Reality Bites

I hate reality tv.

Always have.

I don't care whose crowned Survivor, or which roommate is the last standing in the Big Brother House. I don't know the difference between American Idol and The Voice and couldn't name one contestant on any season of So You Think You Can Dance.

I've just never been able to get into non-scripted shows.

Except one.

Chopped.

I LOVE Chopped. I love just about every show on The Food Network but Chopped is my absolute favorite. The idea that these people are so talented that they can damn near make a gourmet meal out of spam and fruit loops is amazing to me.

I thought I'd seen just about every episode of my favorite show but last night I caught one I'd never seen before. Four contestants were on who, combined, had lost almost a half ton of weight. As they talked about the changes they'd made to accomplish this phenomenal feat, I noticed two commonalities. Each had to get realistic about their weight and the toll it was taking on their health, their relationships, and their personal lives. And each had to make changes that weren't comfortable in the beginning. One contestant talked about the fact that dessert, which used to be his favorite meal, is something he now likens to a drug. He's accepted the fact that he can't have sweets, that even having them in moderation doesn't work for him. Instead he's learned to live without them.

The benefits of being fit outweigh the pleasure of his past favorite foods.

Like most people, I often hate having to watch what I eat so carefully. There are times when I wish I could eat all the chips I want without getting sick or getting fat(ter). I wish I didn't have to grill restaurant employees on how a particular dish is prepared. I wish I could just flip to any section of a menu and order the first thing that catches my eye without giving a second thought to calories or how this food will make me FEEL, both physically and emotionally, after I've finished eating it.

But I can't.

The reality is, if I want to lose weight and keep it off, I have to be willing to make changes that aren't always pleasurable in the moment. I have to get uncomfortable sometimes, like when I'm pushing myself for those last 5 minutes on the elliptical. Or when I say no to a tasty food that everyone else is enjoying.

Life is all about choices. And I'm choosing a little bit of discomfort now, in the hopes that it will lead to far greater rewards in the future.