BR: Green Smoothie
SN: Deglet dates with handful of pumpkin seeds and pecans
DN: Spinach Enchiladas with refried beans and rice, 1/2 basket chips, 1/2 Marguerita
SN: 3 Bavarian Hard Pretzels, tea with honey
EXERCISE: vocal warm ups, long opera rehearsal
I awoke at 5:30 a.m., so early! I had a succulent, but relatively light (sort of!) day of eating yesterday, and was active, so maybe my body needed less sleep?
For breakfast yesterday, my husband made our traditional green smoothie, which we have most mornings. We use whatever fruit we have on hand, and greens, blended in our Vitamix.
On this day, Cliff used frozen bananas, organic blueberries, organic spinach, 2 dates, spirulina, a few pecans, and vanilla. He fills up the pitcher about 3/4 of the way and we split it. It was yummy, and is a very healthy start to the day. I felt HUNGRY and GRATEFUL for it!
I understand that the quality of food I eat affects how I feel. Working in a raw food cafe' as a raw food chef for the last 8 years has taught me important lessons. Starting my day with a raw fruit and greens meal, I have learned, is the healthiest way to begin the day. My boss, Arnold, of www.ArnoldsWay.com, teaches that the body has an innate time clock, and that eating these cleansing foods before noon assists our bodies to perform their 24 hour cleanse cycle, keeping them performing well. Years of personal experience validates this teaching. Green smoothie breakfasts increase my elimination, energy, and improve my digestive comfort, greatly!
Both Cliff and I have strayed too far into indulgence land of late and developed some recent health issues that we are committed to conquering. So when we choose our green smoothie for breakfast, it is a statement, saying, "I care about my health today and I care about your health today." It is a very loving thing we do for one another. Every day for past the week we have shared a green smoothie, so we are on a good track.
We didn't get to eat lunch yesterday as I had an opera rehearsal at 2pm an hour away from home, and I was busy all morning studying my opera role and warming up my voice for the rehearsal. Cliff was driving us to Delaware for the rehearsal, so we took a snack with us to eat later whenever we got hungry - a few Deglet dates with a handful of pumpkin seeds and pecans in a ziplock bag for each of us. What a good healthy choice!
I made Cliff promise, "No pizza, even if you are hungry. Eat your snack!" We would be going out for dinner after my rehearsal and that snack would be enough to hold us and help us be good and hungry for our splurge meal out.
Indeed, the snack was something we both enjoyed very much, and something we need to do more of, since it was also raw vegan. I'll be talking more about my life as a raw vegan tomorrow.
After my rehearsal, Cliff took me out to dinner to our favorite Mexican spot for a delicious moderate meal! Since we were good and hungry, we guiltlessly shared a Marguerita, a small basket of chips and salsa, and each savored a Vegetarian entree. I get my favorite each time we visit La Tolteca, http://authenticmex.com/restaurant/la-tolteca/wilmington, the Vegetarian Spinach Enchiladas. Mmmmmm, so good!
As we were eating, I felt so hungry, and it was so delicious....and I had the feeling I could eat another platter! I was trying to take my time to make it last, savoring every bite. As we neared the end of our platters, we both admitted to feeling surprised we felt "satisfied." The eyes are bigger than the belly!
All of the signs were there to stop eating and practice better portion control than I have been. The belly felt pleasantly satisfied, and the taste buds had turned off. Though we toyed with ordering a dessert to split, we decided we'd had enough, and we both left feeling satiated and happy, but not overly full like we do sometimes. Walking to the car, we both chimed in that we felt good, just right. When one is sitting, it's sometimes deceptive to feel how overly full you really are. It becomes apparent how uncomfortable you are when you walk around. Walking to the car, I said, "I don't feel stuffed like I sometimes do leaving here!"
We chatted that we could have a bedtime snack later if we felt hungry, which gives a sense of relaxation and security, knowing a snack is waiting to eat later if I get hungry. Reveling in the feeling I don't have to eat up everything NOW and can enjoy not being stuffed....is so good.
It also helps to have such a fantastic supportive partner in this journey, too! Love you, Cliff!
Later that evening, wanting a little something, I enjoyed 3 hard Bavarian pretzels with tea and honey. It was very yummy and hit the spot.
Today was a great example - that EATING OUT and not overdoing it - is possible! Not experiencing BINGE URGES after eating out is such a blessing! It is a SKILL I am grateful to have developed after practicing the teachings of "Brain Over Binge" the last few years. A PEACEFUL mind and PRODUCTIVE life are WAY BETTER than any BINGE ever tasted!
In conclusion, a BINGE - FREE life need not be frightening, filled with FEAR OF WEIGHT GAIN, nor a life of FOOD DENIAL, BINGE URGES, needing to LOCK ONESELF IN A DIET BOX, or suffer insatiable HUNGER. I felt perfectly at PEACE yesterday, grateful and HAPPY!
When we CHOOSE to eat within the realm of FOOD FREEDOM, learning to handle the RESPONSIBILITY it entails, and learn to ELIMINATE BINGE URGES, we are FREE - FREE to learn to make FOOD CHOICES that we ENJOY, that also make us FEEL GOOD, eating a combination of HEALTHY FOODS and PLEASURE FOODS, in a MODERATE BALANCE that works for us. We CAN have our cake and eat it, too!
This is everything I always wanted, FREEDOM from DIETING and BINGE EATING! Over the last weeks of paying more attention to PORTION CONTROL and EXERCISE, my face does look a little thinner. It's working!
So, I awake this morning, early, with energy and excitement for the day, and grateful to share with you my experience, strength and hope! Binge eating is a lonely, tortured existence, but there is a way out. It's not immediate gratification like a diet is. This way takes time and skills have to develop, and it takes perseverance, but it's so WORTH IT.
I hope to inspire you to find your own way, as I show you my way there!
If you enjoy this blog, please comment below and please keep in touch! I welcome all interaction. We all need support. Let's built a community of support together!
For coaching, please contact: LaSoprana@aol.com or refer to www.FreedomFromBingeEating.yolasite.com.
Thank you, and wishing you a beautiful day!
xoxo, Michelle
