It's not cheating if nobody knows...or is it?

“Cheaters never prosper!”  Is that age-old saying.   If we don’t play by the rules then we lose.  At least, that’s what the world would have us believe.  So often we see folks cheat their way to their goals whether professional or personal.  They take short cuts.  They through each other under the bus.  They break promises.  They break rules.  I’m sure we can all thing of examples of their in our personal and professional lives.  Of course, remember that other age-old saying, “When you point a finger three are pointing back at you.”  Bam!

There’s my truth for today.  It’s so easy to so cheaters all around us.  There are so many examples, sadly.  However, it’s difficult to see ourselves as cheaters, especially cheating on the most important person we’ll ever love; ourselves.  Bam!  Second hard truth of the day. 

When I think about cheating on my journey I think of two forms of it; public and private.  There is that public cheating that we announce.  “Today’s my cheat day.”  “It’s so hard to be good at work with all this food.”  “Well, it’s a special occasion so my diets on hold.”  These are all excuses for our cheating we tell those around us that take part in our very public cheating.  Of course, there are always cheating allies that bless our cheating with kind words like, “I won’t tell,” “You deserve it,” or “You can always start back tomorrow.”  We’ve all been in one or both of these positions; the cheater and the cheater alley. 

Then there is private cheating.  It’s probably the most harmful form of cheating, because there is nobody holding us accountable.  At least, with public cheating there are those diet-allies that with kind words bring you back.  “How’s the diet going?”  “May we should have some fruit instead.”  “Let’s go for a walk instead of having desert.”  These are all ways of bringing us back away from the cheating ledge.  The private cheating has nobody to do that, because the only one that knows is us.  Often we convince ourselves it’s not cheating, because nobody knows.

Nobody saw us have two sodas during the work day in our office with the door shut, eat that donut from the donut shop across the street on our way into the office, eat a bag of chips while watching TV while everyone was out for the evening, sit in front of the TV in our workout clothes while our partner was out only to tell him we worked out when we didn’t, or wear very uncomfortable undergarments that sucked things in to appear thinner.  Throughout my life I’ve done these things and others to privately cheat myself.  Of course, at the time I didn’t realize I was cheating myself.  I knew I was lying or keeping secrets from others, but I didn’t realize the story I was telling myself.

When we think of cheating we think of relationships.  We pictures that poor lied to loved one sitting home at night waiting for their partner to come home from what they believe is a late night at the office only in reality it’s a late night with someone else.  Food has often been my mistress or misteress in my case (as I like men).  I have a long relationship with it.  It’s been there when others haven’t.  Its seductive grip is difficult to untangle myself from.  However, it’s necessary so I can live in the light with the one person I need to be truthful and loyal to; myself.

 
Exercise:  25 laps swam in the pool followed by 5 power running laps in the pool

Food: 

                Breakfast – Bowl of Special K Honey Cereal

                Lunch – Baked Lemon Teriyaki Chicken Breast with steamed veggies

                Afternoon snack – Strawberries and 100 calories yogurt pack

                Dinner – Greek Yogurt, Granola, Sliced Bell Pepper, and Sliced Berries or scrambled eggs and piece of toast (final decision at game time)

                Evening Snack – Peanut Butter Frozen Greek Yogurt Bar