I never really seemed to struggle with weight as a kid. Unlike most kids nowadays, I was always outside playing and was active in one sport or another all the way through high school. It wasn’t until I began my college education, that I stopped exercising and started eating…
Like most students, I spent the most of my college days partying & eating out with friends. I pushed the need for exercise to the back of my mind- behind all the tests I had to study for, the projects I had due, and the part-time job I was working to pay for my “extracurricular activities”. I gained the “freshman 10” pounds almost immediately and kept on gaining weight throughout my college career. It wasn’t until I saw my graduation photos that I decided to make a change and lose the weight.
I ran out and did the easiest thing I could think of…I joined Jenny Craig. At the time I was out of control and I needed someone to tell me what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat it. Having pre-packaged meals was simple (costly, but simple). Over the next 8 months or so, I did lose the weight, but only to gain a lot of it back within the next 2 years.
Looking back, there were a few problems that hindered my goals of a slim, sexy body. The first problem was that I didn’t understand how my body was responding to the food (or lack thereof) that I was eating. The second problem was that I was only running and doing lots of cardio. I thought that lifting weights would make be bulky- and I definitely didn’t want that! The third and most important problem was that had yet to understand my unhealthy relationship with food.
You may not think that you have a problem with food, but if you’re reading this blog and relating to anything that I am writing, then you could be mistaken. I’m not saying that I had an eating disorder, but I didn’t make the “mind to food connection” until a few years ago when I started dieting for my first competition. It was when I had to restrict calories, and count every last morsel of food that I consumed, that I began to understand how much I depended on food. We, as a nation in general, depend on food for all types of things: celebrations, rewards, group activities, fund raisers, boredom busters, and consolation to name a few.
After following such strict diet and exercise program, I found that every time I was bored or stressed I began craving all types of food. But with these cravings came the understanding and acceptance that I didn’t need food to fill my time- I needed something productive to keep me busy! In my case I began working a second part time job and filling my down time with things I’d been neglecting to do- like housecleaning, organizing, drawing, and spending quality time with my husband.
Some important things you can do in your fight with the scale are to first understand why you eat. Are you really hungry? Are you bored or stressed out? Are you just trying not to offend group of people ordering the super fatty entrees? The second thing you must do is break your bad habits. I no longer get the extra buttery popcorn at the theater or run to the pantry when I’m upset. Once you begin breaking some of your most destructive habits you’ll create a new outlook on food. It will no longer be a comfort, a time killer, or a stress reliever. It will be a source of nutrition and the pathway to your goal of a great physique!
Like most students, I spent the most of my college days partying & eating out with friends. I pushed the need for exercise to the back of my mind- behind all the tests I had to study for, the projects I had due, and the part-time job I was working to pay for my “extracurricular activities”. I gained the “freshman 10” pounds almost immediately and kept on gaining weight throughout my college career. It wasn’t until I saw my graduation photos that I decided to make a change and lose the weight.
I ran out and did the easiest thing I could think of…I joined Jenny Craig. At the time I was out of control and I needed someone to tell me what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat it. Having pre-packaged meals was simple (costly, but simple). Over the next 8 months or so, I did lose the weight, but only to gain a lot of it back within the next 2 years.
Looking back, there were a few problems that hindered my goals of a slim, sexy body. The first problem was that I didn’t understand how my body was responding to the food (or lack thereof) that I was eating. The second problem was that I was only running and doing lots of cardio. I thought that lifting weights would make be bulky- and I definitely didn’t want that! The third and most important problem was that had yet to understand my unhealthy relationship with food.
You may not think that you have a problem with food, but if you’re reading this blog and relating to anything that I am writing, then you could be mistaken. I’m not saying that I had an eating disorder, but I didn’t make the “mind to food connection” until a few years ago when I started dieting for my first competition. It was when I had to restrict calories, and count every last morsel of food that I consumed, that I began to understand how much I depended on food. We, as a nation in general, depend on food for all types of things: celebrations, rewards, group activities, fund raisers, boredom busters, and consolation to name a few.
After following such strict diet and exercise program, I found that every time I was bored or stressed I began craving all types of food. But with these cravings came the understanding and acceptance that I didn’t need food to fill my time- I needed something productive to keep me busy! In my case I began working a second part time job and filling my down time with things I’d been neglecting to do- like housecleaning, organizing, drawing, and spending quality time with my husband.
Some important things you can do in your fight with the scale are to first understand why you eat. Are you really hungry? Are you bored or stressed out? Are you just trying not to offend group of people ordering the super fatty entrees? The second thing you must do is break your bad habits. I no longer get the extra buttery popcorn at the theater or run to the pantry when I’m upset. Once you begin breaking some of your most destructive habits you’ll create a new outlook on food. It will no longer be a comfort, a time killer, or a stress reliever. It will be a source of nutrition and the pathway to your goal of a great physique!
