Flabu-lessly Yours

Now that I've been low-carbing for two weeks without cheating, I'm in the groove! This means I no longer have to fight the urge to eat sugar, and low-carb meal planning is becoming routine. Because I'm no longer battling tempatation to cheat, I've been able to observe myself more objectively. As a result, I've uncovered some bad habits that have contributed to my current unhealthy weight. Now, it's time to fix them, one at a time.

In the past, I would flit like a butterfly from one diet plan to another, looking for my Holy Grail. There is no such thing as the Holy Grail of all diets, of course. The only diet works is the one you can stick to -- for life. But even when the food is delicious and plentiful, as it is on plans such as Atkins or Protein Power, things can go awry. For me, the biggest enemy (besides sugar) is mindless eating -- that is, eating without being fully present in the moment. You know you're eating mindlessly when:

1. You're doing something else, like surfing the internet, or working at your desk, or talking on the phone (how rude!) when you eat.
2. You're not hungry but you're eating anyway.
3. You find yourself reaching for your next bite when you've barely had a chance to taste your first one.

If you're anything like me, you're always multi-tasking. I constantly catch myself doing list item #1 above, and it's because eating often seems inconsequential compared to all the other things going on in life. Meals are often rushed because there's always somebody waiting, or somewhere I have to go, or something important I have to do.

Recently, it occurred to me that I treat my car better than I treat my own body. Yikes! But, think about it. When your car's tank is getting low, what do you do? You stop at a gas station to refuel. That's right, I said stop. It's impossible to fill your car's tank by simply driving by the gas station, or while waiting for the traffic light in front of the gas station to turn green. No, you have to pull up to the pump, come to a complete stop, and turn off the ignition. You can't sit there revving the engine while you fill up, nor are you allowed to talk on your cell phone, because it's too dangerous. Have you ever noticed how impatient people can be at the gas pumps? In our fast-paced society, we get annoyed when we have to stop everything to refuel our vehicles when there are things to do, places to go, and people to see.

Before you can pump your gas, you must select the appropriate type of fuel for your vehicle. If the manufacturer recommends using a premium grade and you fill up with regular, your vehicle's performance will suffer. This is no different than eating inferior food. Sure, you fill up your stomach, but your body won't function optimally. Similarly, if your vehicle demands regular fuel and you fill up with diesel, it won't run and it might even ruin your vehicle. The wrong type of fuel is like a toxin to your car. Isn't it interesting that, while we wouldn't even consider putting the wrong type of fuel in our vehicles, we often don't think twice about putting toxins in our bodies? Perhaps it's because the consequences aren't always immediate. If you put the wrong type of fuel in your car, you'll notice right away. However, if you put junk food in your body, it can take a while for symptoms to show up.

Well, why should refueling our bodies be any different than refueling our cars? Some would argue that refueling a vehicle while it's still running might cause an explosion. But refueling our bodies while we're doing other things is just as bad. It can make us explode -- in fat! Because, by eating mindlessly, we can easily overfill our tanks, sometimes even with the wrong kind of fuel. Like our vehicles, our bodies came equipped with an automatic shut off when the tank is full. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, such as mine, that mechanism is broken.

The process of shifting to a low-carb mindset has taught me that feeding my body is an act of self-love. No matter whatever else is vying for my attention, I need to learn to put my body's needs first. Taking the time to prepare a nutritious meal and eating it mindfully sends a "flabu-less" message to my mind and body. It's like telling my body that I am worthy. It's like saying "I love you" to myself. Now, there's a powerful concept! And, it's true! I am worthy. We all are.

So the next time you are tempted to eat while doing other things, I hope you'll remember to give yourself a great big Valentine. You are a child of God, after all. Your body deserves to be treated better than your car.

In subsequent posts, I will address mindless eating blunders #2 and #3.