Midnight Burger Deadline

This happened just over ten years ago, when I was making a serious attempt at losing weight. I’d decided that once the clock struck midnight, I would go cold turkey and stop eating any and all junk food. It seemed like a logical enough plan.

It got to about 11pm and I thought to myself that I may as well squeeze in one last treat. I mean, if I’m never going to eat junk food ever again, I might as well enjoy it one last time. After all, what difference can one burger make? So off I went to nosh on a double cheeseburger from the local burger van (no chips mind you, those things are just carbs and fat!).

After making my order, an overweight family rocked up at the same place and put in their order. I hate to say it, but they were a rude bunch, using crass language, and the kids were making a nuisance of themselves. Even the father seemed quite unaware of his surroundings, and nearly bounced off me whilst walking away from the counter. I then overheard him say to his wife how they weren’t going to ever buy another burger or any other junk food after midnight. This was just going to be one last treat for their family before they all started dieting.

I eyed up each of the chubby family members with judgmental eyes, and scoffed inwardly as I thought that they’d probably all be back the next day. Then I thought, what kind of idiot would come to a burger van just before midnight to eat a greasy burger when they want to lose weight? Then I thought… “Oh dear.”

You see, the thought of never being able to do a particular thing you enjoy ever again is quite a disturbing one, especially when you’re hooked on that thing. And while I’ve heard that going cold turkey can work, I’ve only seen it work on a long-term basis with one person, and he was in a life-or-death situation. That person was my grandfather, and he kicked a 40-cigarette-per-day “habit” by going cold turkey. However, as he said himself, he only managed to do it because his doctor told him that he would be dead in a matter of weeks if he didn’t.

Losing weight, quitting smoking, playing games less, watching TV less… Stick anything in that list you like, I’ve never successfully achieved any of it on a long-term basis by using the cold turkey method. Even though my ego insisted on every single occasion that it was more than possible.

The only way I’ve ever managed to make long-lasting changes, was to make small changes step-by-step over a longer period of time.