Wednesday, July 25, 2007

This is a treat, not a treatment!

I’ve lost 3.5 pounds so far this July. ( I weighed 153.25 this morning. ) This month has been my BEST for weight loss in a long time! :)

I still have a lot of ground to make up though...

I have 7 more pounds to lose to get back to the weight I was on 1/1/07. After that, I’ll need to lose another 7 to get back to my lowest weight. I am determined to get back there!

Injury and complacency over the past year allowed my weight to slowly creep up. Luckily, my pants still fit and I am turning things around! :)

I’ve been making huge strides on the mental front!

Since childhood we are all programmed to think of food as Love or a Reward. Most happy events involve food, (Birthday cake, Christmas Cookies, Wedding Cake…) and if you were naughty - you didn’t get dessert! Food becomes the focal point, and we associate positive emotions with the food.

When sad, depressed or stressed we can get a quick emotional boost from food. Food was my answer to life’s problems. “Work’s driving me crazy!!! Time to eat chocolate.” “I’m lonely... Ice cream is my friend!” “I am depressed about my weight... Pizza is the perfect pick-me up.”

I used Food to self-medicate myself. My binges would lead to an increase in my weight. That would just get me more depressed, and loathe myself more... which lead to me turning to food again!!! What a horrific cycle....

Seriously I am like a recovering alcoholic... but FOOD was my addiction. But unlike alcohol - you can't quit food cold turkey. You have to eat to be healthy... and that is SO HARD to do!

Inside a Dove Promise™ chocolate, I read the message: "Chocolate always loves you back." But it should really read: "Chocolate always loves to add to the size of your backside." I love chocolate, but I had to learn to enjoy it as a treat, and not as a treatment for my stress and worries!!!

So I created a "happy list” of things I like - that do not involve eating. I have over 100 things on my happy list now!

You need to experiment with stress reducing alternatives and find one that works best for you.

Examples:

· Instead of getting a Snickers™ out of the vending machine when work makes you CRAZY - try brewing a cup of low cal cocoa, or even No Calorie tea.
· Take a quick walk around the block
· Call a friend, or go chat with a co-worker
· Escape into Fantasy, by playing a game, watching a movie or read a book.
· Watch the sunset
· Start writing an e-mail to someone about what is bothering you. (You don't need to send it - this just gets the frustrations out)
· Take deep breaths and try to see if you are really physically hungry, or if it is just the stress monster talking.
· Take up knitting! The repetitive motion and feeling of accomplishing something helps... also with all that yarn and needles in your hands, you can't get food into your mouth with your hands so occupied. ;)

Try making your own "happy list!” You know what makes you smile!! Even just READING the list helps you feel better without turning to food. :)

I hope something in my rambling helps you! :-D

Take Care!

Jess

5 comments:

kathyj333 said...

I used food to medicate myself for more than a year, and I gained more than 45 pounds. I was eating entire boxes of Hostess treats by myself on a daily basis.

You'll get the motivation back. A girl like you is too determined to allow too many thing to get in her way. Good luck, you'll make it.

Unknown said...

My mom used to work next to the Hostess day old bakery... and bring home boxes and boxes of Cupcakes, ding-dongs, and other snack cakes... Not good!

Anonymous said...

Hello :) Your story is so motivating! I used to be 231lbs, currently I am 202lbs :D and of course going down :) I love exercises and healthy food.

Emotional eating... When I was a kid, my dad - whenever he went shopping for beer - used to bring me chocolate. Chocolate comforted me :)

Today I know that swimming comforts me better :)

Karolina from Poland, Europe

Anonymous said...

hi jessica, you are amazing, and YES... you said it - i am still "struggling" with my food addiction ways, and today, after work (started a new job), i found myself in my dining room binging and seriously.. i felt like i was a drug addict because i got my food "high" - and before I can stress out.. i get too tired and want to go to sleep.

anyways, i just wanted to thank you for sharing your story of transformation on this blog. i have you on m list of people who have successfully at losing 100+ lbs.. and whenever i start to feeling that losing THAT much weight is daunting and near impossible, i think of you - you help me realize how unlimited we all really are..

so please, do keep writing, and sharing... you never know who is going to read your blog and get help from it. they may never email or comment.. but they will be helped..

blessings,
d

Unknown said...

It was funny to read this because 2 days in a row I ate chocolate and it stained 2 different shirts. I thought to myself "chocolate hates me, it's either staining my clothes or making me fat!" maybe they should put "chocolate hates you" on a dove chocolate.