I've been accused of having body dismorphia in the past. I believe it in part. My mother suffered from it. I feel it strongly contributed to her rapid demise. I spent the majority of my childhood days in some sort of dance class. I was constantly evaluating my appearance (thank you giant mirrors and leotards) and comparing myself to the twiggy little things around me (I was never one of them). Its taken the gifts of grace, time, maturity, and contemplation to begin to put those habits to rest.
Now that most of the baby weight has come off and the majority of the hormonal fog has drifted away (don't be fooled . . . I'm still nuts in many respects), my motivations have changed. It's less about that daunting, "I'm still only 15 lbs lighter than the delivery day" number (I gained 50 lbs this last pregnancy). I'm starting to shift my focus to the way I feel and getting stronger (and maybe even a little faster . . . . my "in shape" race pace is historically a 10 minute mile . . . my husband can casually run faster than I can bike).
Week 2 challenge: to dramatically cut back my intake of sweet treats (I love sugar) and wheat based products. Notice I say cut back, not eliminate. Again, the goal is modification and lasting change. I know myself well enough to say that elimination is a recipe for a disastrous binge.
Have you ever heard the terms beer belly, bagel butt, or biscuit face? I recently read (by read I mean listen to) a convincing book titled "Wheat Belly." In short:
"Wheat Belly is a book by William Davis, M.D., that explains how eliminating wheat from your diet can help you lose weight and improve health. It ascribes special benefits for those with type 2 diabetes, especially for those who have intolerance or an allergy to wheat or gluten. This book describes how wheat has changed since ancient times and goes into modern growing and processing techniques. It goes into detail about how modern-day wheat could be to blame for many of today's health epidemics like insulin resistance. It lays out a diet or lifestyle that could help reverse these problems." http://diabetes.about.com/od/bookreviews/fr/Book-Review-Wheat-Belly.htm
The book did a great job explaining the blood sugar/insulin cycle in lay terms. I wish they would have handed this explanation out in nursing school. The author tries to show the connections between high insulin levels, insulin resistance, cravings, and weight gain that lead to an ever expanding, lumpy, and full midsection of deep visceral fat. He explains why we sometimes experience mental fog and fatigue as a result. He also touches on the addictive properties of wheat's chemical make up.
There are a lot of folks out there with reviews for and against the material presented. I agree that the author takes some generous liberties with the conclusions he draws. Some of it was nonsense. Most importantly, I learned that the wheat our culture consumes is dramatically different (genetically) from hundreds of years ago. The author also points out that today's wheat is very different that what our parents were consuming when they were our age.
Bottom line: wheat based products spike blood sugar in way that no other foods do. Did you know that 2 slices of "whole wheat" bread raises your blood sugar higher than a snickers bar? The feeling of satiety left behind is SO temporary and it makes our bodies work extra hard to produce enough insulin to counteract the spike. We're left (a couple hours later) in a starving fog, reaching for the next complex carbohydrate snack instead of feeling satisfied and clear headed. (Hence my nutritionally void food choices) Who wants to disagree with me? I'm up for that.
Again, this week I'm going to cut back on my wheat (often referred to as gluten) filled food and sweets (usually wheat loving baked goods). I'm going to say one indulgence from this department a day.
I've done a little experiment like this before (after I read the book). The result: meals became more about fuel than food. Eating was much less emotional when I'm wasn't feeling like a deprived, starving, hazy, ready to eat 3 slices of pizza mess. My GI (gastrointestinal track) was much happier. Let's see if it happens again. Look at me . . . I'm practically a research scientist.
Stay tuned . . .
PS - I'm gong to re-listen to "The Power of Habit" this week. I'm sure it will provide some great insight. Perhaps I have a future as a book reviewer. Maybe this blog is going to turn into a book club. Kidding!
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