5 Words Improving My Relationship to Food

I like food. Like many folks, sometimes I use it in unhealthy ways like to numb emotions or celebrate something good in my life. 
Mindless eating is something I have noticed myself doing more in the last few months as I have started to live on my own. My weight has been up a bit, nothing huge, but more noticeable is how I feel when I acknowledge my relationship with food feels off.

So last Monday after my weekly Weight Watchers meeting, I decided to do something to help me stay more focused and accountable in the coming week.
I came home and drew up two signs, one for the fridge and one on the cupboard that holds most of the snack items. The notes said: "Am I really even hungry? Food is my Fuel."
Am I really even hungry?  Yup, 5 simple little words. 
Forcing myself to at least ask the question before I sit down with peanut butter and crackers for an evening catches me, and makes me think. Asking if your body really is hungry can bring awareness to the times and reasons why you eat mindlessly. 
I've started noticing more that if a show has a lot of food scenes or eating, I'll find myself thinking I "need" a snack; like the snack almost helps me enjoy the show more or something which is not true. I also have a history of mindlessly eating when there are unprocessed, big feelings swimming around; so that's a red flag I need to stop, journal, and get the emotional vomit out of my mind.
Getting more into running, I also enjoy looking at food from the perspective that food is fuel for my body, like gasoline to a car. The right fuel helps me feel good about myself and uses my body to its highest potential. Crashing on sea salt granola bars with peanut butter or mindless eating doesn't help me fuel my body properly.
Sketch up some notes on brightly colored paper. Use sharpie markers if that's you thing. Set some reminders for yourself to help you check in with yourself to see if you're eating because you're hungry or maybe "just because."
You can do hard things. Whether its re-aligning your own relationship to food or starting to exercise regularly. 
All good things in life take hard work and focus.
You can do this :)

15 Things Running Has Taught Me

Happy National Running Day! I thoroughly enjoy this day falls 2 days before national doughnut day...which is the real reason I run ;-) #themoreyouknow
It was about this time last year I started running and have stuck with it since then. Sometimes I am still amazed I have stuck with it, because my track record of exercise and I has not been that great. But here I am; already on my second pair of running shoes and marking October 18 on my calendar for the Detroit half marathon.
Last year I started out slow. Now I am little less slow.
So here's a little love to something that has helped me love myself better and taught me a lot the last 365 days...

1. Self-confidence  2. A reason to use all those work-out pants and tops I've bought over the years 3. An opportunity to stretch myself physically and work hard for a goal that matters to me 4. The ability to memorize all types of music, from musical soundtracks to hip hop... 5. More acceptance of my body and physical appearance than I've ever had in my entire life 6. 'Me time'...Teaching me the importance of self-care and that it's not selfish to take care of my health and body as much as I would my soul and spiritual life 7. A way to take of my body that I actually enjoy 8. A stronger body 9. A lot of practice at healthy, positive self-talk 10. The importance of chasing dreams (even if they feel impossible at times) and working hard for goals that matter to me 11. To NEVER give up on myself 12. All kinds of new information to help me reach my full potential

13. Why and how the food I eat matters 14. How to prioritize taking care of myself 15. I can do anything I set my mind to with hard work


Any of you into running? Do you have any tips or tricks to keep you focused on your fitness goals?

Happy running!

Getting fit.

I am learning healthy living is two-fold thing: exercise and healthy eating.  In the past, ol' exercise and I have not been to good of friends.  Do you have those awkward relatives you see only at holidays several times a year that you just never seem to get along with?  Well for a long time that has been me and exercise, until recently...

It really would...

On Mother's Day I did a 5K walk/run with my Mom and sister for
ovarian cancer in support of my aunt who was recently diagnosed.  Participating in that really struck a chord within me in terms of taking care of myself and getting healthy.

May 19th I decided to start running with Couch-to-5K and just this week I finished it.  I have NEVER in my life stuck with exercise this long.  I am pleasantly surprised how much I like running and how good it makes me feel...who'd of thunk exercise was good for you?! Apparently, I never read that memo.

With Couch-to-5K I have been running 3 times a week, and now that I'm done I want to keep doing it.  I have decided to set some goals for myself in terms of getting and staying fit.  This fall I want to run in a couple 5K's.  On Mother's Day, I want to run in the same race I did last year with my Mom and sister, only this time as a 10K.  In 2015 to commemorate the big 30, I want to run the Detroit half marathon.
Eeekkk.  I am really really excited to challenge myself like this, because now I am believing I can actually do this craziness.

I have "perfected" many a diets over the years, but never saw the importance of taking care of myself by staying in shape.  Growing up, I was well known to complain that I didn't like to sweat.  I know, I know, weird and strange because lets face it we all sweat...but it felt nasty and gross to me.  So why on earth would I want to exercise?!
Its crazy now because after a good run, I don't really mind the sweat.  I am eagerly saving away for a kick a$# pair of running shoes (hope I make you proud Dave Ramsey), trying to find good socks that won't give my tootsies blisters, and researching the best stretching techniques.

What better way to celebrate exiting my 20's than a half marathon??  Well maybe winning the lottery or going to Ireland again would be a smidge cooler...but physical fitness isn't a bad option either.

October 2015. 13.1 miles...I'm coming for ya!!!

Nobody got fat from too many banana's

One of the leaders at a recent Weight Watcher meeting told this to our Monday night crew:  "Nobody ends up at Weight Watchers from eating too many banana's or over-doing it on the low-fat salad dressing.  We're all here because somewhere along the way, our relationship with food got out of hand."

My relationship with food has been an interesting one.  For one, I like food.  I am fan of eating; especially sweets.  I can remember the first time I thought I was fat.  I have done a fair share of diets and work-out gimmicks in my almost 29 years.  Towards the end of high school, I did the Atkins Diet and got down to my lowest weight ever at 145-140 pounds.  I thrived on no carbs all the time.  I used babysitting money to go to the health food store to buy low carb bars and treats. 

My parents started getting worried, and I can still remember the night they sat me down and said I needed to start eating a more balanced diet.  I was devastated.  I did not have a healthy relationship with food, and it didn't help I just got a job at Panera working in the bakery; the pounds quickly piled on.  I didn't know how to interact with food in a healthy way.  When at my highest weight in college at 195 lbs I knew my relationship with food was off.way.off. 

So I decided to start the new year right by heading to Weight Watchers.  After loosing 35 pounds, I felt I was turning a corner.  I was starting to learn about what a healthy relationship with food looked like.  My clothes fit better, I felt more confidant, and how I viewed food was changing.

Fast forward to the present-July 2014.  Since loosing (and still maintaining!) the weight lost almost 8 years ago, I have been getting lazy in staying committed to being healthy.  I quit going to weekly WW meetings and would honestly rather eat dirt than exercise.  I wasn't tracking my points and my weight loss had really fizzled out.

About a month ago, I read a great book by Jennifer Hudson (American Idol turned WW spokesperson) and it was a kick-in-the-butt I needed to wake up and realize why I wasn't where I wanted to be with my health; because I stopped caring and wasn't making it a priority.

I decided to start going to weekly WW meetings again.  I need that accountability.  AND I added the dreaded e word into my life; exercise.

 

I detested exercise something FIERCE.  Sure, I would have occasional stints of "gyming it up" but nothing seriously committed to staying fit.  So this time I decided to go big or go home; which for me meant take up running.  

Since May, I have been training with Couch to 5K and surprise, surprise am actually really loving it?!  Folks.  I have NEVER stuck with any type o' exercise this long in my life.  I just finished week 5 and after week 8 I graduate to being able to run 3.1 miles.  Saturday I just ran 20 minutes straight. for the first time.since high school.   I probably looked like a complete fool dancing around and fist pumping it up afterwards, but it didn't phase me one bit.  I felt so proud of myself for doing something I never thought I could do.  I have pushed and stretched myself a little more each week; and its paying off in more ways than one.

Running three times a week along with tracking my WW points and staying accountable for what I eat is helping me get back on track.  I have never liked the word 'diet'.  For me it screams deprivation, non-tasty food,  and is very limiting.  I'm thinking Teresa would agree with me.

For me it wasn't all them banana's that made me gain weight.  I stopped caring.  I emotionally ate.  I wasn't thinking about what I was putting in my mouth or if I was even hungry.  This is no longer about finding the right diet.  I am so done with that crazy making.  Exercise and WW are becoming a lifestyle plan for me.


As I have gotten older, I am slowly learning to be more gentle and patient with myself...learning how important it is to care for my physical body as much I would my spiritual health. 


And amid all the ice cream, cake, banana's and low-fat salad dressing that bit of truth is so.so. good for my soul.