Hey y’all! It feels like forever since I’ve posted (it’s only been since Thursday), and I haven’t been able to comment on your posts all that much, either. I am reading your blogs, though, so know that I am supporting you even if I haven’t had the time to say so “out loud!”
Our Christmas party was Saturday and it was fantastic! We had a great time, and I think our guests did, too. Plus, now our house is all festive with Christmas decorations, which we will enjoy until the end of the month. Speaking of Christmas, can you believe it’s only 16 days away?? We aren’t going crazy with buying gifts this year and we’re staying home for Christmas with my family, so I am really looking forward to the next couple of weeks. Plus we’re going to Arizona for New Years with Hubs’ family…here’s hoping for 70 degree weather!
On to my topic for today. I was talking with a friend recently about one of the reasons I overeat. It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling to stick to healthy and mindful eating lately, but I have been confused as to why! It’s not “emotional eating” in the way that I usually think of it – I’m not stuffing down a negative emotion I’m trying to avoid. Aside from being maybe a little stressed (as signaled by the back spasms I suffered regularly before/during finals all through law school and which chose to make their reappearance this week!), life is good. Hubs and I are in a good place. Our jobs are secure. My workouts are great (and are essential for warding off my back pain, usually).
So why the need to eat? All I can think of is that one way I have used food in the past is to relax. I mean total, pure, utter relaxation – the kind where you don’t think about anything other than just zoning out in the moment. And while I realize this is a close relative of the “eating-to-numb-out” side of emotional eating, it feels different, you know? Because I’m not eating to *stuff* one emotion, but to *produce* another – relaxation.
It’s all the same in the end, though, when I am using food for a purpose other than to nourish my body and bring pleasure (reasonably) to my palate. And I think it’s just as important to understand the un-dramatic reasons we overeat as the more dramatic/emotional reasons!
It ain’t exciting, but that’s where my mind is lately. And realizing that helped me have a really healthy day yesterday, which felt amazing! And my workouts are kicking arse, which I love. Every day I notice a muscle I haven’t noticed before, or realize that I’m doing something I could never do before. Little things, really – but they are so encouraging! So that’s what’s going on with me. Figuring out another reason I overeat. Making a commitment to choosing other methods of relaxation now that I am aware of this tendency. Enjoying life otherwise. Knowing that it’s okay to struggle. It doesn’t make me a bad person and it doesn’t mean I’m going to gain all of my weight back. In a strange way that I hadn’t really anticipated…living in the struggle is teaching me how to love myself no matter what. Is that weird?
So, your turn. What’s up with you? How are you enjoying (or coping with, as the case may be!) the holiday season? Are you coasting along without effort (love those days/weeks!) or having a bit of a hard time? How can we all band together and help each other through the rough times?
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“Are you coasting along without effort (love those days/weeks!)”
Um…yeah, actually I am! And I think more than anything, it has to do with the fact that my body is finally healing and coming into balance after…years?…of being out of balance and a little sick, too. Not noticeably, but based on the way I feel now? Wow. I’m writing a guest post for MizFit about this very subject so stay tuned!
KCLAnderson (Karen) recently posted..The Myth Of Imperfection
Karen, I LOVE the feeling of living without effort – I’m so happy for you to be experiencing that! And thanks for the heads-up on your guest post for Miz – I can’t wait to read it!
Christmas got here too quickly. In fact, this year was over too fast.
Good for you for finding new muscles and doing things that you couldn’t do before. When I get the urge to eat something “bad” I remind myself of all my NSV and it seems to help keep me in check. My back doesn’t hurt when I stand too long and it’s something I won’t take for granted.
I will admit that I am nervous about all the holiday get togethers in my calendar. I won’t let food control me but I will keep my food intake in control. I just hope I can do it.
marisol recently posted..Monday Weigh In – Week 11
This is the necessary stuff to work through in order to come out all healthy and balanced in our relationship with food and our bodies. You always get me thinking and this post does it again! Now I too must find other ways to relax than plopping down in front of the TV with a snack for a good dose of zoning out. Hmmm. Tea and a book?
Until I get my shopping done I feel too stressed out to really enjoy the season so I’m going to that done in the coming days so I can chill.