Sunday, May 3, 2009

From the mouth of babes . . .

One time, after learning the difference between big and small, my niece took it upon herself to label people as such. “Momma, you’re big!” “Momma, she’s small!” So one evening we were all at my mom’s house, and Tina asked, “Julia, is Nana big or small?”
“Small”

What about Papa?
“Big”
What about Mama?
“Big”

What about Dada?
“Big”

What about Aunt Kristi?
“B-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-g” She whispered as if in awe.

After I put duct tape on Julia’s mouth . . . . . just kidding. I laughed on the outside, and was sad on the inside.

Food addiction is the true problem in my family, and weight is the result. Sweets, carbs, obesity, anorexia, bulimia. The Davis’ have it all somewhere in the tree. I have had digestive issues since I was a tot, which is common in the Davis'. I only began gaining weight after a nasty breakup in my early twenties, but the gain was small until life got REALLY stressful. Late twenties brought on more stress and more weight. Early thirties brought on divorce, unemployment, and more over eating. I have 6 cousins who have had gastric bypass, if that gives you any indication of the severity of food abuse in my family.

I have been on every diet. I have a stack of weight watchers books that is embarrassing. Sure, the program works, but I lose the weight and gain more back. And so, I am realizing the need to end the “diet” thinking. I need a lifestyle overhaul.

I joined a gym last week. I get 2 free sessions with a trainer, the first being a body evaluation. I hoped they didn’t pull out calipers, because I didn’t want to have to shove them up the trainer’s ass. But they didn’t. However, I now have an accurate reading of my weight, fat percentage, and weight goals. The importance of goals is something the trainer stressed. I realized that I have never had a goal of a healthier lifestyle. I’ve only had a goal to lose weight. I have missed the whole point.

An interesting thing that the trainer pointed out is that Weight Watchers is a great program that helps you to cut your intake. But it doesn’t rid of the addiction to sugar. Instead, we find lower cal ways to get that sugar into our systems. She feels I need to address my addiction, and the weight loss will follow.

The trainer suggested, from my descriptions and experiences, that I have candida in my belly. I’m going to start taking a few supplements, working out, and eating healthier. Sure, I want to lose 100 lbs. But what I would love is to have energy again. To feel good again. To have a strong immune system again. To not feel a slave to my diet.
Baby Steps.

I’ll let you know how it goes . . .

4 comments:

Phyllis Renée said...

Sugar intake is a biggy! (Um, don't remind me of the cupcake saturday night!) Sugar is the main cause for us getting overweight, because if we lt exercise the sugar turns to fat. It drives me crazy seeing a lables that say low-fat. Fat doesn't make us fat, sugar does.

Healthier lifestyle -- that's a good goal!

Kristi Ostler said...

Remember Susan Powter from the 80's? Cutting fat was her mantra. It was like a revolution, and food companies capitalized on it. Now people still can't get rid of that thinking.

luke said...

nobody really believes me because I'm naturally pretty trim, but I had to make a lifestyle change commitment too. I did soccer all thru high-school, and martial arts thru most of college. then for about 2 years I didn't really do any physical activity. I think I put on like 20-30 lbs of useless weight.

luckily I lived with a physical trainer (Matt) who got me changing my taste for lower-sugar and lower-fat foods and built some workout habits into me.

anyway, I think you're onto the right strategy - it's not about dieting. it's about just changing your daily routine of what you eat and what you do. it's a permanent ongoing thing. keep it up!

also, you should join us on dailymile.com !

Kristi Ostler said...

just joined daily mile. kristijean is my name. I worked out today, and the whole no-fake-sugars thing was really, really tough. I gave in but had less than half a can of diet coke all day.