I’ve been on this journey towards improved health and fitness for a while now. And one thing I’ve learned, and been reminded of again lately, is that losing weight and getting a handle on emotional eating is not about removing food from my life as much as it is about adding joy to my life.
One of the great additions to my life in recent years is my dog, Melvin. For years I had wanted a dog. Like some women covet other women’s babies, I coveted other people’s dogs. My busy career and travel schedule did not allow room for a dog. I remember traveling to Paris a couple of times and being so taken with all the dogs. They were everywhere, even in the cafes! It seemed everyone in Paris had a dog. I remember thinking to myself, “someday I will have a dog, and I’ll walk him through the streets of Decatur; we’ll sit outside the coffee shop, drink coffee, and read the paper." On a trip to Boston, as a business colleague and I were leaving a restaurant after dinner, we passed a very handsome man walking a beautiful German Shepherd. She commented on the man; I commented on the dog. “I’m not sure there’s a man in my future, but there’s definitely a dog in my future,” I said, and we laughed.
When I left my corporate job in 2000, I was finally able to get a dog. Melvin came to live with me in November, 2000, and he has brought me so much happiness. I’ve met neighbors because of him; heck, I’ve had total strangers stop me on the street so they could meet him. And he’s brought me love: he loves me, and I love him. He’s a great joy in my life.
26 comments:
Love that!!!!! It is about the joy in life!Pat you are an eloquent writer, I enjoy your writing each day, it gives me warm fuzzy feelings!!!!!
PS I have met Melvin, he his a top notch kind of guy!!!!
Pat, you have a gift for articulating and organizing the loose end thoughts that scamper around in my brain. Thank you for today's post. Great question. My kids are my crutch because they are such profound and consistent joy bringers. But what brings me joy on weekends like this when they're with their dad Thurs. through Monday morning? Never thought about it, but clearly I eat more and junkier during those times.
Melissa, I went to the Farmer's Market last night and got some nuts, seeds and organic peanut butter. It's a start.
P.S. now that I have ground flax in my pantry what can I put it in besides cottage cheese pancakes? (which I liked, Naiya liked, Khalid did not. That's actually pretty darn good.)
Thanks, Sheryl and Rachel! It's very satisfying to know that my daily posts are helpful to someone besides me! Who would've thunk it?
Can't comment on the flax, but I'm looking forward to the response from Erica.
Flax can go in a lot of stuff. Yogurt, Pancakes, anything that you bake, cereal, oatmeal is great, sprinkle on a salad, smoothie. That's all I have for the moment, but I'm sure it's a start. Heck, you can even mix it with your peanut butter and spread it on whatever you put your peanut butter on.
Pat~ I too love your posts everyday! They really make me think. My cat is the man in my life. He loves me, I love him. He is always there when I am sad or lonely. Heck, he won't leave me alone. He is a VERY clingy cat. He follows me everywhere. If the bathroom door is left open, he is at my feet while I am going. If it is shut, his paws are under the door. Kitchen, bedroom, living room, you name it, he follows me there. Only time he doesn't follow me is if he is asleep under the covers in my bed.
But, I'm glad he is there.
Kath~ I'm so there with you on wanting or needing a *hug*!!
I will hug you all, or loan out my husband to *hug* you...ok, kidding, I won't. I mean, I will hug you, but he won't.
If I get dropped off at Java Monkey tonight, can one of you drive me home not too late? I have to 6am flight tomorrow.
Also, the ladies that sit right outside my office brought in munchkins. I am resisting...but it is so hard. I know I can't eat just one. I started to panic when I saw them, sat at my desk, and got on this blog, knowing that I could write about it instead of eating the munchkins.....
Gnomes~ You don't need those munchkins. Just remember you are going out tonight too, so try and do what you can to be healthy throughout the day, so that you can enjoy yourself a little tonight. You don't need to splurge the whole day.
We are having a big shin-dig from noon to 3pm here at my job. They are servings, burgers, hot dogs, beans, and ice cream. Star 94 is coming. They are having games and raffles. In order to avoid the temptation of the food, I am eating my lunch right now. I have chicken breast, 2 cups of mixed veggies, and a peach. I also have some raw needs if I feel like it. I still have an apple and either raw almonds or raw pistachios for later if I get hungry. I want to enjoy myself this evening, not go crazy, but enjoy myself, and would prefer to eat my own lunch instead of theirs.
Oops, that was supposed to saw raw nuts, not raw needs.
Melissa, you and your "raw needs." :-)
Miki, thanks so much for your post. I love long posts, so don't ever apologize for taking time to write as much as you want!
Had a talk with Chuck last night about CFHQ wanting him to lead MORE Level I certs. Got totally stressed and was okay for dinner but binged on pistachios. A LOT of em. My first mess up since starting Paleo. I'm pretty bummed but more worried about running a business without a partner. (I probably shouldn't be sharing this here, huh?) This morning= more stress, more cravings. I'm resisting but feeling the overwhelm coming on.
I'll be your partner Shana! :o)
I'm sorry you're stressed.
Pistachios aren't so bad. Atleast their still Paleo, just the amount you had was a tad bit more than you needed. You'll be okay!!
Ugh. Stress. That's the worst. I'm with Melissa, I'll be your partner, Shana!
Oh Shana! I am know the stress demon! But don't be stressed just remember it will ALL work out, and maybe for the better, because you deserve the best, because that is what you give!
ps I want to be your partner too, you obviously won't have a problem trying to find someone to work with your cute, caring self!
So, I just played this JOUST game. Not good. My shoulder hurts soooo bad.
Shana...please check the CFED blog when you have a chance.
Pat and anyone working out tonight, I won't be there. )o: Stupid games!! I will still be at Shana's show though.
I ate a chocolate chip cookie and 1 mini york peppermint patty.
I didn't eat hot dogs, hamburgers, beans, or ice cream.
Hmmph.
Ok, Melissa. I'll see you at Java Monkey tonight. Good job resisting all those temptations today and just having your favorites.
Thanks Pat. I'm a little upset with myself for even eating the things I did. I wasn't hungry, I wasn't, craving it. I ate it because I don't really know many people here at my job and so I was walking around by myself and then I was standing by myself. So, I felt the need to be doing something while I was standing by myself, so I ate a cookie. Then, I went to buy an Aleve from the little store downstairs and saw they had mini York Peppermint patties. I knew they weren't that bad calorie wise, so I grabbed one. I popped the Aleve and ate the York. My shoulder still hurts.
So, I really didn't need those things I ate. But, I guess it could've been worse.
Shana bitch to us, get a kick-bag for the gym LOL. Trust the universe... sometimes the focus shifts for a reason.
I had a company picnic today too... I ate my burger in salad form (no bun, lots of veggies.) I can't believe I made it thru the crackdown HAHAHA
Pat, I love that picture of you with Melvin... you look so happy.
And so speaking of JOY -- that was a recent topic that I realized wasn't in much of what I was doing. I was feeling a lot of pressure to perform with my crossfit workouts against all the OTHER strong chicks in town haha I lost my joy. So that's when I decided to drop back in weight on workouts and return to LIKING them instead of dreading them. I said something to Sheryl about that the other day -- and that's why I had fun w/Fight-gone-bad too. (well, as much as a person CAN with fgb lol).
The same with food in the past -- there was "good" food and there was "bad" food. If I ate good food then I was good (get the picture?) Now I know there is only FOOD. The rest is how I feel about it and what I do to my own self in my head.
And the same with joy... it's all in the attitude.
I had a friend make the phrase "functionally I am happy... circumstantially I'm not-so-happy" that helps me. Cuz I'm a happy PERSON... I just got issues HAHAHAHA
I have a bag I can bring. Just need to fill the base with water or sand. I keep meaning to use it at home, but I haven't put anything in the base yet, so I haven't used it yet. Any interest?
That good and bad food is exactly what is going through my head. My lunch was "good" food. The cookie and York, "bad", now my snack, apple and raw almonds, "good". I need to work on getting that it is all just food.
Miki~ I'll be sure to let you know when I've figured that oout.
I think we determine "Good" foods and "Bad" foods because we have been told over and over again that basically anything in copious amounts is bad. Fat is bad, carbs are bad, meat is bad, soy is bad, eggs are bad, coffee/caffiene. Basically I have heard that everything is bad except for vegetables and fruit. And actually I've heard too much fruit is bad.
We're told so many things are bad, that it's no wonder we put ourselves down for eating certain things.
ALL THINGS IN MODERATION!!! I'm going to try and live by that.
We'll have to double check with the "OWNER" of the blog...:o), but I'm thinkin it's okay to use
H-E-L-L.
Hell yes!
Miki, I've got more thoughts on your earlier posts, but no time to respond right now. I will respond later.
Definitely a great lead-off today Pat. When I think about emotional eating it most often it occurs when I get so caught up in the craziness that can be life that I forget to stop and be thankful for the beauty of the day. Even small amounts of stopping to smell the roses helps me maintain peace with myself and be able to truly be happy. It's taken me into my 30's to get off of the must achieve bandwagon and onto the everything in moderation bus. I think that is why I am enjoying my 80% zone plan. I've expanded my 80% plan a little for the CFED challenge.
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