Weight loss vs The brain

I'm learning that as with any addiction, you can never just assume that you are rehabilitated...

I was doing well for  a stretch of time and was hoping  that auto-pilot was doing pretty well on it's own.  But then one night the part of my brain who is used to calling on food for reward and rest and comfort, sought out  the "yummy-cupboard" in our kitchen and partially raided it.

Guilt only came the next morning and I had to regroup and think and assess: what happened - what went wrong - where was auto-pilot in all of this???

I realized:  Firstly, auto-pilot has by no means been in training long enough.  

Secondly:  Perhaps I must come to terms that food will always be a reward for me.  And that it is okay.  As long as it's done at the right time and in moderation.

I am still on the bandwagon that I should not reward myself with food.  But that there is reward and reward. 

The bad kind - the kind that holds onto my thighs and muffin top - the one that holds me company while I go through emotional crisis, or PMS, or flustered exhaustion while the kids are buzzing and nagging at my feet - the kind where a real quick "just stuff my face", so my soul will feel comforted by a neurological signal in my brain, as it releases dopamine and hits that sweet spot-bad kind...

You know: that kind of food-reward-system :-) 

I have to re-train, re-program and set new goals - new rewards - validating and celebrating my biological God-given body for all the miracles it performs every 24 hours of every day and passing year!!

Two things need to change:

1.  I should start using food as fuel to even better my inner workings of my body, and

2.  I should train my brain on another reward-system for when I feel overwhelmed.

I listened to Gravity Transformation talk on weight-loss and compare it to tooth decay.
What an awesome analogy!!  He said that you wouldn't go to the dentist and ask the dentist: how long do I need to keep on cleaning my teeth for them to permanently stay healthy?  Because brushing your teeth and protecting them against decaying and plaque, is a daily process that has to be maintained for the rest of your life (if you want healthy plaque free teeth).  
And this sums up healthy bodies as well!
If I've go plaque, I will go for a treatment and the dentist will assist me with a cleaning.  But then the responsibility lies with me - I have to brush my teeth daily and look after them accordingly.  And the same with weight loss and maintaining a healthy body.  I need to take action to achieve the desired health status.  And then I have to maintain such protocol, for the rest of my life!

Wow!! What a perspective change!!

It's because we live in a quick fix - instant life.  Everything is quick, fast and instant.  And I'm expecting to see and change things in that kind of fashion.  When slow is the way to go ;-)

Quite irritating, but yip.  That's the answer!

Anniversay weight update

Two weeks before our anniversary, my weight was down to 61.5kg. I was super stoked! But let it spiral out of hand. And have not been able to get back in the groove of things since then :-(

Learning more and researching more everyday, I hole to combat this battle of the bulge once and for all!!

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about what goes on inside the brain and how I’ve created habitual pathways to the way I relate towards food.

I’m for sure an emotional eater.

And on top of that, I reward myself with food; when I’m tired or feel accomplished or just need a break.

21 Days is the standard to molding a new habit.

So, gonna start counting the days and see if I can instill some new ones.

I’m around 66 or 65kg. And would love to take it down to 60. So, this will also be a mark for me.

I want to start using food for fuel and not as a reward or a “go to” in pressured or emotional times.

Being a stay home  mom of 2 young children (age 5 and a 13month old); and running a business with my husband from home; as well as being the cleaning lady and cook in the house; I multi-task. And also have very little time for every single thing that has to happen in a day.

So, I have to move fast, or it gets left behind.

My baby wakes up between 2-5 times a night.

My husband is a night owl.

We often do office work late at night.

And at the end of the day I am super tired and I don’t think I get in enough sleep in a 24hour cycle.

And this is my excuse for rewarding myself with food.

I’m tired and at the end of the day, I just want to stuff my face with something that makes me feel “special”.

I’ve read that food gives off dopamine.

So, it truly does feel like I’m being rewarded when I can stuff my face with something sweet or tasty!

But I don’t necessarily have the time to enjoy the snack. So, I multi-task and do it whilst washing the dishes or preparing baby’s milk.

And once I start eating, my choice of reward-food usually has a knock on effect, because it’s most probably a trigger food for me, which will lead to either over eating, or to worse food choices later on the evening.

So, now. How to find a reward - which I usually need around 2-5pm, that takes up little time and yet sustains me and fills my tank to motor on till I can get to bed at around 10pm...

Winter is basically apon us, here in SA. And so, I’m playing with the idea of steaming my face or doing a mini facial.

I’m bordering on making a hot cup of cocoa powder-drink (since cocoa is in most cases a buffer food). But I’m thinking that I should steer completely clear of food and drinks as a reward.

Again: food (and drinks), should be fuel. And not rewards.

I wish I could take a hot bath or shower. But we have severe water restrictions here in the Western Cape, at the moment.

So, once again...wondering how can I reward myself - find a quick breather - a relaxing moment, in my day where I can re-group and find a breath of fresh energy, to charge me up for the remaining hours of my “work” day...

Will keep on posting my findings.

Here’s to 21 days of new brain patterns!

(11th of June)

37 Days till Anniversary

Ish! I got a shock when I counted the days till our anniversary!!

I thought there was more time...

I've lost another 2.5kg since my last post (23 days ago).  So, at least I'm moving forward.  Plus, I'm on track with my goals to weigh 60kg at the end of March.

I think in a life where everything is fast and instant, it really is hard to wait and make slow progress.

Plus, food is just sooo delicious - it's like I can't get in enough :-) Lol.

I'm still doing intermittent fasting although I've learned that there is in fact a difference between intermittent fasting, and time restricted feeding .  I think I'll post about this next time, 'cause it's a whole 'nother can of worms!

I have my 30km road running race coming up in 6 days.  

Pretty nervous about it, since last week I couldn't train like I wanted to :-(

But, I'm keeping myself positive and hoping that with some rest later this week, I'll enjoy the goal I've set for myself and hopefully advance to do my 1st marathon in September this year...

Life and all things good, takes planning and time and diligence.  

The easy way out, is fast, easy and never following through with goals.

So, today I choose hard work and perseverance!

Here's to a good week!!

Day 21 - of 21 Day challenge

And so here is to today! Cheers!!

The last day of the past 21 days, where I had set out to eat more specific in order to get healthier, fitter and leaner.

And I am super proud to say, that I'm there!!!

Perhaps not as far accomplished as I would hope, but moving forward in the right direction is still success.  In running I always say: you're always faster than the guy sitting on the couch! 

I lost 2.5kg in the last 21days.

Weighing in at 67.2kg this morning.

This was also my 1st successful weekend of eating healthy.  Usually I completely fold for a reward here and there (which end up being a "reward" every hour or so of the whole weekend!)

I set these small challenges for myself, so I can make the days count.  Otherwise it's just wishing in the right direction.  Which usually amounts to no results what so ever...

My next challenge for myself would be our 10year wedding anniversary. 

It's in 59 days...

I'll do some strategy in my next post.

But here's to the next 59 days: Cheers!!!

Day 15 - 21 Day Challenge

Good night day 15!!!

And YUP!! This picture perfectly describes how it's going...

21 Days are so short, and yet so long...Everyday goes right for a couple of hours and then around later afternoon-ish, it just doesn't anymore :-(

Today was 110%!!  And since my 21 days are over come Sunday, I reeeealy wanna see if I can make it through one week with 90% success...

Day 10 - 21 Day healthy eating challenge

Day 9 was a fail... I just felt despondent and didn't feel like putting in any effort in getting my body to a healthier state.

So, I ate a whole lot of junk yesterday afternoon and then too much food for dinner.

On a positive note:  I went out for a sweaty 40min gym session while hubby put our son to bed (little one was thankfully already asleep).

I love watching the old music videos on VH1 and crank up the volume so it drowns out my tired sorry butt! 😆  It really just picks me up!!

And then my son went to school with the push bike this morning.  So, I strapped the baby into the jogger and went down with him.  Super slowly as he stops for absolutely everything!!! But I then worked on the glisten of sweaty beads on my face, as I sped back up home after dropping him off - SUPER COOL!!

Love endorphins baby!!!

So, hello day 10.
I am 900grams down from yesterday (despite my  horrible efforts from yesterday...Must be Monday's goodness!)

Gonna try and keep up with 16:8 fast today.  

And reeeeealy try and stick to 100% eating plan throughout the rest of the day.

Day 9 out of 21 day Challenge

Sloth mode is definitely how I feel today...

Things are going super slow and I have noooo energy.

Plus, my weight remains the same (basically).

Quick update since I didn't blog day 5-8 of this eating specific meal plan - 21 day challenge I set for myself:

Day 4 ended perfectly - I ate 100% to what I had set out to eat.  Day 5 was Friday and I decided to "cheat" a bit. And it went on all weekend long. I gained a kilo.

And this is where I'm at now: 69.7kg.

And so, because of all my bad food choices over the weekend, I decided to do a 16:8 fast yesterday.

I was super good!!!

And then the scale rewards me by not budging even a few grams?!!!!

Not fair!!!

(But then again: we are what we eat - so I can't completely blame the poor old fortune telling floor tile for giving me the combined interest-facts of what I've done to my body over the weekend...)

I feel fat and really not feeling up to continuing with any effort to get out of this wobbly state...

It's 10.27am here in gorgeous Sunny South Africa, and thus far I have only been good on the eating front.

Sipping on my 2nd cup of Joe to keep me sane.

I've decided to add 16:8 intermittent fasting to my diet during this challenge.

And I'm reading up on Ketosis as well to perhaps interpret it as well...

But for now: gotta get my jiggly bits in working mode and out of sloth mode!

Day 4 of 21 day challenge

So, yesterday was a fail... :-(
But I'm getting back up again!

I went for an hour walk this morning with baba in the running pram. Super relaxing.
And so far, I've eaten a small piece of meat from last night's dinner, egg & toast, a peach and coffee with milk in it.
I've guzzled some water also since I came from the walk - probably about a liter...

But as I was walking, I thought to myself: how did I manage to shake off 6kg in 3 weeks, the previous time?
And the answer is this: I stuck to the plan 110%!!! No loafing!!
And I realize that I have been very mediocre about this 21 day challenge...

Time to pull up my socks and stick to the plan 100%!!

I'll be weighing myself tomorrow.
Not expecting too much. But will do it anyway.

Alongside the weight that must fall, I am also working towards my dream of running the Comrades Marathon in 2020.
I've also fallen short of my short term goals to build up to it slowly.
And am hoping to achieve them this year.
So hopefully DV , I will run my 2nd 30km race end of March this year.
And then go on to train for my 1st marathon in August.

And that's why I only went for a walk today. And will continue with super low impact training tomorrow (also for an hour), so that I can go run around 18km's on Saturday morning in preparation to stretch my distance: I'm trying to go 3km's further every weekend up till race day.

Enough said for today. Time to start getting busy!

Whoever's reading this - do drop me a line - would love to hear your comments!
Otherwise, just have a super day!!