I may as well say it. I'm compulsive eating, so I haven't been very strict with following a whole foods plant diet. Part of it was feeling challenged by the directness and the level of commitment of participants in the eCornell "Plant Based Nutrition" course I took, as well as the level of strictness advised by such educators as Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who assists clients to reverse their heart disease with diet, and views heart disease as having your house on fire: if you want to put it out, get serious with your diet and don't fool around. Also, when I embarked on this journey, my aim was just to avoid having a heart attack or stroke. But part of the course studied weight loss through a whole foods plant diet; focusing on weight loss methods hooked me into the crazy thoughts I get in that regard, instead of just doggedly continuing on the course.
In conjunction with all this challenge was the external challenge of too many potlucks with animal foods and people bringing in a lot of animal foods and cakes and candies to Homeland where I work. The condition that tipped the balance was the tremendous pressure and stress I sometimes feel at work, which makes me much more vulnerable to making poor choices. As a coda, I also feel pressure because as soon as I committed to the whole foods plant diet in April, I started blogging about it, which makes me feel on stage. Then I have a dilemma. Although a blogger is hardly a public figure, once I've taken a stand I worry about sharing every indiscretion because I don't know whether I will A] lose credibility &/or B] cause people to become discouraged in their own efforts to achieve maximum health. Anyway, there it is.
My plan is to enlist a counselor to assist me to get past all my persistent and clever mind games. I'm not giving up.
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2 comments:
Once one understands what is at stake, there is no turning back. You will be on this journey to good health for the rest of your life, and pitfalls (understanding triggers and self-deceptions)will just normally be a part of it. Never quit, explore all the factors that bring continued good health.
I would be very interested to have you read a book called The Obesity Myth...an excellent book...and then write an entry about your thoughts about it; as a nurse, your opinion would be especially valued. And you might find that it deeply alters your feelings about weight and health.
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