Wednesday, May 9, 2012
This morning I read an article that I'd recommend to anyone who has body image issues. It's about "fat talking". http://www.realage.com/diet-weight-loss/fat-talk-is-bad-for-weight-loss Fat talking is when we say horrible things to/about our own body such as, "I'm so fat", "I'm so ugly", "My bum is so huge", "I look disgusting", etc. You would never say anything so belittling to another person and yet how often do you say things like this to/about yourself?
We are in constant communication with ourselves and the things we say we tend to believe. If someone else were continually telling you how fat you are, you would eventually start believing them, right? The same happens when you are the one doing the "fat talking". After awhile, you will believe what you're saying to yourself and it will become truth.
I used to belittle myself and say horrible mean things to myself while looking in a mirror or trying to squeeze into a size-to-small pair of jeans. This kind of behavior always left me feeling depressed and hateful toward myself, which in most cases would then lead to a food binge in attempts to drown out my pain.
Realizing that no one can control my thoughts except for me has been a huge blessing. I am the only one who can decide what I want to think about or what I will tell myself in my mind. It makes sense then to speak to myself in such a way that is uplifting and encouraging. When I tell myself that I am beautiful and happy, eventually I will believe it. And I do!!
I am constantly telling myself uplifting words. Even if they're not necessarily true. No, I'll never have a model body type, but who cares? I can tell myself I look fabulous and keep my head up high, believing that I am just as good as any woman out there who does happen to have a perfect model body. A little saying I have is "Say it til it's true". When I tell myself that my body is beautiful and I say it over and over in my mind, guess what? I become a beautiful, self confidant, happy woman, even without having a model type body.
It is much easier to eat 0-5 when I'm doing it just for me. Not because I want to look skinnier than my neighbor or be more beautiful than my coworker or get attention from the hot guy who works at the mall. When I choose to love myself for exactly who I am right now (blemishes and imperfections included), suddenly 0-5 eating isn't an impossible feat anymore, it is simply a way of life. Exercise becomes "my time" and not a contest or a race to get into a pair of skinny jeans. When I am happy and self confident on the inside because of things I tell myself, I am then able to project love and happiness out to others which in turn helps them to feel good about themselves. --I really do love this way of life!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
(32) My Book List
Wow, time is just flying by isn't it?! It seems I can never keep up. I wanted to write out a list of the books I've read that have taught me all about 0-5 eating. I've read these book numerous times and every time it seems I get something new from them. I don't follow each book to the letter. Through trial and error I've found what information works for me and the rest I just let go of.
The first book I read introduced me to the idea of 0-5 eating. It was the book I read back in college as I struggled with anorexia. It's called Thin Within, How to Eat and Live like a Thin Person by Judy Wardell
Judy Wardell also has other versions of this book which are spiritually oriented. I read the one called Thin Within: A Grace-oriented Approach to Lasting Weight Loss, but I didn't really like it much. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just not the way I want to approach my eating habits.
The second book I read is called Overcoming Overeating by Jane R. Hirschmann and Carol H. Munter.
Of all my books, this one delves the most into dealing with emotional overeating. I've only read it twice because it really gets into how to deal with deep, raw, suffocating emotions that cause overeating. Once I dealt with all the reasons for my emotional overeating, I didn't need to read this book anymore.
The third book I read is one of my favorites. Unfortunately I don't think it's published anymore. I'm currently looking into locating the author online to see if she has any new books or if she wouldn't mind me sharing the information from this book here on the blog. It's called Eat it All and be Thin Forever by Glinda West.
The fourth book is a good one. It actually explains more than any of the others why dieting will, in most cases, eventually end in failure. It is called, Diets Don't Work by Dr. Bob Schwartz, Ph.D..
He is the one who put himself on a diet to prove to others how "easy" dieting can be...but then to his dismay, he ended up gaining weight and had a rough time losing the weight and keeping it off afterward.
The fifth book is a follow up to Diets Don't Work and gives additional information on why dieting ultimately ends in failure. It is called Diets Still Don't Work by Bob Schwartz.
The sixth book is another of my favorites. I've read it over and over again. The format of this book is different from the others in that it's written not in paragraphs but in bullet points. It gives short, to the point explanations about 0-5 eating. It is called The Seven Secrets of Slim People by Vikki Hansen and Shawn Goodman.
The seventh book I read has been the most influential in getting me to understand how to use meditation/visualization for weight loss and how to love myself and my body unconditionally. It is called The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel.
I think all of my books teach meditation/visualization to some extent but I never picked up on it until this book. It was after reading this book that I looked on youtube to find videos that would guide me through meditation/visualizations.
There is one factor about The Gabriel Method that doesn't sit well with me, and that is his approach to what he eats. He really gets into healthy eating, which is wonderful, but it seems to me that it could easily be looked at as a diet. I love eating foods that make me feel good but if there is any chance that my mind thinks it's being forced to eat certain foods, my body will immediately rebel and I will start overeating. So in this book I skip over his food sections.
Most of the books I read have worksheets or assignments at the end of each chapter but I've never used them. I find that if I'm thinking about food or trying to keep track of every bite I take, it gives food too much power in my mind and I will overeat. I prefer to think about food only when my body gets physically hungry. The rest of my time is filled up with other activities and life...not food.
All of these books are quite a few years old. After so long of 0-5 eating, I've come to a point where I don't need to read them nearly as much as I used too. I'm sure you could find current books on this subject with a little research, but I wanted to get you a list of my books so that you have access to the same information that I've had and that I use everyday. Best wishes to you!
The first book I read introduced me to the idea of 0-5 eating. It was the book I read back in college as I struggled with anorexia. It's called Thin Within, How to Eat and Live like a Thin Person by Judy Wardell
The second book I read is called Overcoming Overeating by Jane R. Hirschmann and Carol H. Munter.
The third book I read is one of my favorites. Unfortunately I don't think it's published anymore. I'm currently looking into locating the author online to see if she has any new books or if she wouldn't mind me sharing the information from this book here on the blog. It's called Eat it All and be Thin Forever by Glinda West.
The fourth book is a good one. It actually explains more than any of the others why dieting will, in most cases, eventually end in failure. It is called, Diets Don't Work by Dr. Bob Schwartz, Ph.D..
The fifth book is a follow up to Diets Don't Work and gives additional information on why dieting ultimately ends in failure. It is called Diets Still Don't Work by Bob Schwartz.
The sixth book is another of my favorites. I've read it over and over again. The format of this book is different from the others in that it's written not in paragraphs but in bullet points. It gives short, to the point explanations about 0-5 eating. It is called The Seven Secrets of Slim People by Vikki Hansen and Shawn Goodman.
The seventh book I read has been the most influential in getting me to understand how to use meditation/visualization for weight loss and how to love myself and my body unconditionally. It is called The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel.
There is one factor about The Gabriel Method that doesn't sit well with me, and that is his approach to what he eats. He really gets into healthy eating, which is wonderful, but it seems to me that it could easily be looked at as a diet. I love eating foods that make me feel good but if there is any chance that my mind thinks it's being forced to eat certain foods, my body will immediately rebel and I will start overeating. So in this book I skip over his food sections.
Most of the books I read have worksheets or assignments at the end of each chapter but I've never used them. I find that if I'm thinking about food or trying to keep track of every bite I take, it gives food too much power in my mind and I will overeat. I prefer to think about food only when my body gets physically hungry. The rest of my time is filled up with other activities and life...not food.
All of these books are quite a few years old. After so long of 0-5 eating, I've come to a point where I don't need to read them nearly as much as I used too. I'm sure you could find current books on this subject with a little research, but I wanted to get you a list of my books so that you have access to the same information that I've had and that I use everyday. Best wishes to you!
Monday, February 20, 2012
(31) My 90 Day Challenge Flop
Something interesting happened to me this past week. A friend of mine is starting a 90 day challenge to get into shape through dieting, supplementing, and exercise. I was invited to join in. I already know from past experience that dieting doesn't work for me. When I put restrictions and limitations on the food I can or cannot eat, I will inevitably end up binging. I already exercise regularly so I wasn't worried about that part of the challenge. Because of the big response from other people to the challenge, I wondered if maybe I was doing something wrong with 0-5 eating. Sadly this is a problem for me it seems, second guessing myself as far as 0-5 eating goes. I often find myself wondering if I'm really doing enough because 0-5 eating is so simple and feels really good. I decided to try my own modified version of the 90 day challenge. I figured I'd monitor my eating for 90 days and try to eat mostly healthy foods. That's it, all I was going to change for 90 days was to monitor my eating and try to eat more healthy. Now if I would've taken the time to really think about it, I'd have realized that I already eat this way, for the most part, without having to try because this is what my body wants and what makes my body feel good.
The first day of my 90 day challenge went really well. I measured my body. I don't own a scale and measuring has been my only way of monitoring my body size for many years now. I hadn't measured since last August and was happy to see that I'm pretty much at my average measurements already. I ate my regular 0-5 way but made sure not to eat what the dieting world considers "bad food". The second day, much to my surprise and dismay, I totally binged! And the third day I binged again! The fourth day, I gave up on my 90 day challenge.
I realized, yet again, that even the idea of monitoring my eating and weight loss will send me right back into the old diet mode that used to give me such grief and misery. I just can't live like that...I wont. I refuse to turn against my own body. Eating healthy and feeling good doesn't have to be a struggle or a fight. With 0-5 eating it happens all by itself...naturally. I know that certain foods will make my body feel just gross, but in diet mode I'll eat them anyway, binge on them, knowing that I'll feel terrible afterward and that my inner dialogue to myself will be downright abusive.
I have learned to love my body unconditionally. I've learned to listen to what my body wants and doesn't want to eat. Over time the forbidden foods lose their appeal. Healthy foods start tasting better and better and my body feels good after eating them so I want them more and more.
I absolutely love the freedom of 0-5 eating. I love that I can eat a couple pieces of chocolate or a few bites of cake and that's all I want. Any more would make me feel yucky. I love that I can look into a mirror and see the beauty within myself. I'm not a super model, but I don't need to be. And honestly, if I were to look like that, would I be intimidating to most people? Would I always be looking for attention from other men...and women? Would I worry about every single bite of food that I put into my mouth and if it would make me fat or not? I don't want a life like that. I want to be a good mother, and an amazing wife to my husband. I want to be a good daughter, grand-daughter, aunty, and friend. Having a perfect, flawless body wont make me any of these. Being in good shape feels good and this is my life long goal. To love me for me. To love my body exactly the way that it is at any given time. I want to live my whole life eating in such a way that I feel good inside...not yucky. I want to be in good shape because it just plain feels good. Living and eating 0-5 works for me and I love this lifestyle!
P.S. To my friend who has put together the 90 day challenge, I think its amazing what you're doing and how many people you're helping! It's awesome!! I love seeing how many people want to get in shape.
P.S.S. And To everyone who loves the challenge of a "90 day challenge", Do It! Love every second of it and be happy! I'm so excited for you and for how you're changing your lives and I wish you all the best! :)
The first day of my 90 day challenge went really well. I measured my body. I don't own a scale and measuring has been my only way of monitoring my body size for many years now. I hadn't measured since last August and was happy to see that I'm pretty much at my average measurements already. I ate my regular 0-5 way but made sure not to eat what the dieting world considers "bad food". The second day, much to my surprise and dismay, I totally binged! And the third day I binged again! The fourth day, I gave up on my 90 day challenge.
I realized, yet again, that even the idea of monitoring my eating and weight loss will send me right back into the old diet mode that used to give me such grief and misery. I just can't live like that...I wont. I refuse to turn against my own body. Eating healthy and feeling good doesn't have to be a struggle or a fight. With 0-5 eating it happens all by itself...naturally. I know that certain foods will make my body feel just gross, but in diet mode I'll eat them anyway, binge on them, knowing that I'll feel terrible afterward and that my inner dialogue to myself will be downright abusive.
I have learned to love my body unconditionally. I've learned to listen to what my body wants and doesn't want to eat. Over time the forbidden foods lose their appeal. Healthy foods start tasting better and better and my body feels good after eating them so I want them more and more.
I absolutely love the freedom of 0-5 eating. I love that I can eat a couple pieces of chocolate or a few bites of cake and that's all I want. Any more would make me feel yucky. I love that I can look into a mirror and see the beauty within myself. I'm not a super model, but I don't need to be. And honestly, if I were to look like that, would I be intimidating to most people? Would I always be looking for attention from other men...and women? Would I worry about every single bite of food that I put into my mouth and if it would make me fat or not? I don't want a life like that. I want to be a good mother, and an amazing wife to my husband. I want to be a good daughter, grand-daughter, aunty, and friend. Having a perfect, flawless body wont make me any of these. Being in good shape feels good and this is my life long goal. To love me for me. To love my body exactly the way that it is at any given time. I want to live my whole life eating in such a way that I feel good inside...not yucky. I want to be in good shape because it just plain feels good. Living and eating 0-5 works for me and I love this lifestyle!
P.S. To my friend who has put together the 90 day challenge, I think its amazing what you're doing and how many people you're helping! It's awesome!! I love seeing how many people want to get in shape.
P.S.S. And To everyone who loves the challenge of a "90 day challenge", Do It! Love every second of it and be happy! I'm so excited for you and for how you're changing your lives and I wish you all the best! :)
Monday, January 30, 2012
(30) The Key
In a previous post I mentioned how I have finally found The Key to my 0-5 eating success. I do not have the urge to eat for emotional reasons anymore. In fact, now there will be times when I feel like I should eat for emotional reasons, because I'm having "a moment" and that was how I used to deal with my moments. But the thought of actually eating food when I'm not physically hungry is just too gross. I'll feel restless and anxious inside but my mind now tells me that food wont help. I have to deal with these feelings in ways other than food because my mind and body are now rejecting the thought food when I'm not hungry. It's almost a gag reflex feeling to even think about non-hunger eating. I absolutely love this because for the first time in all of my 0-5 eating years, I don't have to fight the urge to eat for emotional reasons. I feel free!!
For a long time I was curious about hypnosis for weight loss but I was wary of trying it because the only hypnosis I'd ever seen was on a stage where people were doing crazy things, seemingly against their will. But after some research I learned that "Hypnosis is a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. Contrary to a popular misconception—that hypnosis is a form of unconsciousness resembling sleep—contemporary research suggests that hypnotic subjects are fully awake and are focusing attention, with a corresponding decrease in their peripheral awareness. Subjects also show an increased response to suggestions. Hypnotism is a state of physical relaxation accompanied and induced by mental concentration".
I decided to give it a try and I found a video on youtube by Paul McKenna. The video I used has since been removed, I think, but I found a new one this morning that looks good. The video is called, Paul McKenna - Overcome Emotional Eating Part 1 - I Can Make You Thin. There's also a part 2. I liked his original video a lot and would listen to it every night as I was falling to sleep. After a few weeks, I found that I didn't have a great desire to eat emotionally anymore. I enjoyed the hypnosis because it made me feel really calm, comfortable, relaxed and happy.
After a month of the same video every night, I felt the need for new material so I looked for and found a YouTube channel about meditations/visualizations called, Pathwaystopeak1. The man's name is David McGraw and he has a website: www.DavidMcGraw.org. This man has literally changed my whole life. I liked the hypnosis but for me, meditation/visualization is The Key.
Mr. McGraw guides you through such programs as: weight loss, uplifting your emotions, how to release anger, relaxation techniques, how to love yourself unconditionally, self esteem, how to make decisions, how to reach your goals, how to stop bad habits, and more. On his website you can download a free 22 day meditation course that teaches how to completely transform your life into amazing-ness! I just barely downloaded the 22 day course and I'm on day 3. I love it!! Never have I felt so good inside, so happy and full of life. I don't overeat anymore. I love my body and all of it's imperfections. I love my life and every single day that I get to live it. I'm so happy in my marriage. I'm full of love for life and people. I feel peace and I'm just so happy! I now do meditation/visualization every single day and I will for the rest of my life. There may be other ways of training your mind to reject emotional eating but this works for me. It's works fast. It's simple and enjoyable. If you don't like the video's I use, there are tons of them on youtube, or you can get books on how to meditate.
For a long time I was curious about hypnosis for weight loss but I was wary of trying it because the only hypnosis I'd ever seen was on a stage where people were doing crazy things, seemingly against their will. But after some research I learned that "Hypnosis is a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. Contrary to a popular misconception—that hypnosis is a form of unconsciousness resembling sleep—contemporary research suggests that hypnotic subjects are fully awake and are focusing attention, with a corresponding decrease in their peripheral awareness. Subjects also show an increased response to suggestions. Hypnotism is a state of physical relaxation accompanied and induced by mental concentration".
I decided to give it a try and I found a video on youtube by Paul McKenna. The video I used has since been removed, I think, but I found a new one this morning that looks good. The video is called, Paul McKenna - Overcome Emotional Eating Part 1 - I Can Make You Thin. There's also a part 2. I liked his original video a lot and would listen to it every night as I was falling to sleep. After a few weeks, I found that I didn't have a great desire to eat emotionally anymore. I enjoyed the hypnosis because it made me feel really calm, comfortable, relaxed and happy.
After a month of the same video every night, I felt the need for new material so I looked for and found a YouTube channel about meditations/visualizations called, Pathwaystopeak1. The man's name is David McGraw and he has a website: www.DavidMcGraw.org. This man has literally changed my whole life. I liked the hypnosis but for me, meditation/visualization is The Key.
Mr. McGraw guides you through such programs as: weight loss, uplifting your emotions, how to release anger, relaxation techniques, how to love yourself unconditionally, self esteem, how to make decisions, how to reach your goals, how to stop bad habits, and more. On his website you can download a free 22 day meditation course that teaches how to completely transform your life into amazing-ness! I just barely downloaded the 22 day course and I'm on day 3. I love it!! Never have I felt so good inside, so happy and full of life. I don't overeat anymore. I love my body and all of it's imperfections. I love my life and every single day that I get to live it. I'm so happy in my marriage. I'm full of love for life and people. I feel peace and I'm just so happy! I now do meditation/visualization every single day and I will for the rest of my life. There may be other ways of training your mind to reject emotional eating but this works for me. It's works fast. It's simple and enjoyable. If you don't like the video's I use, there are tons of them on youtube, or you can get books on how to meditate.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
(29) How "Life" Effects Weight
Over the years I've come to realize that my weight definitely fluctuates with my body's emotional state. When I started 0-5 eating in 2003 I was very content in my marriage and with my life. As the weight was coming off, I noticed that men were starting to pay attention to me. I began getting compliments and comments, and I really enjoyed it. I've always loved my husband but after 11 years of marriage, a part of me craved the newness and fireworks from younger years. I made some really crappy choices and almost lost my husband and my family.
Thankfully my 3rd pregnancy opened my eyes to how foolish I was being. Unfortunately some real damage had been done to my marriage and although my sweetheart forgave me, I had a hard time forgiving myself. I held onto my pain throughout my pregnancy and gained almost twice the weight gained in my previous pregnancies. I was depressed and wallowing around in my own self-pity for a long time, even after my daughter was born.
One day my husband said something to me that annoyed me like crazy but it really made me think. He said, "What are you getting out of feeling this way? I've forgiven you, it's over for me. Why are you holding onto this? It's doing something for you, I don't know if it's self-pity or negative attention from me but you're getting something from feeling this way. What is it?". I really had to dig deep and admit to myself that feeling down and not forgiving myself was in a way it's own kind of drug. And I was hooked. I made the choice to forgive myself and to let the past go. I returned to eating 0-5 and started losing weight.
In 2009 things got tough again. My husband's work wasn't going well and he was feeling his own depression. This really freaked me out because the atmosphere in our home felt like it did when I'd made those "crappy choices" earlier. I didn't want to feel helpless, afraid, and yucky again. For me, all "fear" feels pretty much the same no matter what it's origins are. Anxious, giant pit-in-my-stomach, crying a lot, nervous, agony... I decided that I wasn't going to feel yucky again. I selfishly shut my husband out. I wouldn't let him close to me and I wasn't supportive or understanding of how he felt and what he was going through. I told myself that if my husband wasn't going to be here to support me and help me feel better inside than I'd find friends that would. I also decided completely out of the blue to finish hair school. I didn't even talk to my husband about it (what???).
I was the oldest person at school. I felt like I had to be as small as possible to make up for my age and so that I'd get the most attention. I lost all my extra weight within a month. Thinking back now I realize that in my mind, I was in survival mode. My husband and I were not on the same wavelength and I was "searching" for someone to take care of me and my kids'. We almost separated that year because I was too afraid of feeling "fear and pain" again.
In January of 2011 our daughter was hospitalized for 15 days. During her time in hospital, I gained 15lbs. 15 pounds?!! How is that even possible? I gained one pound every day. I went in wearing my normal jeans and came out unable to even button them up. I know now that the weight gain came from not only the trauma of seeing my baby girl so sick, but also from me using food during that time to comfort myself. The days were long, she was in so much pain, I was all alone in that room for hours and hours at a time. Food was the only thing to look forward too so I kept myself pretty much stuffed through those 15 days. Yuck!
After she got out of hospital, life got back to normal. I started eating 0-5 again but this time the weight wasn't coming off like it usually does. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I was eating 0-5 and exercising...what was happening? This was when I found the book called "The Gabriel Method" by Jon Gabriel. Mr. Gabriel lost over 220lbs without dieting or surgery and his body shows almost no sign of ever having been obese. In his book he talks about how our bodies will hold onto extra weight as a coping or survival mechanism. I feel that my body was holding onto my extra weight because in the past when I've been "skinny", I've indulged in attention from other men causing a huge rift in my marriage. I would pull away from my husband and turn to "male friendships" outside of my marriage. I didn't want this to EVER happen again. My husband and I were going strong in our marriage. We were happy and I didn't want to lose "US". My body was holding onto the extra weight as a way to protect my marriage and my family. After I realized and understood what was happening with my body, I was able to take steps to eradicate my need for outside attention. It's not that I've been able to turn off my want for the attention, now I just plain ignore it. No amount of attention from outside my marriage is worth losing my husband and my family over.
It wasn't until I was able to train myself to feel "safe" and "unafraid" that 0-5 eating started working for me again. The extra weight is coming off and I'm happy with who I am and how my body looks. I'm happy in my marriage and feel pretty darn blessed with my life.
Two quotes that I really like are these:
"There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The failed experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately works."
by John Mcgraw
"Worrying is like praying for what you don't want."
Thankfully my 3rd pregnancy opened my eyes to how foolish I was being. Unfortunately some real damage had been done to my marriage and although my sweetheart forgave me, I had a hard time forgiving myself. I held onto my pain throughout my pregnancy and gained almost twice the weight gained in my previous pregnancies. I was depressed and wallowing around in my own self-pity for a long time, even after my daughter was born.
One day my husband said something to me that annoyed me like crazy but it really made me think. He said, "What are you getting out of feeling this way? I've forgiven you, it's over for me. Why are you holding onto this? It's doing something for you, I don't know if it's self-pity or negative attention from me but you're getting something from feeling this way. What is it?". I really had to dig deep and admit to myself that feeling down and not forgiving myself was in a way it's own kind of drug. And I was hooked. I made the choice to forgive myself and to let the past go. I returned to eating 0-5 and started losing weight.
In 2009 things got tough again. My husband's work wasn't going well and he was feeling his own depression. This really freaked me out because the atmosphere in our home felt like it did when I'd made those "crappy choices" earlier. I didn't want to feel helpless, afraid, and yucky again. For me, all "fear" feels pretty much the same no matter what it's origins are. Anxious, giant pit-in-my-stomach, crying a lot, nervous, agony... I decided that I wasn't going to feel yucky again. I selfishly shut my husband out. I wouldn't let him close to me and I wasn't supportive or understanding of how he felt and what he was going through. I told myself that if my husband wasn't going to be here to support me and help me feel better inside than I'd find friends that would. I also decided completely out of the blue to finish hair school. I didn't even talk to my husband about it (what???).
I was the oldest person at school. I felt like I had to be as small as possible to make up for my age and so that I'd get the most attention. I lost all my extra weight within a month. Thinking back now I realize that in my mind, I was in survival mode. My husband and I were not on the same wavelength and I was "searching" for someone to take care of me and my kids'. We almost separated that year because I was too afraid of feeling "fear and pain" again.
In January of 2011 our daughter was hospitalized for 15 days. During her time in hospital, I gained 15lbs. 15 pounds?!! How is that even possible? I gained one pound every day. I went in wearing my normal jeans and came out unable to even button them up. I know now that the weight gain came from not only the trauma of seeing my baby girl so sick, but also from me using food during that time to comfort myself. The days were long, she was in so much pain, I was all alone in that room for hours and hours at a time. Food was the only thing to look forward too so I kept myself pretty much stuffed through those 15 days. Yuck!
After she got out of hospital, life got back to normal. I started eating 0-5 again but this time the weight wasn't coming off like it usually does. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I was eating 0-5 and exercising...what was happening? This was when I found the book called "The Gabriel Method" by Jon Gabriel. Mr. Gabriel lost over 220lbs without dieting or surgery and his body shows almost no sign of ever having been obese. In his book he talks about how our bodies will hold onto extra weight as a coping or survival mechanism. I feel that my body was holding onto my extra weight because in the past when I've been "skinny", I've indulged in attention from other men causing a huge rift in my marriage. I would pull away from my husband and turn to "male friendships" outside of my marriage. I didn't want this to EVER happen again. My husband and I were going strong in our marriage. We were happy and I didn't want to lose "US". My body was holding onto the extra weight as a way to protect my marriage and my family. After I realized and understood what was happening with my body, I was able to take steps to eradicate my need for outside attention. It's not that I've been able to turn off my want for the attention, now I just plain ignore it. No amount of attention from outside my marriage is worth losing my husband and my family over.
It wasn't until I was able to train myself to feel "safe" and "unafraid" that 0-5 eating started working for me again. The extra weight is coming off and I'm happy with who I am and how my body looks. I'm happy in my marriage and feel pretty darn blessed with my life.
Two quotes that I really like are these:
"There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The failed experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately works."
by John Mcgraw
"Worrying is like praying for what you don't want."
Monday, January 9, 2012
(28) Starting up the blog again... It's time.
Hello dear readers!! I haven't posted anything new on this blog since 2009. In the past two years I've had many ups and downs in my weight loss journey. I've gained lots of insight on how to deal with emotional overeating. I have so much information that I want and need to share with you. There have been many requests for me to start writing again on this blog and I've known I needed too for awhile now. I know so many of you are struggling with your weight and I want to do all I can to help. So...I'm back!
In the past two years I have learned more about my eating habits, when I eat, how much I eat, how I feel when I overeat, how I feel when I eat 0-5, why my body sometimes hangs on to extra weight even when I'm eating 0-5. I've learned how traumas, trials in life, or unwise life choices can effect my weight. I'm happy to say that I think I've finally gotten this 0-5 eating thing figured out! Yay!
Over the past 6 months I've learned how to eat 0-5 all the time without much overeating or even worrying about overeating. And it feels SO GOOD!! My body could still shed another 10 lbs but I'm not worried about it. I'm happy with my body either at the weight it is now or if I lose more.
I want to share with you how I've come to love myself unconditionally, regardless of my weight or pants size. How I deal with pms eating (which I've found that during this time, my body will actually work against my hunger signals and overeating is pretty much inevitable...lame).
I've learned more about which foods will make me feel like doo-doo and which foods will make me feel good inside. I've done hypnosis for 0-5 eating. This worked really well and then I tried guided visualizations and I've found that they work even better for me! In fact visualizing is pretty much the key to my 0-5 eating success!
I've learned how jealousy of another persons weight loss can completely throw my own mindset into a tailspin. I've learned how to deal with that jealousy, put it in it's place and move on to feeling good about who I am, how my body looks, and how I want to feel about myself.
I've realized that learning to be "naturally thin" is less of a "plan" to follow, and more of a "journey" to take. It's a lifestyle that is free from dieting, counting calories, feeling guilty, and disliking oneself. It is freedom and happiness and feeling good inside and out. It has taken me years to learn to be "naturally thin" and to live as a naturally thin person without having setbacks and knowing that there are no "mess ups" or "blowing its". There are only learning moments that teach me more and more about my body and how my body works.
I'm hoping that by sharing all of the information I know, it wont take you years to figure out your "naturally thin" journey and that I'll be able to help you get to a place where you don't feel out of control with food anymore. You wont care about food anymore unless/until your body gets hungry. Eating food will become something that you can't even make yourself do when your body isn't hungry because when you're not hungry, food is just gross!
You have to learn your own body. What are your body's likes and dislikes? When should you eat? How much should you eat? When should you stop eating? How much is too much food? How can you stop emotional overeating, and evening overeating? We all have different lives, circumstances, habits, lifestyles, and backgrounds. I can tell you what works for me in my life, what I do to live as a "naturally thin" person and how I've learned to love myself unconditionally. I'm hopeful that my knowledge of 0-5 eating can then work for you in your life as you figure out how your own body works and how 0-5 eating can work for you.
I'm so excited to share what I know...and I admit I'm kind of nervous because I want so much for you to have the same success with 0-5 eating that I'm having. I hope that I can convey my knowledge in such a way that you understand. I'm excited to be here with you through your journey to living as a "naturally thin" person. I'll be here posting, answering your questions, and doing my best to help you however I can. So, let the journey begin...again. ;)
In the past two years I have learned more about my eating habits, when I eat, how much I eat, how I feel when I overeat, how I feel when I eat 0-5, why my body sometimes hangs on to extra weight even when I'm eating 0-5. I've learned how traumas, trials in life, or unwise life choices can effect my weight. I'm happy to say that I think I've finally gotten this 0-5 eating thing figured out! Yay!
Over the past 6 months I've learned how to eat 0-5 all the time without much overeating or even worrying about overeating. And it feels SO GOOD!! My body could still shed another 10 lbs but I'm not worried about it. I'm happy with my body either at the weight it is now or if I lose more.
I want to share with you how I've come to love myself unconditionally, regardless of my weight or pants size. How I deal with pms eating (which I've found that during this time, my body will actually work against my hunger signals and overeating is pretty much inevitable...lame).
I've learned more about which foods will make me feel like doo-doo and which foods will make me feel good inside. I've done hypnosis for 0-5 eating. This worked really well and then I tried guided visualizations and I've found that they work even better for me! In fact visualizing is pretty much the key to my 0-5 eating success!
I've learned how jealousy of another persons weight loss can completely throw my own mindset into a tailspin. I've learned how to deal with that jealousy, put it in it's place and move on to feeling good about who I am, how my body looks, and how I want to feel about myself.
I've realized that learning to be "naturally thin" is less of a "plan" to follow, and more of a "journey" to take. It's a lifestyle that is free from dieting, counting calories, feeling guilty, and disliking oneself. It is freedom and happiness and feeling good inside and out. It has taken me years to learn to be "naturally thin" and to live as a naturally thin person without having setbacks and knowing that there are no "mess ups" or "blowing its". There are only learning moments that teach me more and more about my body and how my body works.
I'm hoping that by sharing all of the information I know, it wont take you years to figure out your "naturally thin" journey and that I'll be able to help you get to a place where you don't feel out of control with food anymore. You wont care about food anymore unless/until your body gets hungry. Eating food will become something that you can't even make yourself do when your body isn't hungry because when you're not hungry, food is just gross!
You have to learn your own body. What are your body's likes and dislikes? When should you eat? How much should you eat? When should you stop eating? How much is too much food? How can you stop emotional overeating, and evening overeating? We all have different lives, circumstances, habits, lifestyles, and backgrounds. I can tell you what works for me in my life, what I do to live as a "naturally thin" person and how I've learned to love myself unconditionally. I'm hopeful that my knowledge of 0-5 eating can then work for you in your life as you figure out how your own body works and how 0-5 eating can work for you.
I'm so excited to share what I know...and I admit I'm kind of nervous because I want so much for you to have the same success with 0-5 eating that I'm having. I hope that I can convey my knowledge in such a way that you understand. I'm excited to be here with you through your journey to living as a "naturally thin" person. I'll be here posting, answering your questions, and doing my best to help you however I can. So, let the journey begin...again. ;)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
(27) What Foods Should You Eat?
With 0-5 you eat exactly what you want to eat. But sometimes it's hard to know exactly what you want. Listening to your body's cravings can be harder than it sounds. How do you know for sure what your body really wants/needs? Are you recognizing your body's actual cravings or do you eat certain foods thinking it's a craving when it's really a food that is only filling an emotional void in your life at that moment? I've learned over the years to rate my food. Ensuring that the foods I am eating are as close as possible to my body's actual cravings. There are basically three different ratings I give all foods. They are: Pleasing, Teasing, and Garbage.
Pleasing foods are the foods that you love most of all. The foods you start thinking about and desiring long before you see them or smell them. You crave them from deep down inside yourself. They're so good to you and when you eat them, you feel absolute body satisfaction. These foods are very specific and they are continually changing. If you've ever watched a naturally thin person eat, you'll see that they are annoyingly picky when it comes to what they will and what they wont eat.
My best friend from high school was like this. She has always been naturally thin. I was always jealous of how she could eat anything and stay thin. I remember on two occasions watching the way she ate and being quite surprised.
One morning we were eating homemade pancakes and she started picking off the little tiny crusty lumps of batter that had strayed away from the actual pancake but stuck to the sides of it. She said she didn't like those. My mouth hit the floor. Weren't the crusties just part of the pancake? Also, she liked Spaghettios but didn't like regular spaghetti. I couldn't understand this way of thinking then. Now I see that she was listening to her body and eating only the foods that were pleasing to her body.
A few of my own "pleasing" foods are lobster tail, crab legs and calamari. Big thick chunks of calamari. Especially those from a restaurant in Pueblo called Giacamo's. And I have to have fresh lemon squeezed all over it. I also love the chicken salad croissants that are served at wedding receptions. But not if it has fruit in it. Or if it does have fruit, I don't want to taste the fruit as fruit. I want it to add to the chicken salad flavor. My mom's chicken salad croissants are heaven in my mouth!
Teasing foods are the foods we grab when we're not really hungry but feel the need to nosh on something. When our emotions seem too much to deal with so we want to bury them under food. Teasing foods are easy to get and in our minds they taste better than they actually taste in our mouths. We don't think about them unless or until we hear, see, or smell them. They are basically "fillers". For me, classic "teasing" foods are Ding Dongs, chips, white bread, non-beef hot dogs... I like and want a couple bites of these foods once in awhile but any more than a couple bites will always make my body feel gross. And by the way, any food can become a "teasing" food. Our most "pleasing" food turns into a "teasing" food the moment we eat it past a 5. After you hit a 5, any more is just "filler", which makes us feel like yuck inside.
Garbage foods are just what they sound like, absolutely disgusting. The thought of them makes you want to gag. They don't taste good in any way shape or form. They're either too fatty, too salty, too sugary, too starchy, too blah.. We eat them and wonder why we just put ourselves through that torture. All of us have different "garbage" foods. Some of mine are bbq chips, doughnuts (most of the time), the fake sausage on pizza, Cheese Nips and any kind of candy. I'm a salt girl, I have to have my salt. I don't care for sugar too much but I do love my chocolate.
You want to be eating the "pleasing" foods as often as possible. You will always feel more satisfied if you eat foods that your body wants. This is one of the many reasons diets don't work. The foods you eat for a diet are all "teasing" foods. Skinless bland chicken, dressing-less salad, large amounts of plain carrot sticks... good sometimes but when eaten by force, boring, bland, and restricting.
When you you eat 0-5 and eat only the "pleasing" foods that make your body feel good, you'll find that eating will always be a satisfying experience. When you stop at a 5, you'll feel light and energetic and...naturally thin!
Pleasing foods are the foods that you love most of all. The foods you start thinking about and desiring long before you see them or smell them. You crave them from deep down inside yourself. They're so good to you and when you eat them, you feel absolute body satisfaction. These foods are very specific and they are continually changing. If you've ever watched a naturally thin person eat, you'll see that they are annoyingly picky when it comes to what they will and what they wont eat.
My best friend from high school was like this. She has always been naturally thin. I was always jealous of how she could eat anything and stay thin. I remember on two occasions watching the way she ate and being quite surprised.
One morning we were eating homemade pancakes and she started picking off the little tiny crusty lumps of batter that had strayed away from the actual pancake but stuck to the sides of it. She said she didn't like those. My mouth hit the floor. Weren't the crusties just part of the pancake? Also, she liked Spaghettios but didn't like regular spaghetti. I couldn't understand this way of thinking then. Now I see that she was listening to her body and eating only the foods that were pleasing to her body.
A few of my own "pleasing" foods are lobster tail, crab legs and calamari. Big thick chunks of calamari. Especially those from a restaurant in Pueblo called Giacamo's. And I have to have fresh lemon squeezed all over it. I also love the chicken salad croissants that are served at wedding receptions. But not if it has fruit in it. Or if it does have fruit, I don't want to taste the fruit as fruit. I want it to add to the chicken salad flavor. My mom's chicken salad croissants are heaven in my mouth!
Teasing foods are the foods we grab when we're not really hungry but feel the need to nosh on something. When our emotions seem too much to deal with so we want to bury them under food. Teasing foods are easy to get and in our minds they taste better than they actually taste in our mouths. We don't think about them unless or until we hear, see, or smell them. They are basically "fillers". For me, classic "teasing" foods are Ding Dongs, chips, white bread, non-beef hot dogs... I like and want a couple bites of these foods once in awhile but any more than a couple bites will always make my body feel gross. And by the way, any food can become a "teasing" food. Our most "pleasing" food turns into a "teasing" food the moment we eat it past a 5. After you hit a 5, any more is just "filler", which makes us feel like yuck inside.
Garbage foods are just what they sound like, absolutely disgusting. The thought of them makes you want to gag. They don't taste good in any way shape or form. They're either too fatty, too salty, too sugary, too starchy, too blah.. We eat them and wonder why we just put ourselves through that torture. All of us have different "garbage" foods. Some of mine are bbq chips, doughnuts (most of the time), the fake sausage on pizza, Cheese Nips and any kind of candy. I'm a salt girl, I have to have my salt. I don't care for sugar too much but I do love my chocolate.
You want to be eating the "pleasing" foods as often as possible. You will always feel more satisfied if you eat foods that your body wants. This is one of the many reasons diets don't work. The foods you eat for a diet are all "teasing" foods. Skinless bland chicken, dressing-less salad, large amounts of plain carrot sticks... good sometimes but when eaten by force, boring, bland, and restricting.
When you you eat 0-5 and eat only the "pleasing" foods that make your body feel good, you'll find that eating will always be a satisfying experience. When you stop at a 5, you'll feel light and energetic and...naturally thin!
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