challenges of recovery

Posted by: pamisaloser on: July 20, 2011

• In: food | struggles
• 1 Comment

Recovery from my cyst removal surgery is still going well.  I’m mobile, feeling stronger and feeling less pain each day.

One of the biggest challenges so far has been fighting off some bad habits that want to come creeping back.  It’s been months since I’ve sat around the house all day reading or watching TV and doing little else.  That’s just not what my lifestyle is anymore.  But I’ve been forced back on to the couch for a few weeks while my body recovers.

The old me would have been THRILLED at the opportunity to stay home and sit on the couch for days on end.  Days off and home alone used to mean binge eating days.  I would wake up and go to the store to supply a binge for the day.  I’d pick up breakfast from McDonald’s, a big bag of chips, something like Pizza Pops for lunch and something sweet like a giant Dairy Milk bar (or two).  I’d head home and spend the day cooped up on the couch eating my way through all those things.

Now I spend my days off planning healthy menus, running, walking, biking, visiting the gym, visiting farmers’ markets and just generally living an active life.  With most of those activities on the shelf for a few weeks, I’m back to sitting on the couch.  And that’s where the old desires start creeping back.

Each day I’ve been fighting the urge to constantly eat through my boredom.  I no longer enjoy passing my day in the most sedentary fashion.  I want to get up and get out and move.

BUT I haven’t constantly eaten through my boredom.  I’ve held strong and distracted myself by reading another chapter in my book or playing a game on my iPad – anything but putting food in my mouth.  I know that I don’t need that food, I can recognize my true hunger signs and I know that I can find joy and happiness in things other than food.  These have been valuable lessons for me to learn over the past months of changing my lifestyle and they’re paying off big time right now!

Now…if I could only go for a run…