It seems that I’ve hit a sort of a lull in my excitement, and subsequently, there has been a lull in my reaching for my phone to log foods in the WW App. I haven’t been keeping as close of a tab on things as I was, and I have been eating more of my points (which isn’t a bad thing, according to WW). So, I find myself feeling a little stagnant. Now, it could be worse. I could be gaining weight, but I’m not. I’m simply losing at a much slower pace. With WW, we should only lose 1-3 lbs. per week, which is a healthy line of progression. It’s safe. I have been losing 5, or more per week for 3 weeks, and that actually set off alarms when I weighed in at the meeting! You see? I’m still trying to get the hang of it.
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| Haircut, and Beard cut, Tomorrow! Thank God! |
So, when it all comes to the forefront, and I look at my current situation with clearer eyes, I see more and more, that I’m in a battle with myself. This is true, even when I’m at my worst, or in the worst of circumstances. Because, me at my best is eating responsibly, and making good decisions, and planning ahead; not jumping on the slippery slope of sugar, and fried foods, etc.! Simply put, the responsible me is choosing not to make a weekly trip to Edgar’s Bakery for cinnamon bread, and cinnamon rolls, and cheese straws…well, you get the picture.
As a good “for instance” the thought of good cinnamon bread is nothing to fight off when I’m eating correctly (Now, I’m not talking a single serving!). It’s when I’m famished, and have not eaten in five or six hours. You know! When I’m “Hangry!” Then I get a whiff of that amazing scent of cinnamon and sugar, and yeast bread all molded into a gooey, sensational mess! THAT is hard to stave off! In fact, it’s damn near impossible. So, I try to avoid such scenarios! I try not to put myself into situations where I am prone to go off the rails, as it were. But that isn’t the most difficult thing!
For me? The issue is making sure that I don’t get into a mindset that is locked into the “I just don’t give a damn” mode! Now, this doesn’t happen often, but I realize that I can find a reason to put myself there, if I WANT to put myself there! It is a choice! We can control our level of frustration, and anger to a very large extent. Being a freckled ginger, however (the stereotype is true!), I have certainly had to learn to throw ice in the water, before I boil. Boiling isn’t healthy. Just read all the things anger can do to your body on the inside and out! Anger is the complete body wrecking, life wrecking ball that never needs to roam free in our personal world! It has it’s place, like any other emotion, but the justification of food by means of anger is doubly unhealthy.
Anger releases cortisol. It releases it into the prefrontal cortex of the brain which suppresses activity in that portion of the brain. When activity is suppressed in that region of the brain it affects our ability to make good decisions, and results in poor planning! Hmmm… Getting the picture now? And have you ever forgotten what you were going to say in the middle of a heated argument? I have! Typically, this is where I interject a few purple words, and get to it! Well, that’s because cortisol was also released into the hippocampus of the brain. A suppression of activity in this region results in a weakening in short-term memory. Too much cortisol results in lower levels of serotonin as well. This can lead to increased aggression, and can also lead to depression. Low levels of serotonin can also cause one to feel anger and pain more easily! This is a great infographic, provided by the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM). It gives a great overview of some of these key affects of anger in our brain.
All of these chemical reactions can result from “disappointment, frustration, judgement, rejection, or fear.” All of these things are a reason for me to sulk, and want to eat my emotions as well! It plays in to the defensive/offensive, “Fight or Flight” response as well. Also, these chemical reactions, and their subsequent impact on my body, are immediately followed by a choice. As soon as one hits, I try to ask, “Do I ‘feed’ the anger, literally and figuratively? Is it in my best interest to hold on to this anger?” (This should be a rhetorical question, but I am a ginger! With freckles no less!) This is the cold water that I mentioned, and exactly where it comes in to play!
It is difficult for our bodies to sustain such intense emotions in this realm for a long period of time, simply for the negative impact, and the displaced physical resources which were meant to be short lived. It is too hard on the heart, and brain, and many other areas of our body. So, it’s easy to see why someone we consider an “angry person” having a shorter life, relatively speaking. We can only recognize such things, once we have lived long enough to have witnessed such an impact on people we have known! So, young folks don’t have that insight, unless they listen to us “old folks,” or simply look at the data.
Often, I forget that the “battle between my ears” is not as easy as just following some skinny person’s plan like walking down steps, one, two, three, and VOILA! . Personally, I need real insight into why I struggle! I need to expand my understanding of how the food that I eat affects how I think, and how I feel. It is gradual reeducation, and even memorization of what I can, and should eat, and how much, one food at a time. Because the change foods make in my body, and brain can be subtle, and so much so that I don’t recognize what is taking place. My glycemic index, and changes in processing of sugar, or my absorption capability due to Crohn’s disease are all examples of balances which require my attention. It is also important for me to recognize that my body is always changing as I grow older, and losing weight at different ages is NOT the same. I’ve heard it said that “calories are calories”. Well, not when one is trying to lose weight! They are not all created equally!
We all need to recognize the task before us is not just eating differently! It is about how we think about what we eat, and more importantly, what we know about what we eat. Living in the land of plenty has it’s drawbacks, when it comes to things like “moderation”, and “limited availability”. Every store or restaurant we visit, even our couch in front of the TV is a battle zone, if we aren’t preparing ourselves ahead of our time there! So, plan ahead! Know what you will, or can eat, before entering a restaurant. Go to the grocery store when you aren’t hungry, and just scan things with the WW app to start adding that information to your conscience, and sub-conscience. Make the mindset your common, daily mindset! Eat what you want, but do so within the guidelines of the point allowances given, and there is no situation we can’t be prepared to face, where we might feel out of control. This re-education and training is just like any other taught, or learned response. I have begun to know, instinctively, what my limits are for a given meal, or restaurant. I am learning what is most tempting (Pecan Pie, Banana Pudding, Fried Shrimp, and Oysters, etc.), and am finding alternatives for my habitual snaking. I have to refocus on the positives, and not dwell on negatives in order to keep building upon my new mindset.
It’s like the boxer, or MMA fighter who sees a movement in their adversary, and instinctively responds with a block, or counter strike. It has to become my first thought, response, and reaction. That is one of my most important goals, and I will do my best to surround myself with support to reach it. However, if I stand alone in the middle of a foodcourt at noon, and I haven’t eaten since 6 a.m., I will make good choices first, because I know that once I have the right foods in me, I will make better decisions about the Cinnabon store next to Subway. Why? Because I know this fight is not in my stomach. It is between my ears!
Smyly…=)
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