I think too much!

It occurred to me last night that I think too much.

LOL.

Seriously!   From the time I was a kid, I'd prefer to read, alone in my room, to running around outside with the other kids.  I just was always 'into my own head'.   My mother used to say "How did I get such a DEEP child?"

But here's the thing.  All that thinking, when you're a food addict, isn't necessarily a good thing!

We all have a conversation going on in our heads, all day, every day.  Call it your conscience, call it your soul, call it your spirit guide, even call it Fat Brain (because if you're a food addict, you definitely HAVE a Fat Brain LOL...)....it's that little voice inside your head that is your constant critic, or constant cheerleader, or somewhere in between.  He/she tells you what to do sometimes, justifies what you're doing, etc.

And I don't know about you, but my Fat Brain NEVER shuts up.  And listening to her...and doing all that "thinking"....is what gets me into trouble, time and time again.

It's like, I analyze, and overanalyze, and over-over analyze, to ridiculous levels.  To the point where I can justify eating just about anything and have it make sense...at least for the 5 seconds it takes me to make the decision and put it into my mouth.  LOL.

"One won't hurt"
"I NEED this"
"I deserve this"
"I had such a hard day"
"I'm bored"
"I'm not feeling well, this will help"
"I'm so tired, I need a pick-me-up"
"I'm stressed out, it's either eat, or snap someone's head off"

etc. etc.

Do you do that?  Do you here yourself in some of these?

Of course you do.  We all do if we have a weight problem.

But the KEY is, learning not to listen!  Learning to shut that little voice OFF.

WHY in the world do I keep listening?  WHY do I fall for it?

Because I want to.  Because on some level, it's easier than staying the course and staying OP.  (On Program...the Medifast 5/1 program, that is).

When you don't have to stay OP, when you can eat whatever you want....it can feel like a party.  Right?  "Eat whatever I want today...I'll restart .. TOMORROW!"....and so the binge begins. 

But the party doesn't last...because pretty soon you get into the mindset of not being able to STOP.  Your entire world becomes "What can I eat...NEXT?"

And then you start to feel the consequences of your overeating.  Your face puffs up.  You feel bloated.  Your stomach juts out.  You eat so much you're OVERFULL.  You hate yourself, you're such a 'bad' person...look at you, skulking through the grocery store looking for sludge, and trying to hide it ("Maybe if I buy some laundry detergent and add it to my cart, the cashier won't notice that everything else in the cart is ice cream, cookies, and candy."). 

We feel like everyone is watching us.  And everyone 'knows' we're cheating...!

If we live with someone, we hide food from them.  We eat in the middle of the night when no one's watching.  We sneak food.  We buy extras and don't tell our family. 

It's sad, it really is. 

And it's no way to live.

You stress and agonize over how many calories did you just eat 'over' what you should have.  You worry about that junk food in your house...should you just finish it off so it's gone?  (there's convoluted logic if I ever heard it!)  What about tonight, what will you eat TONIGHT?  And what will the scale say tomorrow?  OMG what about the gym tomorrow?  Will I be able to MOVE?  Will my stomach jut out? 

Yada yada yada...ad nauseum.

Many of us do this kind of thing.  We think, we reason, we analyze...to DEATH.  To the point where we can easily justify whatever we want to do!

If we're OP and we run across an ad for another diet program, suddenly we're questioning what we're doing.  Should we be doing all protein?  Maybe Atkins is a better way.  Wait, but what about Weight Watchers?  I can eat FRUIT on Weight Watchers, and I can't here.  So maybe I should do that instead.....but no, I tried that and it didn't work.  I know, I'll do vegetarian!  No, No, that's too complicated...I'll simplify my life and do PALEO!  Now there's a healthy diet....but OMG it's so strict! 

...and on and on it goes. It's easy to get sidetracked and 'try something else'.  Only to have it backfire. 

There's a REASON we wound up on this program. 
There's a REASON why those other programs didn't work. 

We NEED the structure and control over what we're eating every day, and the Medifast 5&1 program GIVES us that structure. 
We can't lose weight eating 'everything' (i.e., Weight Watchers)...because for many of us, eating 3 Oreos leads to an entire box.  Plus eating fruit doesn't work for a lot of us to take the weight off (pssst...it's the extra carbs and fructose in the fruit that stops the weight loss). 
And just 'eating healthy' -- or my favorite phrase that normal eaters use "Just eat in moderation" (yeah, right...if I could do that I wouldn't have a problem!) doesn't work....because HELLO?  If we could eat healthy, we wouldn't be overweight to begin with! 

We need a DRASTIC CHANGE.  We -NEED- Medifast!

Medifast puts our bodies into a state of ketosis, which is a fat-burning state where your body actually burns the FAT for the extra calories it needs versus burning muscle.

Those who claim Medifast causes you to lose muscle are WRONG.  It's not true at all.  I did this program while working with a personal trainer, and I never told her I was on the program....because she felt MF caused muscle loss.  Was SHE surprised when I reached goal and had GAINED muscle!  It was because of all the soy protein in the meals....combined with ketosis, which got rid of the FAT but kept the muscle.  And it also didn't hurt that I was exercising.  During the program it's not absolutely necessary to exercise, but after the first 2-3 weeks, when your body has adjusted, it's definitely a good idea.  You don't have to run marathons, all you have to do is WALK.  20 minutes a day 3 times a week is perfect.  Don't overdo.  If you hate walking, find something else.  There's a zillion ways to exercise.  I wound up at a gym because I like being with other people....and I like the exercise classes, because I stick it out!  After all, it's too humiliating to leave in the middle LOL.

The bottom line is, doing a program like Medifast, and sticking to it NO MATTER WHAT, WORKS.

And you don't have to overthink it.  In fact, make it as easy on yourself as possible.  Shut OFF that voice in your head....tell her to go away, for pete's sakes.  Stop questioning your every move.  Stop second-guessing yourself or worrying that maybe there's a 'better way'.  Or a 'faster way'.  Or a more convenient way. 

If you've EVER done the program for ANY length of time, you KNOW it works. 

And if you haven't tried it?  And you're desperate to lose weight?  I URGE you to give it a good solid try....one month on the program and I swear to you, you will feel like a new person.  The weight WILL come off if you follow the program. 

So stop second guessing yourself.  Stop looking to everyone else for 'the answer'.  Think about what works and what doesn't work. 

Medifast WORKS.  Period.  So just....DO IT!

Keep on keepin' on!....

Linda
Certified Take Shape for Life Health Coach
angiecat6@comcast.net