Well...we're three days into the new year now and I wasn't going to ask about new year's resolutions... but I think I will.
Is this a plan you've made for yourself this year? Has your stomach started laughing at you yet? How are things going? And if I can ask....what steps are you taking to ensure that this does become a new life-style for you?
I think this was one of my hardest plans to master. I've had a love affair with food my whole life. Yeah sometimes it was a love-hate relationship...but we've always had a thing food and I.
Whether your "eating better" plan is to help you lose weight or to just start eating better, it is a healthy choice and one that you can make for yourself. But like many changes, people start off too fast...their stomachs laugh and they falter. It's okay...it happens...but hopefully we can change that here.
Is this a plan you've made for yourself this year? Has your stomach started laughing at you yet? How are things going? And if I can ask....what steps are you taking to ensure that this does become a new life-style for you?
I think this was one of my hardest plans to master. I've had a love affair with food my whole life. Yeah sometimes it was a love-hate relationship...but we've always had a thing food and I.
Whether your "eating better" plan is to help you lose weight or to just start eating better, it is a healthy choice and one that you can make for yourself. But like many changes, people start off too fast...their stomachs laugh and they falter. It's okay...it happens...but hopefully we can change that here.
Like any other life-style change you want to implement...it takes time. Changing the eating habits you have had your whole life will take time and it will take your patience...and yes you may even find yourself two steps back...BUT...you can still move forward.
One thing I would suggest you do before you undertake this challenge, is to understand your relationship with food. Do you turn to it when you're feeling your emotions? Is food an escape for you? Is food soothing? If you're saying yes...make sure you have another way to soothe those feelings for you instead of food.
If you don't replace the food you will only return to it, because that is what you know and it's what makes you feel good. Re-learning old habits can be done but we need to replace the old habits with new and healthier ones and we need to understand why we turn to it in the first place. Without understanding it will repeat it's self...history has a way of doing that.
Take your time too okay? don't make big drastic changes all at once. Changing your eating habits is best done over a period of time changing little things as you go. One of the hardest things for our bodies to go through is withdrawal and food is no different.
Instead of making big drastic changes...trying changing one thing each week in your daily diet. For example...for the first week...give up fast food...for the second week...eat more fruits...for the third week...eat more veggies...as your weeks go...make one change that you can live with and master before you add another. This will give you the opportunity to take it one step at a time and increase your chances of making this change a permanent one.
Have realistic expectations of yourself too okay? sometimes we have grand ideas and I'm not saying it's not good to think "big"...but be realistic with your goals and time frames. Losing weight is harder than gaining it and it takes more effort too...but you can do it. If you find your goals are too big...re-evaluate them and change as needed but don't you dare give up.
Remind yourself why you are choosing to make this life-style change. You will falter and you may find yourself swimming in a bowl of rocky road ice cream one day because your emotions got the better of you but don't beat yourself up for it okay?! Gently remind yourself why you wanted these changes and try again. One day in tub of ice cream or any other guilty pleasure is not a reason to throw away this goal.
And really? I would highly recommend that you do take one day a week to eat whatever you like...without guilt or shame or thinking you're breaking your "diet". It's a reward day for all the other days you stuck to it...and that is something you should reward yourself for...so do it okay? reward your efforts.
But maybe your problem isn't that you eat too much...but that you stopped eating or caring about food. This can happen too. And like other goals, you need to understand why this is the case for you. The more you can understand why you do what you do...why you feel the way you feel...it will help you to gain ground on this and other life-style change you want.
Talk to your doctor and/or dietitian and let them you know you're struggling with food. Food is not just a physical thing we enjoy by eating...it can often be an escape too that we use to harm ourselves, either by eating too much or not at all.
Eating healthy is an excellent goal to managing your pain as well. Many vitamins and nutrients that we need to survive healthy, is in our food and sometimes too our medications can impact how our body uses food. If you aren't getting enough nutrients from your diet and your medications are removing even more again...your body will struggle greatly.
There are many reasons why you should adopt healthy eat habits and the most important one is YOU and your quality of life. This is one thing you can control and change...yes it may be hard and you will miss certain foods...but save those foods for your free day and still enjoy them...just in smaller amounts now.
You can make this change and your life and pain is worth the effort. Don't give up okay...and remember... three steps forward and two steps back is not a disaster...it's the CHA CHA ;)
take good care of you and I wish you luck with this change
Tammy
One thing I would suggest you do before you undertake this challenge, is to understand your relationship with food. Do you turn to it when you're feeling your emotions? Is food an escape for you? Is food soothing? If you're saying yes...make sure you have another way to soothe those feelings for you instead of food.
If you don't replace the food you will only return to it, because that is what you know and it's what makes you feel good. Re-learning old habits can be done but we need to replace the old habits with new and healthier ones and we need to understand why we turn to it in the first place. Without understanding it will repeat it's self...history has a way of doing that.
Take your time too okay? don't make big drastic changes all at once. Changing your eating habits is best done over a period of time changing little things as you go. One of the hardest things for our bodies to go through is withdrawal and food is no different.
Instead of making big drastic changes...trying changing one thing each week in your daily diet. For example...for the first week...give up fast food...for the second week...eat more fruits...for the third week...eat more veggies...as your weeks go...make one change that you can live with and master before you add another. This will give you the opportunity to take it one step at a time and increase your chances of making this change a permanent one.
Have realistic expectations of yourself too okay? sometimes we have grand ideas and I'm not saying it's not good to think "big"...but be realistic with your goals and time frames. Losing weight is harder than gaining it and it takes more effort too...but you can do it. If you find your goals are too big...re-evaluate them and change as needed but don't you dare give up.
Remind yourself why you are choosing to make this life-style change. You will falter and you may find yourself swimming in a bowl of rocky road ice cream one day because your emotions got the better of you but don't beat yourself up for it okay?! Gently remind yourself why you wanted these changes and try again. One day in tub of ice cream or any other guilty pleasure is not a reason to throw away this goal.
And really? I would highly recommend that you do take one day a week to eat whatever you like...without guilt or shame or thinking you're breaking your "diet". It's a reward day for all the other days you stuck to it...and that is something you should reward yourself for...so do it okay? reward your efforts.
But maybe your problem isn't that you eat too much...but that you stopped eating or caring about food. This can happen too. And like other goals, you need to understand why this is the case for you. The more you can understand why you do what you do...why you feel the way you feel...it will help you to gain ground on this and other life-style change you want.
Talk to your doctor and/or dietitian and let them you know you're struggling with food. Food is not just a physical thing we enjoy by eating...it can often be an escape too that we use to harm ourselves, either by eating too much or not at all.
Eating healthy is an excellent goal to managing your pain as well. Many vitamins and nutrients that we need to survive healthy, is in our food and sometimes too our medications can impact how our body uses food. If you aren't getting enough nutrients from your diet and your medications are removing even more again...your body will struggle greatly.
There are many reasons why you should adopt healthy eat habits and the most important one is YOU and your quality of life. This is one thing you can control and change...yes it may be hard and you will miss certain foods...but save those foods for your free day and still enjoy them...just in smaller amounts now.
You can make this change and your life and pain is worth the effort. Don't give up okay...and remember... three steps forward and two steps back is not a disaster...it's the CHA CHA ;)
take good care of you and I wish you luck with this change
Tammy
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