|
I keep wondering what the statute of limitations is on FS for starting almost every post or JE with 'I'm new here so if I've crossed the line, please let me know.'
I've been thinking a lot about 'redirecting focus on food' because I am a compulsive eater hence being a 4x loser/gainer and am trying to make this 5th time the success that lasts a lifetime.
So I look for traps or triggers and work on my mental while my RDI tracking takes care of the physical.
I've read so many posts here about dealing with the Halloween candy and craving sugar issue.
Unfortunately, I now know I cannot eat candy in moderation. Then again, with my OCD I probably do very little of anything in moderation. So I know I'm not 100% well.
I know some folks are here because they've always been normal sized and just put on a few pounds. At first I was envious and then a little resentful of the folks here that have goals to lose 10lbs or less.
But then I decided to redirect my reaction and admire them because they are what *I* need to do once I reach my weight goal: be aware of it and doing something about it before it climbs back up again.
But back to redirecting focus on foods. Instead of obsessing about the candy I can't have I'm spending my energy finding new foods I can have. The latest I've found is Brussels Sprouts.
See, I have a friend in real life like the people mentioned above. Tiny, thin, normal weight. Probably underweight. I don't think she's ever battled weight gain or loss.
But she always says 'if your body is craving a food, it must need it.'
Now sugar... once I get the sugar our of my body (about 2-3 weeks into a new diet) I no longer really crave it physically.
And we all know or should know here that our body really doesn't need the sugar physically - the craving is mental. People living in other areas of the world or who've never had sugar don't crave it. So to THAT craving I was having until I got past it, I had to say 'shut up craving.. I'm going to find an alternative' Pickles & olives helped and I was fortunate in that area because I don't have an issue with sodium.
But then one day last week I found myself craving brussels sprouts so I finally picked some up last night and then researched it (always the cart before the horse) and I'm not sure if links work here but I encourage anyone still reading this JE to check it out:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=10
I'm going to spend more time on this whfood site too because that will help with my goal. Rather than throwing away my precious time suffering in angst about something I cannot have, I am going to find new foods I CAN have or SHOULD have ~ foods that have been proven in studies to help me. Rather than staring down the pastry cart like it's high noon ... I'm going to shrug it off as I'll be armed with the knowledge that I can have this GREAT OTHER food that will help me maintain my successful journey instead of losing out to a slice of pie.
In the past weight loss cycles I would avoid food, stick to one or two boring things I knew that worked, etc. NOW I actually embrace the grocery store. I probably shop 3 times a week now. Because I am slowing down in the produce aisle rather than zipping past it to the pastas. I'm checking out new foods I've never had or retrying old foods I'd had in the past. While I am trying to keep simple carbs to a minimum I probably spent 1/2 hour in the cereal aisle last night trying to find the best mix of taste, low cal, low fat, low carb and crunchy because I am using this cup of cereal for my 'crunchy type snack' at night. I eat it dry so it's a finger food. The caramel cheerios are really good.
Not everynight - some nights it's grape tomatoes or frozen mixed berries or fresh fruit or lite yogurt. But again, I'm trying to find such a fast plethora of healthy choices that I don't get burned out on this one single healthy thing and set myself up to fail so that I go 'nothing tastes good... where are the milky ways?'
Also ~ for ME ~ once I got the sugar and fried foods out of my system, it was somewhat like once I quit smoking. I can actually TASTE food in a different way. I know the things I used to eat regularly just don't taste as good to me now.
I used to just melt into a puddle of drooling craving mouth watering desire everytime the Whataburger commercial came on. About amonth ago, I tried one, yuck. Maybe I was lucky because it was cold and a little greasy but in the past I'd have downed that double cheeseburger and fries before the wax paper had cooled and have still felt 'hungry'.
Now I'm going to go enjoy my freshly steamed brussels sprouts.
View Diet Calendar, 26 October 2012:
|
1273 kcal
|
Fat: 28.35g | Prot: 87.60g | Carbs: 168.60g.
Breakfast: coffee, flax, lite fat free yoplait, quaker oatmeal. Lunch: chicken, Turnips & Tomatoes. Dinner: stir fry vege, brussel, schwan chicken breast. Snacks/Other: dannon oikos, 2% Milk American Cheese Singles, Wheat Thin Flatbread Cracker, yoplait light, apple slices. more...
|
|
2792 kcal
|
Exercise:
Walking (slow) - 2/mph - 15 minutes, Resting - 15 hours and 45 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...
|
|