I neglected to weigh myself on my official weigh in day (Friday), and didn’t write my weekly Friday Fitness & Weight Loss update on my blog that day either, as you can see. I did weigh myself today (Monday) and I’m up 0.8 lbs after last week’s mega gain. I’m sad to say that I’ve regained over half of what I lost during this journey, even since early May. Back then I thought by now I would have reached a normal Body Mass Index (BMI). It has not happened. I guess I could punish myself mentally and feel like I’ve failed, but I’m not going to. I keep writing these updates, and I am still a lower weight than when I started. I guess even if I gained all of the weight back (and more), I could at least say that I’ve learned from this experience. Continue reading
stress
Week 16 – Friday Fitness and Weight Loss Update
Main Topic: Extreme stress and binge eating (self-medication)
I have been under a great deal of stress lately because of many things. I won’t list them here, but I’d say they number at least five. Unfortunately, I am not always good at handling stress, despite years of learning and practicing coping skills in therapy.
“Self-medicating” stress can take on many forms. For some people it’s Continue reading
Week 4 – Friday Fitness and Weight Loss Update
I’ve just reached the end of my first full 4 weeks on my fitness and weight loss journey! I’m proud to still be writing these updates, and it’s my intention to continue to do so, no matter what my weekly results. Those following these e-mails have seen me consistently lose weight since I started this. Well, this week (or at least half of it), I encountered some challenges that I didn’t have (or barely had) in weeks 1-3. Below find this week’s results, as well as some reflections that I’m sure many of you can relate to. Continue reading
Hyperfocusing vs. multitasking
I have read that some people with ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) have a tendency to hyperfocus on one task, subject, or topic, while others have difficulty focusing on any one thing at all. I don’t have ADHD or ADD, but people close to me have drawn attention to my trait of hyperfocusing since I was a little child. Continue reading
Stress habits or self-medication
Anxiety, frustration or anger, excess energy, depression (or low mood), and several other things just plain drive many of us to it. What? Stress habits and self-medication.
Peter picks the tips of his fingers until they bleed. Joan drinks a bit too much alcohol to unwind. I clench and grind my teeth. Jack binge eats on occasion. Continue reading
It’s OK to minimize your work or other responsibility load
Are you stressed out on the job? Stressed out with family or relationship issues? Stressed out because of illness? Maybe you’re stressed because of one of many other things in life. I’ve been stressed out because of all of the above at certain times in my life and yet didn’t cut myself any slack. Only after all hell broke loose and I had my mental breakdown, I knew I had to give myself a break. It was time to be happy just doing the minimal. Shame on me I needed a health crisis to learn this. Continue reading
Bird Flight 