Once you begin to feel your emotions and stop escaping from them with food, you will begin to feel a lot more. You may cry more. You may be angry more. You may be lonely more. And on and on and on….So what do you do with all these uncomfortable feelings that you’re not used to? You really want to know? What you do with them is….feel them. Experience them. Don’t try to do anything with them at all. Just let them be. Here’s the sad truth: there is nothing that will soothe you the way food did. There is no one thing that will give you the same comfort, the same esacape, the same buzz that food did. You may learn many new strategies for coping, but not a single one of them will feel quite the same as food. Still want to take on this journey?
Do you get what it means to eat whole grains? What exactly are whole grains anyway? You have probably seen packages that are marketed as containing whole grains, such as breads or crackers. These foods certainly provide more nutrition than thier white counterparts, but they are not actually whole grains. A whole grain refers to an actual grain, such as wheat berries, oats, millet, brown rice, barley, etc. Whole grains provide more fiber and protein than processed grains, such as white breads, crackers, and pasta. This fiber and protein help keep you full longer, without the blood sugar high and low (that blood sugar roller coaster you get from processed grains, especially sweets). Tip: Aim to get 50% of your grains from whole grains or whole grain prodcuts. (Modifiied Tip: at least try one type of whole grain this week!)
There is definitely more to life than it seems. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out….WHAM! The universe hits you with something new. It’s kind of the same with weight loss. It seems like it should be relatively simple, right? Eat smaller portions, exercise, lose weight…what’s the big deal? Trust me, there’s a big deal. Many of you have already realized this. Losing weight (or trying to lose weight) can really teach you a lot about yourself that you didn’t know. In order to succeed at weight loss, you truly must be open to the notion that you are going to have to do some internal work as well. It may sound like a big pain, but it can be the most freeing that you ever do.
Many women have a level of “childishness” when it comes to food behaviors…I WANT TO BE ABLE TO EAT WHATEVER I WANT WHENVER I WANT…without consideration of consequences of those behaviors. As adults, we have a lot of responsibilities. There are a lot of people who depend on us and it is our job to keep up and to juggle several responsibilities throughout each and every day. We all need a break from that, it’s certainly true. It is important to have some time each day, or at least each week, when we can relax, release, and not have to “think” or “be on”. Consider how you can give yourself this rejuvinating “return to youth” in non-food ways. My favorite way to do this is to go on an outing to explore and just be. Sometimes it will just be a random walk…sometimes it will be visiting friends on a whim…sometimes it is just relinquishing all sense of time and schdule….
These are my ways. What are yours?
New Year’s resolutions have to be backed with continued effort and support to be achieved. If your New Year’s resolution has to do with weight loss, healthier eating, or more exercise, then set yourself up for success. Commit yourself to success by getting support and guidance. Don’t feel badly about reaching out for help. We are all somehow interconnected and God does work through everyday people. If you really want to reach your goals, then pray for guidance and pray for the strenght to follow that guidance!