I look forward to Friday more than any day of the week. Saturday isn't as good as Friday because, even though I still have to go to work on Friday, it's knowing that, at the end of the day, I have a weekend ahead of me. And then, when the end of the day comes, the relief and happiness at the start of the weekend is simply amazing.
However, friday is also not a good day in terms of my new, healthier lifestyle.
The feeling of relaxation and relief sometimes can be overwhelming to my determination not to continue with my healthy lifestyle. I'm so relaxed that my determination also relaxes and it's much harder to resist temptation. My mind almost convinces me that it's ok to eat rubbish now because it's the weekend and that means no more work. And work also means working at being good.
This is when temptation and cravings begin in earnest.
Today when I got home it was so tempting to eat crisps, stick a couple of slices of toast in and have a chocolate bar from inside the cupboard. I didn't, but my god was it tempting. Every other day I have had absolutely no problems coming home. I don't care that there's junk in the cupboards, or beer in the fridge, or crisps in the bread bin (I know, weird), I just ignore them and get on with it.
This has happened each friday and you'd think it'd get easier as each Friday goes...but it doesn't! You'd think I'd found ways of coping, but each week I think I'm prepared and round it comes again. That friday feeling, that relaxed feeling that lowers my defenses and catches me off guard. It's so subtle that sometimes I don't even realise it's happening.
So my thinking is this. Next friday I'm going to treat Friday night as any other school night and plan next week's work and mark some books. Hopefully by doing this, I'll be able to react to food and temptation the way I normally do...by simply ignoring it. If this works, then at least I have a strategy to help. However, the downside to this is that I'll be working again.
Life is never straightforward.
Does anyone else find this about Friday, I wonder? Is there another day of the week which is your friday? Hopefully I can find a strategy that doesn't involve work or, if you have a strategy that you use on your friday, let me know. All advice appreciated.
Time to relax.
Thanks for reading.
Stay strong. Stay honest.
Sean.