Repost: Retrain your brain
At my last few events I’ve been speaking with lots of people who are having a hard time changing their eating habits. It’s hard. Trust me, I know. If you are used to eating processed, boxed so-called food or greasy, salty restaurant fare changing to a whole food diet will take some retraining – be patient with yourself. Here’s a repost from March 2012:
Eat a meal that doesn’t consist of meat, by choice. Never. Brown rice instead of sticky white rice. Seriously. Greens and eggs for breakfast. Nope. It’s been a long time coming, but I’ve changed my eating habits for the good.
When I first learned brown rice was the best choice, I resisted. Sometimes, I would prefer to go without the rice because it just didn’t taste the same. It was too crunchy, too nutty. But, since it was the better alternative for me health wise I continued to prepare and eat it. Low and behold the very reasons I use to not like it are the very reasons I like it. White rice just seems like fluff, there’s no substance. When you eat brown rice you are eating the whole grain (germ, endosperm, and bran) which makes you become more satisfied.
I love food. I’ve said it before, I can’t very well not eat. I had to learn how to enjoy and respect food. Today, my understanding and appreciation of food is much different. I understand that food is fuel for my body, so my goal is to fill it with premium goods. I’m proud of myself for retraining myself to enjoy it without abusing it and make better conscious choices. I’ve retrained my brain. You can do it too, start with some small adjustments and if you don’t particularly like a food the first time try it again, maybe prepared differently. You may find that you can learn to like it. Think of the health benefits. Food is meant to nourish our bodies. If you think of it that way, retraining your brain will come easier.
Chrisetta Mosley
I am a product – and now a survivor – of childhood obesity. As a child, my family always told me that my extra weight was merely baby fat and I’d eventually grow out of it. I never did. Instead, my childhood is filled with memories of not being able to ride a bike, flattening its training wheels from being over the recommended weight, and avoiding P.E. classes by any means necessary. For years, I wore my fatness like a wounded soldier wears a Purple Heart - with pride. I owned the look. I dressed it up. I worked the room. There wasn't a skinny girl who intimidated me. I made sure my hair was laid just right. Nails polished. Outfits coordinated to the tee. Accessories to compliment every outfit. But everyone has a breaking point, and mine came in the spring of 2004 when I tipped the scale at nearly 400 pounds 388 to be exact. I was MISERABLE trapped inside of that body. I no longer wore my Purple Heart with pride. Rather, I was ashamed and frightened. Ashamed that I had allowed food to become my everything – frightened I would die because of it. Drastic times called for drastic measures... Today, I’m bound and determined to live a better, healthier, active lifestyle. I realize I’m no longer a passenger in my life, I’m the driver. I’m overcoming my inhibitions and I’m slowly but surely saying farewell to my old childhood nemesis, obesity. For once and for all, Farewell Fatso!