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Canada - A Fat Nation
This week, in many of Canada’s papers, was a series of articles on the obesity epidemic in Canada. The final part of the series, included an interview with Gail Waller, the woman who contributed a piece to our very own “A Weighty Issue” - November. In this newsletter, Gail chronicles her loss of 100lbs and then the struggle to not regain, unsuccessfully, the weight. Gail to date has added 30lbs to her frame, but still fights the fight. That we know and applaud her for. (http://tinyurl.com/yb3wst)
The series chronicled a man who had gastric bypass surgery, overweight teens attending a fat camp, people who lost and regained some…but no successful losers (regardless of how they lost weight). Why not?
In the last article, it mentioned a professor from Ryerson University claiming that it takes near obsessive behaviour, 1300 calories/day, excessive weighing and 1 hour or more of cardio/workouts per day.
WRONG.
I’m not obsessive, I’m aware. I weigh myself weekly, absolutely. I have a 4lbs range and if I get out of that range, I nip it in the bud, now. I didn’t ever weigh myself before and look where that got me - to an overwhelming 320lbs. People ask all the time how I got that big. Here it is in a nutshell - I ate what I wanted, never moved my body and never, ever weighed myself. That’s how.
I do exercise - 5 times per week, for at least 45 min. I run, I play volleyball, I park my car far away and walk to the store, I walk my dog, I ride my bike. Not to lose weight, but to be HEALTHY. You see, that’s why people put on their weight again. This is not about denying yourself food for a period of time. This is about making healthy choices because you want to be HEALTHY….and making those choices everyday.
I have no idea the calorie count of what I eat. I eat whole grains, lean meats, lots of fruit and veggies. I drink milk. I enjoy 2 coffees everyday. I drink water because it makes exercising easier when I’m hydrated and it’s good for me. I stop eating when I’m satisfied - not full. That requires that I pay attention to my body. I listen. I’m okay with one serving.
I’m not always successful. Sometimes I’m just plain hungry, angry, lonely or tired and the food wins. Guess what? The next day I pick myself up, dust myself off and move on.
That’s what makes a successful loser. Be aware. Be forgiving. Love yourself. Learn. Know that you are worth the effort. Spread the word that it can be done….IT CAN.
“A candle lighting another loses nothing”.
Filed under: Thoughts — Stephanie @ 12:47 pm
If you are going to doubt something….doubt your limits
As the holidays approach, I’m reminded of a number of issues that cause me angst during the season.
I’m an emotional eater. Even though I’ve lost 160lbs and work to successfully maintain that, I’m still an emotional eater. This weekend, I head back to my family home for a birthday celebration for my Father. Normally a joyous occasion, this one already has me uptight.
Why? Because being around my family drives me to eat. I revert to being an awkward, overweight, insecure 14year old girl around them. (In my family, I was the smart one, the girl with a pretty face (shame about the rest of you…comment was frequently heard)) Every remark seems like a barb. Every long stare from my Mother feels like judgement about my hair, clothes, body. Every question seems like a condescending intrusion. Issues? Absolutely. So, what am I going to do to deal with this?
Before my wellness initiative, I followed the old adage “Don’t talk with your mouth full” - and took it quite literally. I kept my mouth full the entire time I was around my family. Worked well, so I thought. I comforted myself with food…kept those awful insecurities at bay..and then it backfired with feelings of extreme guilt and anxiety.
Geneen Roth (www.geneenroth.com) writes in this months Prevention Magazine about some of the emotional triggers that set us off over the holidays. She refers to this trigger as “going home makes you act like a child”. Never to be considered an “underachiever”, I also fit the bill as a person who is “surrounded by tempting food”. It is, after all, a birthday celebration.
To deal with the first trigger, Ms. Roth suggests reminding yourself that you are an adult. How am I going to do this? I’m going to surround myself with my children and husband. I’m going to wear my wedding rings as a reminder, an anchor of my adult self. I’m also going to spend time with my husband by going out on Friday night. It’ll keep me in the “now” - a healthy and positive adult relationship. Dear Hubby and I will make a trip to the grocery store for healthy food choices. We will also contribute to the party food Saturday night by making healthy dips/veggies, pitas and fruit for the special occassion.
As an emotional eater, the first step to reconciliation is recognition. This is what I do when I’m in this circumstance. How do I deal with this? While in conversation yesterday with a life coach, I asked her about emotional eating. She said one thing in particular that really stood out as a tool in how to deal with this. She asked me “Who were you/where were you at when you WEREN’t using food to cope with your emotions?” Answer that.
I wasn’t tired, stressed and overwhelmed. I felt strong and fit physically, emotionally and mentally. I felt confidence and security in my body, my mind and my role within in family, society. When I’m not emotionally eating, I smile, I laugh, I breathe, I forgive and move on.
This weekend, that’s my short term goal - to take with me and keep with me the grown up/adult Stephanie.
Filed under: Thoughts — Stephanie @ 1:59 pm
The Gift of Time
It’s been a week since I last blogged. I had the gift of time and I had my soul fix.
The journey to becoming healthy, physically, emotionally, spiritually can be very selfish at times. It requires that you take the time out of your busy lives as men and women, employees, partners, husband & wives, mothers and fathers and do some work on just you, for you.
Last weekend I travelled to Vancouver Island for my annual girls getaway. It’s at a spa and I travel there with my high school girlfriends. Yes, it’s wonderfully indulgent - massages and facials, hottubbing and good food. It is also the gift of time to myself. (www.kingfisherspa.com)
In this month’s newsletter, I refer to the process it takes to get to a healthy weight and space in your life. I outline that you must have a) clear and precise intention b) action c) feedback and d) honest assessment. This requires time. Time to just you. For me, it means peace and quiet.
My annual trip gives me this time to reflect on my previous year. Where am I in my getting healthy journey? What do I want to improve upon? What do I need to let go of? How am I going to do this? Can I break it down to steps? What worked this year? What didn’t? How do I feel? Am I strong and healthy, focused and confident? Am I unsure? Am I at peace with my decisions?
I could answer these questions as I ran along side the coast, while I was getting my massage, or relaxing during my facial. My world was quiet then - no cellphone, no computer, no tv. It was the “gift of time” for honest reflection.
On the Saturday night, I commented to my girlfriends that it was daylight savings time…and my one girlfriend Jean - a busy Mom and very successful businesswoman exclaimed - “The gift of time - an extra hour”. Such a wonderful and rare commodity in our busy lives!
On Sunday, after a wonderful workout in the gym, breakfast and laughter with my dear friends, we quietly loaded into the airport shuttle for our respective flights home. My one friend expressed how happy she was to be going home to see her family. I was quiet. I love my family, but I was not quite done with my reflecting and assessment. I quietly admitted that I could use one more day. My friend Jean admitted the same. No guilt just the truth. We both needed more time.
At the airport we stood in line. Quiet. The agents at the counter were frantically working at the computer and when Jean and I arrived at the desk, they announced that Calgary flights had been cancelled and we would have to stay another day. We whooped - “The gift of time!”.
The gift of time; precious, meaningful and necessary. On your journey, make sure you give yourself the gift of time so that you are able to give yourself the most honest and courageous assessment of what IS working and what IS NOT working at making you healthy.
Filed under: Thoughts — Stephanie @ 12:29 pm
