I Get So Emotional

Yes, I am channeling my inner Whitney circa 1987. The 80s were a great time. Not so great fashion-wise but I would rock the day-glo again if it got popular. Oh wait...

Tosca Reno has a food companion that's basically like a weight loss journal. You get to track your food each day, input your progress/stats each month, and there are little inspirational quotes and tips in there; the journal lasts for a year. There is one part where you get to write down your weekly goal. My goal this week was to have 1 cheat day where I can eat what I want but just not get too nuts with it. Well, this week I tackled another goal that I didn't even realize I had: be done with emotional eating.

People think that proper diet is all about willpower; I don't really know if it's willpower or just being mindful of what you're eating and what is going on around you. I believe it is self-destructive to say to yourself "you can't have that, it is BAD, and you're BAD if you eat it." Then you just wind up eating it at 3AM, left to feel stuffed and guilty. Eventually, you find yourself in this circle of endless berating; you point out all your flaws, you eat to feel better and comfort yourself because hell, it's not like you'll lose the weight anyway, and the pattern repeats itself. At least for me, deprivation and trying to muster up some "willpower" is the reason why I have 20lbs more to love than I should.

We eat for all kinds of different emotions: happy, sad, angry, bored. It's normal in our culture and probably why we are so overweight. We no longer think of food as a means of energy, but rather as a tool to pass the time. I'm not saying you can't enjoy good food that maybe isn't the healthiest choice; I'm just saying don't enjoy it around the clock in Andre the Giant-sized portions (wow, what is with the 80s references today?! "Anybody want a peanut?" :) ).

This week has been one of the most emotionally-draining weeks that I can think of. It seems like nothing is going right in my personal or professional life. The old me would have said "don't worry...you're sad...you deserve that burger and fries and milkshake and chocolate cake...for the next 2 weeks...go eat it." And I would have. And then I wouldn't have fit into my new Gap jeans and I would have been depressed and here comes the weight train. Not this time. Unintentionally I said to myself "you know what will make you feel better? A workout." I literally stopped in my tracks and said woah did ME of all people just have that thought?! Yes I did. And working out felt 100000000x better than inhaling a Friendly's PB Cup sundae. It was then that it clicked: I'm really making this eating healthy and working out into a lifestyle. I'm not on a diet. I am LIVING healthy. I'm aware of what's going in my mouth and actually stop to think about the next step when I'm feeling out of control.

This didn't happen overnight but if you are really committed it WILL happen. You just have to give it time. And all days won't be as positive; there will be times when that ice cream calls your name at midnight and you treat yourself to a bowl (keyword, A bowl, not 4), but you don't need to feel guilty anymore because you are entitled to an indulgence every now and then. We are human. We like food. We just have to limit how much we choose to like at any given time.


September 2010 Workouts:
Workout for Mon 9/27/10: STS M1Disc4 & 4DS LIS cardio only premix
Workout for Sun 9/26/10: STS M1Disc3 & CLX All Setp (cardio only)
Workout for Sat 9/25/10: MMA Boxing & Step Moves
Fri 9/24: REST
Thurs 9/23: REST
Workout for Wed 9/22/10: 4DS High Intensity Step Cardio Only Premix & STS M1Disc2
Workout for Tues 9/21/10: HIIT 40/20 & Cardio & Weights Step Only Premix
Workout for Mon 9/20/10: 4DS Bootcamp Cardio Only Premix & STS M1Disc1
Sat 9/18 & Sun 9/19: REST
Fri 9/17: REST
Workout for Thurs 9/16/10: CTX Power Circuit Cardio & Abs only, CTX Upper Body
Wed 9/15: REST
Workout for Tues 9/14/10: IMAX
Mon 9/13: REST
Workout for Sun 9/12/10: Body Max 2 Bootcamp Premix
Workout for Sat 9/11/10: IMAX 2
Workout for Fri 9/10/10: Low Max Step Only Premix
Workout for Thurs 9/9/10: 4DS Bootcamp & Lower Body Circuit Premix
Wed 9/7: REST
Workout for Tues 9/7/10: 4DS Kickbox & Upper Premix
Workout for Mon 9/6/10: 4DS Cardio Blast Premix (Step Only)
Workout for Sun 9/5/10: Cardio Core Circuit
Workout for Sat 9/4/10: Drill Max
Workout for Fri 9/3/10: MMA Boxing
Workout for Thurs 9/2/10: Legs & Glutes
Workout for Wed 9/1/10: Rhythmic Step & abs from KPC