Insanity. Merriam-Webster definitions:
1: a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as schizophrenia)
2: such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civil responsibility
3 a: extreme folly or unreasonableness b: something utterly foolish or unreasonable
2: such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civil responsibility
3 a: extreme folly or unreasonableness b: something utterly foolish or unreasonable
Nah. Neither of these quite says what I want to say. I much prefer this one, one I've posted here many times before (Which is insanity in itself):
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
Time to stop the cycle of insanity once and for all. What is insane is flitting from food plan to food plan, following all kinds of rules and regulations about what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat it. Eat this, not that. Don't eat this, eat that instead, but not too much. Eat all you want of this, never let a drop of that pass your lips.
Also insane is thinking I can eat everything that I want, as much as I want, whenever I want, and not suffer any health consequences from it. I know too much sugar causes a reactive hypoglycemia event. I know too much dairy gives me painful joints and clogged sinuses. I know too much salt will raise my blood pressure.
Notice I said "too much" of all of those foods.
I also know that by denying myself all of these things I will crave them, think about them constantly, and eventually eat them anyway and binge on them to the point of harming myself. Then feel not only sick but feel guilty.
ENOUGH!
Thinking about that guilt got me searching for another way of eating, one that will satisfy me physically, psychically, and now spiritually. Who here has not been moved spiritually by some food? Most women I know feel this way about chocolate!
I began investigating various faith-based weight loss programs. Weigh Down Workshops have been around for many years, but in this very-Catholic city of ours none of the few non-Catholic churches are running the program. I read the book when it first came out but laughed at the notion of stopping eating after one bite of food. I recently read that the philosophy of this program has changed so much that it's not quite a faith-based program as a shame- and scare-based one, with people being told they're going to burn in hell for taking one bite more than their body needed for physical nourishment. Sorry, WDW people, but my family and friends tried to shame me into weight loss as a kid and it just doesn't work. Also, I've read that the scripture has been twisted so much to fit their agenda that the originator started her own religion.
Catholics retaliated and there's now a Catholic faith-based program called Light Weigh, but unlike the other programs, this one doesn't have a book or literature so a person can do it at home, on their own, but must go to (and pay for) organized meetings. Many parishes won't allow non-parishioners to participate, I read (It's like that with everything our local churches sponsor in our city since before I was born). Doesn't matter, anyway, as none of the churches in our city sponsor one, anyway.
Then there's Thin Within. I was introduced to this program by a member of the 100-Plus group on Yahoogroups. She had been on it in the past, lost a good amount of weight, but still needed to lose more and lost faith, signing up for Weight Watchers for a year or so, but got so tied up in counting Points and obsessing over every little bite she returned to Thin Within and immediately felt more at ease and peaceful around food. She, too, is Catholic and found the program fits in with the teachings of the Church quite nicely. Thin Within is Christian based, and many members have been "born again," but the program can be followed by a Catholic with no threat to their faith.
I spent the past 4 days reading every post on the Thin Within official message board, and learned a lot. I ordered the books Thin Within and Get Thin, Stay Thin (also known by three other names, so be careful if ordering) from various Half.com vendors. I joined a mailing list and popped about a dozen Thin Within blogs into my Bloglines blog reader. I picked up my Bible and did some reading. I even ordered a Catholic prayerbook to keep in my purse to replace an OA book I have there now for reading when stuck in a waiting room or while sitting down the park. I own a few, but none small enough to carry around comfortably. Now I will.
And I'm not eating. Not totally, no. Just not eating for reasons other than a Zero-level hunger. And I'm not over-eating, either, but stopping at a 5. See The Program page from the official web site to see what the heck I'm talking about. Yes, I may be slightly hungry all the time, but as Sister Mary Martha would say, I just: "Offer it up to God."
I don't think I should say any more at this point. Once I've lived it a bit longer, read the books and blogs, and just live with myself eating this way for a while I'll post more. I will say this - it's certainly different from everything else I've tried in the past to handle my eating, that's for sure! But for now, I've got a lot to learn so I'll shut my mouth (and still my fingers).
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
Time to stop the cycle of insanity once and for all. What is insane is flitting from food plan to food plan, following all kinds of rules and regulations about what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat it. Eat this, not that. Don't eat this, eat that instead, but not too much. Eat all you want of this, never let a drop of that pass your lips.
Also insane is thinking I can eat everything that I want, as much as I want, whenever I want, and not suffer any health consequences from it. I know too much sugar causes a reactive hypoglycemia event. I know too much dairy gives me painful joints and clogged sinuses. I know too much salt will raise my blood pressure.
Notice I said "too much" of all of those foods.
I also know that by denying myself all of these things I will crave them, think about them constantly, and eventually eat them anyway and binge on them to the point of harming myself. Then feel not only sick but feel guilty.
ENOUGH!
Thinking about that guilt got me searching for another way of eating, one that will satisfy me physically, psychically, and now spiritually. Who here has not been moved spiritually by some food? Most women I know feel this way about chocolate!
I began investigating various faith-based weight loss programs. Weigh Down Workshops have been around for many years, but in this very-Catholic city of ours none of the few non-Catholic churches are running the program. I read the book when it first came out but laughed at the notion of stopping eating after one bite of food. I recently read that the philosophy of this program has changed so much that it's not quite a faith-based program as a shame- and scare-based one, with people being told they're going to burn in hell for taking one bite more than their body needed for physical nourishment. Sorry, WDW people, but my family and friends tried to shame me into weight loss as a kid and it just doesn't work. Also, I've read that the scripture has been twisted so much to fit their agenda that the originator started her own religion.
Catholics retaliated and there's now a Catholic faith-based program called Light Weigh, but unlike the other programs, this one doesn't have a book or literature so a person can do it at home, on their own, but must go to (and pay for) organized meetings. Many parishes won't allow non-parishioners to participate, I read (It's like that with everything our local churches sponsor in our city since before I was born). Doesn't matter, anyway, as none of the churches in our city sponsor one, anyway.
Then there's Thin Within. I was introduced to this program by a member of the 100-Plus group on Yahoogroups. She had been on it in the past, lost a good amount of weight, but still needed to lose more and lost faith, signing up for Weight Watchers for a year or so, but got so tied up in counting Points and obsessing over every little bite she returned to Thin Within and immediately felt more at ease and peaceful around food. She, too, is Catholic and found the program fits in with the teachings of the Church quite nicely. Thin Within is Christian based, and many members have been "born again," but the program can be followed by a Catholic with no threat to their faith.
I spent the past 4 days reading every post on the Thin Within official message board, and learned a lot. I ordered the books Thin Within and Get Thin, Stay Thin (also known by three other names, so be careful if ordering) from various Half.com vendors. I joined a mailing list and popped about a dozen Thin Within blogs into my Bloglines blog reader. I picked up my Bible and did some reading. I even ordered a Catholic prayerbook to keep in my purse to replace an OA book I have there now for reading when stuck in a waiting room or while sitting down the park. I own a few, but none small enough to carry around comfortably. Now I will.
And I'm not eating. Not totally, no. Just not eating for reasons other than a Zero-level hunger. And I'm not over-eating, either, but stopping at a 5. See The Program page from the official web site to see what the heck I'm talking about. Yes, I may be slightly hungry all the time, but as Sister Mary Martha would say, I just: "Offer it up to God."
I don't think I should say any more at this point. Once I've lived it a bit longer, read the books and blogs, and just live with myself eating this way for a while I'll post more. I will say this - it's certainly different from everything else I've tried in the past to handle my eating, that's for sure! But for now, I've got a lot to learn so I'll shut my mouth (and still my fingers).
No comments:
Post a Comment