Ideas that I bring with me in 2015 (from 2014) #2 - Boss of my social media streams-Unfollowing food trigger photos and food descriptions

Ideas that I bring with me in 2015 (from 2014) #2 -  Boss of my social media streams-Unfollowing food trigger photos and food descriptions

My take away :Surfing those waves of food thoughts, I have to minimize my exposure to food photos and descriptions on the internet. I have to be BOSS about my social media streams.


The Positive: Now the thing that is one of my God given gifts is Photography.

The Reality: The thing that is a gift can also be triggering for me around food photos and descriptions, so I had to be very honest and tough around subscribing to Pinterest, Facebook and even Feedly when bloggers were describing binges.

My recovery from a life long food addiction requires that I not dabble in old food cycles. Just like an alcoholic would not go and walk by the bar or hang out in one AND they would find new friends who do not "use".

1. Unfollowing tirggering  Food Photos on Pinterest: Sometime in 2014, Pinterest changed their programming for a while and "suggested" pins and pinners.That was a disaster in my brain! I couldn't believe my eyes.

No, no, no, oh HECK NO.  Because I subscribe to weight maintainers on Pinterest thought I should see their moderate eating, bakery posts. I make it a priority not to follow all boards on each person I follow. May be inspirational, maybe paleo/primal recipes.... but I unfollow if there's lots of cookies and cupcakes.

Now my pinterest boards looks more like this:

2. Unfollowing Facebook pages I like due to a constant stream of baked Paleo dessert foods.
Ditto with Instagram 


Just as jarring as the food photos on Pinterest.... The awesome Paleo bloggers who have great content but I just cannot follow them because of their constant stream of Paleo cookies, brownies, cakes...

No, just no. I still visit these bloggers, and share their non food or meat dishes. One in particular has great, researched based articles and I share them. Awesome, valuable work.  The info is great, but SAD food porn is not, in my opinion. Another has awesome meat recipes.

 One of them admitted "It's our team that posts these, not us, do you think that we eat these all the time?"

My own answer:   To be honest: I don't blame these posters for posting their Paleo-fied treats. Many times it's their source of income. And they do get lots of blog traffic (sex sells and so do Paleo cookies!) I get it. But I dislike the subsequent posts of "I try so hard and I still can't lose the weight/have good health... "____insert whiny problem here....

 Dudes and Dude-ttes, Paleo bloggers or not, look at processes. Look at choices that result in what you  are putting in your body. There's a direct connection between health out comes and what you choose to put in your body. Direct connection.

Paleo or not: Own your answers = own your processes = own your own health outcomes. Banish the whine and victim mode.  It might be right for you, just no whiny posts if you are into paleo or low WW point treats. Cheat DAY, week, month? and circling around the same problems? Okay, fix it or move ON! Glad to be off that merry-go-round.  Be honest and BOSS about it.

What works for me:
 Unfollowing Paleo Treat bloggers and googling their non junk food information as needed.

Also, this thought from  Jason Seib:  "Don't bring your SAD diet with you into your new habits!" 


3. Unfollowing bloggers describing food binges and planning food binges in super large detail:

Sorry- NO, not sorry about this one. It's me, not you. Yes, I know that food porn is part of the disease. And I sincerely hope these bloggers find wellness.

I know that many people moderate junk food and do well. Yeah, they do, but as well as it makes them, it causes me to be in the disease.

I worked and work hard to remain food sober. Time is limited. If I were a recovered alcoholic, I would find a group of friends outside the bar. Well, hello, my name is Karen P and I'm a recovered food addict..... I'll be spending my time on things accepting I can change about myself, and letting go of  things I can't.

What works for me: Keeping my train on the tracks

Keeping my train on the tracks

1. I learned to put myself first, always. ALWAYS.  There's no good that will come from going back to my old ways. To be fair, if there's a limited photo here or there, that's okay for me.  I could probably predict lapses or relapses into food addiction just by someone's social media stream. Being the BOSS of my environment.

2. Totally changing my old junk food moderating ways.

3. Using my god given talent- photography.

What didn't work in the past:
1. Keeping photos of dessert food around in the way of recipes, magazines, and not being BOSS of my environment. Following others who were also "using food".

2. Not removing junk food.

3. Using my camera to take photos of cookies!!! Whut?!

Question: How about you? What internet changes have you made now that you've made changes in your diet? Can you also spot others decent back to old habits. It's tougher to watch than I thought it would be. I've had to get more "BOSS" with social media than I ever thought.

Ideas that I bring with me into 2015 (from 2014)- keeping my train on the tracks! #1 Acceptance

Keeping my weight maintenance train on the tracks 2015

IDEA #1:I accept that my biology is/was changed fundamentally in long term weight maintenance.
 
In the past, my food addict brain told me some pretty false stories so the addiction part could live. So I could continue filling up my dopamine receptors with processed sugars, grains, and even lots of fruit.

Once full, I just wanted more, more, more.

I realized that certain blog posts, ideas from podcasts really popped for me in 2014 and I think about them in 2015 a lot.

 Things that pop for me:  I'm meant to learn, digest, try out, and bring what works along with me.

1. Dr Berkeley's post Have we fundamentally changed?  Around the topic of starchy carbs "Think of it like an allergy.... the cause of the problem doesn't matter. What is important is that we understand that we ARE changed and will remain so."

My take away: Acceptance of my Lower carb, real food, Paleo-ish, modified AIP food template. Hey! It's not my fault, but my responsibility to take charge of my health.

What I tell myself to stay sane: 

 I am changed, I have changed and I choose foods that make me well. I choose this!   I may never know why, but I accept the responsibility of self-care.

 I may never know why, but I accept it and eat from the food template that is low inflammatory and helps me live the most pain free physical and emotional life. Time will pass anyway, I might as well choose foods that make and keep me well.

It's okay not to know why, however, it is not okay to make choices that make me ill. 

What didn't work:

1. Moderating high inflammatory foods, high carb frozen diet meals, WW 2 point bars, and oh, God Forbid- insert name of candy at the grocery store that is sold as buy one get one free,  into 1-2 point baggies.  Guaranteed binge time there, not just a few WW points....  I have to turn my back on those displays upon check out. In fact, I try not to shop at regular grocery stores as much as possible.

2.  Using food for purposes other than fuel: I used to "use" both oatmeal and low calorie ice cream as a delivery vehicle for my food addictive toppings.


Okay, does anyone else accept that there have been some fundamental changes in food/food environments that just don't work anymore?  I know that age was a big factor. I lost 60 pounds when I was in my early 30's at WW, but sustaining on crappy food choices just didn't get me to weight maintenance OR good health.
 

But for most of us, the cause of the problem doesn't matter.  What's important is that we understand that we ARE changed and will remain so.
- See more at: http://www.refusetoregain.com/2014/10/have-we-fundamentally-changed-a-novel-thought-about-obesity.html#sthash.mmwfYL0W.dpuf

But for most of us, the cause of the problem doesn't matter.  What's important is that we understand that we ARE changed and will remain so.
- See more at: http://www.refusetoregain.com/2014/10/have-we-fundamentally-changed-a-novel-thought-about-obesity.html#sthash.mmwfYL0W.dpuf

But for most of us, the cause of the problem doesn't matter.  What's important is that we understand that we ARE changed and will remain so.
- See more at: http://www.refusetoregain.com/2014/10/have-we-fundamentally-changed-a-novel-thought-about-obesity.html#sthash.mmwfYL0W.dpuf

2 years, 23 months in long term weight maintenance- graphs, photos, my thoughts on US News and World Reports 2015 diets!

 

Starting Weight: 187.4 lbs

Goal Weight Range: 113-119 lbs

Current Weight: 116.4 lbs

Height: 5'1"

Age 48

Time it took to lose the weight: 40 weeks

Time in long term weight maintenance: 2 years, 23 months

Menopause: 2 years

Weight graphs below. 

Oh, do this one thing..... before you spend another month in a "highly ranked" U.S. News and World Reports Diet rankings 2015, evaluate if your weight loss and weight maintenance food template is the best one for your:

1. Molecular Genetics

2. Inflammation

3. Health Goals

4. Emotional Health

5. Overall Well Being

6. Age and hormonal status

Hey! There's a reason why Paleo is the most googled diet term of 2013-2014. Now to be fair, I lost my weight using Medifast, but I maintain using a Paleo, Modified Auto-Immune Food template.

E-GADS! I'm glad I can use my brain to figure out what works for me.

What does this mean for me? I found a great , real food, lower carb, higher natural fat food template that keeps me feeling young, strong, sleeping well, as disease free as I can get.

What does this mean for you? Use your own n=1 (your own self experiment) and your own mind to decide what weight loss and weight maintenance plan works for you.

What worked for me:

1.There is no one thing that will work for all people. What did work was finding the food template that works best. For you it may be Paleo, Primal, Mediterranean, Auto-Immune Protocol, The Wahl's Protocol.   Heck, it might even be vegan, vegetarian, Weight Watchers.  Medifast . Moderate all the things..

2. I used my own brain and body feed back to make changes to meet my weight maintenance and long term health goals. Moderating grains and sugars fed what I believe to be a life long food addiction. I faced my patterns head on, in a much more effective way.

3. I have a good sense of self. 

4. My food template sure does taste good! 

In the past, what didn't work

1. I used diet plans that were effective for weight loss, but failed to be the best tools for me in long term maintenance. I failed to switch up plans when what I chose stopped working.

2. I hid from the scale and did not want to see the pattern of emotional eating and mental use of crappy processed foods as an addictive pattern. I refused to address either. Both kept me in an unwell state of health. I did not embrace using my most effective tools.

3. I was so brain washed into thinking that the diet plans that were "best for others", "popular" would be best for me. Like a lemming off a cliff. It took me about 1 full year to really stop being afraid of good fats and proteins. I was terrified. Better late than never. 

4. Meh, low fat, high carb wasn't the best tasting food ever. I enjoy using sea salt, olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed beef now. Great flavor profiles. I can't say a WW frozen dinner and dessert was the best tasting thing on the planet. Just saying.. Oh, was I ever miserable on a DASH diet. Turns out I can use sea salt and get great blood pressure results.

Here's to another month of choosing foods that make me well instead of make me sick and for thinking for myself.  I wish the same for you. Promise you'll use your brain to pick your food template based on your own n=1 outcomes.

No Grains, No Gains- Jan 2015 A look back at 2014 key take aways in weight maintenance- Support and

Our Mission Statement : A group a of Primal/Paleo/Grain free women who blog about their experiences/life/benefits without grains. It’s a great way for others (who may be wanting to lose weight, reverse an acute/chronic health trend, and/or transition from commercial weight loss programs) to read about real life women who are living the life and succeeding!

Topic for Jan 2015: Additional shifts, benefits, key take aways or growth in our maintenance programs or other life areas in 2014.  A look back.

0. Boundaries in real life vs the blog
I don't blog about everything in my life. For many good reasons, family,  privacy, safety etc. so some of the growth and look back will be things I worked on, but did not share. That's okay. I'm healthier because I set boundaries. Sometimes, I want to experiment, THEN tell you how it did or didn't work. :) That's how I roll....

My life is NOT your open book. Good boundaries make healthier, happier people. You can get your drama fix at other blogs, the Real Housewives series (Orange County and New Jersey are my favorites)  Yo! Truth. Don't get me wrong. I tell the truth. There is a lot of power in owning your own stuff. I just don't really want to know anyones opinion before I make up my own mind and tell you how I'm going to roll.   Powerful! 

Drama filled beach scenes, not blog posts! Walking for weight maintenance is more effective

0.5  Abstaining does not = restriction OR an addicts excuse to moderate eat and keep binging.

It's so, so powerful. Write your own what works, what doesn't work and stop the harmful, weirdo, ineffective patterns and behaviors. I didn't  have a cookie, frosting, pizza, candy, or grain deficiency. Neither do you, in my opinion. If you eat those things without self harm, yay you. I if I eat those things = diabetes and binge eating = food addition Boooo.

I found my find recovery in abstaining rather than moderate binge eating this that and the other things. You may (or may not).  Careful on how much "other people's stuff" you are willing to bring into 2015.   The answers are inside you. Here are my 2014 answers.

Own 2014 with effective root cause analysis. Spend time in 2015 with effective CAPA- corrective actions and preventive measures will keep you well in 2015. Truth!

1.The No Grains, No Gains group began in 2014 (Paleo/Primal)
What worked: multiple outlooks from different people, lots of cross blog sharing and commenters.
What didn't work: Blog links.. lots of mine are broken... so I need to go back and fix those. EZ.

Take away:  There's strength in fine tuning your food template and habits. My habits won't be yours. Surround yourself with others who are on the similar path.


2. I found private support for Food Addiction.
What worked: I found a group where I could say I abstain from grains, almost all sugar, I could get and give support when needed. I've been reading more and more about Food Addiction. Some things are tough to learn about, some things are a relief. I can tell you I was born this way. Nice to not be ashamed of that anymore.

What didn't work: Support groups that moderate food for binge eating. Nothing against any group or individual, but really, my binge brain would loooooove to moderate food... and start binging again. Glad that found a group that is a better fit for me (and for them). We are both saving a lot of time.

One choice will have a better outcome than the other... choose wisely!

3. I added in a support group for Weight Maintenance support
What worked: I joined the Half Size Me Community (led by Heather Robinson). Great group of support people. And I'm accepted for who I am. That is very cool. Longer blog post on that in the future. I'm happy to pay a super small amount to Heather for the privilege of weight maintenance support. (weight talk in the FA group is prohibited, for good reasons). I've also been able to share some weight maintenance and Paleo successes. Nice to share with other Paleo/Primal peeps.  Weight talk isn't always accepted in the Paleo world. That's okay.

What didn't work: I still weigh in monthly at WW (it's free and I want a calibrated scale), however, when I heard a leader just completely throw another member under the WW bus I decided to stop attending meetings.  The member was told she should and could moderate "anything she wanted". I spoke up and said I couldn't and shouldn't moderate a piece of frosted chocolate cake EITHER, that food was off limits, made me sick, and kept me on the path to diabetes and binge eating.  I got the evil eye from the leader.

If the Food Addiction specialists are right with 40% of obese people having some level of food addiction, along with 6-10% of normal weight people.... well, that explains a lot to me. The "get the heck out of this meeting about moderation and stay out and away forever" feeling over came me and I did the right thing for me.

I haven't returned to another meeting since, but I do visit with my favorite members outside, after the meeting is over. That's okay, too. WW's can moderate all they want. I gave that stuff up, and I am better for it. :)  E-gads, the years I spent trying to moderate all. the.food. Wasted. Better late than never.

Look Mom, no WW meetings and I'm still meeting my goals

4. Good sleep. 

I blog less and sleep more. Yay me.

Blog traffic is up, Yay you. We are stronger together. I can be a weekend blogger and still be effective. Yay both of us!

Take away, More does not = better.


5. Blood glucose monitoring

I take my fasting glucose. Even in a tight food template, some foods cause me a higher fasting blood glucose. Think eating a lot of fruit and grain are a  a  good idea? It may be , but it also may be a silent way to induce pre-diabetes, diabetes, or metabolic. A lot of diabetics are thin....  High blood glucose is silent. Use the power of both doctor ordered labs and home testing to make changes that fit for your personal genetics. There's power in your own data. I'm glad I'm not taking on someone else "Fruit is Free" food template.

Take away: own your data to own your outcomes


Those are my major take aways for 2014.  Hope it was a good one for you. If it wasn't, that's okay. We are both here in 2015 to read and blog and learn and grow. Big difference from 2012 and  2013 where I had 6 people close to me die. That was hard. But I didn't binge eat over it and I'm here food sober in 2014 and now 2015 to tell the tales. Happy to live fully, on my own terms. Onward into growth, good take aways. Eyes wide open.

Check out my bloggy friends (Leigh at Poonpalooza is still on a blog break)
Jeanette at For Life:  wolfforlife.blogspot

Cheering on all the Whole30, AIP, and FODMAP challenges Jan 2015

Best AIP with references to FODMAPs

I know a lot of people, online and in real life that are starting Whole30's, 21 Day Sugar Detoxes, Auto-Immune Protocols, and looking at removing FODMAP's  (see Roni's Weigh Post)

Roni could have bandaided her symptoms with a drug but is now looking at what FODMAP's might be at the root of the cause.

Here are my best resources: Most info is available for free at the sites I'm linking.

Seek support from those already there.








It Starts With Food: Whole30
Nom Nom Paleo- Michelle Tam's site (Whole30)

The Paleo Mom (AIP and FODMAPs)
Mickey Treascott (AIP and FODMAP's)

Practical Paleo- Diane Sanfillippo (21DSDT and FOMAPs)

The Whals Protocol (low inflammatory, MS, IBS)


What works for me:

0. Eating real foods and eliminating some foods is my best tool for long term weight maintenance. Hands down-Best thing ever!

Eliminating

• Binge triggers
• High inflammatory foods

 Keeping

• Foods that keep my blood glucose in check
• Foods that keep my body lean and muscular

1. For those of you about to commit to 30 or 21 days. I salute you for using those tools to get to better health rather than pop some pills and hope for the best. Food is a powerful form of nutrients and even medicine. Here's to finding your own custom food template for your best health results.

2.  I'm not needing to do any of those elimination diet because I learned what I needed from my Jan 2013 Whole30 and my low Carb and nut free challenge of April 2013. I eat mainly within my food template day in and day out. 24/7.

3. I do small food experiments, during the year, that are a modification of AIP, low carb high fat (LCHF) as needed throughout the year. In 2014, I eliminated eggs for 30 days and pork for more than 30 days.

2014
Eggs = keeper!
Pork,including lard = remove 99%

4. If I would have known how full, satisfying, and healthy and YOUNG I felt by just eliminating some foods, I would have done it years ago.

•  I don't miss sugar and grains, I do miss dairy a lot, but I can use coconut milk as a sub. Not the same, but I'll take it. 
•  Legumes and nuts.... meh...who cares. Migraines, I don't miss. Nut binges, GI problems with legumes
•  I miss pork a little bit. I think lard has a great flavor profile, but for me, it's inflammatory.  
• I'm OVER all of it. The pain: physical and mental 
• There are no tiny violins playing.

5. I kicked obesity and binge eating to the curb after 40 years. Sweeter than any frosting or cake I won't be eating in the future. 5-10% of folks will regain a large amount of weight after losing a large amount by 3-5 years post weight loss.

What didn't work in the past.

0. Telling myself BS :that I would binge if I didn't moderate frosting, cookies. In actuality, I binged because I ate those foods. It's not my fault, it's the way the brain chemistry I have works.

 But I did need to step back, get REALLY HONEST and stop BS-ing myself and kick that part of my thinking to the curb. I don't have a sugar/grain deficiency. I don't need those processed foods to live. REALLY.

1. I stopped using many drugs 300-500 ibuprofens a year by eliminating high inflammatory foods. I stopped buying Tums, Mylanta by the bulk. I stopped using a proton pump inhibitor Rx. I stopped being gassy to the point of people wanting to call Roto-Rooter - laugh if you must, it hurt like H*ll, spending 30 minutes at a time in the bathroom. I stopped wondering if I was going to have a heart attack, stroke, and or type 2 diabetes. Now I know I'm very unlikley to have any of those things. Even with the genetics for type 2.

2. I couldn't stop binge eating long enough to evaluate.

• Yes, stopping sugar and grains was hard, but binge eating constantly was mentally and eventually physically harder. I've done worse things in my life. 

• Get some support for the physical and mental withdraw.

•  No,no I  DID NOT have a Lara Bar or Medifast Pancake, or Paleo Brownie deficiency. My mind and the people selling products or getting hits on websites wanted me to think so... you can power through weirdo cravings. (no offense to those of you who recently consumed these products.) I did "use" them during my transition year from Medifast to Paleo.  It worked for me for a year.

• Get some support. I know how powerful the pull can be. Facebook groups, Food Addiction groups, binge eating groups. Abstaining won't harm you, despite what your binge brain thinks. You can re-introduce anything and make up your own mind about any food 21 or 30 days later. 

3. I stopped experimenting once I learned what didn't work.  I am super stoked that I didn't have to give up eggs, because chicken eggs are inexpensive and I'm the sole sources of income at my house.  If sometime in the future I need to give up chicken eggs, most people can have duck eggs. A little bit more $$, but high inflammation will cost the most to my body and organs in the long run.

4.  I thought  my weight, acne, headaches were all part of aging and unavoidable. All went away by removing food that triggered the inflammation. Pity I spent so long ignoring symptoms and taking meds.

5. I put the YO in yo-yo dieting with food plans that didn't work for long term maintenance. Calorie counting, WW points). Moderating high inflammatory foods just didn't work for me.

Are you, or have you used a Whole30, AIP, or 21 sugar detox in the past? How did it work for you. Are you practicing what you learned? Why did you go back to old habits? What road blocks do you have to getting back to what works for you?

If you are jumping into a new food template, seek support from those already there

New Year's 2015 - Food Sober another day, Food Addiction podcast recommendation

I stayed food sober for another meal, day, year.  Waking up in 2015 with a clear mind, not food, sugar, grain seeking is a true gift.

I would highly recommend listening to Sean Croxton interview Vera Tarman, MD on the podcast 309
link to iTunes here.








What I did that worked in 2014:  I choose food from a template (Paleo-ish, low carb higher fat) each meal.  Meat and Veg, good fats, occasional berries and a tiny amount of 85% chocolate. Every meal in 2014. This is my 4th food sober New Years Day! 

What I'm doing : I'm still reading the book Food Junkies. I'll do a big book review soon. Meanwhile, enjoy and learn from the podcast and here's to exploring the world of Food Addiction. I'm listening to it a second time!

Tools :
1. The Rudd Yale Food Addiction Scale Questionnaire
http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/what/addiction/FoodAddictionScale09.pdf

2. Food Addictions Unplugged:- Vera Tarman's website:  link

My 2 cents: Life is a lot clearer now that I've kicked sugar, grains, and even dairy to the curb. Here's to clarity and courage to share our stories.

Abstaining: Today life is like the clear photo on the left and less like the pile of rocks on the right. One view was on the East side of my last hike in 2014 and the other view was on the West side of my last hike in 2014. So close together. Very different outlooks.

Grains and sugar: Abstaining is clear and light, eating them weighs me down

What didn't work in the past:

1. Moderating sugar, grains, and food with lots of additives
2. Ignoring books, recommendations that were made for me, even by a licensed doctor.
3. Trying to soothe myself with highly palatable foods. Like the huge tin of the perfect tri-fecta binge popcorn that was set out in the break room yesterday... oh, me. The food binges of New Years past.
4. Lack of access to abstaining plans.

Here's to doing what you need to do in 2015. Remove the shame, sugar, grains, dump those 2014 rocks! Onward.