The other day at work (I’m quickly learning via this blog that we gab a lot at work.) we were discussing cravings. My friend had mentioned that she was craving ice cream. My other co-worker said she was craving cake. These are two very normal cravings. They turned to me, and asked me what I was craving. I tried to think about a particular food I was craving, I really did. However, the only thing that I kept coming back to was, “I am craving food.”
Food? What do you mean? I mean I crave food. It almost doesn’t matter what type of food it is. I crave mass quantities of food. “I want to eat until I get that full feeling in my stomach, then that quashes my craving.”
It’s sad, but it’s true. Because they are nice friends, they started thinking about the type of food I could do that with. “What about popcorn? Veggies? You could eat chicken like that.” The sad reality is I can’t do that.
I can’t eat until I’m satiated. In my mind I know that if I do, I’ll be giving into something weird psychological issues in me that will just open the door for mass quantities of bad food. Nope, there will be no binges! I’m sure somewhere in here I probably need to go to see a shrink to figure out why I want to eat until I’m sedated, but I’m on a debt reduction plan, people! No money for a food shrink because I’m already seeing my Dave Ramsey shrink, ha ha.
Oh yeah, I'm eating Chinese take-out tonight because of the basketball games. If that isn't a true test of resisting food binging, I don't know what is.
The truth is, the binging is not a food only thing. At least it wasn't with me. The approach I used to take with food had to do with the psychology of how I dealt with situations. As I have gained self control of my habits with food, my habits with $ have changed automatically. The line between what I need and and what I want has become so much clearer.
ReplyDeleteLearning how to not associate emotions with food has helped me to detach unreasonable emotions with the various parts of my life including finances.
It's not a diet or an exercise that moves someone like me who is morbidly obese to a healthy lifestyle, it is a change in choice. A complete change in your perception of self and life. If you wait to make a decision about the food you are going to eat when it's time to eat it usually doesn't end well. It's psychological. If I haven't decided that I am going to the gym by the time I get home from work ... it ain't happening.
Starting At 500 Pounds
I'm with ya. It's not a "what am I craving" question. Because the answer for me...uh, everything.
ReplyDeleteBut Mike has a point. The change in our lifestyles starts with a choice. What I've learned is that if I look too far into the future, it's over. But -- If I just mindfully make the choice RIGHT NOW (for whatever that is going on at that moment) -- I know I'll be better off for it later.
Just make that single choice NOW - it pays off in the long run!