I’ve always hated wasting stuff – it’s impossible to pass comment on the fact that we live in a society where throwing stuff away is the norm without sounding as old as Methuselah but seriously, we do. And lets face it, I’ve just had a milestone birthday so I’m catching him up now anyway right? That pre-qualifies me as entitled to turn into a grumpy old boot from time to time.
I have a bit of a strop about the food waste that comes out of my own house on a weekly basis, although to be fair we have got better…it’s just too easy to take your eye off the ball and notice ‘use by’ dates after the event. I’ve started relying on the sniff test now rather than paying too much heed to what’s written on the packaging. If it looks ok and smells ok, it’s probably ok. If it’s slowly turning green and smells like something died in the packet, I consult the dog, who is an expert on both food, and dead things. If he’s not impressed, it goes in the bin. I’ve not managed to kill anyone yet so you know, I’m fairly confident that the system works.
I’ll be attending a few seasonal events over the next couple of weeks where there’ll be a buffet lunch, and that’s another thing guaranteed to send my waste barometer into overdrive. The difference this year of course, will be that I shall be on guard against that moment where my ‘waste not, want not’ button is pushed by the sight of a dozen unclaimed sausage rolls or a few slightly curled butties. Not to mention the killer bowl of crisps…lets face it, who can leave that half full? In the past I think it’s fair to say I’ve single-handedly assumed responsibility for ensuring nothing goes back to the kitchen…not on my watch.
What I’ve never really got my knickers in a twist about, but I need to wake up to it fast, is waste in relation to wasted effort. How many times in the past have I broken a diet and totally wasted all the willpower I’d managed to summon up until the point I fell off the wagon and went under the wheels…? More than I can count, that’s for sure. I mean come on, I’ve scored some heroic wins in the last few months. I wrestled with a double cheese and onion sandwich all afternoon one day for God’s sake – and I never gave in. What was the point of putting myself through that battle, if I was going to cave in without a fight over something else later down the line?
That’s tantamount to disrespecting the effort I’ve put in so far. And why would I do that? There have been far more moments than I’ve written about where I’ve had a short and snippy exchange with the asshole in my mind, and I’ve resisted, played it straight, walked away from a golden hob-nob opportunity in honour of this journey to Skinnytown. And you know what, no way am I going to waste all that effort, and write it off like it didn’t matter.
Because it did matter. Every single one of those moments counted towards how great I’m feeling right now about this journey and how it’s going…trust me, it matters. It’s why I’m still here. I’ve invested thought, planning, hopes and dreams into what I’m doing, where I’m going…to one degree or another, this whole journey over the last few months has been built on the effort that I’ve put in, not to mention the support I’ve had from you guys. Can I even contemplate a situation which would make wasting all of that ok..? Hell no, of course not.
On balance, a wasted sausage roll is nothing by comparison, right?
Great post. I too struggle with waste and it’s been hard to transition to a new way of thinking. You had a great post on unreliable willpower last week and I commented about how willpower can be fatigued. Now I have learned to throw it out if some food is going to taunt me and drain my willpower bank. (Think leftover Chinese, Indian, pizza- when I was an obese binger, I brought those things home “for lunch tomorrow;” then I ate them before I went to bed). I love the idea that if a little food goes to waste, then a whole new life gets a chance to come into being. When you stack one against the other, it’s no contest. Those last few lines of your post should go on a note card in your wallet, on your bathroom mirror, taped on your desk at work. ********************
I’m still here. I’ve invested thought, planning, hopes and dreams into what I’m doing, where I’m going…to one degree or another, this whole journey over the last few months has been built on the effort that I’ve put in, not to mention the support I’ve had from you guys. Can I even contemplate a situation which would make wasting all of that ok..? Hell no, of course not.
The willpower bank…another new favourite expression, I love it! You’re right of course…no contest 🙂
Ouch, this hits home. No, i don’t want to waste anything (thus my designation as a messy mimi)), but as i am starting to see i can’t save the world from waste in the “things” arena, you’ve shown me a whole new place to practice what i’m learning.
Well that’s good, right..? We’ve got light bulbs going on left and right here peeps!!
What irks me, is it’s not just the wasted food. It’s the wasted effort that goes into preparing the food. The wasted money on purchasing the food. The waist that that goes to pot for eating all the food!!! I am trying really hard to plan what I need for the number of people we are having this year. I always over do it, but this year I am hopeful.
I’m kind of cool with the food over the holidays, it’s more the christmas chocolates, nuts, naughties..! That’s where I might come unglued 🙂
I am so glad you’re out there writing Dee. You make me think the important thoughts. And see the valuable truths.
This is SO true. And as someone who is truly a reuser, reducer etc in the ‘good steward’ sort of sense, careful with money, careful with time and effort, finds a way to use up what’s in the fridge and freezer so as not to waste . . . yet why WOULD I throw away a weeks worth of effort because I really just want to indulge in whatever thing crosses my mind that moment?
I wish could hang this on a banner in front of my eyes – don’t WASTE all the effort you’ve put in thus far!
That’s an incredible way to reframe it that should really speak to me. Thanks
It’s one of those moments isn’t it, where you think well now you’ve said it out loud…!
You know, reading the Ostritch Woman post, was the first insight for me on this. new ground, really: the fact of wasting the whole attempt. why is it so predictable, why is it axiomatic that somewhere on the plains, with the more heart-stopping mountain defiles sort of safely passed, i’ll run out of gas. whoops, oh well…. in a thousand diets, even those where i lost weight, collected suspect praise & backhanded compliments, got weary of asceticism, i wonder if i ever reached a goal weight?
Fleury
For me too Fleury…it’s been one of my brightest light bulb moments. I think too many times I’ve ‘ended’ the diet almost where I’d hoped to get to, but not quite. Getting to the place you want to be must surely be the achievement which helps you stay there. Not quite making it dilutes the achievement, making it not so monumental…at least that’s the conclusion I’m coming to. More important than ever for me to reach the end, which is really the beginning of staying there!