I am writing this post sitting on my cot next to my grandmother's hospital bed. After staying at home for a couple of days, I returned to the hospital to continue caring for her. She is so precious and there is no where in the world that I would rather be than right here. She is continuing to improve, but at the same time seems weaker. Sigh.
The food selections here at the hospital are still not great, but I am confident that I will be able to find something to eat that will keep me on the 'straight and narrow' of my diet. When I went home I found that I had lost 3 pounds last week!!! Yea!!
Trying to control overeating urges is such a challenge. It can be so difficult, and at times, it seems impossible. The truth is, however, that it is not impossible. Easy? No, of course not. If it were easy, we would all be within our proper weight ranges, because none of us enjoys looking and feeling the way we do. Right?
How do we ever get our eating under control? These are my thoughts on the matter. They seem to work for me and perhaps they will help you.
It all begins with a commitment. Preferably a commitment that is made when you are not in the midst of a crisis, especially an emotional one. It is seldom that any kind of commitment made during a turbulent time in our lives actually 'sticks'. I think that is because the commitment is made from an emotional need, rather than being a mental decision.
Once a commitment is made to begin a diet or eating plan, you must not wait. The next time you see food, you must decide right then whether or not to eat it. Don't wait till next week, or till you get to the store to buy the food you will need. You must start immediately. Waiting will make you waver in your commitment.
Each and every time you eat, review your commitment in your mind. You may need to, once again, think about all the reasons you are wanting to lose weight. Think about the benefits that having a 'down sized' body will bring. Allow those thoughts to give you motivation as you chose what you will eat.
If you are an emotional overeater as I am, if an emotional crisis will make you run for the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy every time, then take heart. Work on your commitment to a healthy way of eating when you are not in crisis. Say no to the sugar and carbs when there is no emotional reason to say yes. Say no when you are at a church dinner and the food is so close and so tempting. Say no when you are at a wedding and the groom's cake is your favorite flavor. Say no when it would be easier to pop a pizza in the oven rather than make a salad.
By saying no to all those temptations during the 'easy times', you gain strength. I believe that strength is stored up, in your heart, perhaps in your mind, I am not sure. I just know that strength can grow. Every time you make the right food choices, you grow stronger in your commitment and the temptation grows weaker.
That same strength that is drawn on when an emotional crisis hits and you want to, when you think about, when you know you deserve to eat everything in sight.
I believe that is what happened to me last week when I admitted Mom into the hospital. Physically and emotionally I was having a very difficult time and it would have been so easy to toss everything out the window, and eat to my heart's and belly's content. I didn't do that, however, because I had some 'stored up' strength from previous temptation victories.
Please do not think that I have totally conquered and will never again be tempted to overeat. Oh, no. As I said at the beginning of this blog, I am a fellow struggler and always will be. However, I must say that now I have hope. Hope of one day being able to wear 'skinny' clothes. Hope of being able to look in the mirror and like what I see. Hope of not suffering the effects of diabetes. Hope of, once again, being a healthy size.
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