Mindfulness Experiment

slimzandra

In addition to starting yoga in August, I've signed up for this 4 week experiment about mindful eating for women.

To be frank, I've had the notion that meditation, yoga, etc., was a bit out there for the "touchy- feely" crowd. *Sorry* That said, if you told me a year ago that eating more fat, lo-carb, would help me lose weight, quickly and easily, I would not have believed it. So, I've been wrong before.
It's all about what works and what doesn't. I'm willing to explore anything as an experiment, if it works for me great, if not, next.

Here is the link if anyone wants to try this.

http://www.fitwoman.com/blog/2015/07/16/mindfulness-for-women-who-struggle-with-weight/

I started browsing the information and it might not be the right thing for dedicated low carbers.
My eyes rolled back when I read their blog about bread. HAHA. However, I like to think I can review something and agree to disagree.

http://www.fitwoman.com/blog/2014/10/01/bread-really-fattening/

MistressPi

in the same vein, I recommend this book:

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh. It's a classic. Mindfulness has helped me in many ways.

http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Mindfulness-Introduction-Practice-Meditation/dp/0807012394/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437674047&sr=1-1&keywords=miracle+of+mindfulness

Kitnthecat

I have taken 2 courses in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and yes, mindfulness is related to such things as yoga and they can both be performed in conjunction with each other. Totally doable. I did not look at your link, but know that if you are going to try yoga, you could totally embrace mindfulness. I think this would also compliments fasting as all could be viewed as spiritual in nature. Good luck !

KnitOrMiss

I did sign up for the course as I've wanted to do something like this for a while, but without a structure or plan, I've struggled to fit it in. This might just help... Should be entertaining at least.

minties82

I'm doing mindful colouring in for adults right now, it is really helping me in times of stress or when I get the urge to binge.

I find it hard to eat mindfully eat as my kids are relentless about harassing me when I have food I have been trying though!

DianaElena76

minties82 wrote: »

I'm doing mindful colouring in for adults right now, it is really helping me in times of stress or when I get the urge to binge.

I find it hard to eat mindfully eat as my kids are relentless about harassing me when I have food I have been trying though!

Good Lord, yes. I haven't had an uninterrupted meal at home in years.

KnitOrMiss

I definitely was not expecting a quick fix or a full-on miracle, but thank you for the reminder to take this for what it is, just another tool to add to the "Keeping my sanity" toolbox!

slimzandra

Thank you for your insights. I appreciate the feedback. I'm interested in participating because from what I've read this place in Vermont gets really high marks, but I can't take the time to physically go to a resort and just "do me" for a while. I am looking for more joy, a better ability to focus, and ways to improve my self esteem. Looking better and feeling better physically is one way. I don't really miss *too much* the starch and sweets. For me, this new woe, is more about a path to a goal and a way to fix my broken eating pattern and routine.

I have a lot of personal stressors in my life, which is probably one of the reasons I was so mindlessly eating and drinking, which lead to my excessive weight gain over the past 7 years. I am fortunate, that I don't have PCOS, or diabetes. I also have not suffered from anorexia or bulimia or other situations that some folks have had to overcome. So, for that I am grateful. I will say that my drinking was excessive and I was grabbing and ordering out careless food choices, compulsively eating at night, emotionally overeating and drinking. It has helped me a lot to just stop, prepare meals at home, review what I am actually putting in and how it effects me.

I finally got sick of feeling sick.

There are so many things in my life that are out of control and cause me stress. The one thing I can control is my reaction to it. I am in the process of trying to feel better about myself and the cards I've been dealt. While losing weight over the past 3 months and eating LCHF has certainly had a huge impact on my mental outlook, I still need to find a healthy way to deal with all this stress, anxiety and constant feeling of sadness and that looms over me. I've talked to professionals and friends and I journal my feelings. I still have those days, when I feel I could burst into tears at any moment. I don't think anti-depressants or medication is the way to go for me, my problem isn't a chemical imbalance, it's just that my life just SUX right now and I believe any logical person would feel the same way or worse! I should feel grateful for all the positive things I do have, but the negativity and demands around me sometimes feel overwhelming. Life is a journey, I am still exploring what course I need to take towards happiness. I'm hoping information in the next 4 weeks helps give me more insight. Should be interesting.

Thaeda

newmeadow wrote: »

My experience with mindfulness and associated meditative techniques is that they're really good for relieving immediate mental stressors, like free floating anxiety. They aid in strengthening the ability to concentrate and think in a more organized fashion. Emotions are more easily reined in with a regular practice, so the character is strengthened in that way.

But I was often lulled into the false belief that mindfulness and it's associated practices would assist in regulating my disordered eating (addictive, compulsive). It didn't. It didn't make me not want to eat the foods low carbers avoid and it didn't help me control the intake of those foods once they crossed my lips.

I've been tripped up into thinking yoga, meditation and other mystical techniques would cure me of compulsive gluttony. So many times.

I now use a complete abstinence approach to the eating of sweet and starchy carbs and also exclude all grains.

I just mention this to caution anyone who struggles with food the way I do. Mindfulness is wonderful for lots of things but it doesn't automatically regulate compulsive overeating disorders or quell cravings for sweet/starchy foods. So if you're doing well abstaining, I would strongly advise: Don't alter your path.

The women who write these mindfulness books and author mindfulness websites and webinars usually don't come from a history of significant obesity nor, in my opinion, are they geared for people who have a disordered relationship with food and eating.

I know not everyone here has an obesity history or a disordered relationship with food and eating though, so maybe a book or a website like this could be helpful for them.

I have a lengthy history of disordered eating (compulsive eating, binge eating and also restriction) and I have found meditation, yoga and other mindfulness strategies to be an integral part of my healing process. I cannot say I never overeat or eat compulsively, because I still do sometimes- but my binges are far more infrequent now and I am better able to control myself when I really think about how food tastes, or how I feel after I eat it, or whether or not what I am wanting has anything to do with food at all. I am sorry you have not found mindfulness helpful in addressing your ED, but so happy for you that you have found something that works (abstinence). Just more proof that we are each on our own journey and what works for one may not work for another.

radiii

I took a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course at UNC-Chapel Hill that ran from February to April. I had never heard of any of this before then, went 100% on the recommendation of my physical therapist at the time. I wrote about the entire experience, every class, every activity they had us try and everything we learned on a forum I've been a member of for about 15 years. Its a forum for a sports game, but many of us there have known each other for 15+ years so it felt appropriate. Anyway, if any of you are curious or interested:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=89882

I'm Radii there, some others reply throughout. Its very long. I wouldn't blame anyone for not reading at all But if you're diving into this, have a look if you'd like. At the start I had no earthly idea what I was getting into, it took 3-4 weeks before stuff really started coming together for me and for me to see how I was actually learning things that would be useful to me.

I came away from the course with a new way to look at a lot of things in my life, and with an appreciation for meditation and how helpful it can be to have the ability to slow yourself down just for a few moments here and there. I'm not a changed person or anything, I just felt like I'd learned some new potential perspectives on things in my life.

EDIT: If you're curious about what this course did for me in specific detail, but don't want to read the whole thing in that link, go to the end, and read the last three posts. Those were my "post course thoughts" basically.


We learned about mindful eating, and I did write about it, but for me it was not an activity that I particularly cared for and didn't try to continue after the course. Perhaps I should at some point.

m_puppy

slimzandra wrote: »

There are so many things in my life that are out of control and cause me stress. The one thing I can control is my reaction to it. I am in the process of trying to feel better about myself and the cards I've been dealt. While losing weight over the past 3 months and eating LCHF has certainly had a huge impact on my mental outlook, I still need to find a healthy way to deal with all this stress, anxiety and constant feeling of sadness and that looms over me. I've talked to professionals and friends and I journal my feelings. I still have those days, when I feel I could burst into tears at any moment. I don't think anti-depressants or medication is the way to go for me, my problem isn't a chemical imbalance, it's just that my life just SUX right now and I believe any logical person would feel the same way or worse! I should feel grateful for all the positive things I do have, but the negativity and demands around me sometimes feel overwhelming. Life is a journey, I am still exploring what course I need to take towards happiness. I'm hoping information in the next 4 weeks helps give me more insight. Should be interesting.

I relate a lot to what you're saying and I think I'll join you on this journey of mindfulness through yoga and meditation. My life is much better now than it was 2 years ago. I had to force some change though and take steps I didn't necessarily want to take in an effort to stay alive. My anxiety has been crippling for years but I never really realized it. I assumed that all I had was depression. A psychiatrist pointed out that my depression is a result of anxiety, not the other way around. I am definitely more mindful of that now. But like you, I need to work on healthy ways of dealing with anxiety. I also need to work on focusing and controlling emotions. This came to me last week when I was thinking of asking my doctor to prescribe an anti-anxiety med. While I was researching different medications I was reminded of what I was like on anti-depressants. I was numb all of the time and had no emotions. Those meds saved my life at a time when I needed it but it's not what I need now. I need to learn how to control my own anxiety. So... I'm in!

fortunebc

I'm in too. I relate to what slimzandra wrote and you too m_puppy. I've been wanting to try something like this but didn't quite know where to start. Thank you slimzandra for writing about it.

toadqueen

I too have signed up to participate. This is a new concept for me and I am interested in learning more about it. I have a very unhealthy relationship with food that I would like to improve. Mindfulness sounds like a way to take control amidst chaos for me.

m_puppy

I did the leg work in finding some local yoga classes today. I am considering going to one tonight. Though I will admit last time I tried to attend an exercise class I got up at 5am, drove to the place and then sat in my car watching everyone else go in. Then I went to a coffee shop instead. Does that qualify as mindfulness?

slimzandra

LOL. on the yoga class. Yes, mindful! You contemplated and made a deliberate decision, coffee sounded better, I can relate to that.


Here's something you might appreciate. I signed up for the Mindfulness program via email a week ago. I never received a confirmation email, but I decided I could let it go. The emails were supposed to start today. It is almost 11am EST and no email from them. (They are US EST) I typically get over 50 in my inbox every morning from every type of spam and most e-blasts usually go out before 5am. So I call the sponsor Green Mountain Spa and ask, did the first email blast go out? I signed up but hadn't heard anything I just want to confirm if I'm in. I'm put on hold... 2 minutes, Operator comes back, and says she can't get in contact with the person to confirm my registration, but she can confirm the email has not gone out yet. That, I should just wait.

I go over to my GF at work and ask her what's the story? I tell her what I did, and ask if she thinks that running a program and not getting back promptly to people is somewhat contrary to what mindfulness is? . She says... Whoah. You need to chill and started laughing.

I work in a corporate setting and I always try to acknowledge emails, I respond to phone calls with, "I will get an answer for you and I will call you right back". And I always call back. My GF says, that I'm too black and white, I believe it's lack of professionalism. She said, Boy, they are going to have fun with you! HAHA. Ok, maybe Saturday Yoga can't come fast enough, but that kind of laissez-fair attitude about things, bothers me. IDK, it is Vermont anyway. I guess they just run on a different time table, Maybe I should??.. Ommmm... Calm yourself, Slimz..... Maybe this is the first test? ???

toadqueen

I got my email at 12:11 pm EST.

I tried yoga a few times and was never able to relax in it which I think defeated the purpose.

DianaElena76

I haven't gotten an email yet.

slimzandra

Sorry Mami. I'm not sure why you didn't get an email. I did get it on the 31st. I watched it, I'm going to leave my opinion until the end of the four weeks. I can say that the woman giving the talk, Shiri Macri, appears to have mastered "calm" HAHA..


Here's what the email said..
Mindfulness for Stress & Emotional Eating

Week One of Mindfulness For Women Who Struggle With Weight

Welcome to Week 1 of the Mindfulness for Women Who Struggle With Weight mini-course series! We are so glad you've chosen to join us on this 4-Week journey.

In our weekly emails you'll find either a video or an article focusing on using mindfulness in certain areas of your life. You'll also find a compilation of articles and videos to help you expand on the week's learnings.

This week, enjoy a video by Shiri Macri, LCMHC & Behavior Leader here at Green Mountain at Fox Run.

She will introduce you to the series, and dive into why Mindfulness helps us to de-stress and better manage binge/emotional eating behaviors, before walking you through a short and gentle guided meditation. Let's get started!

The two takeaway slides for me were these: She also lead a meditation for the last few minutes.

DianaElena76

Thanks. Funny because I signed up more than once, as both personal and professional, and got nada.

m_puppy

I forgot all about this portion of it. I just found my week 1 email. Will have to check into it later.

toadqueen

I finally got a chance to review it today. I think it will help me a lot. Not necessarily anything new or earth shattering, but a gentle reminder to relax, breathe, and appreciate life!