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While I have been able to get into the exercise thing. The one thing I just can not get into is food. 
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EGRAVA
2/26/2009 1:45PM
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Food, and how we feel about it, can be so hard to deal with. Because of my back ground, I habe kind of the opposite reaction to food that you do, and I struggle with that. So, I feel for ya. I hate that everything (recipes, pa kages) are designed for families as well. I also have tiny fridge. It would be so nice to be able to have things made for singles. Report Inappropriate Comment |
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IGIRL66
2/20/2009 2:16PM
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Oh boy, I hear you on the huge quantities in recipes and small fridge/freezer. In addition, buying fresh produce can be an expensive "waste" when you live alone because it often goes bad before you can eat all of it - and again, storing it in the fridge or freezer is difficult when you have a small fridge and freezer. Here are a couple "tricks" I've learned over my many years of singledome: This one goes against everything you read in diet books and articles but it works for me: Buy only what you need for a day or two. I have a grocery store by my office and another not far from where I live. I plan my food/memus at least a day ahead and go to the store on my way to or from work to buy only, and exactly, what I need for my planned ahead meals for that day. Obviously I buy a box of cereal and other staples to last for a week or two, but when it comes to food for lunches and dinner? I buy only what I need for those specific meals on those specific days. This solves two problems: 1) I'm not storing a lot of food which will probably go bad before I can eat it and 2) I only have the food I planned to have on hand - no changing my mind about what I planned to eat. Takes a little discipline to avoid the "bad" food aisles and you have to face daily temptation at the grocery store, but if you go armed with a shopping list and close to the exact amount of money needed for those items the temptations aren't as tempting as it might seem. Esepcially if you're stopping before or after work, the "get it and get out" mentality is stronger because you're on your way to work or home from work and don't want to linger at the grocery. This goes against your trainer and conventional wisdom, too: Pre-packaged meals now and then are not a bad thing. They're easy for lunches in the office and give you some control over what you're eating. Yes. Preservatives, yes. Yes, sodium, yes. But, if you choose wisely and don't do it every day there are some good options in the frozen entree aisle. Thirdly, and this is the one that's really helpful for me: Re-think food as a source of fuel for your muscles and brain. Ironically, my cat taught me that (I blogged about it a few days ago). The nutrient aspect will start to matter more than the flavor or hunger aspects of eating. Especially since you're doing a lot of training at the gym, fuel, nutrients, are vital for your body. We hear a lot about empty calories, and what we hear is true. But if you can make a connection between what you eat, as fuel for your muscles and brain, the empty calorie mentality will probably really start to hit home. It took me a while to get into this mindset, and I still falter, let's face it, some food just tastes good, it's pleasurable. But I find if I can focus on my body as a machine needing fuel and energy to operate I'm a lot more inspired to eat, and to eat nutrient-based foods. I think about my day ahead, what my plans are, what's going on at work, and then think about what parts of my body I'll need to use to accomplish those tasks or goals, and then I think about what would be the best source of fuel or energy - what nutrients, vitamins, etc will fuel those parts of my body that I'll be using. Report Inappropriate Comment |
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METALBABE
1/19/2009 2:58PM
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Hey Ali - I know just what you mean. I live alone, too, and though I love to cook, I often end up with way too many leftovers if I make a full recipe of something. One thing I have found that I like is to do meal trades with friends. I have others over to "help" me eat my meals, and then eat with them at other times. I find the companionship helps me not to overeat, and it's great to spend time with friends. Not sure if this will work for you, too, but it's worth a try!
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SASSIISSAS
1/17/2009 2:59PM
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Have you seen Company's Coming reciepe books? From Alberta? She's very plain jane, simple reciepes and she has cooking for 1-2. There is also a magazine from the States called Cooking for 1-2. I hear you on the frustrations that one has to break down reciepes for single people because its all for large families. I also agree that its frustrating to hear - freeze it . Like you I have a fridge freezer, I have no interest to eat the same food over and over and besides freezing food only works for some food, not all. I find SP does fall down on this issue. I feel it would be hard to be in your shoes and more challenging. I hope that you find something that works, so that you can get on board with the food as well as you have with exercising.
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I had coffee with one of my friends last week. She is one of the few people who understand about losing a large amount of weight and the issues involved. As she has done it herself, she has lost well over 100 lbs. She had the gastric surgery, which worked for her, plus working out at Curves. She liked the program so much she is now a Curves owner, which is very cool.
We were talking about our issues around food and being over weight.
It was really cool to talk with someone who understands. As I have now hit the 100lbs weight loss mark, most people think I should be feeling wonderful. But there is more to it than that.
For so long I have been the "Big girl" "The biggest person in my group of friends. It has become my identity. Being the big girl in the fitness class, in the office is or was who I am. Now that is not the case. I am no longer the biggest woman at my gym. So who am I? I am no longer the biggest woman in my office, so who am I? I am no longer the fat friend, my best friend and I are now almost the same same clothing size. So who am I?
My weight has been a protection for me. One where I could hide. "Don't really see me" has been my motto for so long. As a large woman I did not need to worry about attention from members of the opposite sex. I have always had big time trust issues, and it was easier to hide behind the weight, rather than having to face them. Now it isn't that case.
So the more people who notice the weight loss the harder it is to stay on track. In the past a couple of people making comments on the weight I had lost was enough to derail my diet and exercise programs. And lead me back to weight gain.
Most people think I should be feeling wonderful as the pounds come off and the clothing size goes down. But each time I have to face going shopping for clothes I don't feel good, I feel afriad. I hate shopping to start with. I also hate the attention new clothes bring. Plus the attention which will come from getting smaller. Few people understand that it is not about the clothes it is about the feelings. About the new idenity I need to develop for myself. About the attention I am getting.
I know people are trying to be supportive when they make comments about the weight loss and how good I look. But for me each time I hear these type of comments I have to be very careful not to throw in the towel and stop dping what I am doing.
I know it goes back to when I was bullied in school. And that it is also connect to the self image I got from my mother. Where when someone tells me what a nice person my mother is or tells me what a sweet old lady she is, all I hear is "Your mother is a saint, a wonderful person and you are worse than garbage." I have worked hard trying to deal with this and have come to terms with it. I have stopped hoping for a different kind of mother. Stopped trying to be the good daughter. Have ended contact with her as it was emotional and phyically killing me. But now as the number on the scale goes down I find alot of those same emotions are coming up again.
I have spent so much of my adult life using food as a punishment. Stuffing food down my throat even when full. Using food to keep the emotions I did not want to deal with down. If I was upset or stressed I ate. When ever I had to see my mother the first thing I did afterwards was eat, anything did not matter what, just to push the emotions down. I have worked hard on these emotions. But because of this I have a hard time caring about food. I hate cooking, espically for myself. I do not want to think about food, don't ask me to plan menus, I just don't care. Food is not a good thing. I get little joy from it. I don't have craving for any kinds of food. I do not use food as a reward. For me food is something I have always used to punish myself for not being good enough, not being a good daughter, not being worthy. So I ate. I became the big girl.
So now I have to ask myself who I am? Who am I without the weight? Will I like her? Will she be good enough?
So as the number on the scale, measuring tape and clothes goes down, I face a identity crisis that few people understand.
Most think I should be just thrilled with the weight loss so far, I should love the fact that the numbers are going down and that people are noticing. It is so hard to explain that that is not the case. That I am really shaking in my boots.
So I still have a very hard time with the food thing. I find it so hard to care what goes into my body. I don't sanck, and rarly these days binge, or pig out. I just don't always make healthy choices, don't cook, eat out to much.
The only good thing is that I have become totally into the exercise thing. I love working out and am additcted to the gym. Averaging about 80 mins a day last year. Got one thing going for me there.
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GINGER_LOSTALOT
1/8/2009 10:28PM
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I completely understand what you're saying. Be very careful, because, yes, you can easily gain the weight back. I lost 100 pounds, only to gain back 130. Why? Like you said... identity. The good part now is that I am happy about losing my identity as a super morbidly obese person. It is simply not me anymore. I'm not afraid anymore.
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JUSTJESSC
1/6/2009 11:00PM
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That's fantastic that you're passionate and devoted to exercise! I've found glimpses of it in the past, but never stuck around long enough. There is something so empowering, rewarding, and rejuvenating about a really good workout. Now, I can't identify completely with your situation and so I hope you are not offended by my perspective. I just know that we all base a lot of our self-identity on appearance. I have trouble seeing old friends because I'm afraid they will see me as a different person, a lesser person, now that I'm 50 pounds heavier. On the flip side, it was a bit of a shock shedding 30 pounds before and getting different kinds of attention. For me, this felt like I was finally myself because I was stronger, confident, and willing to take risks. Still, I know that I am not my appearance or the way people behave toward me. I am not my depression or other difficult issues I've endured, as you have in your past. I am so many other things, including the way I chose to behave in a difficult situation right now. I am so glad that you continue to be healthy despite the difficulty it has caused with others. Have you considered working through your issues with attention? When I lost that 30 pounds, I just did the motions of diet and exercise, but I hadn't gotten past the reasons I had gained the weight in the first place...and here I am with 50 pounds to lose. Report Inappropriate Comment |
I am so proud of you!!!