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Jul
19

Live and Learn

Last week I decided I would take pictures of all the food I ate in order to see how it influenced me. Would I eat less? Would I eat healthier foods? So on and so forth.

While things didn’t go as planned when my binge demons came out to play, I did learn a lot from this project…

What I Learned:

*I do a lot more mindless eating than I thought. I need to stop multitasking and focusing on my food when I eat.
*Starting the day off with a smoothie? Awesomeness.
*When I was taking pictures, I cared what my food looked like. When I cared what my food looked like, I found it more pleasing aesthetically as well as found it tasted better. I need to care about my food no matter who is or isn’t watching.
*Giving up addictions (like sugar) takes time. You can’t go from all to zero suddenly or you will binge. Not to mention experience other physical unpleasantness.
*Spinach leaves are incredibly versatile.

*Finally, I learned that the most impressive thing for me with this project is what I didn’t eat:

*Glass of orange juice x2
*Piece of bread w/hommus
*Chai latte
*Cottage cheese spoonfull (number of occasions)
*Doughnut (had a bad day and wanted sugar)
*Kahlua and milk
*Alcoholic cider
*Chips (french fries)
*Crisps (potato chips)

*and probably a few other things I didn’t list but they passed through my mind and then quickly out when I saw my camera.

And…

*I didn’t overeat when I easily could have.

All in all, I think every person trying to live a healthier lifestyle should try doing this. Has it cured my binge eating? No. For the moment, but I’m no dummy. I have emotional issues to work out. But it has gotten me to think about food – and portions differently. It’s gotten me to think about how much I not only hide from other people but from myself. It has gotten me to realise that, while I thought I was ‘doing okay’ diet-wise, I actually have a lot of room to improve with healthy eating.

I do hope that everyone who reads this has tried it, is trying it or will try it. I may have had a crash and burn moment, but I’m going to keep on taking pictures (though not loading them too the site because I just don’t have time for that).

Category: Body, Challenges, Food, Mental Health, Pictures  3 Comments
Jun
16

Ear Infections May Lead to Obesity

When I first started searching out possibilities for my PCOS symptoms, I came across Insulite Laboratories. I wasn’t able to get their system (international shipping hiccups), but I did sign up for their newsletter. A while ago, they sent an interesting article about how frequent childhood ear infections could contribute to obesity.

“…New research suggests that frequent childhood ear infections may be linked to weight gain or obesity later in life. A study says the infections may damage a vital taste-sensing nerve in kids, resulting in a preference for rich foods and making children prone to weight gain as adults.

People with a serious history of childhood ear infections appear to be about 70% more likely to be obese than those with no history of the condition, according to preliminary research at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville.”

Now, I would usually dismiss this because we don’t need something more to blame, we need solutions. But the thing is, I suffered from ear infections as a child. One in particular kept me sobbing in bed for five days. (My parents wouldn’t take me to the doctor.) The pain was nearly unbearable and I spent more time with my ear on the heating pad than not. Which is why I found this interesting…

“Those who suffer harm to the crucial chorda tympani nerve — which runs through the tongue, along the side of the face and behind the eardrum on its way to the brain — may not realize why they can’t stay away from fatty foods that pack on the pounds.”

I’m certainly not looking for an excuse for what I do or anything like that, everything is already done and I’m working on it, but imagine taking special care to instill good, healthy habits in children who have frequent ear problems. There are a lot of possibilities.

If you’re interested in reading the rest of the article, click on the more tag.

more »

Category: Body  2 Comments
Jun
10

What Would You Do?

When 451Press, and my blog on their network, went down the crapper, I decided to carry on with a new website. My own website where only I (and the server) would be responsible for it.

I picked the name ‘Naturally Curvy’ for the new site because I wanted it to be about me learning to love myself and my curves as well as learning to create and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I accept that I will never be – and do not want to be – a toothpick woman. I have hips meant for bearing children, the shoulders of a farmer’s daughter and big ol’ boobs that I love.

But I seem to have missed that message, that original intent I had for this site. I continued on focusing on the scale and doing what I could to get rid of these damned pounds. At one point, I lost weight so fast that my gallbladder had to be removed.

Then we moved. I gained weight. And, despite an increase in exercise and decrease in eating, I can’t seem to get it off.

And I’m left wondering if it’s some divine justice.

I’ve realised lately that I have a lot of anger when it comes to weight loss and body image. I have so much anger bottled up inside and I don’t know what to do with it. I mentioned therapy as a possibility to help me lose weight. But is that missing the point? Is that really going to do any good when all I really want is body acceptance?

I’m not healthy at this weight, I know. The Bloke and I won’t have kids until I lose most of it. And yet… I want to be able to have kids now (not to have them, but be able to have them). I don’t want the weight to be the deciding factor. I want to feel like people love me as I am now (and many do, I’m not saying they don’t, but I don’t always feel it). Part of me is so angry because things depend on me losing weight, while I feel like weight loss won’t be natural if things depend on it.

If that makes any sense.

What would you do to start loving yourself and accepting your curves? Would you throw out the scale? Would you try other things to love yourself while still trying to lose the weight? Would you call a hold on losing the weight until you get the rest sorted out?

I don’t know what to do.

Category: Body, General  4 Comments
May
19

Evil Head Gnomes

Evil head gnomes have crawled into my head and started hammering for as long as they can go. As everyone knows, evil head gnomes feed on others’ misery, so they don’t need to stop to eat. Thus, I get no reprieve.

Some of the gnomes have made their way into my sinuses, blocking them up with their special green goo. Other gnomes, bored by the sinuses and goo work, have made their way to my throat and are tromping around with their spiky.

There is a class of gnome that works with more intricate misery-making in the ear canals and throat glands. They work carefully to make these areas as sore as possible.

In light of this invasion, I probably won’t be posting until next week…

Category: Announcements, Body  Comments off
May
12

Potatoes and Insulin Resistance

There is nothing like a good reminder of why you’re on a quest to improve your health. I got one of those reminders last night.

I have completely taken rice out of my diet because of how it makes me tired. I’ve kicked pasta and now use bean curd noodles. I have had rye bread in the last couple of days, but I have otherwise kicked out bread. The same goes for potatoes.

All in all, I have made a lot of positive changes for my diet in response to the insulin resistance side effects I was having before.

But I dropped my guard last night.

My husband and I went out to eat last night and I ordered an extra bowl of veggies on the side. When it comes to craving things that are good for me, I obey my cravings. My meal already came with some veggies, but I had a desperate craving for broccoli and, well…

The veggies in my meal included two small potatoes. Now, I haven’t had potatoes for a few months now. Time obviously liberally dusted my mind with ‘forget potion’ because I figured I’d give the potatoes a go and see how it went. I wasn’t sure if I’d actually react to them or not.

Well, I did.

Potatoes don’t knock me out with quite the force rice does, but those two little spuds were certainly the next best thing. About five minutes after we finished eating, I was yawning and ready for bed.

Why do I always have to test things? Why can’t I just leave things alone when I’m told no? Bleh. Ah well. I have been well and truly reminded why I don’t eat potatoes. (Or rice, or pasta, or…)

How about you? Are you insulin resistant or battling other factors that make getting fit that much more difficult?

Category: Body, Food  Comments off
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