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It's the last chapter in my review of the materials from my Mindful Eating for Binge Eaters retreat, but only the continuation of the beginning of my journey. And, while I know there's much from previous chapters that I still have to learn & put into practice, this chapter made me realize again how much time working my healthy eating & living program takes. But for now, that's ok as I'm hopeful that the need to focus on it so intently will lessen and my new big life will emerge.
I had a good, progressive but not perfect weekend & am very happy with how mindful I was able to be. Since it was so low-key with no wine or dark chocolate, I slept well each night too. I'm off to an early workout this morning & my therapist this afternoon plus trip prep as we leave on Thurs. But first, I'll pray --
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
And I'll pray, breathe, log, journal & express my way through this one day, and each one meal, moment, bite, thought & emotion. I'm so grateful for each of Considerate & Charming you, my family & IRL friends, a fun-filled but healthy & mindful weekend, no snow, and having both boys home for another couple days with the health & wealth to live this life I love! xoxox
EWYL-BE Chapter 10 – My Big Life
Where Do I Invest My Energy?
Mindful eating is a process, not a destination. Since the changes you are making may be gradual, subtle or painless, you may not realize that meaningful transformation is taking place.
Self-Care vs Neglect
Think about how the decisions you make affect your health & well-being. At one end of the horizontal spectrum is self-care. Decisions that promote self-care have the most desirable effects on your physical, intellectual, emotional & spiritual well-being. On the other end of the spectrum is neglect. You’re neglecting yourself when your decisions ignore or disregard your best interests.
Flexible vs Rigid
Think about how you make your day-to-day decisions. At one end of the vertical spectrum is flexibility. Flexibility allows you to adapt to any situation. At the other end is rigidity. Rigid decision-making is strict, with no room for error or unexpected detours.
When you eat mindfully, you strive to take good care of yourself while giving yourself the flexibility to adapt. By practicing a mindful, flexible approach to self-care, you create a pattern of eating & living that fuels your big life.
What to Do When You Get Off Track (and you will)
Don’t expect yourself to be perfect. It isn’t possible – and it isn’t necessary. You are in charge. When you notice that you’re off track, the Mindful Eating Cycle will help you look at your recent eating patterns & help you decide areas that require your focus.
Why? Why have I been eating lately?
When? When have I been eating? Are there specific triggers that I’ve been reacting to?
What? What types of foods have I been eating lately? Am I eating in a balanced & moderate manner? Have I had enough variety?
How? How have I been eating lately? Have I been using intention & attention when eating?
How much? How much have I been eating? Generally, how do I typically feel after eating?
Where? Where have I been investing my energy?
Do What You Love
• As you free yourself from binge eating & restrictive eating and learn to eat mindfully instead, you can redirect your time & energy to other more productive & satisfying pursuits. You’ll have more energy to build optimal health. Optimal health is the best state of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual wellness that you can have given your current opportunity & limitations. When you care for all aspects of your health – body, mind, heart & spirit – you build a Big Life.
Body
Your physical health has a major influence on how you feel, what you think, the choices you make, & how vulnerable or resilient to stressors & triggers you face each day.
Heart
Emotional health is the result of learning to embrace the full spectrum of emotions, identify & cope with stress & feelings, seek balance, know your limits, nurture yourself, & cultivate healthy relationships.
Mind
Intellectual health is how you think & much more. It includes your thoughts, growth, stimulation, creativity, challenge & more.
Spirit
Spiritual health may include religion, but its really much more. It encompasses your sense of purpose, knowing that there is a something greater than yourself, your connection & relationship with God & others, unconditional love & acceptance, contribution, joy & peace.
Looking Forward to Your Big Life
• You have learned to reconnect with your body & listen to the information it provides you.
• You listen to your internal cues of hunger & satisfaction.
• You choose from all foods freely to meet your needs.
• You move mindfully.
• You eat foods you really enjoy without guilt.
• You eat mindfully in a manner that nourishes your body, mind & spirit.
• You have become more aware of your thoughts & how they affect you.
• You have tools to help you cope with your emotions without turning to food.
• You have learned to recognize dichotomous thinking & move more to the middle.
• You don’t judge yourself or react impulsively if you didn’t do something perfectly.
• You create a self-care buffer zone & meet your physical and emotional needs without turning to food.
Now you’re in charge of using these tools to continue your journey toward a fulfilling, vibrant, big life. Healing your relationship with food & your body isn’t going to make your life perfect, but it will create space for you to live the life you crave.
Diet Calendar Entries for 03 March 2014:
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1221 kcal
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Fat: 57.00g | Prot: 72.00g | Carb: 124.00g.
Breakfast: Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Coconut Water , Lactaid 100% Lactose Free Fat Free Milk, Primal Nutrition Primal Fuel - Vanilla Coconut Creme, Spectrum Naturals Organic Coconut Oil. Lunch: Primal Nutrition Primal Fuel - Chocolate Coconut, Lactaid 100% Lactose Free Fat Free Milk. Dinner: Stew Leonard's Healthy Eggplant Tomato Bisque, The Chia Co Chia Pod Blueberry. Snacks/Other: Raw Green Smoothie. more...
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1765 kcal
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Activities & Exercise:
Resting - 15 hours, Sleeping - 8 hours, Calisthenics (heavy, e.g. pushups) - 1 hour. more...
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