORE MINUTE. Usually the answer is, "Yes." Often, lately, I'm waiting and waiting and many times have forged past the point where I feel hungry. During these times I try to stay busy cleaning house, working or simply going outside away from the kitchen for a few minutes. Sometimes I'll call a friend to talk a while to talk my mind off of food.

It's getting better to ward off the hunger pangs and the scale has begun to move, ever so slightly downward a bit.

Perhaps this method can work for you, too. The next time a "hunger" pang hits, ask if you can hold off eating for one more second, then one more minute. Clean something. Talk on the phone. Get outside for a while.

Remember, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, anything can be overcome.

Best of success to you.