I took a relaxing walk on the beach last weekend. Busy with the usual home project, mom, and weekend activities. It was a nice clear day, I was walking and keeping my eye out for cool things to photograph. I was pretty relaxed.
I spotted this shell at the edge of the surf. I leaned closer to get the right angle for the photo. A wave came up, so I waited for the water to recede.
I got close up this time, and a huge memory washed over me... a food memory. Bugles, the snack food from the 1970's. BAM! I was transported back to about 9 or 10 years old, camping with my family. Making funny duck faces, the red bag, the really good salty crumbs at the bottom of the bag..... insert sound of a screeching breaks here....
I stood up and kept walking. Now I was thinking and slightly amused and very respectful. Okay! Obviously I
I got the heck back on my walk down the beach after that. Food memories faded and I went on with my walking and photography. I let it in, wash over me, and sent those memories on their way.
Some thoughts:
Slightly Amused:
- The shape/texture/pattern of a shell could trigger that memory
- I could "see" colors, details, and smells
- I'll bet people pay a lot of money to have childhood flash backs! I'm getting free beach walk therapy. Awesome!
- I can "give the virtual finger"- see photo below, to the old ways of coping
- Emotional eating is laying just underneath the surface
- Thoughts can pop up at any moment, I can't control it, I can respect it
- I own that, I own my past, I respect the power of my brain
- I can let waves of thoughts wash over me
- I can examine them, if I choose
- I can let them go
- I can see it for what it is
- I can make choices in the present day
- I can have clarity
- I can choose not to eat if I'm not hungry
Okay, anyhoo... enough "Woo-Woo" I got to the highest point of my walk and and looked around. Yep! That smoke stack looks like a "virtual finger" Awesome! More beach walks, more photography, more flow. Let in, wash over, let it go, let it flow...
What's working:1. Taking time to be Primal and get out in nature
2. Eating a lot of Paleo-Primal foods so I feel pain free so I can walk and abstaining from foods that cause me pain.
3. Taking lots of photos when I do steps 1-2
4. Getting great take away lessons from the flow AND practicing them. Walking the talk!!!
What didn't work in the past:
1. Not getting outside enough
2. Eating prior binge/emotional foods and thinking I could moderate those foods
3. Not practicing a hobby that I enjoyed often enough
4. Not really practicing what I knew worked. No blame, no shame.Hard to get the clarity sometimes.
Anybody else remember Bugles? I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole today. :)
I prefer the sweet treats but I remember Bugles because my husband loved them. Almost every time I go into a grocery store I spend at least a minute or two going through this routine. "I could have something sweet. I could buy some Chunky Monkey ice cream and have it for dinner or I could get a candy bar at the checkout." Then a cooler mind prevails and I think "Will this ever stop being part of my shopping trip?" It might not stop but I'm still winning the battle about 99% of the time. Great post. :)
ReplyDeleteI remember that routine, Caron. I know that's part of why WW did not work for me the second time, third time... twenty first time... joking here... I think that the endorsed "eat anything you want" combined with my needing to abstain was not a good combo. So many times I did buy the sweet M&M's or the baked chips and portion them out. Then the battle completely stopped when I started Medifast/ then Paleo. Glad you are winning the battle most of the time. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWhat an insightful post! I admire the mental control you've cultivated!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tess. I focused on a tight window on weight maintenance. It helped me face a lot of things..
DeleteI do remember bugles! I remember putting them on my fingers...ha! They weren't one of my favorite foods, but I did have them occasionally.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Karen, and you are right in that thoughts can pop up randomly and there's nothing you can do to control that, but you can control your response. When we practice "wave" breathing in BodyFlow it's sort of the same...it washes in you, and you let it back out. Same with thoughts, you acknowledge it's come in, and you let it go....kinda like letting a cloud pass by (I paid big $ for that analogy last year in therapy...hahaha!).
Yep! 10 years ago, I also spend a lot of $$ on therapy. It was so worth it. :)
DeleteI remember Bugles. They were tasty pops of air. LOL (Fritos was more of a trigger for me. more substance.)
ReplyDeleteGreat, insightful post! Helps you, helps us!
Fritos are a HUGE binge food for me... HUGE.. I can see the colors on the bag, Gwen . So glad not to be moderating that stuff. It's not hard to imagine why I did not stay at my goal weight very long.
Deletep.s. I don't think it's the shape of the shell that triggered the memories, it's the lattice-pattern on it. THAT was Bugles. ;)
ReplyDeleteI associate locations and events with foods. So I have to be very careful not to "start" a pattern. For example if I were to go to drive thru on my way to pick one of my kids up from college ONE TIME I would have to deal/fight drive thru every time I drove down that same road. Ditto with picking up something in the racks at grocery store check out lanes. It is really a lesson about the patterning we set in our kids about holidays, etc.
ReplyDeleteI also have to be careful about visual. I do not watch any commercials (record and then blink thru them with 1 minute advance button).
Vickie- this is so wise... avoiding "start" the thinking pattern. Also key for me. I follow pinterest boards and instgarm boards and sometimes, blogs, too and I end up unfollowing because there are a lot of food photos. Ditto for carnivals and fairs- think elephant ears. Grocery stores.... never ever the cereal aisle. I send Jr. Family member or hold my breath and break a slow jog!! Thanks for commenting. I suspect there are lots of others who are triggered this same way.
DeleteWow! I didn't really *look* at the shell details till I read your "The shape of the shell" and I was like uhh that wasn't a little horn shaped thing that turned into witch nails. LOL Then I saw the pattern and went WHOA!
ReplyDeleteLOL -Mrs. Swan and Gwen and Becca- I changed the statement to read shape/texture/pattern It was probably the pattern on the shell.
ReplyDeleteThat shell reminds me of waffle cones which is a whole 'nuther story for me.
ReplyDeleteAfter getting rid of trigger foods, the biggest battle for me is to not get bored and to keep busy. If I'm out birding, I never think of food until my stomach is growling and that could be 6 or 8 hours after my last meal. I become so engrossed with being in nature and anticipating what the next bird I'll see will be, that food is the last thing on my mind. I like that feeling.
Smells & seeing certain foods trigger me.
I have to develop a more mindful way of being rather than reactionary.
Great post, Karen!
Karen, I love looking at birds when I walk. I love being so far into what I'm doing. That focus really helps keep me balance. Plus, the time spend walking = better problem solving for me. Win, win. If it's late at night (aka- no walking), then I'll go to bed so I can wake up early and walk.
DeleteSo believe in the primal concept of getting out in nature. Today was beautiful here. I ran outside and then went to the gym. When I got home, I took one of the pups for a long walk. I am in such a good mood and have no desire for anything outside of what I already planned to eat. I think there is so much about being out in nature that helps all aspects of our lives.
ReplyDeleteLynn, it really does. I count myself as "primal" even though I don't eat dairy because of the getting out in nature aspect. :)
DeleteIt's interesting what can trigger memories. Once I have desensitized myself to a particular food, I have to be careful not to get triggered again, because it can quickly become a habit once again. That's why I can't eat candy bars again, because I can be triggered in a heartbeat. When on vacation, I am cautious about what I eat for that very reason.
ReplyDeleteE. Jane.. yes! Candy bars are a no go for me too. 100% trigger food. I look away at the regular grocery when I have to check out. Now off the triggery food, I miss it less. It still triggers, but I don't crave, buy, or eat. = Win!
Delete"More beach walks, more photography, more flow" .... and keeping to eating good real whole food.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post - thanks
All the best Jan
Jan, thanks! I really have been loving taking photos and walking. Hand in hand with weight maintenance. :)
DeleteYou spoke really well on that podcast - I admit I would have been stumped as to what to say at times!!
ReplyDeleteLinda, thanks!! I'm behind in my blog commenting, so I'll hop over your way soon. It was a different interview than my others. Fun to see my progression over the podcasts.
DeleteSalty snacks are my downfall. Just yesterday a client asked me if I could just eat one food for the rest of my life that would be enough to sustain me and wouldn't cause weight gain, what would it be? Potato chips. Love Bugles:)
ReplyDeleteYep! I hear you on the potato chips ( tortilla chips became a bigger issue after my move to So. Cal!). Oh my... :)
DeleteOops! That should say LOVED Bugles...we've broken up permanently:)
ReplyDelete;) Gotcha! Me too!
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