"Oh, I was really bad this weekend---I had ice cream twice."
"That restaurant's dessert menu is just plain evil--so much temptation!"
"No more for me, thanks---I'm trying to be a good girl."
I'm sure it's possible for some people to make these kinds of statements in a light-hearted and harmless way, but for many of us, they can reinforce an underlying negativity and self-judgment that ultimately cannot help us achieve our goals. If I fail to make good choices, I tell myself I'm "bad"--i.e., I label myself as a bad person. This label can lead me to think that I'm a bad person habitually, even fundamentally, and can even make me give up on diabetic self-care all together: Well, I'm a bad person anyway, so I might as well give up and eat the rest of that cake. This kind of thinking can also spill over into how we view food in general, for example talking about "good" foods and "bad" foods.
It's wise to monitor our thinking/speaking about our eating habits for a few days and see how often we create a self-destructive pattern by these kinds of expressions. Rather than seeing everything through "the moral squint" try substituting these kinds of expressions:
I could have made better choices this weekend.
Today I have to be more thoughtful about what I eat.
That looks delicious, but I really ought to have some fresh fruit.
By using the vocabulary of "choice" we can reinforce that we are in control of our eating habits, rather than being caught in the grip of some demonic influence or that our consumption is based on some fundamental moral weakness. By making careful, responsible choices about the types and amounts of foods we eat, we can assert control over our health and choose to live in freedom from anxiety and self-rejection.
I don't want to suggest that breaking this pattern of speaking/thinking is easy, especially if we've had "the moral squint" for a long time. It certainly requires the assistance of others and the grace of the Holy Spirit to make such a fundamental change in our attitudes. And underlying this change is the need to recognize the fundamental goodness of our bodies---which is the topic of my next diabetic blog.
Be assured of my prayers and best wishes for you during the holiday season, whatever it is you are celebrating.