2/18/08

Why do women have weak moments...

This question popped into my head whilst I was contemplating the damage done to my usually perfect Weightwatchers diet yesterday. It was just one of those days that I know all women will understand.....from the outside nothing appeared very different about my day, but on the inside I was a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions culminating in food cravings!

This time my iron clad willpower let me down, a first since Christmas, and I feasted on Kentucky Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Coleslaw (some veggies at least!) and Biscuits. But oh no I didn't stop there....I then ate 3 of my 100 calorie Reeces Peanut Butter Wafers (those 100 cal' packs are dangerous to have in the house I have decided!), followed by just a few M&M's. Last night I dutifully put it all in my points tracker, the end result being depression, a headache and I now can't eat again until Thursday!

But why do we do this to ourselves? I know hormones are often blamed and certainly that was probably a factor for me yesterday, but I didn't have a problem the last 2 months! So why now?

Why do men never seem to have these weak moments? We have weak moments regularly and not all related to food either. Most women at some point in their lives have had a weak moment where a man's concerned. Whether it be dating someone they know will be bad for them, or a last fling with an ex, staying in the wrong relationship,or a one night stand they know will never go anywhere. But despite knowing it will do nothing for our self-esteem and probably make us depressed, we charge in head first anyway!

How many of you could go to your closet or wardrobe right now and dig out an item of clothing or jewelry you have never worn, but just had to have at the time. If you're like me then you know your retail weakness - mine is shoes, a fact supported by my shipping nearly 70 pairs when I moved here! I even shipped some I know I will never have a reason to wear again living where I do now. But they were just too beautiful to be let go and after all just holding them makes me smile...lol!

How many of us hold onto clothes we know will never fit again, they may be too big or small, but the little voice is in the back of our heads saying "you just never know, better hang on to it just in case"!

I have housework weak moments too - I get up with the good intentions of getting it all done today, but then am called away by a magazine, the telephone, a friend, a book or my computer. If a man gets up with a plan to do something, usually he'll go ahead and get it done as planned and on time, he is not as easily distracted.

Even as we're indulging our weakness we already know we are going to hate ourselves for it later, but will that stop us......probably not!

I am sure hormones play a part, but I also think self-esteem is part of it, as is the need to spoil ourselves occasionally but then equally to punish ourselves too. Women are much more finely tuned into their emotions than men and maybe this also makes us vulnerable to temptations. We are more likely to take things said to us to heart, we find it hard to just let emotional stuff go, plus we are natural multi-taskers and therefore more easily distracted.

How many times have you asked a silent man what he's thinking, only to be told "nothing" and he means it! Ask a woman the same question and I guarantee the answer won't be "nothing".....it'll probably be at least two things, one of which she is worrying about!

Today I am 'kind of' doing my housework...lol! Obviously not totally or I wouldn't be writing here, but I do have two loads of laundry done, the bed stripped and the polish out ready to go. I thought I would listen to my latest book on CD, this is something my husband does with great success everyday whilst he works. But not me it seems!

I will put it on and start a task or even two and then suddenly realise I haven't heard the last few pages as my mind has wandered off somewhere else...lol. This is the main reason why every night of my life I read a book before I sleep, if I don't my mind will just keep on mulling things over for hours. A book is like my mental equivalent of an 'off' switch but not on a CD it seems!

This is maybe just one clue as to why we have weak moments and men don't....women are not only emotionally different, but constantly thinking, plus we do have all those damn hormones running amok too!

I say embrace your weak moments ladies. They're what make us all unique, very human and our lives so all encompassing, enthralling and exciting - just try to get back on track at your earliest convenience!

I am happy to report today I am back on the straight and narrow and cutting back to help me regain some lost ground.....oh and there goes my Dryer buzzing - back to the housework!

If any of you have a theory on this subject, please comment, maybe between us we can solve the mystery!

5 comments:

Mary (Bookfan) said...

Sarah, I had a food moment (or two) this morning. I actually finished off the mint chip low fat ice cream at 10:00 in the MORNING!!! I was completely aware of what I was doing. I'm pleading hormones. And I guess I won't be bringing that 'red light' food in the house for a while. I still can't believe I did that!!!

Vickie said...

Sarah: It is a combination of personality and emotions.
I fully admit to being unique and less than perfect.
I collect books, earrings, and shoes. I put myself on a book buying 'time-out' for the foreseeable future until I get a dent in Mt Git'r'Read. So no book buying except the ones I ordered from cynthia at High Crimes Mystery before I went my time-out corner.
I am a mellow house cleaner at best, but married to a fan of neat, so it keeps me on the straight and narrow-ish. I clean on Friday afternoon or as I can when I am on shift work.
I work out so that I can have the good treats I like, but I limit those now. I have weird salt-lick tendencies, though, from time to time. I try to curb those by putting crunched pretzels in my yogurt. Most days that helps.
I keep regular fat and regular sugared treats in the house. If I put the Sugar free or fat free treats, that sets me off on the justification trail and eat way more than the typical serving size. If I keep the regular treats in the house, I stay away or have just a small helping. Weird, but it works for me. And it tastes better. And then I work out longer or harder to work it off.
I kept my smaller sized clothes because I know I am getting back to them at some point this year. As I drop the weight, the bigger clothes are going to Goodwill. I won't have any 'just in case clothes' in the closet. I just won't.
It took me a very long time to come to this place and I don't see myself going back to my self-destruct ways.
We are on this journey together. If the KFC calls again, listen, have it and enjoy. Then back on the wagon and move forward.

Unknown said...

Vickie thank you for your insight on this. I think I need to have a book buying 'time-out', although I am getting them for a $ at the library...lol!
I have definitely improved hugely in controlling my weak moments, which is why I am losing weight. But I guess I am never going to be prefect, so as you said, if we fall we just need to get up and get back on again!

Unknown said...

Mary - I am better off without 'red light' food in the house too.

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

No theories as to the whys and wherefores, but I can commisserate. I have weak moments too. Mine are more with food than shopping :) I'm not a retail therapy girl, unless books and food products count! I have a serious aversion to shoes, my husband is a lucky man!

My main weakness is food - spluring on a meal, a snack, baking something, eating chocolate, and a multitude of other things.

Great post!