We have all been through our share of losses. The pain of losing someone very close is not something one can describe in words. People talk about moving on, letting go, about making peace within, not holding on to any pain, so on and so forth. (more…)
A friend with whom I shared my food log (www.myfitnesspal.com) commented on how little I ate. I also noticed that she had a few issues dealing with her weight loss — I shared my thoughts through an email…..here it is.
Some days it is because we are overstressed, overworked, upset with somebody, hurt, not feeling loved, unwell or someone whom we love deeply is unwell. So many reasons. But some days we feel blue for just no reason. I am certain, we have all been there. This morning I woke up feeling blue. Just for no reason. Perhaps it is the London grey day? But then its grey most days here? So, why today? No real reason.
But, that’s not the point. The point is what do I do when I feel blue? Well, there is ‘what I did‘ when I felt blue in the past, and ‘what I do now’.
My past
In the past, without giving it much thought – I would just head to the pantry, and pick out whatever came my way, obviously anything edible :). I have had ice-creams at 9 am, chocolates at 7 am, have eaten my way out of feeling blue by chipping away at potato chips all day, have had pizzas (which I typically don’t like) for lunch and dinner and in-between meals, eaten and eaten and eaten my way out! Did it make me feel any better? A big FAT NO. I piled on the pounds and kilos and thought it was fine to do that. By the time I got over this very temporary phase, I would be feeling fat and feel guilty. The guilt would make me go back to feeling low, and the cycle would continue. I would make myself feel better by eating and foolishly thinking, that at least I wasn’t calling up anyone and whining, or putting up sad Facebook posts, ha.
My now
Today I woke up feeling blue. For no reason, as I said. Just did. Each time I felt the desire to get something out of that pantry, I stopped myself and drank a glass of water. Yes, I feel bloated now, ha! But, guess what. Today, I won’t be doing any of that. I put my mind over matter – fully.
Instead, I will::
Continue with my normal healthy options
Go for a walk, and exercise longer
Call a friend and chat – and be honest about my feelings
Read a trashy novel
blog (which I am doing now – but will I post this? hope so…so others can get some tips..)
Watch ‘Jeremy Kyle’ and see how life is worse for others
listen to my favourite songs (oh, Dido…where are you?)
Perhaps, feel a little bad for myself – get tired of being a superhuman some times…
And simply CHILL
Good luck to those of us that feel this way, some days. Just know that this too shall pass. Don’t eat trash on such days. Just do the right things for you, and those are not connected with food. Distract yourself with better stuff — and it will pass. I promise myself that ..today…!
My blog is not about losing weight. It is about re-gaining health. I am a middle-aged woman, with a full-on life. I lost control for a while, gained huge amount of weight in a very short span, and got very ill. I was told I couldn’t live much longer if I did not do something about it. The starting point for me was to lose the excess weight. It was not easy. It was not hard either. It was just about making a decision and taking action. I decided to take one day at a time. Every day, I focussed on that one day. And slowly, things changed. I lost the weight. I re-gained my health. My diabetes went into remission. I no longer suffer from hypertension. My liver is fine. The stone in my gall bladder is getting smaller. Is it a “miracle” as we would like to believe? No. It is simply, about making a decision and taking action, and sticking with it, every day.
One common phrase I have heard over and over again, “You are so lucky, you can exercise, I have no time to exercise”!
Seriously, one thing we all have in common is the 24 hours we get. What we do with those 24 hours each day, is what makes us different.
Make the decision and take action:
I have been there — making hundreds of excuses for not being able to exercise> some of my common excuses were:
No time – long days, and longer nights of work !
Travel – as you all know, I travel atleast 10-15 days a month
Children – Two teenagers is a full-time job plus more…
Social life – late nights can be tiring … with all that eating, and drinking!
Unpredictable life – I have to travel at short notice at times
Over 40 – My life is now about my children, so why bother!
Why put the effort – Exercise does take effort.
What will people think – Oh, I thought the whole world was watching 🙂
All of the above is totally true, and has not changed, honestly. But, I decided to work with it. So, I make use of what I have, with the time I have.
Just simple things to do at home. Remember, every little thing does count, as my trainer once told me, “everything is CBO” (Calorie Burning Opportunity). Ten calories here, and ten calories there…it all adds up. And it’s fun!!!
Buckets: Oh, that’s the best. I use half filled buckets (soaked with whites) to lift. helps with building my core, and also my arms.
kichen bench for push ups – while cooking, waiting for the pot to boil…
More ways to use the chair – I do planks, tricep bench dips. I sit on the chair at times, and do stomach crunches.
Stairs: Apart from using the stairs to go up and down, I use them to do push ups. I do about 50 odd a day. Just because I can!
Children : If you have young children, carry them around! Amazing calorie burners.
I am still a few kilos away from my goal. But my goal is not about my weight. I want to stay well, healthy and alive. I have a lifetime ahead of me, after all.
Feel free to comment on this, share with anyone needing encouragement. Remember, every little does count. Follow me on Facebook
First issue was I had no idea where to start. Doctors basically have no time for you. They share what they think they should and leave you to deal with it. Also, what do you ask someone about something that you have no idea about! So, you just nod, smile and go home and feel worse, and feel all sorry for yourself.
However, we live in great times – we have access to information. That was my first step.
Research
First, I researched every information I could on diabetes, hypertension and my gall bladder problem. I searched the internet. I found very interesting tips and information on www.diabetes.co.uk, www.livestrong.com amongst other sites. There is a huge amount of information available.
All the research, led to one key solution to my problem. LOSE the weight. And losing weight was not just an exercise in working-out and diet, I realised it was much more. It meant, I had to: – re-tune my thinking – get my family on my side
– be more disciplined (if I had to wake up 2 hours earlier than usual so I could add gym to my routine, I had to). Also getting adequate sleep was as important as the work out.
– work on my emotional side – lots. There are days you just don’t good. Those are the days you need to be stronger, and push yourself
– find my spiritual side, to ensure I was happy inside, knew who i was. (this lead me to searching for a higher purpose which I had always questioned in the past – more on that in later posts)
– change my way of attitude towards food.
– change my attitude towards working out. Wow, is it hard! In London when the temperatures get low and all you want to do is lay in the duvet that extra hour….
– let go of all inhibitions – when you are at the gym, you are the only ‘focus’ you need to be
– learn to be more happy Biggest question I worried about: But, where do I start? I realised, I had to simply give it everything I had – to make a change! Don’t believe anyone who says that you should go ahead and eat/drink anything you want as long as you drink/eat in moderation. NOPE. It’s a committment. No half measures. You got to give it all that you have got!Life gave me a second chance – I wanted to not mess it up.
But, that’s not the point. The point is what do I do when I feel blue? Well, there is ‘what I did‘ when I felt blue in the past, and ‘what I do now’.
Today I woke up feeling blue. For no reason, as I said. Just did. Each time I felt the desire to get something out of that pantry, I stopped myself and drank a glass of water. Yes, I feel bloated now, ha! But, guess what. Today, I won’t be doing any of that. I put my mind over matter – fully.
