Health Article

I'm on the "Core" plan through WW, which has turned out to be awesome.  It works for me, one who just needs to eat when I'm hungry, even though it's not at a particular meal time.  It has actually made me eat more regularly.  I can eat all the food I want from a list of "Core" foods, until I'm satisfied.  Now that is a big distinction.  One thing I have NOT done in the past is think about whether or not I'm hungry before I eat.  Mostly I've been eating for one of two reasons: 

1. I'm Stressed
2. I'm Bored

Now I reccord how I'm feeling hunger-wise before and after I eat, which has been a real eye opener.  There is a scale that you are supposed to rate yourself on to determine how hungry you are.  It's a 0-5 scale, with "0" being "I could eat a house" and 5 being "Don't touch my stomach or I will explode".  They describe these slightly different in their materials. :)   Anyway, the goal is to be at 1 or 2 when you eat, which is in the hungry range, and to be at 3 when you're done, which is "satisfied".  I've noticed that in the first couple of days of this, I was almost always @ level 2 or even 3 when I ate.  That was eye opening for me.  I should be hungry when I eat, and I realized that it's really been a while since I've actually been "hungry".

I've been hungry a few times this week, let me tell you!  Mostly @ night, right before I go to bed.  It's a good feeling now though, and it's actually made me think about people in this world who go to bed hungry @ night, but aren't only 6-8 hours away from eating again. I've been SO gluttonous in my overeating. And eating for the wrong reasons. 

I need to have (and hope I'm developing) a better self awareness of my body and what my body needs.  I had a friend in my youth who I used to ask how he stayed skinny, and he used to say that he had an awareness of what the right food choices are, and he ate when he was hungry.  That is the key!  Wow, I had it all these years and never even knew!  Thanks, Seth.

I think the Core plan is really going to help me develop proper eating habits for the rest of my life, which is what I so desperately need.  I'm not willing to take for granted any more the life the Lord has given me. 

I'm still going to be stressed and bored, but from now on I want to develop the habit of taking a walk, or doing something else when I feel that way, or if I must eat, having an apple or something that will actually nourish my body instead of trying to feed an emptiness that can't be satisfied with food.