Why Do I Eat So Much?

 

So why do I eat even when I am not hungry?

I work a high stressed job as so many of us these days do, and when a body is under stress the body pushes (forgive my non-medical term) out hormones to help us manage the stress. One of these hormones is called cortisol, and if the stressor is sustained, the cortisol levels remain elevated and could trigger cravings for salty (salty popped corn), sweet (pastry) and high fat (fry ups) foods that the body thinks it needs to cope - to give us the burst of energy and pleasure to combat stress. Is the trick to give up my high stressed job? I don’t think so, I think I need to (we all need to) find ways of managing stress and be present in the moment enough that when we are stressed to make the right choices in what goes into our mouths/stomachs.

If you have followed this blog you will know that I have confessed to eating when I am bored. And yes, that is a form of emotional eating. I’ll go for tea and biscuits, pastries, [to my shame] chocolate… whatever when I am bored. And it’s not only when I get bored, when I am hard at work at my desk, I tend to mindlessly reach for something to keep my mouth busy while I work. I don’t know why, but that’s the way I am, and I feel I am more productive this way. At work I am famous for having tea, soft drinks, and pastries available when I call for a meeting. I wonder if my team mates think it’s out of the goodness of my heart and not rather to fulfill my need to munch while working. I’ve come to associate both with productivity! (I’m so busted, because a number of them will read this…lol). Anyway,I am currently working on alternatives to the tea and biscuits I usually go for; so far I’ve tried water, gum…didn’t work as well as my tea and buscuits but I won’t give up – yet!

I know a lot of people who compensate negative emotions with food. Now I don’t know much about this, and won’t go here. And I can’t just say stop doing that as I have not walked 2 inches in your shoes – much less a lifetime. All I can say is that compensating food for emotions is something that should be addressed with the help of a counselor or coach. It is possible to get free of the negative emotions, and to know what to do when they arise. They don’t have to be our lives as opposed to being a part of our lives that we have under control. Enuf said!

Another trigger for emotional eating that I am very familiar with is childhood influences. From our parents not allowing us leave the table until we have wiped our plates clean even though we are totally stuffed. To families whose together time revolves around food. I grew up in a home where every holiday, celebration, special event, outing was planned around food – where we would go to eat, what we would eat, how much we would eat, what new dish we had to try out…! We never went hiking, to the movies or amusement parks, or just sat at home to watch TV- food was the center of my existence as a kid. No wonder it seems to feature largely in my life today. A date is never a real date unless we go eat something (sound familiar?) – although I am finding the joys of a perfect date being a long walk in a park just talking and getting to really know each other. (Who ever thought that my Drop It campaign would unearth so much of my emotional angst?). But seriously, what do the rhythms of your life revolve around? Healthy or destructive habits? If you don’t think about it now, you won’t ever know and become empowered to make the change.

With all these triggers, I have come to realize that when I acknowledge them I am better able to respond positively (I am RESPONSE-ABLE). I am learning that if I can identify the reasons I eat emotionally, acknowledge the situations or scenarios that compel me to eat excessively when I am not physically hungry, learn how to bounce back rather than wallow when I am caught in the web of emotional eating (a polite way of saying when I have stuffed my face excessively) then I am better able to control my emotional eating, I become more intentional about how I plan my day and what and when I eat and I am better able to keep dropping weight and maintaining the healthy lifestyle I crave.

Next week I plan on sharing some things I do to help me avoid emotional eating – not to say I have conquered it – I am still learning and hopefully as I write/blog you can hold me accountable and I can truly DROP IT 4 LIFE! J

Do you have any tips to stave away the emotional eating gremlin from your life? I’d love to hear it, just send me an email using the ‘contact form’ on your right (below my before picture), and I will be sure to give you credit.

 

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Hunger

 

Before I started on this path, one of the ways I justified my eating in excess was saying defensively that I honestly felt hungry, so I had to listen to my body. For me it was feel hungry? Then eat! But I’m learning that emotional eating can come from emotional hunger; which is very different from physical hunger. This week I want to share what I have learnt about this.

Emotional hunger hits you suddenly and with urgency, it can be overwhelming – for me it’s like someone lit a bulb in my head saying ‘GO EAT NOW!’ – I heard someone describe emotional hunger like a trying to take a bone from the dog – the dog just won’t let go! Physical hunger on the other hand, builds up in intensity- like a gently rising graph.

 

Most times after indulging in an episode of emotional eating I end up very remorseful and shamed by my lack of restraint. Do you feel ashamed or guilty after eating?

 

Ever felt like you were ‘hungry’, feeling not so much like your stomach needed food but like you just needed to eat something? Yes? That’s most likely emotional hunger. I am told (confession time) and I am still trying to learn the difference that real physical hunger feels like your ‘tank’ is getting empty, sometime there could be some growling (that’s possibly a sign of extreme physical hunger – don’t get to this point often).

 

Knowing my own patterns of eating, I know there are times when I eat, and eat, and eat, and eat…and eat long after my stomach is bursting. Chances are (in fact it is a safe bet) I have just indulged in some big time emotional eating. If it were physical hunger I was satisfying, chances are I would have known when to stop eating. I’m actually of the opinion that when you satisfy physical hunger rather than emotional hunger you are empowered to eat healthy.

 

Many times you will find me saying…’I am hungry and I want…[insert some very specific dish] now’. This could be a craving (twin sister of emotional hunger) and not physical hunger. Most times, only this very specific dish will ‘hit the spot’! When this happens, I do some self-talk to examine the nature of my craving/hunger and can make the choice to wait till I am really hungry before I indulge in the dish I want. This is easier said than done.

 

The amazing thing I have discovered is that emotional eating is a habit that we learn all through our lives to the point that it becomes an automatic response to whatever the root cause is. Even people who seem to have an ideal weight and good health can be emotional eaters – so don’t beat yourself up. The main point is finding out the reason why we have this destructive habit.

How do you differentiate between real (physical) hunger and emotional hunger in your own life? I’d like to learn from you. One thing that works for me is that I try to have fixed times for my meals - sometimes it works, other times not so much. I’ve also found that if I have a cup of tea or glass of water it controls the immediacy or urgency of what I am feeling and I am better able to make better decisions about my eating. It’s not easy -but I am working on it; because I am 100% committed to living a healthy life and to DROP IT 4 LIFE! You?

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Emotional.Eater.I.Am

Hello, My name is Liz; and I am an emotional eater.

As I battle to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle I gotten to know myself better. I has been quite a journey, seriously. I have accepted that I am an emotional eater – previously I would deny this. Do you deny the ugly truth about your reality?

I have found that many of us do not always eat to satisfy hunger; some eat for comfort, to relieve stress (me), as a reward, by rote or when bored (me), habit (your family always had a night cap of creamed cookies and hot cocoa before bed, and now you just can’t stop it – even though you know the extra calories are doing you in). While the food we reach for does nothing for us – does not offer comfort, don’t relieve stress, aren’t much of a reward nor alleviate boredom; I know from experience that I end up feeling guilty afterwards, the extra food results in extra calories I do not need, and I invariably pile on more weight.

This is such a big part of my life that I decided to spend a few weeks talking about it – maybe we can help each other and reinforce better habits.

First, how did I know I am an emotional eater? Basically, in the course of my readings and my ongoing battle with my weight, I discovered that I actually eat mainly in response to my feelings (emotions) rather than physical hunger pangs. I eat when I am bored, I eat when I have a major project to churn out at work, I eat when I am unhappy or nervous. Other people reward themselves with a stunning dress/shoe or bag, I reward myself with a trip to my favorite Chinese restaurant. What about you? Are you an emotional eater? Let’s find out.

• Do you eat more when you are feeling stressed?
• Do you eat when you are not hungry or when you are full?
• Do you reward yourself with food?
• Does food make you feel safe?
• Do you feel out of control at a buffet table (piling your plate sky high with dishes that really don’t complement eachother)?
• Do you associate some tasks with food - like a plate of cookies and cup of tea when reading through work reports (I am guilty here).
• Do you feel better (calm, soothed etc) when you eat.

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions…[drum roll] chances are you are an emotional eater. Don’t pout… there are things we can do to help ourselves (as I am learning), and habits we can use to replace the reach (as in the reach for another tub of Haagen Daz). And we will talk about these soon…

 

So, are YOU an emotional eater? Admitting it is the first step to curbing it so we can all DROP IT 4 LIFE!

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Metabolic Boost - Coconut

I visited the GNC store close to my office a few days back to restock on my flaxseed, hempseed and chia seeds which I use for my Green Smoothies. While there the very helpful advisor (Charity) introduced me to this - Coconut Manna. She said it could help rev my metabolism, and I thought it was buy one get one half price, so why not. (I’m frugal like that!J).

So I got my two jars of Coconut Manna and made a beeline to Google and you will be stunned what I found out. I am now a convert, and I hope that after reading this you will give coconut butter (the Coconut Manna I bought is a brand name from Nutiva) a try.

I now add a couple of spoons of the Coconut Manna in my Green Smoothie (alternating with creamy avocado) and here is why:

• Coconut butter could help increase energy levels and rev metabolism which should contribute to weight loss.
• It’s also packed with healthy fats which could enhance the feeling of being full after consuming it (which is one reason I tried it in my smoothie)
• The coconut butter is actually quite rich in compounds which boost immunity and destroy harmful bacteria, viruses and funguses. Thinking about harmful bacteria, I know the H. Pylori bacteria contributes to peptic ulcers (which is one reason a friend of mine – who will remain nameless says she can’t eat healthy), could coconut better help? Worth thinking about, right?  
• Taste – it’s really yummy, nothing artificial or chemical; just the natural good taste of fresh coconut.
• Coconut is a Super Food! (According to Wikipedia quoting Macmillian dictionary a super food is a food which is considered beneficial to health and may even help some medical conditions). Although this last bit is in contention in the scientific research community, I like the thought so I will ascribe to it.

 

In all of this, I advocate moderation as the caloric content is still high (about 45 calories in each spoon), and there is still the cholesterol consideration that is still under severe contention which I can’t turn my nose up at (just yet).

What am I saying? If you have issues with high cholesterol, maybe you should give this a miss. My cholesterol level is perfect so I can afford to have coconut butter in my smoothie plus the amount of calories I consume each day isn’t that much.

But coconut butter is not just good in smoothies; you can use it in creamy soups, on sweet potatoes, toast, crackers, curries, or as an accompaniment for fresh fruit; for grilling, baking etc. And you don’t have to go for store bought coconut butter, you can make yours at home from scratch (http://stupideasypaleo.com/2013/11/17/coconut-butter-from-scratch/) with fresh coconuts. 

Sold out to this idea? Is Coconut Butter/Manna worth considering – I think it is because in my experience when you try to change your lifestyle, live healthier and DROP IT, the [tasty] options out there aren’t that much. Personally when I don’t find something that is healthy and appeals to my palette I will revert to my old ways. And we don't want that, do we? The word of the moment is a Healthy Lifestyle the help us DROP IT 4 Life!

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Alternatives to Bush Meat

Ebola is still a major story in my part of the world, and we are told that one major way the virus is transmitted to humans from animals is from bush meat (defined by Wikipedia as meat from wild animals hunted in Africa, Asia and South America) eg grasscutter, antelop, fruit eating bats, and yes, even non-human primates (monkeys). I am not here to discuss the merits or demerits of partaking of bush meat (aka don’t get me started).

So, with the Ebola epidemic (coz it IS an epidemic) a lot of people are leaning away from bush meat – which for the sake of diseases, conservation etc is a good thing. The puzzle to some is ‘so you are taking away my beloved bush meat, what do you want me to eat now?’ [I actually heard someone make this lament last week]. This got me thinking, why not share some of my healthy option recipes; maybe someone out there will come to like the alternatives better than their favorite non-human primate (tongue in cheek).

I know alternatives include the less wild variety of animals like cows, goats, chickens etc but I want to focus today on FISH. I used to think fish was good for only frying and for pepper soup (a Nigerian delicacy); alas I have seen the light! And I present to you here, TWO fish recipes that I hope will replace bush meat and help us put paid to this ebola issue in Africa (in essence, leave ‘em bush meat alone!)

Grilled Fish with Olive Butter

1. 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (at room temp)
2. ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3. ¼ Teaspoon lemon zest
4. 1/3 ounces pitted olives, finely chopped (optional)
5. ½ pounds cod fillets (or any firm fish of your choice – but something not too oily)

What to do

• In a food processor, combine butter, lemon juice [and olives], and puree until smooth
• Season fish with salt and pepper
• Grill to desired doneness (I like it well cooked so I grill for no less than 5 minutes per side).
• Transfer to warmed plates, and serve topped with a tablespoon of black olive butter and serve with potatoes or whatever… J

You can roll any remaining butter puree into a log shape with plastic wrap (or cling film). It will be fine in a freezer for up to 3 months, and you can use by cutting off ‘coins’ of butter off the frozen roll as needed

Dijon Mustard Fish Fillets

1. 2lb skinned fillets (any firm white fish will do – eg croaker)
2. Dijon mustard
3. ½ cup breadcrumbs seasoned with salt & black pepper and [dried] oregano
4. Parsley & Lemon (garnish – VERY Optional)
5. Salt & Black pepper (to taste)

What to do

• Spread your fillets lightly on both sides with Dijon mustard (Dijon mustard has a strong taste, so a light touch will do well – especially if you don’t like the full flavor of Dijon mustard). Then sprinkle your fillets with salt or/and pepper
• Roll in crumb mixture
• Preheat oven to 500˚C
• Grease flat baking dish and heat it thoroughly in the oven (important as you won’t be baking for too long)
• Lay the fish in the hot dish and then bake the fish for 10mins (still @ 500˚C)
• Garnish with sprigs of parsley and lemon wedges

Let me be serious for a minute, I’d like to know: I hear bush meat is far tastier than your beef, veal, chicken or fish. But for the sake of transmittable diseases, would you give up your bush meat for these alternatives? Let me know…

 

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Boost Your Immunity With Food [Not an Ebola Cure]

The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is top news right now, and DROP IT is a lot about healthy living; healthy living also entails keeping our immunity up and staying safe. With this in mind I asked myself if there were foods that could help boost a person’s immunity, and boy was I happy about what I found. [Not that any of the foods I’m presenting here can help prevent or treat the ebola virus…this is not another salt hoax].

The first question I asked and scrounged for an answer to is ‘why is my immune system so important?’ The simple answer I found was that our/my immunity is our/my key to good health. And good or healthy immunity helps combat a poor diet (possibly due to serial dieting?), pollution, aging, stress, insufficient rest, allergens, hereditary challenges etc.  Kindda makes a case for forging habits that support a healthy immune system, doesn’t it?

So what foods can help boost our/your immune system? Here we go:

Naturally Ginger: I read somewhere that ginger can help prevent and treat the flu; and is a helpful remedy for stomachaches, nausea and headaches. I came across an article recently that said that the anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger (some fancy chemical names) stimulate blood circulation and opens sinuses – which means oxygen gaining access to our tissues to help remove toxins and viruses.

I did a blog post on Ginger some months ago, you can see it here http://dropit4life.blogspot.com/2014/02/ginger-goldyum.html (there are also some really lovely ginger recipes there as well… give these a try and let me know how they turn out).

Enduring Hot Peppers: Otherwise known as cayenne or habanero, scotch bonnet or atarodo and is the really hot pepper containing capsicum. Again this helps fight colds and flus mainly because of it high Vit C content as it increases the production of white blood cells which trigger a cleansing of cells and tissues of toxins. In addition to its weight loss (metabolism boosting) properties (see more of this here: http://dropit4life.blogspot.com/2013/09/red-hot-chilli-peppers.html) your hot peppers help build healthy mucus membrane tissue that defends against viruses and bacteria and finally this spicy condiment actually raises your body’s temperature making you sweat and increasing the activity of the immune system.

I have to confess though, as much as I know about and appreciate the benefits of hot pepper – I really cannot get a hang of this frankly uncomfortable condiment. Personally, hot peppers are quite simply too hot for Liz♪♪♪♪♪.

 

Speaking Mushrooms: My mom really does not like mushrooms – I’ll see if I can change her mind when I tell her that mushrooms actually increase the production and activity of our white blood cells. Next time you have an infection (ear, throat etc) try some fresh mushroom soup (I doubt if tinned mushrooms work – not sure) a few times a day– I’m sure you will find an adaptable recipe on http://allrecipes.com/

Green Tea is also jammed packed with antioxidants which can also contribute to your general wellbeing and kick the stuffing (smile) out of the common cold.

Other immunity boosters include: Onions, citrus fruits, kale, watermelon and garlic. I am sure there are loads more and I will count on you to suggest some in your comments.

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More DROP IT Snack Options

I’m still thinking snacks this week – probably because snacks are my personal kryptonite – it’s very easy for me to snack on unhealthy things thus negating my DROP IT plans. If I am not careful, I nosh on biscuits, low calorie juices, crisps and so (more wrong choices). I guess that’s why I am hung up on healthy snacking and finding options that work.

 

To emphasize, why is snacking helpful?

Snacking on the right foods (healthy protein and complex carbohydrates) will help give the midday energy flunk a boost. It also regulates blood sugar that should help keep energy levels up.

Previously I would deprive myself of food (in the name of some diet) and end up getting so hungry that I would binge/overeat because I had become ravenous. Not only would I overeat, but I would end up eating everything in sight – the good the bad and the ugly. I’ve learnt that I stay on track when I graze/snack intelligently. By intelligently I mean snacking on the right things, at the right intervals.  

I had a serious talk with my Doctor about nutrient deficiencies; when I started my DROP IT lifestyle, I kept coming up with one nutrient deficiency after the other –potassium today, calcium tomorrow…and on and on. She scolded me to ensure that I didn’t compromise my health in my bid to DROP IT, and advised that I opt for healthier meals and snacks to ensure that I get all my nutrients. Her recommendation was that I snack on fruits and nuts! I actually think that this is what set me on this path of snacking or grazing intelligently.

So now for the main deal this week… snack ideas:

Here are my efforts at intelligent and healthy grazing (aka snacking) -I can imagine some eyes popping asking ‘what has Liz come up with again?’ These are veggie and fruit chips (L-R apples, carrots and beets).

What you need:

• 1 large beet root (sliced using a potato peeler)
• 2 carrots (sliced using a potato peeler)
• 1 large apple (I removed the core and sliced as thinly as possible – using both a corer and a knife)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon black pepper (I used a tablespoon because I really like black pepper)
• Olive oil (I used the spray variety) – just enough to moist not saturate

What to do:

• Fire up the oven (at my first attempt I burnt my veg to a crisp – so please be careful here) - the recipe I adopted calls for 130˚C.
• After slicing, I blotted the fruit and veg (I kept them in separate bowls) with a kitchen towel to mop up excess liquid. The sprinkle the cinnamon and black pepper on the veg and fruit, then toss to ensure everything is coated evenly (this mixture is what you see on the output – this batch didn’t burnJ).
• Line an oven tray with baking paper (I personally prefer this to foil)
• Line the baking paper with the sliced veg and fruit and spray the oil on the sliced veg & fruit
• Place mid-point in the oven (not too high, not too low – so it doesn’t burn)
• Roast for 30minutes – tossing the nibbles intermittently.
• Take the nibbles out of the oven and allow to cool.

I store mine in a clear plastic container and store in a fridge. One container like this lasts me an entire week – I don’t eat it all in one sitting, afterall it’s a snack not a meal.

 

I have offered this to friends and they all love it. But don't take my word for it... try it for yourself! And don't limit your options to beets, apples and carrots - this also works with sweet potatoes or parsnips. I cannot think of other options, but I am sure that there are other fruits and veg that can be used. Any ideas? Care to share?

 

So, what do you snack on? Nuts, Fruits, Smoothies (I just discovered a fantastic Green Smoothie recipe - I don't snack on it though, it is my main meal - but I think it may work as a snack - this is what my cup of Green Smoothie looks like - I know..the green puts many people off - but I promise it tastes nice!)?

Do you have any snack ideas or recipes to share? I would love to hear from you.

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