Even after leaving the morg it took many years to find out that I don't have to apologize for not being perfect. Making mistakes is part of the human condition. It's okay to choose to work on one flaw and enjoy leaving others for tackling later. If fact if you're happy hating broccoli or not allowing mormons on your doorstep, there's no need to change to make the green grocer or mormons happy.

Do you have flaws you're keeping for now?

Some of mine:

1. I'm the worst speller on RfM. So sue me.

2. I like to be presentable as far as hair and fashion are concerned, but I don't throw clothes and shoes out if I still like them and they're not too terribly dated. And sometimes I decide not to blow dry my hair for a day longer than I should. I have a friend to fusses at me about this all the time and I just laugh at her.

3. I love every vegetable known to man, but I'm squeamish about exotic seafoods and meat and won't try them. And I don't like some kinds of topical fruit.

4. I'm retired so I allow myself to procrastinate on things that don't have to be done until I'm in the mood. I like laundry and mopping but hate vacuuming and do it only when the mood strikes me.

5. I don't always like to parse words and play politically correct games, so I often don't bother anymore.

What about you? Can you like yourself for now the way you are, faults and all?

Be ye therefore perfect is a most ridiculous scripture that is used way too often to push down those trying their best.

I still strive for perfection. I think I do a pretty good job. I do however have a couple of flaws. I have been trying really hard to follow a VLCD (very low calorie diet) and am down to about 900 calories a day. I want to get to 600 calories a day. That's probably my biggest flaw.

unclenephi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I still strive for perfection. I think I do a
> pretty good job. I do however have a couple of
> flaws. I have been trying really hard to follow a
> VLCD (very low calorie diet) and am down to about
> 900 calories a day. I want to get to 600 calories
> a day. That's probably my biggest flaw.


Really? Why? In ref to 600 calories. Isn't that starving?

No, in fact, studies show that by following a low calorie diet people live 30 percent longer. I am 49 and a hoping to live to be 120. I would love to set the record for the oldest person, but that is pretty ambitious. I welcome anyone here to join my in my quest for a long healthy life.

She is right on the studies, but it must suck to starve all the time. Or have you figured out how to do this without hunger- if so, please do tell? And IF you are comfortable with sharing this info , what is your height and weight? Curious. Also, what DO you eat?

I am actually a "he" but that's okay. I am 5'11" and weigh 155 lbs. I meditate a lot and do a fair amount of yoga. It is simply mind over matter. I drink a lot of wheatgrass juice. It helps to detoxify the body which in turn helps with cravings.

Wow, you are one skinny dude, with a ton of self control! I hope you live to be 125! I do not like life THAT much, I would rather eat chocolate once in a while, and live to be 85, I think that is enough for me! But GOOD on you! I'm impressed, a man of his convictions! So sorry I assumed you were female!

Yes, being skinny is one of my best qualities.

UncleNephi,

These studies you cite generally indicate a calorie reduction of, I believe, 25-30% below what would be considered your "baseline". So with the stats you provided, your baseline would probably be around 2300-2500, meaning that going down to 1700ish would (in theory) let you live longer. (Although so many things can get you, I say just go out and enjoy your life). Going lower than this could actually be quite dangerous. If you keep going at this rate, you're going to start noticing some pretty nasty things in the near future.

I took a nutrition class last semester and learned that 1200 calories is the very minimum needed to run your body. Not only that, you're running the risk of vitamin and nutrient deficiencies.

Yes, eating fewer calories does make you live longer, but 600 calories is malnutrition.

Her body reacted by saving them as fat, a reaction some have when they are starving. She didn't lose weight but only seriously damaged her metabolism. At least this is what she told me. She eventually had bipass surgery and went to a nutritionist for many months to correct all of this and save her remaining health.

I am so glad to hear that 1200 cal. is a good minimum, because I am probably above that a couple hundred on most days. Thanks for the info.

I find myself still trying to be perfect, and then failing miserably. Its a huge flaw of mine.

Trying to overcome this idea of "perfection" is a thorn in my side...

Just teasing. Afterall, I did say I've given up extreme allegience to political correctness these days. And "studies?" Don't get me started on faith in a set of "experts!" More teasing. LOL!

I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when I finally knew the TSCC was all bullshit.

That said, my flaws:

1. I swear too much
2. 600 calorie diet - WTF is that?
2a. I exercise just so I can eat more than 600 cal a day.
2b. I'm a vegitarian - close enough I guess.
3. Sex was never a guilty thing for me, is that a flaw :-)
4. Ummmmmmmmm - I'm an apostate (flaw for those TBM lurkers)
5. I'm a bit of a smart ass...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2011 05:58PM by nickerickson.

Confessions:

I am chubby and like to drink and eat
I hate Mormonism and pretty much any religion
I hate my Mormon parents
I refuse to apologize for my weaknesses

I LOVE your honest post!

(Boston song, "Don't Look Back")

I find that being the "perfect" me is very different than being the perfect "Mormon". It's very refreshing to be able to see yourself as being a generally good person with some flaws.

Some deeply entrenched flaws of my own:

I tend to procrastinate everything.
I let things get to me too much, especially when they're being overly zealous about things that are religious (and most times, offensive.)
When I get angry, it's pretty much leave no survivors.
I don't like going to bed on time.

This is me exactly :)

There is a PERFECT song for this post , by Rascal Flatts, called Movin' On. It is beautiful and about accepting oneself as they are, faults and all, and just doing the best they can and movin' on. It is a GREAT song about just leaving all the crap in your life behind. I cried when I first heard it.

I am perfect at nothing, but damn close when it comes to dancing. I like my faults and have many: swearing because it feels good, sleeping in when I want, a little chocolate every day, wearing NO makeup unless I have to go out, and even then very little, good books to read for hours, taking long walks to nowhere on summer evenings, no worries if nothing much gets done in a day, there's always tomorrow, coming here to see what is up and to vent. Learning to not care so much about what others think was such a good thing for me in leaving the church.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2011 06:27PM by think4u.

It was a relief to realize I can define what I consider perfect and pick the things I want to "progress" towards.

I found the church version of what is perfect is not how I would set goals.

Certain things are more important to me than others. Life is too short to worry about what other people think I should do.

I was in a place of deep self loathing for never being good enough.

Oh, my, yes. Big relief. What a load off the shoulders.

Me, too.

I strive to be presenatable, adequate, consistent, but perfect? Nope, only when it's absolutely necessary.

Well, I'm still working on realizing I don't have to be perfect. I am working on "forgiving myself" when I do something not up to my own unattainable standards.

1. I am a binge eater. I don't embrace this about myself, and I am working on it, so I guess this is not a flaw I accept.

2. My house is not always immaculate. Ok, like never. I have two small children, so I embrace this.

3. I am supposed to be doing homework, and I am on RfM. Oops. I come to RfM every time I have a spare minute.

4. I am stubborn and think I am always right. But I stubbornly refuse to admit that I can't change it.