Adding Step Two: Journaling

There are a number of different books that the author, Dr Kathleen DesMaisons has written, the one that I currently own is the 2008 edition of "Potatoes Not Prozac" [as mentioned early in this blog; also see the author's website listed on the sidebar to get a lot of her basic premises].

The program strongly urges us to do one step at a time and stick with that step until it's a habit before moving on to the next step [7 steps total, people sometimes spends months or more on any given one before being successful enough to move on].   

Well, I know I do have a long way to go before I feel comfortable doing the four parts to step one. However, I do think I'm ready to add the next one, which is doing a food journal. This is something that's more than just listing everything that we stick in our mouths; to learn the patterns of how sugar as well as other food types affects us, we need to include how we're feeling when we eat as well as after the meals, too.  

I've gone to Weight Watchers numerous times and have never been able to keep a food list that they strongly encourage...  And I'm not sure how well I'll stick with this journal once I get started with it. But at least now I understand the stuff about tracking what we eat and how our bodies respond--and that in time, I hope to see more positive patterns.  Just the awareness I had with eating more protein each day while in the PHP makes me want to at least TRY this writing bit for awhile and see what happens.  Since I'm aware of at least some of the emotions and responses now, that's what makes me think that perhaps starting the writing now will help me out more in the long run than if I hold off until I have this breakfast thing down pat.

I also want/need to include in the journal any kind of exercise I'm doing; I'm not consistent with the work outs yet but still, I do know that as I do get better with it, it'll help.

Since I'm great at saying I'll start something but not always so good at following up, I do hope that those of you that know and see me on a somewhat regular basis, will ask me how I'm doing with each new step.  A part of me does have some doubts about adding too much too soon--like doing the breakfast thing, working out, writing, plus all of my follow up health care and such, I have a tendency to get overwhelmed and then drop it all.  Maybe by writing [here and in a journal] and seeing positive results will keep me motivated.

Getting More Focused Again

Finally, I've been discharged from the PHP [Partial Hospitalization Program] this past week. It was a pretty intense few weeks, that's for sure... And its taking me awhile to unwind from it and let go of some of the stress and tension that I was carrying with me throughout the past month.  It's time to get back into the swing of my 'normal' day to day stuff so then I can more effectively deal with not only the healthier eating but to learn how to deal with all of the stressers that led me into the PHP to begin with.

In the food program, I'm still working on step one--doing the breakfast thing.  I'm definitely not consistent with eating within an hour of getting up, that's for sure. But I've done a LOT better on including protein with my meals [more on that, perhaps, in another post in the near future]. Still not getting in what's recommended but I really CAN feel the difference of when I do include protein vs those meals and/or days where I'm doing the easier sugar thing instead.

When I was in the PHP, we got lunch for free which made the healthy eating so easy. I wish it was that easy all of the time... :-)   Most days, they sent over a tray with various kinds of deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, bread [including whole wheat], plus soup as well as various kinds of pre-made salads.  Various drinks and a few other things were available, too [juice, milk, carnation instant breakfast, yogurt, fruit, etc].  So on those days where I did have breakfast before arriving at the hospital and a good lunch, I certainly felt a huge difference from what's in the normal eating routine for me.

So at least I'm at the stage now where the whole awareness thing is creeping into my brain. I'm still not consistently making good choices but I guess there's a reason why they said that for this program to work, it's going to take TIME [something that I'm not good with; I want it ALL now!].

Health Update

Especially since I've gotten some comments about the sugar sensitivity stuff here, a posting elsewhere, and in mail, I do want to acknowledge them and let y'all know that I'll be responding in more detail sometime soon.

In my previous posting, I mentioned some help I'm getting with a health condition.  I've been in the partial hospitalization program since 8/15. The days have been draining but at least I get to come home and sleep in my own bed. And usually those of us in the partial program get the weekends off, but a few of us had to go in an extra day due to med changes.  

Hopefully I'll get discharged sometime this week but then, I know I need to be there for however long it takes...