Grazing is for cows - not us!!

Apr 29, 2010

I believe one of the main reasons we (myself included) regain weight is grazing.  If you stop and think about it, cows graze.  They are supposed to graze.  Farmers want their cows to graze because it puts weight on them!!  The opposite for us as WLS'ers, we don't want to graze for the same reason....it puts weight on us!!!

A few years ago, I went through a very difficult transition and as a result regained 30 pounds after reaching my goal and maintaining for almost 4 years.  Thankfully, I lost it but it was very difficult.  Much more difficult than when I lost weight the first time.  As I look back, one of the reasons is that I went back to the habits that made me heavy in the first place that I needed WLS.....I was grazing.  I was grazing from head and heart hunger=emotional eating.  I was mindlessly grazing to numb and soothe myself. 

One of the strategies that I use is before I graze and emotionally eat, I give myself just a moment of pause.  I check in with myself to see how I am feeling, why do I want to graze?  It isn't about the food - it is about the emotion that is causing us to want to graze.  It is never really about the food.  That is a lesson that has been priceless to me.  Our cravings are due to head and heart hunger.  Is your heart empty?  What am I feeling that is uncomfortable?  Get past the food talking to you to get deeper into what your emotions are saying to you that you want to suppress.  Pay attention....for me, the triggers are that I'm tired, stressed and bored.  Now that I know these, I am more aware when I feel these things.

Now, that isn't to say that I still don't graze because, unfortunately I do sometimes.  However, the great news is that those times are very rare.  I think, for me, it is progress not perfection.  Even people that don't have WLS or food issues indulge in emotional eating.  It is just the day after an indulgence, which is the MOST IMPORTANT day, is that they get right back to their normal eating behavior.  Don't focus on the day that you grazed or mindlessly emotionally ate.  Focus on the next day when you get back on track.  The day after is the most important day.  

The next time those grazing head hunger start going on in your head, turn a deaf ear and don't listen.  

Cows can graze......for a healthy WLS lifestyle - we don't!  YEAH US!!  

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