Okay, so on to the topic of food. I've decided that the topic of food is going to have to be covered in several posts because to be honest there are many facets of it...at least from where I stand. So be patient with me.
To some of us, food is a dear friend. To others of us, food is an enemy. And there are those of us that may feel that it can be both. But, the problem is....it really should be neither. I feel like this past year has been a process (and I emphasize that word, as I've not arrived) of removing food from the category of things that I have a "relationship" with. Does that make sense? What I mean is...food is not supposed to be friend or an enemy. It is nothing more than a means of nutrition, health, and yes...it can (and maybe should) be enjoyable...but it is not something that I should turn to for more than that. Not for comfort, for something to do when I'm bored, or on the flip side...it's not something to control when my world is chaotic (which is what many people with eating disorders struggle with). It's just FOOD. If I can ever really learn that truth, I feel like I'll be able to treat it appropriately and not give it a place in my life that it doesn't deserve. A friend reminded me of that ever so fitting quote, "Eat to live, don't live to eat".
So, as I'm sure you gathered...I suppose that somewhere along the way I allowed myself to enter into a relationship with food. I'm not sure when it happened, or how. Did we have a D.T.R talk? Was it love at first sight? Did I see others having a relationship with it (i.e. it was modeled) and assume I too was supposed to have a relationship with it? I don't honestly know.
I do know, though, and agree with an anthropologist friend of mine who once said to me, "Food is at the center of all that we do as a culture". Meaning, we celebrate around food (cakes, party trays), we mourn around food (casseroles, pints of ice cream), we socialize around food (going out to dinner)....you get the idea. So, it's no wonder that we begin to move food from the category of necessity to relationship. We slowly make associations between food and feelings/emotions. We do the same thing with other senses besides taste too, like sound and smells. Think about it....if I played, "Cold Hearted Snake" by Paula Abdul (sorry, couldn't think of anything else off hand) it probably takes you back to a season in your life, whether generally or specifically. This time of year, I can smell leaves burning and am immediately whisked away to camping with my family as a child. It brings a huge smile to my face. So, taste is wired the same way. We become attached to certain foods because they remind us of home, or grandma, or college, a certain season, etc. And before you know it, we have associations with food that are more about comfort, nostalgia, tradition, and passing time with friends and family. It's not that this isn't an okay aspect of food. And, to be honest if we were able to keep these associations as just that, associations, it wouldn't be all that bad. But somewhere along the way they move from associations to substitutes. They no longer remind us of a time, person, or place that we once enjoyed....they take the place (or attempt to) of that time, person, or place...filling a void that can't be filled no matter how much pumpkin pie you eat. Can I get an amen? Ha!
Some may think all of this psychological hubbub doesn't matter. Or maybe you might be saying, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. But, just get to the practical stuff that I can actually DO to make changes in the way I eat". But, I am learning that if you don't first see food for what it is intended to be, examine what you've allowed it to become and why....the practical stuff will be for naught. Yeah, it might work for a while....but you'll yo-yo...promise.
So, this has been part of my process this past year too....determining why I eat (hunger/energy vs. other reasons), and determining why I eat the foods that I do (especially if I know it's going to sabotage my efforts to be a healthier me). But, this is just the beginning.
Like I said, food is not only a part of our culture, but truly at the center of our culture. So, working on changing my unhealthy relationship with food is challenging. I obviously can't just sever the relationship all together like others who struggle with alcohol or drugs might do. I HAVE to eat. Perhaps I can sever the ties with certain foods that I know are triggers for me to overeat, or eat unhealthily, etc...at least until I can am confident I can handle myself and those foods with self-control. But, people are still going to throw parties, ask me to dinner, etc. So, what's a girl to do?
For me it's a combination of things that allow me to be more successful. Sure, some of it is simply making better choices about what and how much I eat. But, a lot of it is asking the Lord to show me and teach me about the heart behind why I misuse food. I want to get at these areas and deal with them appropriately. And, in the meantime, I'm also trying to change the culture of my marriage, family, and maybe even some of my friendships so that I don't have to struggle quite as much day-to-day.
Okay, so I'm sure the all that I spewed out today will be revisited in some of the other upcoming food posts since it's so interconnected....so I'll just leave it at that. But, you can pray for me...that I would break up with food once and for all. It's not poor food's fault, it's mine.....I've abused him and misused him, and asked him to be more to me than he was able to. And now it's time to say goodbye to our relationship and allow him to simply be what he was intended to be....FOOD.
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Health: Working it out
As I mentioned last time, my journey of becoming fit began a year ago. The first real step was that we joined the Y as a family and I began going to classes. It was therapeutic for me emotionally, it was challenging for me physically, and it really was my connecting point socially since we had just moved to a new area.
I didn't follow my own advice, the advice that I would now give, and I jumped right in. I took a Zumba class on Mondays and Fridays, followed by a body sculpting class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I took Flexx it (muscle building) and Step. Wednesdays were my "off" day, but often I would run. I would even try to get a work out in on Saturday and maybe a run on Sunday. Whew! What was I thinking? Ha!
I saw very minimal weight loss in the first month or two and was quite discouraged. I could tell my body was working hard, why was it not showing any results?
I was told that my body was building muscle and that muscle weighed more than fat and thus often the scales wouldn't reflect the changes that were occurring. Honestly, that gave me little to no comfort. And so, I faced my first decision....should I just quit exercising. My body hurt, my schedule was full, and it wasn't working.
This is where the important points from my last blog entry come in. This is where I realized that this was going to be a process of time, trial and error of what would work for me, and that I needed to be in it for the right reasons. So, I prayed.
And from that I had a renewed vision. I knew why I wanted to lose the weight. I want to be an example to my children of healthy living. I want to take care of the body the Lord gave me and treat His temple with respect. I want to remove the obstacle of low self-worth so that I am freed up to be all that He has planned for me to be. I want to be strong, fit, and healthy so that I can encourage other women who struggle with these issues. And I decided that I wanted to do it all in my Mom's honor, as she too struggled with weight. This gave me purpose, inspiration, and above all it gave me a bunch of reasons that I could NEVER quit.
So, I pressed on (literally and figuratively)! Had I just continued to exercise without making any changes to my diet, I most certainly would have see changes. It would have showed up in inches...the shape of my body changing as I built more muscle, etc. But, I did add in dietary changes, which I'll address in my next post. But for now I wanted to pass on some nuggets of insight that I gathered along the way. Some may be obvious and may be things you've all heard before, but I still think they are important enough to repeat (if not for you than for me:)). I'll also share some personal examples but feel free to skip those and just read the 3 bullets if you want. I'll also sum it all up at the end if you just want an overview.
example: Also, it's important to note that even if you work out for 2 hours/day 5 days/week doing classes (like I was), you might not be able to go out and run a mile (like I wasn't). Why? Because of what is know as the S.A.I.D principle. Specfic Adaptation to Imposed Demands. That principle states that if you want to train for a marathon you are going to have to run. Swimming or biking will improve your cardio health, but it will not enable you the exact cardio tools that you will need to run. Make sense? Running was something that represented fitness to me. I don't know why, but it did. Therefore it was really important that I be able to do it. I never liked running previously, so I wasn't hopeful that anything would change. But, interestingly enough I opted to stick with it as a personal goal of mine. I can remember walking most of the 1.5 mile loop that I would follow at first. As I did lose weight and get more fit through the use of classes I was able to do a little better. I had more muscle to power with in my legs. My heart could take more cardio-wise. But, I was still struggling to run. So, I kept at it and little by little I gained ground, literally. Now, I can run 2 or 3 of those loops with no problem. I'd probably be able to do more if it weren't for an old foot injury, but that's not important. All that to say, don't be discourged if your fitness level doesn't seem to be up to par when you try new things. But try them and use them as ways to improve your over all health. My plan now is to add in swimming. I tried doing laps and was exhausted! It works something different and so it would be a good change for me occasionally. And that brings me to my next example....
example: On the flip side of that same example....Your body will adjust and adapt to what you most often do. Your muscles and cardio system have a memory. So, if you do the same thing all the time your body will get used to it and won't be challenged. So, do the treadmill instead of the eliptical every now and again. Also, don't stay at the same level on the machine...dial it down and go really fast for a minute and then dial it up and power slowly.
Next time I'll try to post more about food.
I didn't follow my own advice, the advice that I would now give, and I jumped right in. I took a Zumba class on Mondays and Fridays, followed by a body sculpting class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I took Flexx it (muscle building) and Step. Wednesdays were my "off" day, but often I would run. I would even try to get a work out in on Saturday and maybe a run on Sunday. Whew! What was I thinking? Ha!
I saw very minimal weight loss in the first month or two and was quite discouraged. I could tell my body was working hard, why was it not showing any results?
I was told that my body was building muscle and that muscle weighed more than fat and thus often the scales wouldn't reflect the changes that were occurring. Honestly, that gave me little to no comfort. And so, I faced my first decision....should I just quit exercising. My body hurt, my schedule was full, and it wasn't working.
This is where the important points from my last blog entry come in. This is where I realized that this was going to be a process of time, trial and error of what would work for me, and that I needed to be in it for the right reasons. So, I prayed.
And from that I had a renewed vision. I knew why I wanted to lose the weight. I want to be an example to my children of healthy living. I want to take care of the body the Lord gave me and treat His temple with respect. I want to remove the obstacle of low self-worth so that I am freed up to be all that He has planned for me to be. I want to be strong, fit, and healthy so that I can encourage other women who struggle with these issues. And I decided that I wanted to do it all in my Mom's honor, as she too struggled with weight. This gave me purpose, inspiration, and above all it gave me a bunch of reasons that I could NEVER quit.
So, I pressed on (literally and figuratively)! Had I just continued to exercise without making any changes to my diet, I most certainly would have see changes. It would have showed up in inches...the shape of my body changing as I built more muscle, etc. But, I did add in dietary changes, which I'll address in my next post. But for now I wanted to pass on some nuggets of insight that I gathered along the way. Some may be obvious and may be things you've all heard before, but I still think they are important enough to repeat (if not for you than for me:)). I'll also share some personal examples but feel free to skip those and just read the 3 bullets if you want. I'll also sum it all up at the end if you just want an overview.
- You do NOT have to be at a certain level of fitness to walk into a gym or begin exercise. That's like saying you have to be clean to get a bath...ridiculous! Fitness centers and their employees are there to promote fitness at all levels, from the beginners all the way to the gym rats. So, do NOT let your current fitness level keep you away. There is something for everyone. And if you are fearful of what others might think, I hear you. But, do NOT let them stand in your way. They don't have to live in your body, and therefore should not have that much control over it.
- Don't shy away from trying new forms of exercise. You might be surprised at what you really like and don't like. Finding something that you LOVE to do for exercise is so super important. If you don't like it, or if you don't have enough variety you WILL burn out and lose interest. It's also important to cross-train so that you gain a variety of skill and also challenge your body wholly.
example: Also, it's important to note that even if you work out for 2 hours/day 5 days/week doing classes (like I was), you might not be able to go out and run a mile (like I wasn't). Why? Because of what is know as the S.A.I.D principle. Specfic Adaptation to Imposed Demands. That principle states that if you want to train for a marathon you are going to have to run. Swimming or biking will improve your cardio health, but it will not enable you the exact cardio tools that you will need to run. Make sense? Running was something that represented fitness to me. I don't know why, but it did. Therefore it was really important that I be able to do it. I never liked running previously, so I wasn't hopeful that anything would change. But, interestingly enough I opted to stick with it as a personal goal of mine. I can remember walking most of the 1.5 mile loop that I would follow at first. As I did lose weight and get more fit through the use of classes I was able to do a little better. I had more muscle to power with in my legs. My heart could take more cardio-wise. But, I was still struggling to run. So, I kept at it and little by little I gained ground, literally. Now, I can run 2 or 3 of those loops with no problem. I'd probably be able to do more if it weren't for an old foot injury, but that's not important. All that to say, don't be discourged if your fitness level doesn't seem to be up to par when you try new things. But try them and use them as ways to improve your over all health. My plan now is to add in swimming. I tried doing laps and was exhausted! It works something different and so it would be a good change for me occasionally. And that brings me to my next example....
example: On the flip side of that same example....Your body will adjust and adapt to what you most often do. Your muscles and cardio system have a memory. So, if you do the same thing all the time your body will get used to it and won't be challenged. So, do the treadmill instead of the eliptical every now and again. Also, don't stay at the same level on the machine...dial it down and go really fast for a minute and then dial it up and power slowly.
- Last but not least, for now....do get yourself exercise gear. You will feel so much better about being in front of a million mirrors in a classroom if you have something on that you think is cute, fits you right, and is proper for exercise. This includes shoes, headwear, and water bottles too. Oh, and please allow me to plug the Polar heart rate monitor watches. They have a band that you put around your chest and it communicates to the watch. You'll be able to see if you are in your target heart rate range, monitor the amount of calories you burned, log your workouts for the week, and all sorts of cool stuff. I have LOVED mine. I use it to be sure I'm challenging myself during workouts, track my calories burned each day, and other cool stuff. LOVE IT!
Next time I'll try to post more about food.
Health: Weighing your options
I know I'm not the only one who has struggled with their weight, even if I feel that way at times. I have some friends and family that also battle it. Recently one of those friends and I were talking about options for weight loss. In particular she was asking me what I thought of Medifast and others like it. Not that I am a nutritionist or dietitian...heck, I'm not even certified to teach fitness classes yet:) But, I do have an opinion....one that comes from personal experience.
I think that the plans that offer their own food do serve a purpose. I think they are a great way for someone who knows they have little to no self control, no idea of portion control, feel too busy to think through their food for the day, etc. I also think that it is an "easy" way to start on the road to health because you really don't have to put a lot of thought into it. You just order your meals, eat the recommended amount, and possibly work in a little exercise to start out. Typically, this is also a good way to start because you'll see results and be encouraged to keep going.
Now, for those that have more self-control, know portion size, know what healthy eating requires, and/or have a little more time to devote to meal preparation I would say there are better ways. I've always been a big fan of Weight Watchers and programs like them that require you to eat "real" food, don't put anything off limits per say, make you track your food, and give you group support/accountability. And ultimately, I think it is important for those that start with the ready made meal programs to switch over to something more realistic. If you are serious about health and fitness, and changing your life, you're going to have to learn to do it in the "real world".
I've tried a lot of things in the past....programs that fit into both categories above. I've yo-yoed in my life. This time, though, I'm determined to terminate the yo-yoing. So, with that in mind I've come to realize things that you might hear all the time, but are solid truths that are helping me to tackle this more effectively....
1. It is a process (like anything), and you can't put a time limit on it. You are making a change that you want to last a lifetime. It will not happen overnight, and if it did, it probably wouldn't stick.
2. You need to be in it for the right reasons. Yes, you can want to look different, fit into your "skinny" clothes, etc...but ultimately you need to do it for something that is more lasting...to be healthy, to be your best self, etc.
3. Not only is it a process in terms of the amount of time that it may take, but changing your habits (eating and exercise) are often going to stay with you more if you do them gradually. Now, I realize that with some people sudden and drastic changes are often necessary due to severe health issues, and with that I say go for broke. But, for those that are not that at risk...you have to work things in and out of your day with ease. For example, if you start up with a rigorous fitness routine you may get injured, burn out quickly, or even be so sore that you just simply don't want to do it the next time and that leads to the next time, and the next time, and so on and so forth. All of sudden you're back to where you began. The same is true with dietary changes.
Having said that, I did lose a lot of weight about 6 years ago. I actually reached my goal weight on the day that I found out I was preggers with sweet eWe! Ugh! That time I did W.W., but didn't exercise at all until I lost most of the weight. I did begin to run and walk, but that was about it. It felt great to be skinny me, but it didn't last due to pregnancy and I certainly wasn't fit.
Of course, once I had eWe I thought I'd get back on track. I started to lose some of the weight, but when eWe was 6 months old, I found out I was preggers with Lil' C. Here we go again. And honestly, from there the yo-yoing stopped....and not for the better. Post delivery I was up to my eyeballs in having 2 so close in age (at least that was my excuse). I opted for unhealthy convenience foods, and rarely found time for any real exercise. I had bouts of times where I'd try to start W.W. back up again, start walking or going to the gym, but nothing stuck. I was to tired and it took too much of me. In hindsight, this would have been a good time for me to do the mail-order food deals....wish I had thought of that then. Alas!
Anyway, once I cleared the baby stage I thought I'd really get back on track (yea right!), but then my mom got sick and I kind of used food as a comfort (or at least it seems). And with her death I turned to food even more. I have a picture of me from that time that I will one day post as my before...be certain of that!
So, here I am today. I set out on this journey last September about this time and want to blog a little about it as I reflect on it. I figured it could help others, but at the very least it will be a way for me to review where I am and evaluate where I want to go next. So, look for that to come...
I think that the plans that offer their own food do serve a purpose. I think they are a great way for someone who knows they have little to no self control, no idea of portion control, feel too busy to think through their food for the day, etc. I also think that it is an "easy" way to start on the road to health because you really don't have to put a lot of thought into it. You just order your meals, eat the recommended amount, and possibly work in a little exercise to start out. Typically, this is also a good way to start because you'll see results and be encouraged to keep going.
Now, for those that have more self-control, know portion size, know what healthy eating requires, and/or have a little more time to devote to meal preparation I would say there are better ways. I've always been a big fan of Weight Watchers and programs like them that require you to eat "real" food, don't put anything off limits per say, make you track your food, and give you group support/accountability. And ultimately, I think it is important for those that start with the ready made meal programs to switch over to something more realistic. If you are serious about health and fitness, and changing your life, you're going to have to learn to do it in the "real world".
I've tried a lot of things in the past....programs that fit into both categories above. I've yo-yoed in my life. This time, though, I'm determined to terminate the yo-yoing. So, with that in mind I've come to realize things that you might hear all the time, but are solid truths that are helping me to tackle this more effectively....
1. It is a process (like anything), and you can't put a time limit on it. You are making a change that you want to last a lifetime. It will not happen overnight, and if it did, it probably wouldn't stick.
2. You need to be in it for the right reasons. Yes, you can want to look different, fit into your "skinny" clothes, etc...but ultimately you need to do it for something that is more lasting...to be healthy, to be your best self, etc.
3. Not only is it a process in terms of the amount of time that it may take, but changing your habits (eating and exercise) are often going to stay with you more if you do them gradually. Now, I realize that with some people sudden and drastic changes are often necessary due to severe health issues, and with that I say go for broke. But, for those that are not that at risk...you have to work things in and out of your day with ease. For example, if you start up with a rigorous fitness routine you may get injured, burn out quickly, or even be so sore that you just simply don't want to do it the next time and that leads to the next time, and the next time, and so on and so forth. All of sudden you're back to where you began. The same is true with dietary changes.
Having said that, I did lose a lot of weight about 6 years ago. I actually reached my goal weight on the day that I found out I was preggers with sweet eWe! Ugh! That time I did W.W., but didn't exercise at all until I lost most of the weight. I did begin to run and walk, but that was about it. It felt great to be skinny me, but it didn't last due to pregnancy and I certainly wasn't fit.
Of course, once I had eWe I thought I'd get back on track. I started to lose some of the weight, but when eWe was 6 months old, I found out I was preggers with Lil' C. Here we go again. And honestly, from there the yo-yoing stopped....and not for the better. Post delivery I was up to my eyeballs in having 2 so close in age (at least that was my excuse). I opted for unhealthy convenience foods, and rarely found time for any real exercise. I had bouts of times where I'd try to start W.W. back up again, start walking or going to the gym, but nothing stuck. I was to tired and it took too much of me. In hindsight, this would have been a good time for me to do the mail-order food deals....wish I had thought of that then. Alas!
Anyway, once I cleared the baby stage I thought I'd really get back on track (yea right!), but then my mom got sick and I kind of used food as a comfort (or at least it seems). And with her death I turned to food even more. I have a picture of me from that time that I will one day post as my before...be certain of that!
So, here I am today. I set out on this journey last September about this time and want to blog a little about it as I reflect on it. I figured it could help others, but at the very least it will be a way for me to review where I am and evaluate where I want to go next. So, look for that to come...
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