What can I tell you about me...on a diet? As a food addict, I am not going to lie. My whole life has been about dieting. When I was in Kindergarten...I was 4-1/2 feet tall and way over 50 lbs. That pretty much set the tone for my life in grade school. By the time I was in 6th grade, I was 5'2" tall and not anywhere close to the 80-90 lbs. most of my classmates weighed. In high school, I shot up another six and then eight inches. Didn't matter. By the time I graduated, I was on my way to permanent "Oh you're so pretty BUT..." status. Thankfully by the time I got married, I pulled myself together enough to fit into a size 12 wedding gown. Yet to make a very long story short...I have battled MORE than 50 lbs. for most of my adult life...
Being an addict isn't limited to drinking too much, doing too many drugs, shopping, or sexing, or gambling. Being an active addict also has to do with being on our electronics too much, eating too much, working too much, and yes, even working out too much. Whatever it is we eat, drink, or "do" that affects the quality of our physical health, our ability to "do" our life appropriately on a daily basis, and/or our relationships in a negative way---IS bad for us. Period.
Yet every day is a new day. And every day is a new opportunity to do the right thing for ourselves. Although I am a food addict and have known it for the past five decades at least...it is one thing to flirt with recovery and sobriety---and it is an entirely different thing to just live it. As in every day LIVE IT. This is what today's blog post is about. My own experience with becoming and remaining "sober" about my own food addiction and recovery process.
After being down and up and up and down with my weight in too many recent years to count, I finally decided to make May 1st my "This is it!" date. Why May 1st? Because in the last three Springs of my life, I have been stuck recovering at home from three major surgeries. First in 2014 it was a left knee replacement; then in 2015 it was removing a cancerous tumor from my left lung, along with part of that lung. In 2016, it was a right knee replacement. I was and am so over major surgeries, I inherently knew that getting my weight under control was and IS the key to avoiding future medical issues and potentially more surgery. So---I began the investigatory process of "What will work best for me?"
Because I have basically done every diet known to mankind in the past, I already knew what worked for me in spite of the fact that I didn't allow the loss(es) then to last. Hey---that's how it is with addiction just sayin'. We think we are "done" or we are "good" or we are "fine" (we don't need to go to meetings anymore!)...which is a supreme lie among lies. When we are addicted to whatever it is, we have to change our thinking in ways to reflect the new mantra: "I can't let this "thing" I do or eat or drink be as important as it has been to me...anymore!" I know I made an "event" out of eating food. Hey! It's Saturday morning! Let's go out and get some bagels and lox with cream cheese! Hey! I'm bored! Let's order a pizza! Hey! I just had a challenging session at work! Time to hit up Tirami Su for happy hour! Uh---no! The ideas of using and abusing food to feel better fast had to end. Same is true for any other addiction. We have to learn how to feel better fast using methods that really and truly do NOT harm us in some way; be that way physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual in nature.
For me, the program I chose involved one where I am being held accountable by a doctor, by my fellow program participants, and by a nutritionist who I meet with once a week in a class-like session. Yes, that's what I need. And although my journey will be long...and is no doubt challenging...it is what I must do. Remain sober...remain positive...and remain abstinent from the things that basically cause me to want to eat MORE things.
Online support is also a tremendous blessing in disguise. For all the time we are buried in our own facebook accounts and other social media---do not discount the power of the online support group! They work! They really do! When you are feeling like you can't help BUT smoke that joint or drink that vodka or eat that entire sheet cake....go online! Share what you are going through. Invariably, someone is on the other end of that screen who can encourage you...inspire you...and/or motivate you to let the craving pass without indulging.
It does take a community to raise a village. It also takes a healing community to raise another healing member of that same community. Just do it. Don't delay. It'll be worth it in the end.
When I have reached my goal...I'll let you know, with photos even! ;-) Until next time..
Being an addict isn't limited to drinking too much, doing too many drugs, shopping, or sexing, or gambling. Being an active addict also has to do with being on our electronics too much, eating too much, working too much, and yes, even working out too much. Whatever it is we eat, drink, or "do" that affects the quality of our physical health, our ability to "do" our life appropriately on a daily basis, and/or our relationships in a negative way---IS bad for us. Period.
Yet every day is a new day. And every day is a new opportunity to do the right thing for ourselves. Although I am a food addict and have known it for the past five decades at least...it is one thing to flirt with recovery and sobriety---and it is an entirely different thing to just live it. As in every day LIVE IT. This is what today's blog post is about. My own experience with becoming and remaining "sober" about my own food addiction and recovery process.
After being down and up and up and down with my weight in too many recent years to count, I finally decided to make May 1st my "This is it!" date. Why May 1st? Because in the last three Springs of my life, I have been stuck recovering at home from three major surgeries. First in 2014 it was a left knee replacement; then in 2015 it was removing a cancerous tumor from my left lung, along with part of that lung. In 2016, it was a right knee replacement. I was and am so over major surgeries, I inherently knew that getting my weight under control was and IS the key to avoiding future medical issues and potentially more surgery. So---I began the investigatory process of "What will work best for me?"
Because I have basically done every diet known to mankind in the past, I already knew what worked for me in spite of the fact that I didn't allow the loss(es) then to last. Hey---that's how it is with addiction just sayin'. We think we are "done" or we are "good" or we are "fine" (we don't need to go to meetings anymore!)...which is a supreme lie among lies. When we are addicted to whatever it is, we have to change our thinking in ways to reflect the new mantra: "I can't let this "thing" I do or eat or drink be as important as it has been to me...anymore!" I know I made an "event" out of eating food. Hey! It's Saturday morning! Let's go out and get some bagels and lox with cream cheese! Hey! I'm bored! Let's order a pizza! Hey! I just had a challenging session at work! Time to hit up Tirami Su for happy hour! Uh---no! The ideas of using and abusing food to feel better fast had to end. Same is true for any other addiction. We have to learn how to feel better fast using methods that really and truly do NOT harm us in some way; be that way physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual in nature.
For me, the program I chose involved one where I am being held accountable by a doctor, by my fellow program participants, and by a nutritionist who I meet with once a week in a class-like session. Yes, that's what I need. And although my journey will be long...and is no doubt challenging...it is what I must do. Remain sober...remain positive...and remain abstinent from the things that basically cause me to want to eat MORE things.
Online support is also a tremendous blessing in disguise. For all the time we are buried in our own facebook accounts and other social media---do not discount the power of the online support group! They work! They really do! When you are feeling like you can't help BUT smoke that joint or drink that vodka or eat that entire sheet cake....go online! Share what you are going through. Invariably, someone is on the other end of that screen who can encourage you...inspire you...and/or motivate you to let the craving pass without indulging.
It does take a community to raise a village. It also takes a healing community to raise another healing member of that same community. Just do it. Don't delay. It'll be worth it in the end.
When I have reached my goal...I'll let you know, with photos even! ;-) Until next time..