Re: another step in the journey? (what do you do for your own self care?)

September 25, 2009

Thanks for the topic, Gillian.

I would say that what I'm doing for my own self care right now is:

1. quit drinking coffee to save my stomach!

2. went to the doctor to get help!

3. take my medicine!

4. eat what I like as long as my body can handle/digest it properly.

It's a big deal to say I'm going to the doctor and actually taking part in my

healing.

Another thing that I have been avoiding is any kind of exercise due to the

previous diet mentality associated with it. But today I walked to work! I

wanted to walk because I needed to blow off some steam. I didnt decide to walk

because of how many calories I might burn. I decided to walk for my health and

self care! It felt good!

Deb

> Maybe we could share some ideas here. What do you do for your own self-care?

>

> Thanks!

> Gillian

> Gillian Hood-son, MS, ACSM

>

> Get your report, " The 6 Steps to Guilt-Fr*e Eating " at

> http://www.HealthierOutcomes.com <http://www.healthieroutcomes.com/>

> Follow me on Twitter: <http://www.twitter.com/gillianhood>

> http://www.twitter.com/gillianhood

>

> _____

>

> From: IntuitiveEating_Support

> [mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ] On Behalf Of Abigail W

> Sent: Sunday, September 20, 2009 5:12 AM

> To: IntuitiveEating_Support

> Subject: another step in the journey?

>

> Hello all,

>

> This journey is so interesting. I'll think I have it all figured out, and

> then bam, find out that there was another whole part of the road that i

> never even realized was there.

>

> I started IE last November, and started McKenna's program not too long

> after. It seemed to be going well. As the months went by, there were

> gradually more steps forward than steps back. I was losing weight and

> feeling really good about myself. My hunger was definitely lessening.

>

> But then this summer and early fall happened and I've been incredibly

> stressed out and turned to food for comfort and I gained back the weight

> insanely quickly. I really can't believe how fast it happened. And now I

> can't seem to get my hunger and eating (it's definitely two separate things

> -- my appetite increased for sure) back under control.

>

> But I think what i realized is that this happened because my body and soul

> were not getting what they needed -- enough rest, freedom from unceasing

> stress, loving self-care, etc. A lot of this was not under my control --

> getting laid off, finding a new job, moving to be near the new job, finding

> out that credentialing for the new job was going to take a VERY long time,

> then finding out that the old job had been reinstated, deciding to go back

> there for the interim to the old job (expecting i'd have a month to get

> settled and then finding out i had only 4 days), which means a VERY long

> commute and an emotionally exhausting situation -- working in a school that

> i adore with children i love. and then working at a ridiculous pace because

> there's so much need for my services. even increasing the duration of my

> runs, in an effort to help with stress management. oh, and not getting

> enough sleep because i have lots going on outside of my work life. not

> getting enough rest is a guarentee that i will be more hungry -- my body's

> way of making up for low energy.

>

> i basically fell apart on the phone on thursday night with my best friend.

> and he practically ordered me to take friday as a sick day. which i did. and

> which was wonderful. i used friday and saturday to finally finish getting

> settled into my new place. living in a disorganized space is a HUGE stressor

> for me. i need organization and cleanliness to feel sane. but hadn't had

> time or energy to work on this since i started the job. i've also gotten

> lots of rest... but made sure to more or less stay on my same sleeping

> schedule. so that when i go back to work tomorrow my body wont be confused

> by getting up early. (that was a big part of my fatigue before.)

>

> i let go and ate more emotionally and less mindfully than i have in a long

> time. i ate in front of the TV on thursday night. it felt great, in a way,

> to just throw in the towel. but i also feel bad about where my body is.

>

> but here is what i realized yesterday. my body is not the problem. nor is my

> eating. my problem is that my body and soul are not getting the care that

> they need. the eating is just a symptom of that.

>

> so i have committed to not going out more than two nights a week during the

> work week (which is hard because i LOVE seeing my friends -- it nourishes my

> soul, but at the expense of my body sometimes), and getting to bed earlier,

> and just having more time to veg out and rejuvenate. it's going to take real

> focus as with the long commute i have to go to bed quite early. i'm going to

> work on eating mindfully again. i've already gotten out of the habit months

> ago of eating while watching TV for the most part (except i've discovered a

> new habit with microwave popcorn, something i never liked before... is this

> because i really like it or because it's forbidden??? i think i may have

> finally legalized it but we will see). but for my meals, i am now at the

> point where i actually enjoy sitting down at the kitchen table by myself.

>

> i'm going to try to eat mindfully but not force myself to stop until i feel

> ready to, physically AND mentally... sara, your post about this really

> helped me! yesterday this went better than it had in a while.

>

> and most importantly, i am NOT going to think about my weight! i am letting

> go of this! i am going to focus on taking really good care of myself during

> this stressful time, and trust that the weight will take care of itself as

> it is meant to.

>

> when i went out last night with my best friend, who is also my ex (we broke

> up four years ago), i dressed up in tight fitting jeans (tighter than before

> but who cares???) and a sexy shirt with cleavage, and put up makeup and

> heels... it's good going out with him because he thinks i am beautiful no

> matter what -- being heavier is not a negative as far as he is concerned,

> there's just more curves to admire (we actually talked about this last

> night)... and just said to myself " i look great RIGHT NOW. " and i felt

> great! it was really liberating. i know that my curves look good! no one

> thinks has any complaints about my weight except me. well, i worry that my

> medical assistant judges me, but it's only because she has weight issues of

> her own, and that's about her, not me...

>

> sorry that this is so long but i guess i am feeling the need to " say this

> out loud " to reinforce it to myself. it all sounds so basic, i know, but it

> feels really revolutionary for some reason. when i take care of myself, i

> wont need food to care for me, and my weight will sort itself out as it is

> meant to! and if, as i fear, my hormones are out of whack and are going to

> make me gain weight regardless... well, there's nothing i can do about that!

> so why make myself miserable about it???

>

> thanks for reading,

>

> abby

>

September 26, 2009

things I do for self-care:1. go running... IF when i check in with myself, i think it will make me feel better, and NOT because i feel like i am " supposed " to go running... so if i'm too tired, i dont go. but if i'm just feeling lazy, i do. usually.

2. GET ENOUGH SLEEP! this is such a hard one. means denying myself so many other pleasures. a work in progress.3. eat what sounds good to me. but trying to work on doing so mindfully, when i'm hungry, not just to put me in a daze or dull my emotions.

4. seeing friends... when and if i have the energy so that it wont wear me out for work the next day5. cleaning my living space. even though i dont like cleaning, i am a MUCH happier person when my space is tidy and organized... it brings me joy all day long

6. taking a moment out at work to think back to funny things children say and laugh over them to myself, and share them with others.