Week Three: Still Truckin'

So this past week just kinda came and went.  I am still reading one of the books on food addiction that I ordered and it is fascinating. I wish they rated food addiction- like how bad is a person on a scale of one to five. They do that on the show Hoarders- "we have a level five situation here."  I would estimate myself to be a 2 maybe.  I am not the 900lb person that can't get out of the house and I am positive it would never get to that point.  But I definitely have the same kind of issues with food, just not so severe. I think the idea that you have to be morbidly obese to have a food addiction or compulsion to overeat is 100% false.

When I go to write these posts my thoughts do not flow freely as they usually do. I have a hard time with what to say. I don't want to offend anyone or make it seem like I know so much more than everyone else. Believe me when I say that I do not. I will say that everyone has the power to take control of their health. It is all about finding the right information and practicing it. Which is difficult. Damn near impossible, actually.

Am I scared that I will "fall off the wagon"? Absolutely. I am human. I think of myself as in recovery. I always will be. I think that I will struggle to not go back to my old ways. One day at a time.

I wish that food addiction and compulsive overeating was better understood. I wish that when I asked my Dr. for help(this was a few years ago) he would not of sent me to Weight Watchers only to fail again. Don't you ever wonder why they say results not typical? What the hell? Why am I paying for a program that will not work for most people?

Understanding the anatomy of food addiction and compulsive behavior is key. I now understand why I failed at every food plan I tried. I was not addressing the problem. Only the symptoms.  I would be given a typical food and exercise plan. I would follow it for awhile, months sometimes. I would lose weight. I would "fall off the wagon" and revert back to my old behavior and gain the weight back plus some. Enter feelings of guilt, worthlessness, loneliness, and depression. Repeat.

So, for me, it is essential to get behind the compulsive behavior and avoid the things that trigger it. I choose to not put foods in my body that trigger me to overeat. I still eat a lot. Just not what "normal" people do.

Also understanding how certain foods affect the body was important for me. I was filling my body with low nutrient foods and basically starving myself of the nutrients that my body so desperately needed.

So, this past week I lost 3 lbs for a total of 12 pounds.

I also wanted to share what I have determined to be a medical mystery. For as long as I can remember(since I was a kid) I have had these tiny bumps on my arms. They were the size of pin heads and felt like scabs. My sister lovingly referred to them as barnacles. I tried many lotions to try to get rid of them. Since I gave up dairy, sugar, and processed foods they have disappeared. I wish I knew what was the culprit. I assume it was an allergy of some kind? Who cares, I guess… I am just glad my arms are as smooth as a baby's butt.