Progress Report
Two weeks ago I wrote a rather despondent post bemoaning my relationship with food. As always, shining the light on my fears and troubles diminishes them. The comments I received turned my negativity around almost instantaneously, and the support from my “in person” friends was the icing on the cake (the cake, of course, being gluten-free, sugar-free, and calorie-free). I came to find out, once again, that I am indeed not alone in my troubling thoughts, and that, sharing the load truly lessens the burden.
One friend and I, who both have a trip booked for roughly the same time frame, have concocted a plan: let’s grab some of the most effective tools from the recovery toolbox with which I have been blessed, and put them to work in constructing a healthier lifestyle. Here’s what we’ve come up with so far:
Goal: Take the next six weeks, and make small, incremental changes to our current diet and fitness lifestyle, and see if we can’t feel and look better in time for our trips.
Okay, so there’s the big picture goal, how will the next 6 weeks play out? One of the biggest “tricks” to my success in recovery, especially in the early days, was that I had a to-do list of four things, and only four things, that I needed to accomplish in any given day, and if I went to bed having accomplished them, the day was a success. I’ve written about this ad nauseam, no need to revisit the specifics. So what I hope to do is use the same blueprint for improving my health. I took a long, hard look (cringing A LOT) at all my bad habits, and I concluded that, to start, I could commit to 4 things each and every day, and I was (am) hopeful that in time, I can add/modify/eliminate as needed to continue on a positive path. But for now, forget everything else, and commit to the following:
1. Eliminate the 4 worst foods in my current diet that lead to binge eating (again using the number because it worked so effectively in the past for me)
2. Commit to replacement foods that are healthier than existing foods
3. 20 minutes of dedicated physical activity
4. Communication/progress reports each evening (She has her own four, and reciprocates with her own progress reports)
That is it. Here’s what I am NOT going to do: beat myself up over anything else that I do or don’t do during a given day… if I go to bed having accomplished those four things, that day is a success.
Saturday, February 22nd was our start date; today is March 6, roughly 2 weeks in. How is it going?
Week one had its emotional ups and downs, but I successfully completed the week as laid out above. Each day I would wake up, absolutely convinced that I would not, could not, make it through the day without giving in to one temptation or another (sound familiar, friends in recovery?). Each night that I made it through, the exhilaration was palpable.
A surprising tool from recovery came in very handy during the first week. Each time I refrained from eating something, or chose something healthy, a pessimistic voice in my head would taunt me, “Big deal… you made it through this one, tiny hurdle? Do you REALLY think you are going to spend THE REST OF YOUR LIFE doing this?”
Here’s the surprise answer I had at the ready, and it comes directly from all the lessons learned through recovery: “Who cares about the rest of your life? Can you make it through the rest of this day?”
And would you believe that response was as calming, as soothing, and as positive, as when I used it in the early days of sobriety? So that was a really fun bonus. And the voice has since quieted down, it’s almost inaudible!
Other positives: the exercise thing, having committed to it effectively about 6 months ago but have since lapsed, was like riding a bike, in that making it a part of my daily life became routine fairly quickly. Without getting too far ahead of myself, I do find myself pushing myself a bit further, here and there, and I suspect that as time goes on I will continue to do so.
The regular “checking in” process has loads of benefits, the main one being accountability. There were several days that I turned away from one bad choice or another for the simple reason that I did not want to report I ate it.
Another huge milestone for me: sharing about the foods that tempt me. In the past, I would have been as secretive about this information as I was with every part of my active addiction. I attach shame to eating certain foods, and thus do it privately, and fail to disclose it to anyone. In order to have this communication with my friend be meaningful, I had to get real about the temptations in my life. Unsurprisingly, my revelations did not raise an eyebrow, and since that time I’ve opened up with more people about it, getting similar results.
I did not recognize this shift until a few days ago. I am a Catholic, and Lent is currently underway. In preparation for this religious event, I was contemplating what I would sacrifice, and decided that it would be one of the foods on my list above… Lent would simply give me a few added weeks of abstinence. However, tradition would have it that on “Fat Tuesday,” you celebrate with one last hoorah, and so I made the decision that I would break one of my four commitments. I communicated this to my friend, in advance, explaining what I was going to do, and how I intend to not let it derail me permanently (as has so often happened in the past). I finished explaining it in email, and when I sat back to review, I realized what an amazing accomplishment that was for me… that kind of unreserved honesty, as far as eating habits are concerned, is a first for me, and it felt really good to see the progress as it’s happening.
Last but not least, I am experiencing tangible results: my clothes feel a tad looser, the numbers on the scale are down, 10 pounds the first week! I am actually going to talk a little more about that, but it will have to wait for another post, since this one is running too long as it is! Finally, my mood overall is more positive and optimistic.
All great stuff, and I will post again in two weeks on this subject and let you know where I’m at!
Today’s Miracle:
Having good news of any kind to report is a miracle!
Posted on March 6, 2014, in Recovery, Self-Care and tagged AA, Addiction, buddy system, Catholic, commitment, diet, exercise, Fitness, Food Addiction, Honesty, Lent, one day at a time, perseverance, Philosophy, Recovery, recovery toolbox, relationship with food, self-development, Self-Help, trigger foods, xa. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
I loved loved you post today~ I too have the same struggle and I like your new plan and so excited to watch u thru this. I may just borrow some of it! It’s funny how “tools” we use for sobriety ate tools that can be used in many other areas of our lives.
Keep us posted and thanks for sharing~
B.
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Thanks Momma Bee I really appreciate the support! I have been thinking about you since your last post, and I look forward to your next one… hope things are going well!
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Great approach! I’ll be borrowing some of your ideas!
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Thanks, Carrie, I hope you do, I hope they work, and I hope I get to read about them soon, I will head over to your blog after I’m done here 🙂
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Simply put…this is brilliiant.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Sherry
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Sherry, that is such a nice thing to say, thank you so much. I hope I have more and better progress to report soon.
Really, REALLY appreciate your comments!
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Wonderful! You know you’re not alone dealing with this issue in recovery. Good for you.
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You know, sometimes I get into that funk (you know the one, the one also known as self-pity!), and really do think I’m the only one, which is why I need to write, and why I’m so grateful for these comments. So, so great to hear from you, Tertia, and I hope you are on the mend!
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I love how break down often overwhelming issues into clear, simple tasks. Your outlook is not only positive, it’s empowering. Four is such a manageable number. Twenty minutes of activity a day is doable. It all adds up (obviously – 10 pounds! Wow!) and it does make a difference, especially over time.
I just read something last night about the tendency of people to shift addictions. Like, an alcoholic often shifts to overeating or overspending. And while this idea felt hopeless at first, it is also comforting to know we’re all in the same boat. Even more comforting is the proof I’ve seen in my own behavior over time. Even when I slip off track, I know what I need to do to get back on. The vices that are unavoidable – food is the biggest one I can think of – take more work and more time. I am learning to be measure progress differently and I’m naturally feeling more patient with myself.
We are a work in progress, one day a time. Thanks for sharing your tools and progress. It is a privilege to witness.
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