Photo by Louise Docker (aussiegall)
When I started Modern Hedonist, it was about a lifestyle transformation.
I had grown fatter than I wanted to be, I felt less healthy and energetic, and I wanted to find a way to live more balanced while still loving life. At that moment, it had a lot to do with food. There are lots of “bad” things to eat out there – and sadly, my body let me know it was time to change.
So, I went on a sugar cleanse. For me, and perhaps most of the Western world, sugar is a serious issue. It worked. I lost over 20 pounds. I felt better. Cleaner. And I wasn’t craving sugar nearly as much. Of course, I would allow myself to indulge sometimes. I’m a Hedonist. Geez.
Since then, I’ve indulged a little too often and gained most my pounds back. I’ve eaten junk food. And pie with ice cream. And lots of potato chips.
Luckily, some of the new habits I gained have stuck, and it took awhile to recover those lost pounds. But, it’s time to pay attention again. Get healthier. Feel better about how I look. Have more energy.
And the real reason, the biggest reason, is that I think I’ll enjoy life more.
A Modern Hedonist is about living fully, vibrantly. It’s about indulging in life. Drinking it up and splashing in its sensual, magical wonder. But not to unhealthy excess, or to the point of preventable debilitating disease, or causing harm to other people.
It’s about being ecstatically alive and engaging fully with every moment that I can.
I can’t do that as well when I’m not healthy.
So, it’s time to start again.
Here’s something I believe: We are all in this together. We make plans for our improvement, resolutions for success, and we fail. We step out on that path of dreams and jump off almost immediately. Maybe there was too much resistance. Maybe we got lazy. Maybe we just forgot.
But here’s the real killer: We never forgave ourselves.
We let that failure eat us alive and we never got back on the path. For you, that path might be to find God, learn to paint, be happier, create something. For me, right now, it’s about getting healthy and building a business that allows me to helps lots of people feel alive. And I’ve been starting and stopping those things for years.
Sure, that has been discouraging. I have big plans and I’m not there yet. It’s possible that I’ll never get there (isn’t that scary?). It doesn’t mean I’m going to quit.
Photo by Ephraim
Today, I start again. Specifically, I’m jumping back on that road of health, by focusing on what food and how much food goes on my plate.
Last time I did this, my primary guide was the Rosedale Diet – all about resetting the way my body processes and craves sugar. Since then, I’ve been heavily influenced by Tim Ferris’ The 4 Hour Body, Isabelle de los Rios’ Diet Solution, Michael Pollan’s Food Rules, AJ Jacob’s Drop Dead Healthy and Marc David’s Psychology of Eating.
Most of them advocate whole healthy foods, conscious eating and less carbs. I have a feeling my hedonistic balance is in there somewhere.
Are you ready to start again on something you’ve left behind? It doesn’t have to be a big dream. After all, I’m not looking for six-pack abs here, I just want to lose some weight and be healthy. You might want something similar – or maybe, you want something else.
The key is to start. Build some momentum. Take some action. And then, take that action again tomorrow, and the next day and the next day.
And here’s another key for all of you that want to get closer to your goal make love with your life. It needs to be fun. If you find yourself getting bored or off track, change it up! It’s hard enough getting there – you’ve got to make it exciting along the way.
And lastly, celebrate even the small victories. Like this: “Yay, I made it a whole day without sugar!” Or, “Woo hoo! I actually cleaned off my desk today!”
Whatever you do, don’t follow it up with, “But it wasn’t enough. I’ll never get there, never, never!” and bang your head on the piano. Instead, keep that victory in you, and use it to take the next step tomorrow.
Yours in ecstasy,
Ephraim
P.S. I loved Sesame Street as a kid. I never realized Don Music was this funny:
