I have a list of distractions of things I do instead of giving in to emotional eating.  One of mine is to blog here on OH with my OH friends/members.  All of us understand and "get it" when it comes to staying on track with our healthy lifestyle. 

I added a new "thing to do" on my list - blog on OH.  What a better, safer place to write about what is going on with me? 

I'm feeling some stress, nerves and overwhelmed.  I know they will pass.  They are quite uncomfortable emotions because it feels like there is no end in sight.  I think before my surgery I used to believe that feelings wouldn't go away.  Ha, I ate so fast after experiencing an uncomfortable emotion that I didn't know if it would go away because I never gave it a chance to dissipate.  Emotion - nanosecond pause - emotionally eat.  Yep, that fast.

I'm very solidly on track yet that still doesn't take away the desire to make uncomfortable emotions go away.  Whether alcohol, drugs, shopping, sugar or whatever substance, we turn to those behaviors to change the way we feel. 

I'm happy that I now have a new strategy on my list of things to do - blogging on my personal blog AND here on OH too!!

Cathy
Join me here:  www.mydailymoments.com

I ran across a website that I thought was fascinating.  It shows the breakdown of what Americans eat.  No wonder obesity is such an issue by looking at the division of what we eat. 

One of the things I hear when I talk with members is that they feel their morbid obesity and food issues are their fault, some deficiency inside of them.  The components that make up morbid obesity and food issues are very complex.  It is a combination of the physical AND emotional parts of us.  Unfortunately, after having WLS, many people stop at the physical and don't deal with the emotional part.  To me, if we don't address the physical and emotional parts of us, we run the risk of weight regain later down the road.  From my own personal experience, and my weight regain of a few years ago from a major transitional situation in my own life, I know both physical and emotional are equally important. 

So for the physical, this website says tons about our nutritional requirements after having surgery.  If you want to appreciate how far you've come in following your surgeon's WLS protocol, look at that Americans are eating.  We've come a long way as successful WLS post-ops!  Yeah US!

Cathy
Please join me here too:  www.mydailyminutes.com

Despite my efforts, my younger son is going trick-or-treating.  In the past, he enjoyed handing out the candy which, of course, worked for me.  It eliminated the candy hanging around the house and, most importantly, was a healthier thing for him.  He actually doesn't like the dressing up part but is going with his friends so I'll have the dreaded assortment of candy in the house. 

A little insight about my younger son is that he is a horribly picky eater.  He loves anything carb-laden.  It is a regular struggle to get him to eat vegetables, most proteins and could live on peanut butter & jelly 99% of the time with pizza filling the 1%.  Thankfully so far, he doesn't have a weight problem at all because he is so active.  However, I don't see healthy things ahead in his future if he doesn't become open to healthier choices.  So the trick-or-treating candy isn't about me as much as stepping backward a couple of steps in my continuing efforts of healthy eating for him. 

I'm armed this time for him AND me too.  I'm going to have him pick out some of his favorites, enough to moderately consume in a week's time.  After that, it is going to my husband's work.  Score for my hubby to bring treats to the office, score for my younger son to limit the sugar junk, score for me not having it around.  In the past, scouring my kids' trick-or-treat bags was an activity I indulged.  Not this year though! 

We'll hand out some non-trigger something and I've handled the trick-or-treat haul in a moderate non-candy police way.  I'm looking forward to a happy, healthy Halloween!

Cathy
Join me here too:  www.mydailyminutes.com

One of the things I've learned about myself is that I need interests and things to be excited about.  I've got that now.  It is actually the perfect thing and pulls at all the personal interests that I have.  It allows me to play games, pursue health, fitness and overall wellness, stay organized (or get organized, depending on the day) and just all the interests I have that I value.

What is this wonderful thing??  It is my new iPhone.  Love it, love it.  I've downloaded tons of apps.  When I say tons, I mean A LOT.  I'm now an app junkie.  I won't tell you how many apps I've downloaded but I will say that I'm grateful I bought the one that has the most space on it that is available.  I'll need it!  I think I'm an "app junkie!"

I'm a pilot and a member of the AOPA (association for pilots) and they have an awesome app.  I downloaded it and it has all the information on all airports in the country (including little bodunk private runways).  It also has diagrams of the runway which I love to see. 

Of course, as a PCC (Professional Certified Coach with the ICF), I have coaching apps.  I have lots of organizational ones, health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, journals, check in for emotion journaling, gps for walking, and, of course, games.  I just love, love, love it.  Now that I'm feeling better, I'm even more into it.  This weekend, I had some to do things to do for work and for teaching my coaching class but when I was finished, my weekend consisted of the trio of me/iTunes/my iPhone!  LOVE it.

This has actually helped me with my strong conviction to staying on track.  I have apps that I use for all sorts of things that support me staying on track.  And, they're working.  So, I've found my new thing with my iPhone that I'm able to put myself into with apps that support my interests and values. 

I'm not saying that my iPhone is the cure for my emotional eating because obviously it isn't.  What it has done though is allow me avenues through the apps to channel my energies and emotions in a healthy way.  My iPhone has apps on it that bring out interests and part of me to put in one place. 

If anyone has any apps they like, please comment below! 

Cathy
www.mydailyminutes.com

P.S.  This weekend, my Slingo score was 3.1 million points!  LOL!

The ultimate test of my sugar-free (junk-free too) is today.  I'm sick.  In the past, I've self-medicated myself when I get sick.  I'll spare you the details but when I get sick with upper respiratory stuff, I get really sick.  It hangs on and just drains me.  So here I am on Day 4 of no sugar/junk stuff and I get sick.  The ULTIMATE test.  I'm staying on track.  I'm honoring the commitment to myself.  I'm taking care of myself in healthy ways.  No popping a sugary/junk food choice.  I'm drinking tea, lots of water, and healthy, true nurturing ways. 

When my kids are sick, I nurture them.  I don't give them a cookie to make them feel better.  So....I'm giving myself the same care, love and compassion that I give to others in my life.  Rather than push myself to be there for others, I'm going to give myself the same consideration.  Duh, sounds like a no-brainer.  It hasn't been.  I can't even begin to claim that it'll be easy or come natural.  Part of my natural instincts are to be there for others.  I love doing that.  It is a part of who I am.  I have a portion of my heart that is dedicated to caring.  Hello.....what about caring for myself?! 

Even as I write this, it sounds selfish, self-centered, and I definitely don't mean it that way.  When a friend or family member are sick or going through a difficult time, I give them my care, compassion, extra thoughts and give even more of myself.  Yet, I don't do anything close to that for myself when I'm sick. 

So, I've committed here and on my blog (even more) that I'm taking care of myself.  Rather than pop a cookie, I'm making real nurturing things that I would for anyone else - hot tea that feels wonderful on my very sore throat, drinking extra water, and eating soup, going to bed early and other true nurturing things. 

Here's to true nurturing ourselves whether sick or healthy - do something for ourselves too!

Cathy
For more:  www.mydailyminutes.com