Friday, May 07, 2010

May 7: Coping with success




Remind me not to go on about how great I'm doing. It only leads to my split personality type demon thing resolving to knock me down a peg or four.

Okay, no, I haven't eaten the entire city. It only feels like it. My diseased perspective sees everything as an all-or-nothing battle royale. That's how the demon thingy gets a foothold. I have a moment where I waver uncertainly and while I try to catch my balance this little self-hating punk skateboards into me and I'm splat on my ass on the sidewalk, picking up the pieces of my tattered self esteem.

Okay, no. Sorry, I do enjoy the theatrics. Basically everything's fine. I haven't given into the call of the wild eating yet. Most days this week I had a little something extra. A package of Rolos on Sunday. Two thirds of a bag of Kettle Corn popcorn on Tuesday. A small bowl of BBQ Fritos on Wednesday. Four little single serving boxes of raisins instead of one. That sort of stuff. And all week I have been fighting off a powerful urge to stop at the Shoppers Drug Mart on the way home and pick up a box of chocolates. On Tuesday I went so far as to go into the store and stare at them. That was the night I got popcorn instead - I figured 500 extra calories was a win, compared to 1500 for the chocolates. I reckon y'all would agree.

I also have done pretty much SFA this week as far as exercise. Yesterday I actually lugged my gym bag to work, full intentions to run with the Ladies, then... didn't feel like it. I lugged the bag home again, rather than leaving it at work overnight since I work out with Derek on Fridays. I told myself I might feel like running at home that night. And actually, after watching two episodes of The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp, I even kinda wanted to go downstairs for a run. I wound up talking myself out of it.

It's all a mental game. There's a feeling of having hit a threshold for willpower or something. Rebelliousness sets in. Gah. I hate that I'm like this. I see it all unfolding as it has so many times in my life and I'm just sort of at a loss. I worry that failure is inevitable, so why not just give in to it? The little extras each night would be okay, to a point, but of course a little extra never seems like enough. There is no indulgence big enough to satisfy this craving. I know, because I will eat to the point of physical pain, rest for awhile and then return to the source of affliction, still pretending that it holds some sort of comfort. And I know it doesn't! And I know I don't want to sabotage myself! And yet, clearly I do. Or, the skate-punk demon thingy does. I kinda want to punch my own lights out a bit.

I feel like the best thing to do is to not react. Just chill, sit with the feelings as long as I can stand to, not try to stifle whatever it is that is driving this urge to sabotage myself.

Feh. God I bug myself. Anyway, whatever, I'll be fine.


5 comments:

  1. I can't exactly say I've been there, but I have been in (really bad) habits of buying & eating sweets 'just because' they were there. One thing that was successful for me (way back when I was making a concerted effort to lose weight through diet & exercise) was to never eat past dinner. And also to exercise 2 hours after that (even just for 30 minutes) last meal.

    I think it did two things; it burned up excess calories from the day do they didn't get stored (heh, heh, turned to fat), and gave me a jolt of that whatever - it - is that makes you feel good.

    It was really hard at first, and I drank a lot of water and unsweetened herbal tea when my stomach growled at night. But after a few weeks I didn't have the cravings anymore.

    So why haven't I repeated this formerly successful regimen? Sigh. Because I'm a shithead searching for a motivational mix. It's hard when your partner loves you for you, warts n all. I start, then stop. Stir and repeat.

    Truly, I applaud your consistency. You rock.

    Smooches,
    P

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  2. I feel ya. I've been fighting with myself on some similar issues lately. I just read a book that I found really interesting (for a self-help book) actually - Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth. I know she's been around for years writing about food stuff, but this is the first thing I've ever read by her.

    I also just started taking a meditation class. That shit is HARD. Talk about sitting with the feelings. Hoo boy. But yeah, sitting, observing, being curious but not reactive or judgemental about what's going on--I'm starting to think there's something to that.

    Also, I think maybe you should try telling the voice in your head that's telling you you're a failure to fuck off. I've been doing that in reaction to my negative thoughts lately and I've found it very helpful!
    xoxo

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  3. Patti, ever faithful fwiend! You are always here with a comment of empathy and encouragement. The not-eating-past-dinner thing is a good tip. I'm a night eater, to be sure. So much so that when I get home from work early (around 5), I will purposely wait until 7 before I make my dinner so that I won't have the urge to snack at 9.

    Back in the day, I used to exercise fairly late at night. I'd go down to the exercise room around 10 sometimes, and work out for an hour. I may return to that schedule when I go on work hiatus. That's the time of day my body and mind are kinda synched up for activity.

    Anyway, you have given me something to think about, which is awesome. Consistency is tough. Of course it's all about establishing a routine. Once you're in it, it's easier to stick to. Getting back in, though, can be very tough indeed. You will, though. I know it!

    Joy, that sounds like a good read. I've been thinking lately, as I loll around on the greencouch weeknights and weekends, that I need to get a damn book. I will look for it.

    Meditation class! Wow. That's ambitious and really cool. I think about doing something like that and I think I'm just too chickenshit to confront my ADD. I get this "too hard!" anxiety before I've even contemplated trying it. If I can't even sit with that feeling long enough to sign up for a course... jeez. But you inspire me to meditate on the notion of learning to meditate.

    Thanks also for the suggestion re: fuck off. I'm glad it's working for you because you are so awesome. If I ever heard any of those voices given you the gears I'd go merf on their asses.

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  4. Hehehehheh. "Go merf on their asses."

    P

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  5. Say one thing for her, she sure knows how to berate.

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