Understanding and addressing my emotional eating has been such a great way to take care of myself. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. And as a result, cooking and eating low-carb, high-fat meals has just been feeling very natural lately. I don’t want to say I’m all in with keto just yet because 1) I don’t want to put pressure on myself, 2) it’s going so good I don’t want to jinx it! lol. But I can feel my energy getting more consistent throughout the day, and my brain fog is starting to lift once again. Not struggling with cravings due to emotional eating has made a huge difference.
So here is a fun lunch I packed today on a whim, using whatever was in my refrigerator. I’ve been doing good getting my green veggies in this week so I wanted something different for my Friday lunch.
Inspired by the charcuterie board trend. Summer sausage, sliced Colby Jack cheese, celery, a boiled egg, almonds, blackberries and blueberries.
I made the executive decision to forego doing keto while I am figuring out my emotional eating. I will eat the keto meals that are nutritious and that I enjoy, such as my egg and veggie brunches, and I will continue to make food choices that benefit my health, but I feel it’s more important to not put restrictions on my self-learning. Restrictions induce stress when it comes to food for me, so let’s get that barrier out of the way while I get my learn on.
I am starting with taking note of how I am feeling throughout the day. I am putting a name to my feelings and differentiating between a physical sensation and an emotion. I’m not labeling anything as good or bad, each thought or emotion is simply something that’s going on in my body or in my head. It is what it is, yo. It is me and I am ok. I take a few moments to do a check-in with myself, and I am being deliberate about doing this frequently. I share these things throughout the day with my husband as well. That serves two purposes: 1) it helps me practice my marital communication skills, sharing with my companion because he is not a mind reader, 2) I remember when I first started on my anti-depressant and my provider suggested that my husband be my “barometer”. I can enlist his observation and intuitive skills to help show me the progress I am making or to bring something to my attention that I may not be seeing.
I have to slow down a little bit to take this mental “pause”. I am so used to being busy all the time that I always felt like this would be more hindrance than helpful. Like, “I got no time to be introspective!!!” But feeling compelled to be busy all the time is also stressful. Aaaahhhhhh, see what I just learned about myself there??? I’ve found that taking that pause takes less than a minute. And the more deliberate I am about practicing this, the better I will get at it and more comfortable I will feel with it.
When I was cooking dinner last night (my mom’s chili recipe), Joe B asked me if I was learning if I had any trigger foods (foods that set off a binge once I start in), or if I had identified the foods I most frequently crave when I’m stressed. I promptly responded “Popcorn, chips, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and butter pecan ice cream.” They are salty, crunchy, and in the case of cookies and ice cream, they have a salty-sweet combo, where if they are available and once I start in, then that’s all I want to eat. Now that I think about it and reflect back on yesterday, I also discovered that I have the same response to my homemade kale chips. They are salty, crunchy, and once I start in I will knock out a whole plate. But I’m not going to put the stamp of approval on this choice because it’s simply swapping one trigger food for a nutritionally-dense trigger food. That’s still emotional eating. Another “Ah-ha” moment for me there.
This path I’m on is already very interesting. I have to remind myself frequently that this is a J.O.U.R.N.E.Y. And I can take my time to take note of and enjoy all the new discoveries.
Today was a mad dash to make it to work on-time. I forgot to set my coffee maker last night, and I slept past my alarm, so I had to shuffle my morning routine around a bit. Then my youngest tells me, as I’m headed out the door that she can’t taste the leftover pizza she was having for breakfast. Had to halt everything and check her taste, and thankfully her sense of taste is still there, it was just some very bland pizza. 😂
I’m thankful for a few small things that turned out to be very valuable things on my rushed morning. Im thankful for the spray bottle of windshield de-icer that Joe B bought and put in my car. Got my windshield clear and my car on the road 5 minutes sooner.
I’m thankful for this big thermos that Joe B and the girls gave me for Christmas a few years ago. ❤️ It was clutch today, as I didn’t have my usual time at home to enjoy my coffee.
I’m thankful for the first coffee mug I grabbed out of my cabinet that says “Rise and Shine”, a Christmas gift from my sister. Reminded me to greet every student that went through my hallway and I got several “have a nice day”s back from students. ❤️
I’m thankful for my job, that I get to be in the bldg and part of a wonderful team who demonstrate their dedication to students and their learning and their wellness everyday.
I’m thankful for my family and friends that lighten my spirits and bring laughter and light.❤️
I had a really good conversation with a friend a few weeks ago at a powwow in Durant, OK. Part of the discussion was about self-care. How important it is, and the different ways she has found to do this for herself.
My boss and colleagues talk about self-care. We are therapists so it’s vitally important to us and our clients that we stay healthy: physically, mentally and emotionally. Speaking only for myself, I add spiritual health to the list. Self-care is for everyone because we all have our own stress that is unique to each one of us.
I honestly used to believe that self-care meant a pedicure or massage, or making sure I get a workout in. Massages and pedicures cost money, and many times I don’t want to spend the money. Sometimes I’m too tired or busy to workout, or it feels too strenuous to be self-care….sometimes it seems like self-torture, and who wants to do that?
After we got our dog, I quickly discovered how therapeutic a loving dog truly is. He loves to snuggle, as the picture shows. I can always feel my stress melt away when he, and now our 2nd dog Sissy, come running to greet me after work. I realized how much our big puppies contribute to our wellbeing and how they contribute to our self-care needs.
So here is another bulleted list, this time of self-care ideas. Some from my friend and some I’ve discovered myself. And most of them cost little to nothing except time.
Coffee at home in quiet and solitude
Reading a book
Taking a walk
Walking or snuggling my big puppies
Having friends/family over for a simple breakfast/lunch/dinner
Watching a TedTalk on YouTube
Taking a bath. I did this recently and used Epsom Salts, lavender oil, a pure beeswax candle, and played my music on a Bluetooth speaker
Actually picking up the phone and calling a friend or family member to visit. So much better than texting.
Sitting outside in the evening after it’s dark and looking at the sky
Using a meditation app
Getting out of the house to do something not work or housework related – go watch a youth or high school or local college game
Check out a new walking path in your city
Laugh
Dance
Bake something from scratch and enjoy with a cup of your favorite hot beverage
Write in a journal
Breathing exercises
Self-massage techniques
Go to a meeting (if in a 12-Step program)
Plan a game night with friends
USE the fancy coffee mug for your morning coffee
Visit your local library
Paint ceramics
Color with crayons or markers or pencils, either free-hand or a coloring book
Have a morning ritual that involves spirituality and gratitude
Make a new music playlist
These are just some ideas that I hope gets people thinking about how they can take care of themselves. I’ve learned the importance of nourishing not only my body, but my mind, my heart and my spirit. I can’t be my best for my family or my job if I ignore what I need.
Wozani Was'te 