Two weeks ago, I posted about my 52 pound milestone. Since then, life has decided to throw one obstacle at me after another! From 12 hour work days to Halloween candy surprises, I have been hopped up on sugar and caffeine for nearly two weeks. It is overwhelming, and as someone with a diagnosed food addiction and a tendency to binge, it is hard for me to get my head above water.
So, I am deciding to breathe. I am taking a deep breath and evaluating where I am and why I am having such a struggle right now. I am trying to figure out what emotions and issues I am trying to mask with gobs of candy and sugar. Luckily, I haven't gained any weight. However, I certainly haven't lost any, either.
I thought I would put the question out there - what do you all do when life overwhelms you and you need to take a good hard look at where you are food and lifestyle-wise?
I thought I would put the question out there - what do you all do when life overwhelms you and you need to take a good hard look at where you are food and lifestyle-wise?
Life IS overwhelming quite often, isn't it?
I had to separate my food from everything else - stress, anger, excitement, boredom, situations, etc... My food is my food. I make my plan and I stick to it. Regardless of the circumstances. At this point, what I eat is automatic and habitual - and it doesn't change (for the most part). The year I was losing, it didn't really at all.
It sure does sound to me though, that you need to absolutely and positively ban sugar. I know that's what I needed to do. It was no longer an option for me TO eat it. What a blessing that was. I didn't have to think about it, ponder it or contemplate it - it was 1000% off limits to me. That made a world of difference to me. I had to make this hard thing easier and banning sugar (and a bunch of other items) did just that. Once I started eating certain foods, I had a hard time stopping. My solution? Don't start.
Like I said, I'd re-evaluate your stance on sugar and before you know it, you'll be back to your losing ways.
About three weeks ago I hit my new low of 160.8. What did I do? I went to work and indulged in breakfast...crap! I didn't eat very much of it, but what I did eat set me up for white knuckling through it for the next three weeks. It's been awful! Sugar here, sugar there, sugar absolutely everywhere! Where did it all come from? Who was trying to sabotage me just when I was at my most vulnerable? The answer? No one. It's there all the time. I just don't see it when it's out of my system. It takes me three days of clean eating to get it out of my system but getting just that first day of clean eating under my belt seemed impossible. I struggled so much. Today I'm finally back to that low again.
And I've had a particularly rough month myself. My husband suffers from depression and, well, it's been an ugly month.
Honestly, what I wrote above is how I get through the hard times. I get one, two, three days of clean eating under my belt and then I don't have to fight any more. White knuckle through three days. That's all. That's what I tell myself. But like I said, it was really hard this time.
Now, I have cookie dough, caramel popcorn, Halloween candy, and various other crap in the house...and it is not calling to me.
I do what you are doing, take a step back and breathe! It helps me that I have a goal (getting married) and I know that since we are on the beach and getting married, looking like I do not is NOT an option. I really take a look at what is in front of me, sometimes I pick it up to have "just a taste" but then I think about it, and work it through in my head. Am I having just a taste because it actually LOOKS good, or because I am stressed, or is it because of some other reason like self sabotage (I am GREAT at that one).
I have also found that it helps to have a set in stone plan. For instance, I follow South Beach, and so do two of my kids and my fiancee. We sat down and said that we could have one "cheat" day a month, for birthdays, holidays what not, BUT after that ONE day, and not days and days of leftovers, we would hit Phase I pretty hard for two weeks, and eat clean. This generally has been working, in seven weeks since we have started this I have had a wedding and a birthday, with another birthday and halloween at the end of the month. My son's birthday is two days before Halloween, and his party is the day before, he had to make a decision...Birthday party with cake, candy and all the birthday trimmings, or trick or treating. He will be 12 so he chose the party (which is fine with me, I HATE trick or treating).
So I think you are on the right track, take a step back and breath. Think about if what you are eating is really what you want to eat, and why. Is all the work you have done, worth "throwing away" for some immediate gratification because you know that it is not going to go on at the same rate it came off! It is going to go back on MUCH faster (damn it! HAHA)
I find that I have to start planning my meals and snacks again. If I know what's coming, it's easier to say no to any temptations. It's when I stop planning for meals or snacks that I can easily get waylaid by an innocent offer of candy and my empty stomach!
Recently I was also getting it from all sides. The boyfriend. The parents. The extended family. Everyone seemed determined to offer me candy and lots of food and I was feeling obligated to eat it until I realized that part of my new mantras now is that I will accept it (because people get offended if I don't) but that there is always a trashcan nearby. I need to get it out of my reach otherwise I will eat it and the last thing I want anyone to see me do is dig into a trash can for food.
Thanks for the input, everyone! Robin, I totally agree - sugar and refined carbs really mess me up, because of my PCOS. When I'm eating on the run because of work, they are the "easy" things to grab - sandwiches, muffins, etc. However, I am going to work this week on planning ahead. Life is calming down a bit, so there's no reason I shouldn't be able to get back on the horse, so to speak.
I find when life is too much I'll just focus on making good choices. I was so busy last week I barely worked out and instead focused on NOT eating out and just doing my best with carbs- I lost half a pound and that's fine with me.
I did get stuck after taking mediation my doctor gave me that messed me up- I gained 13.5 lbs! And now I'm back down 4 of those pounds- but I refuse to give up. Through it all I remember the positives. 1- I'm much healthier, 2- I do weigh less, 3- I feel better, 4- I am happier with my body, 5- I do fit into smaller clothes, etc. It really helps to remember the positives
I realized some years ago that not only was stress in its many and varied forms derailing my weight loss, it was making me really sick to boot (ulcers, etc).
So like everything else, I did some analysis and made a plan for improvement. When the plan didnt work, I made more changes to the plan
For a long time, I had no idea what would help...so I just tried a ton of things. Over time, Ive been able to create some go-to rules and tools I force myself to adhere to when the times get especially tough. They should vary to meet your needs, here are some of mine:
- see my trainer! (if I just do this, I can eat much better, get in more cardio without my trainer, and generally feel like a better, stronger human. my #1)
- food mistakes cant snowball (I make mistakes, I dont make a ton in a row...I forgive, and I try to make at least the next day a good day...its about a habit for me...the crap food needs to be the exception to my good habit)
- always eat something in the first hour I wake. (big help in my ulcer prevention and also in metabolism boosting)
- touch. being touched by others humans matters. even getting your nails done releases oxytocin and helps women feel less stress, more loved.
- breathe. sounds obvious, but when Im stressed I lose the depth and width of my breath. I find getting down on the ground, and not forcing the breath...but just noticing it and being open to it deepening or widening really really helps in less than 10mins.
Taking a Deep Breath
