I'd like to take a moment to clear the air, and set the record straight.
*Let me preface this by saying I am not a nutritionist or RD, and I have never received formal training in these areas. Everything I say in this blog is reflective of my own opinions and thoughts, unless otherwise noted.*
First of all, eating enough to fuel one’s body is very important; and not eating enough is a very serious situation. Everyone has different caloric and nutritional needs; and day to day these needs may or may not vary. Generally speaking, if you’re more active, you need to eat more; if you’re taller, you need to more; if you have a bigger frame, you need to eat more. The only way to determine your own personal needs is to consult with a professional.
In this day and age of food blogging, it is very fascinating to catch a glimpse into the lives of others and see how they eat, what they eat, how they exercise, etc. However, it’s very important to keep in mind that all anyone can take from these blogs are ideas and inspiration. If you notice, no food blogger eats the same or excises the same. But, at the same time, all these different food blogs can be used as wonderful resources to help you shape your own way of eating and exercising that appropriately and safely adapts to you and your life.
Having said that, let me talk directly about myself for a moment. I am a 5’1’’ female. The majority of the population is taller than me, and therefore requires more fueling than me. Some ten year old boys tower over me! I am small by nature, and my eating reflects that. Furthermore, at this point in time I am not incredibly active. For various reasons I have not been to the gym in over a month. Lately for exercise I do a pilates DVD two to three times a week at home, and walk often during the week days as part of my job. For this reason I do not need much more additional fueling. But if you look back through my blog, you’ll notice I often eat a little more or have an extra snack on days that I do pilates.
Back when I was more active at the gym, possibly running 12 miles a week, my fueling was increased to keep my body well-nourished and up to the challenges. If I felt hungry and was exerting myself more, I would eat more because I knew my body needed it. Not eating and exercising do not mix. Even if you are trying to lose weight, there’s healthy and safe ways to create a caloric deficit that don’t leave you feeling hungry and deprived. Trust me; I lost all twenty five pounds the healthy way. Consult with a professional to set realistic and safe goals.
Secondly, I’d like to address this past week of me saying “I’m starving!” Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with a UTI, and my doctor put me on a very low dose of an antibiotic. (I’ve had severe reactions to penicillin and quinolones in the past, so both my doctor and I were wary about what would be safe.) After one week of that antibiotic, my body was so unaffected by it that it didn’t even clear out the UTI. So last Friday I was prescribed a different antibiotic that is very strong. As warned by my doctor and RN coworkers, the antibiotic makes me ravenous and lightheaded from time to time. This is common, and I’ve experienced it in the past with other strong antibiotics. However at this point in time, I know my body well enough to know if I’m legitimately hungry, or if it’s external cues or antibiotics tricking me into hunger. Bottom line is this; if I need to eat I eat. Legit hunger doesn’t go away. So if eating’s held off when it’s really needed, there’s a greater chance of binging and/or overeating later on.
A final point I’d like to address refers to me, myself, Ed, and the blog. It’s outlined in “My Food Journey” how Ed emerged in 2005, and the path he’s taken to get himself here in 2009. I want to emphasize that during that time period I did have six to eight months of professional therapy strictly addressing Ed. For anyone living with or recovering from an eating disorder, I strongly recommend you seek out therapy if you have not already done so.
I also want to make note, because I may not have been so clear with this in the past, that at least two months prior to starting my blog I did not have even a handful of binge episodes. I was struggling more with portion control and overeating, which is why I got this blog up and running--to monitor my eats. Doing that naturally decreases the number of binges and urges to binge.
I have not changed the way I eat because of the blog. The blog is an honest representation of how I’ve been striving to eat for years. Although, because the blog does force me to think about everything I eat with a heightened awareness, it does indirectly and significantly reduce overeating. Basically, the point I’m trying to convey is that the blog mirrors my eating, my exercise, my lifestyle, and well, Ed. If anything changes it’s because I’m changing, or it’s because Ed’s changing. The blog doesn’t dictate what occurs in my life; it logs and documents my life. It’s a wonderful outlet and a wonderful tool to help me gain perspective.
Overall, the blog is a constant learning process for me, as is my evolving healthy habits. It’s so rewarding and inspiring and motivational to know I am touching others with my blog, and I hope to inspire and motivate in return. But, as we’ve all heard numerous times, everyone is different; and more importantly, everyone’s bodies are different. You must do what’s in the best interest for you and your body. If you are uncertain what that is, don’t be afraid to ask an expert for help!
And as always, thank you for your continuous support. =)
Anne
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Ed is a constant that exists in my life; it's his strength that's a variable. I still don't understand how he gets so strong at times and so meek at others, but through the years I have been able to pick out certain situations that heighten his presence. I'll loosely refer to these situations as "triggers" for the purpose of conversation, but I want to emphasize loosely, as these are not necessarily direct cause and effect situations. I do not know what directly causes Ed. I do not know that anything directly causes Ed. I have been writing this blog for two weeks, and would just like to take a moment to reflect on its purpose and offer my feedback thus far. |