Saturday, March 30, 2013

Articles and Links- health, food, and spring photos 3/30/2013

Ah! Spring time hiking find- wisteria. Fantastic. If I could only find a way for smell-o-vision. ;)

Here are a few articles that I enjoyed reading.  Weight loss, Weight Maintenance and  overall health are very effected by the food we eat.

Yoni Freedhoff's article at USA today  - second hand junk food really rang a bell with me. I've got to admit- until I switched over to a cleaner way of eating, I contributed to second hand junk food. I'm not proud of this, but I've forgiven myself and now make amends by bringing clean food to potlucks and shared meals. 

What works- walking the talk
What did not work bringing the latest baked good from Costco in a large tub. (this walk made me large)
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From Gnolls.org- There is another level above "I'm doing fine"  - wow! I can totally relate to this article. My health is far, far above where I expected to be when I started loosing weight. Not only am I a normal weight (for almost 14 months now), but my overall health is greatly improved.  I was not sick this winter (not even a cold!), I'm stronger than I ever have been before ( I call these accidental muscles!) I have more clarity, better sleep. 

What works- eating whole, low inflammatory, lower carbohydrate foods, lots of veggies, protein, olive, coconut oils, with some nuts and berries thrown in.
What did not work- eating high inflammatory foods (wheat/processed sugar/vegetable oils), not eating enough whole foods, eating "low fat treats" like ice cream, 100 calorie packs, and pizza. 
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Article from Discover Magazine on food being addictive (original article here)
Yes, Yes, and nodding Yes. Jumping up and down yes. I found certain foods to be very addictive. 

What works- being tough, not moderate. I do not eat foods that trigger me to overeat. Certain foods Are. My. Drug. I accept this, and live this. I'm at a great level of health. So now, I thank my addictive brain for the extra level of life that I get from my diet and lifestyle. I swam and stopped sinking. I owned this stuff. Roar!

What did not work- eating "everything in moderation". Holy FAT trap, Batman. There are just certain foods that trigger me. And I kept trying to eat them. Because so many people told me I should. And, like a good little lemming- I followed those people right off the cliff and into obesity for many years. I missed the clarity I needed to change up and find something that worked.

Stepping off soap box now......
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It took a solid 8-10 weeks off trigger food- wheat/grains, processed sugar for the brain flog to clear and to cross that bridge.  Sweetness that a cupcake does not have. Richness that the best bar cookie could not bring. 

Happy Easter- if you Celebrate. Celebrate food sober. Life and health are not in Easter candy. 



4 comments:

  1. I have wisteria in my backyard, not nearly as nice as that picture.

    Always love your what works, what doesn't work notes.

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  2. Your statement, "Happy Easter-if you celebrate" means a lot to me. Very few people acknowledge athiests or other non-Christian religious views. I appreciate the inclusion!

    Even though I'm not religious, I can say a hearty AMEN to your comments about trigger foods. I definitely have them, and the slippery slope often whisks me away to a binge I didn't intend.

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  3. Vickie- I keep doing the what works and what doesn't so my slippery slope voice stays at bay. I'm certain I could talk myself into old obesity type habits within a very short time.

    Kaki- I work with so many different cultures and religions. It's taught me to use inclusive language. - glad you stopped by. Jelly beans and other Easter Candy really effected me poorly.

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  4. Our pup dug up our wisteria when we planted it and we haven't gotten back to planting it again. The photos are awesome.

    I still struggle with the fact that eggs are an inflammatory food for me but I am living with it and learning to adjust things as I learn more information about how certain foods impact me.

    I try to avoid the whole second hand junk food thing but I know there will be plenty of candy in the office tomorrow...but I will not indulge in it....nor will I contribute to it.

    That whole "anything in moderation" thing is something I hear over and over again...but I just smile and continue what I know will work for me.

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