She’s baaack! After an illness lead her into the land of high-calories, she hopped right back onto the Smart Eating Path. Consider it our super power to rebound after going astray from the Smart Eating Lifestyle.
Hello Thrivers!
I’m feeling great today. Did you know that vitamin supplements can cause insomnia?!
I know!! I didn’t know either.
Many nights over the span of the last two years or more, I’d read and then turn the light off at night, and lay there for a solid one to two hours. It was awful. Not every night, but every other.
I finally figured out that Vitamin D has to be taken in the morning or it causes sleeplessness. Same thing with another supplement I take. Once I moved the culprits to the morning: no more insomnia.
Cookie Monster-relief. ♥
Shall we?
Pearl One
Our first pearl is from a Thriver — one who’s battled breast cancer and thankfully is in remission today — who had a difficult month and fell off the Smart Eating Path. She said, “I went for the pastries, ice cream, bread, and pizza,” but then she used her powerful brain to hop back on. Check out how she did it. And look what her doctor said!
Our lovely Thriver wrote the following.
“I’ve been having a rough time. I have several triggers that — when combined — have always led to a few (or more) terrible eating days. Lack of sleep, lack of planning, overwhelmed, and any BIG emotion.
This time the catalyst was being sick a couple weeks (followed by my teen getting sick just as I started to feel better).
I wasn’t sleeping well, all my usual healthy foods turned my stomach, and I was thoroughly feeling sorry for myself because life got in the way and I couldn’t just hibernate and take care of myself.
I made some smart eating choices and truly did make an attempt to thwart the not-smart eating. But then my teen got sick, and I wasn’t completely well enough to have full energy to help her.
Cue the pity party and cavewoman mentality. My stomach still wasn’t great (even the thought of veggies turned my stomach). Down the rabbit hole of crappy eating I went. Life has been extra busy (too busy for me).
Turning it – the Smart Eating Lifestyle — around is HARD! It is MUCH easier to stay on the smart eating path. So, what I do is: no matter how off the smart eating path I get, I keep up my water intake (unless being sick prevents that, which this time it did). I continued to weigh daily (otherwise, whatever my last weight was is what I believe it to be; I need the scale).
I don’t make giant pronouncements or set high expectations for myself because I know I won’t meet them and it will lead to further food issues and prevent me from getting fully back to my smart eating. I maintained my intermittent fasting schedule, I do not buy large amounts of food. These things help me minimize the damage.
Now, I know where things got off track and I am MUCH better about keeping the wheels on the track, I have made serious huge progress since working with Wendy. But this time, it just fell apart, but definitely not as bad as in the past and I refuse to beat myself up for it.
A few days ago, I realized that I was craving veggies finally! I took myself to the store and immediately got all the fresh veggies that looked good. I made healthy hummus. I got unsweetened vanilla coconut milk yogurt, berries and grape nuts (to put in the yogurt).
My smart eating plan is solidly moving forward and I feel good about it. The very few pounds I gained will come off. I am slowly still inching my way to my ultimate goal weight range. My doctor praised me at my physical last week! In fact, he commented I was “so thin I can feel your bowel” during the bi-manual exam. (Wendy’s note: she was having a pelvic exam which is why the doctor could feel her bowel.)
I assure you, I am not “so thin” but it was a compliment that warmed my heart and certainly helped me mentally start figuring out how to right the non-smart eating that has been going on.
Finally, I remember that I am a “foodaholic” (instead of an alcoholic) and like any proper addict, I take it one day at a time.
My note: I love how Teen-Mom maintained several of her habits even as she strayed from the Smart Eating Path. I love that she didn’t “beat herself up”, because – really — what’s the point? I’m sorry that Teen-Mom was so sick, but I love how she rebounded and stepped back on the Smart Eating Path. Bravo Teen-Mom!! That’s the way it’s done!! ♥
Pearl Two
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I use the words “our” and “we” a lot. I think it helps to know that we have a million sisters out there who totally understand us and how we interact with food. (We’re a vast, sweet group.)
The Economist magazine wrote, ” Loneliness is the leprosy of the 21st century.”
I agree. No longer do we live in tribes, small villages for life, or a home with tight family bonds.
Today we move 3,000 miles away from where we grew up. Some of us even move to other countries. I met a woman the other day: one son was living in London and the other in Japan.
I have a theory that our population stumbles onto a particular addiction – gambling, overeating, drinking – because there’s loneliness there that Netflix or chocolate cake just can’t touch.
So, I use “our” and “we” so that we all fully understand that we’re not alone, that there’s a legion of women who get it. Life is hard and porn-food is easy.
There’s nothing easy about trekking the “weight loss after age fifty” mountain, but it feels more doable knowing that we’re not alone; so many of us face the same challenges and sadness. But it helps to know that we’re not alone, that we’re making this grueling trek together. ♥
Pearl Three
In October’s Pearl Three we’re exploring: gems from Atomic Habits.
James Clear wrote, “People with high self-control tend to spend less time in tempting situations. It’s easier to avoid temptations rather than resist it.”
Which brings me to the Cheesecake Factory. I’ve been once. Enough said. I also won’t go near brunch buffets or any type of buffet (except occasionally on a cruise ship). I haven’t gone near the Olive Garden or those type of restaurants in well over a decade. Our people just don’t thrive at these high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar, high-sodium joints.
As Mr. Clear writes, “Avoid don’t resist.” ♥
Pearl Four
Have I mentioned that Pearl 4 — our book slot — is not a book review space? It only contains books that sing like Aretha. So you won’t find reviews here on books that didn’t quite live up to their hype.
I usually skim a stack before I find a book juicy enough to make it the book-dessert list.
And this baby I’m about to tell you about knocked it out of the park.
If someone told me that I had to pick a favorite novel of the year, it would be Miss Benson’s Beetle: A Novel by Rachel Joyce. With this book on your night stand? Desserts don’t stand a chance. (Note: the title seems a little cheesy for how good the book is.)
I’ve heard that if you loved Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: A Novel by Gail Honeyman (and I did), then you’ll love Miss Benson too.
Joyce’s feel-good adventure opens with two women who couldn’t be more opposite who set out on a grueling quest, and deepen their friendship as their journey unfolds.
At a certain age, you and I know how important friendships are, but even so, this book left me appreciating the power of friendship ten-fold. And every time I dipped into Miss Benson, I just felt happy to be alive.
And over 13,000 gave Miss Benson 4.5 stars on Amazon.
Enjoy! ♥
Pearl Five
“You are never alone. You are eternally connected with everyone.” ♥
Amit Ray
Make it a wonderful weekend, Everyone!! (And yes I’m still working on the paperback: this is the weekend I plan to slay it!)
What are you slaying this weekend? Please share in the comments section!
♥, Wendy
P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!
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I am not an expert, a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse or a nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. ♥
