"Obsession is a form of autism, a way to cover our ears and block out the background noise, a way to protect ourselves when teh situation feels vulnerable or dangerous or anxiety producing. Obsession is a way to change the channel when you don't like what's barreling across the screen of your mind."
Exactly! Eating, shopping, blogging, exercising, playing video games . . . it's all away of self-soothing or AVOIDING which is my habit.
So, can you guess what author said that . . . and what book? First correct guess gets the book free from Amazon courtesy of me.
(Sorry - Pam and Mandy not available for prize because they know the answer.)
Showing posts with label compulsion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compulsion. Show all posts
23 March 2011
22 September 2010
Health Benefits of Blogging
Scientific American is one of the favorite periodicals at our house. Here's an article I ran across on their website this morning describing the health benefits of blogging.
For those who don't want to read the entire article, I'll post a few of the highlights.
Keep up the good fight!
For those who don't want to read the entire article, I'll post a few of the highlights.
- Blogging serves as a stress-coping mechanism
- It improves memory and sleep
- Boosts immune cell activity
- Speeds healing after surgery
- Complaining acts as a placebo for satisfaction
- Activates a cluster of neuro pathways
Keep up the good fight!
31 August 2010
Full vs. Satsified
"I eat less than 2000 calories a day and I am full"
"I cut out carbs and I'm still full"
"Whenever try to control myself, I never feel full"
"I'm so full and all I ate was watermelon"
These are just a few of the comments I've heard over about fullness. I want to suggest to all of you out there in blogville, that having a "full" stomach should not be on your list of goals if you are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle - especially if that lifestyle includes weight control. I have come to the realization that having a full stomach leads to a full figure.
When your stomach feels "full," it's a reaction to being stretched. This happens when too much food is put into it. Filling one's stomach can lead to discomfort, indegestion, and lethargy. There are recommendations against activity on a full stomach because when your stomach is full, it is easy to induce vomitting, cause diarhea, or cause muscle cramps due to circulation being diverted to the stomach in order to handle this overstuffed state.
Pay attention to your body. If it's hungry, feed it. When it's not hungry any more, stop feeding it. Full is not the goal. Satisfied is the goal. Absence of hunger is the goal. You should still be able to wear the same pants compfortably after a meal as when you sat down. If you can't, you've overeaten. You should still be able to do normal activity after a meal. Do you rub your belly and sigh/groan when you get up from the table? If you have to unbutton your pants and go lay down after a meal, that's not satisfaction. That's gluttony, over-doing it, and being sick. It's your body telling you "don't do this to me! I can't function like this!"
Just because the food may taste good doesn't mean you have to eat every bit of it. Just because you are on a 2,000 calorie diet doesn't mean that should be your daily intake goal. That is your upper limit, not the amount you want to achieve. Weight Watchers, 45 points (for example) is your daily limit. They give you extra in the week because they know you'll want to cheat. They've been at this a long time and know how it works, after all! Your body has built-in mechanisms to tell you when and how much to eat. Points and calories are excellent guidelines, but your body was either built through thousands of years of evolution or designed my an all-knowing god(ess). It's okay to be less than full, to be satisfied, to be nourished, to be comfortable.
Americans seem to have an obsession with being full, not just dieters. People think if they aren't full, they are in danger of starving. People don't realize that it is okay to be hungry once in a while. Our dear Allan posted a wonderfully perspective-inducing picture of what starving looks like on his blog today. In that spirit, I'm going to post for a you picture of what "full" looks like.
_337083.jpg)
Doesn't he look uncomfortable? I think he's having a hard time doing his job. He's overworked! Poor guy.
I'd much rather have a satisfied tummy than a full tummy at this point. It's taken me some mental conditioning to get here. I don't want a full tummy. I don't want the full figure that comes with it. I want to be satisfied with my figure, and with my life - which is already quite full, thank you.
"I cut out carbs and I'm still full"
"Whenever try to control myself, I never feel full"
"I'm so full and all I ate was watermelon"
These are just a few of the comments I've heard over about fullness. I want to suggest to all of you out there in blogville, that having a "full" stomach should not be on your list of goals if you are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle - especially if that lifestyle includes weight control. I have come to the realization that having a full stomach leads to a full figure.
When your stomach feels "full," it's a reaction to being stretched. This happens when too much food is put into it. Filling one's stomach can lead to discomfort, indegestion, and lethargy. There are recommendations against activity on a full stomach because when your stomach is full, it is easy to induce vomitting, cause diarhea, or cause muscle cramps due to circulation being diverted to the stomach in order to handle this overstuffed state.
Pay attention to your body. If it's hungry, feed it. When it's not hungry any more, stop feeding it. Full is not the goal. Satisfied is the goal. Absence of hunger is the goal. You should still be able to wear the same pants compfortably after a meal as when you sat down. If you can't, you've overeaten. You should still be able to do normal activity after a meal. Do you rub your belly and sigh/groan when you get up from the table? If you have to unbutton your pants and go lay down after a meal, that's not satisfaction. That's gluttony, over-doing it, and being sick. It's your body telling you "don't do this to me! I can't function like this!"
Just because the food may taste good doesn't mean you have to eat every bit of it. Just because you are on a 2,000 calorie diet doesn't mean that should be your daily intake goal. That is your upper limit, not the amount you want to achieve. Weight Watchers, 45 points (for example) is your daily limit. They give you extra in the week because they know you'll want to cheat. They've been at this a long time and know how it works, after all! Your body has built-in mechanisms to tell you when and how much to eat. Points and calories are excellent guidelines, but your body was either built through thousands of years of evolution or designed my an all-knowing god(ess). It's okay to be less than full, to be satisfied, to be nourished, to be comfortable.
Americans seem to have an obsession with being full, not just dieters. People think if they aren't full, they are in danger of starving. People don't realize that it is okay to be hungry once in a while. Our dear Allan posted a wonderfully perspective-inducing picture of what starving looks like on his blog today. In that spirit, I'm going to post for a you picture of what "full" looks like.
Doesn't he look uncomfortable? I think he's having a hard time doing his job. He's overworked! Poor guy.
I'd much rather have a satisfied tummy than a full tummy at this point. It's taken me some mental conditioning to get here. I don't want a full tummy. I don't want the full figure that comes with it. I want to be satisfied with my figure, and with my life - which is already quite full, thank you.
25 August 2010
HUMONGOUS BINGE TODAY!
But not in calories, just in pages!
First day of school and I was able to hang out with two of my besties today with no kids to distract us from being our goofy selves. We had so much fun! We started out at the best used bookstore in the metro area (Encore on Heatherdowns for you locals) and then to Sebastiano's for lunch. I got several books at Encore, but none food-related. One was my own copy of Wicked since I had borrowed it from the library but now that I've seen the musical I really wanted to re-read it. Two books for my daughter, one book loaned from my BFF, and
After we girls went our separate ways, I went to Meijer to pick up MockingJay which I had been impatiently waiting to read. It came out yesterday. I also picked up a book for a friend's daughter whose birthday is coming up soon, having not found it at the used store.
So I come home and guess what is on my doorstep? A big ol' box from AMAZON.COM! HOORAY!
One of these Amazon books will be autographed for a bloggy give-a-way I'm planning. Once I have signed copy back in my hands, I will tell you more about the book and the give-away!
Somewhere in there, I also got a coupla books about living with Asperger's as an adult and some of the Warriors (kitties!) series that my daughter is reading.
Now my bookshelves are bulging and an bloated from being overfed, I am happy and calm from being with my girlfriends and having grown-up giggles. I've gotta get moving on reading some of these pages!
Hub and kid having pizza tonight and I am having colorful vegetables without the crust and cheese. Everyone should be happy and my binge is guilt-free. May try swimming tonight if the weather cooperates. Last night it was COLD in that pond!
First day of school and I was able to hang out with two of my besties today with no kids to distract us from being our goofy selves. We had so much fun! We started out at the best used bookstore in the metro area (Encore on Heatherdowns for you locals) and then to Sebastiano's for lunch. I got several books at Encore, but none food-related. One was my own copy of Wicked since I had borrowed it from the library but now that I've seen the musical I really wanted to re-read it. Two books for my daughter, one book loaned from my BFF, and
After we girls went our separate ways, I went to Meijer to pick up MockingJay which I had been impatiently waiting to read. It came out yesterday. I also picked up a book for a friend's daughter whose birthday is coming up soon, having not found it at the used store.
So I come home and guess what is on my doorstep? A big ol' box from AMAZON.COM! HOORAY!
One of these Amazon books will be autographed for a bloggy give-a-way I'm planning. Once I have signed copy back in my hands, I will tell you more about the book and the give-away!
Somewhere in there, I also got a coupla books about living with Asperger's as an adult and some of the Warriors (kitties!) series that my daughter is reading.
Now my bookshelves are bulging and an bloated from being overfed, I am happy and calm from being with my girlfriends and having grown-up giggles. I've gotta get moving on reading some of these pages!
Hub and kid having pizza tonight and I am having colorful vegetables without the crust and cheese. Everyone should be happy and my binge is guilt-free. May try swimming tonight if the weather cooperates. Last night it was COLD in that pond!
08 August 2010
Sustainable Living
I don't think I'm alone in this. Sometimes I am not at all hungry, yet I have the urge to eat and eat and eat and eat because I can. Because I want to. Because nobody can stop me. And sometimes there isn't a clear direct reason that has triggered these feelings. At least not that I've been able to uncover. Maybe it's just that comfortable old habit that I miss. The instant gratification and satisfaction of doing what I want to do even though I know it's wrong. It's the compulsion talking. It really hasn't gone away the way I want it to. Maybe it never will.
I need to think a lot about things that sustain me or "nourish my soul" other than food when these moods strike. Writing is one way, talking to my friends is another, and exercising is a third. Reading is also good but the fact that I'm reading "Eat Pray Love" probably is not helping curb the desire to do impulsive crazy things.
I'm looking for suggestions. What kinds of things have you found in which to immerse yourself to find off those old urges? Is there some way you "take care of yourself" without food that others could try?
I need to think a lot about things that sustain me or "nourish my soul" other than food when these moods strike. Writing is one way, talking to my friends is another, and exercising is a third. Reading is also good but the fact that I'm reading "Eat Pray Love" probably is not helping curb the desire to do impulsive crazy things.
I'm looking for suggestions. What kinds of things have you found in which to immerse yourself to find off those old urges? Is there some way you "take care of yourself" without food that others could try?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)