Minerva
...we're sinking deeper.
I finally feel that I can join this forum, emotionally. I have gone through my ups and downs with this whole eating thing, learned from my mistakes, and I guess, pretty confident that I know how to do it now.
Don't get me wrong... Maintaining is hard work. It's easy as well, extremely so. But only once you really figure it all out. Genetically, I believe I am one of the people who are 'predestined' to lay down and store higher levels of body fat than others. On an evolutionary scale, we are the ones who would survive the times of famine to keep the species going. Knowing this, I know that my body calls for me to have more. And indeed, I find that I get very hungry, a lot of the time. Every day, is a fight against my chemical impulses. In some ways, I know that it will be for the rest of my life.
In other body chemistry ways, my leptin levels (chemical which regulates the feeling of 'satiety' and trasmits this to the brain) are also extremely out of whack. This is the first time in my life that my BMI is below 30. So, naturally, some chemical processes will take years to readjust, especially since I've never actually had 'normal' BMI at all before. I know I have a few difficult "hungry" years ahead of me. I am prepared.
Knowing these factors, and also being able to judge 'emotional hunger', and knowing that I should NOT be hungry any sooner than about 3 hours after eating any meal - it is easy to know when it is appropriate to eat. I also now know portion size... I physically cannot handle a lot. I hate the feeling of 'bursting'. Even being full is problematic, and it honestly doesn't take a lot to reach satisfaction. When I'm very very very hungry - I know that while I may WANT a HUUUUGEEEE plate of something - I know that my stomach has NOT magically expanded to allow more food 'just' because I'm 'starving'! A bowl of soup, regardless of how unsatisfying it looks at first - will and DOES fill me up quite nicely.
I love food, I love the different flavours. But I also know that a little bit is all I need. To taste it, and to leave it after it doesn't give me any more satisfaction. Knowing how to stop and not eat for the sake of eating. I mean, have a piece of cake. Have a bite, get that wonderful sensation hit, and leave the rest. Because it's true. Nothing is as powerful as the first bite! If I get given something, and it doesn't live up to my expectations, I stop eating it straight away. What's the point otherwise?
I dunno. Food is only food. I have 'hungry days' every day. I WANT to eat. But I don't. It's easy to go into the kitchen and binge, which is what I used to do. But I CHOOSE not to this time, that's the difference. I used to think that I had no control. I used to think that someone, something else made me do it. A bad day, a bad argument, snide remark, illness, pain... whatever. Those are excuses, and not valid reasons to use food as a comfort. ... Food is never to be used in that way. Food is not a reward either. It's a wonderful treat we use to keep our bodies ticking. We should enjoy it for the sheer pleasure, a few times per day (and ONLY at those times). Never for any particular reason, other than that we are hungry.
On rare occasions, it's not bad to have a treat though. But it should never be a 'weekly' thing. I don't agree with the 20/80 lifestyle, because it's too 'routine' like. It works for some people, but it doesn't work for me - because of one simple thing. I'm a creature of comfort and routine. Once something becomes a scheduled event (i.e. weekends become 'food free' days or some silly thing) this can lead to exuses to have more, or for it to start spilling over into the weekdays. ...
All in all - all good things in moderation. Live my life in a healthy way, every day, regardless. If an event comes up, have a little treat, but know how to control yourself and be able to stop when necessary. There is NEVER an excuse to over-do anything. NEVER let anyone else tell you what you should, or should not do. Just because someone is giving you a plate with cake on it, doesn't mean you need to accept it. You have the choice to say no if you don't want it. ...
I feel powerful when I say no. Yet I feel even MORE powerful when I say yes, and am able to stop when I want to. Have a bite, leave the rest. That is true power.
I wish you all a wonderful week ahead, and I really do wish this snow and freezing weather would go away... living without any body-fat kind of sucks! No matter how many layers I have on, I am still freezing half to death, I wonder how people cope?
Don't get me wrong... Maintaining is hard work. It's easy as well, extremely so. But only once you really figure it all out. Genetically, I believe I am one of the people who are 'predestined' to lay down and store higher levels of body fat than others. On an evolutionary scale, we are the ones who would survive the times of famine to keep the species going. Knowing this, I know that my body calls for me to have more. And indeed, I find that I get very hungry, a lot of the time. Every day, is a fight against my chemical impulses. In some ways, I know that it will be for the rest of my life.
In other body chemistry ways, my leptin levels (chemical which regulates the feeling of 'satiety' and trasmits this to the brain) are also extremely out of whack. This is the first time in my life that my BMI is below 30. So, naturally, some chemical processes will take years to readjust, especially since I've never actually had 'normal' BMI at all before. I know I have a few difficult "hungry" years ahead of me. I am prepared.
Knowing these factors, and also being able to judge 'emotional hunger', and knowing that I should NOT be hungry any sooner than about 3 hours after eating any meal - it is easy to know when it is appropriate to eat. I also now know portion size... I physically cannot handle a lot. I hate the feeling of 'bursting'. Even being full is problematic, and it honestly doesn't take a lot to reach satisfaction. When I'm very very very hungry - I know that while I may WANT a HUUUUGEEEE plate of something - I know that my stomach has NOT magically expanded to allow more food 'just' because I'm 'starving'! A bowl of soup, regardless of how unsatisfying it looks at first - will and DOES fill me up quite nicely.
I love food, I love the different flavours. But I also know that a little bit is all I need. To taste it, and to leave it after it doesn't give me any more satisfaction. Knowing how to stop and not eat for the sake of eating. I mean, have a piece of cake. Have a bite, get that wonderful sensation hit, and leave the rest. Because it's true. Nothing is as powerful as the first bite! If I get given something, and it doesn't live up to my expectations, I stop eating it straight away. What's the point otherwise?
I dunno. Food is only food. I have 'hungry days' every day. I WANT to eat. But I don't. It's easy to go into the kitchen and binge, which is what I used to do. But I CHOOSE not to this time, that's the difference. I used to think that I had no control. I used to think that someone, something else made me do it. A bad day, a bad argument, snide remark, illness, pain... whatever. Those are excuses, and not valid reasons to use food as a comfort. ... Food is never to be used in that way. Food is not a reward either. It's a wonderful treat we use to keep our bodies ticking. We should enjoy it for the sheer pleasure, a few times per day (and ONLY at those times). Never for any particular reason, other than that we are hungry.
On rare occasions, it's not bad to have a treat though. But it should never be a 'weekly' thing. I don't agree with the 20/80 lifestyle, because it's too 'routine' like. It works for some people, but it doesn't work for me - because of one simple thing. I'm a creature of comfort and routine. Once something becomes a scheduled event (i.e. weekends become 'food free' days or some silly thing) this can lead to exuses to have more, or for it to start spilling over into the weekdays. ...
All in all - all good things in moderation. Live my life in a healthy way, every day, regardless. If an event comes up, have a little treat, but know how to control yourself and be able to stop when necessary. There is NEVER an excuse to over-do anything. NEVER let anyone else tell you what you should, or should not do. Just because someone is giving you a plate with cake on it, doesn't mean you need to accept it. You have the choice to say no if you don't want it. ...
I feel powerful when I say no. Yet I feel even MORE powerful when I say yes, and am able to stop when I want to. Have a bite, leave the rest. That is true power.
I wish you all a wonderful week ahead, and I really do wish this snow and freezing weather would go away... living without any body-fat kind of sucks! No matter how many layers I have on, I am still freezing half to death, I wonder how people cope?