The goldfish and the winning streak

I was a scrawny little girl, until I wasn't. In high school, I started to gain weight.

Perhaps you’ve seen the chocolate milk photo. I had a serious sweet tooth and especially liked to raid the kitchen late at night.

One day in the middle of my post-puberty upheaval, my little brother won a goldfish at a school carnival.

My parents weren’t the types to run out to buy fish food, so my brother decided he would feed his new little buddy Cheerios. Just Cheerios.

I was convinced this was a really bad idea, and that little Goldie Hawn or Fran Sharkenton, or whatever he named it, wouldn’t survive very long on that toasted oats diet.

So I decided I could use that fish for my own dieting motivation.

I never said all my ideas are good ones.

So I bet my little bro that I could go without any food starting with the letter “C” while his goldfish was still alive.

​I have no idea what we wagered. What I was really looking for was an accountability partner. Something to help me stay off the chocolate, cookies, candy, cheese, etc. The letter C is so damn delicious!

I think I made it a day, maybe two. That silly fish lived for months and months. Seriously.

What are the lessons here?
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1. Be realistic about your abilities.
2. Don't compare yourself to others.
3. Forget Wheaties. Eat your Cheerios.

How about starting your own winning streak? It's fun and effective. And no animals will be harmed in the testing.

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