Lose Toxic Shame, Lose The Weight for Good

Halfway through my major weight loss (one year in) I realized by God’s grace and prompting that I would not finally sustain the weight loss on the outside if I didn’t deal with the past pain and trauma on the inside. And that’s why I always recommend to people to not ignore that part. There is no shame in it. Research shows that most people who are overweight or obese have suffered from some past abuse or trauma. Many of us held on to toxic shame that didn’t belong to us. And many don’t realize how absolutely freeing it is to be able to let that go! Then that outside weight can go successfully and sustainably too.

And I’m going to touch another elephant in the room: While not exclusively an issue for people of color, there is a stigma still attached to it for black people to get therapy. Yes, I’m going there because it’s true and has been researched and debated. For ALL of us human beings, there is NO shame in getting the help we need to finally heal from all this unnecessary pain and toxic shame and improve our lives! A faith-based counselor who also is trained in EMDR therapy/counseling can be a great addition to weight loss, health, and wellness goals. There is no shame in that game. Break out of that prison. God wants better for us.

#PlantBasedGodsGrace

Today is my FOUR-year anniversary free from sugar, by God’s grace. Seriously, the longer I abstain, the easier it gets. I didn’t totally get that many years ago when I still wanted to moderate (which always led to failure). Sugar really is poison to the body and mind, feeding cancer, causing weight gain, causing depression, and so much more. It’s so freeing to be off sugar.

Whatever is a stronghold must go because nothing will come before God and become an idol. That’s why I even let go whole grain flour (oat flour) about three weeks ago and feel SO much better (more on that another day).

#PlantBasedGodsGrace

Here’s the link to my Facebook page with more information:

https://www.facebook.com/plantbasedgodsgrace/posts/1087992327898585

I did another Christmas run today. This time it was one of the virtual ones where you run anywhere. I did it indoors on my new treadmill. It was the O Holy Night 5K by US Road Running.

I felt like the treadmill made me work harder to get to 3.1 miles. And in checking my FitBit afterwards, it registered 4.1. 🙂 Either way, I got it done and then some and pushed myself too with several sprints! And I LOVE the beautiful metal with the Nativity Scene! My daughter Mika is supposed to run her 5K soon for the second metal but she better hurry because her siblings are eyeing it (if I’d known better, I’d have registered them too).

#TreadmillMom

#PlantBasedGodsGrace

As I was preparing Christmas cards this year (I finally got it together this year 🙂), I found an older card from about six years ago. Boy what a difference! Michael and I are both more than 100 pounds less than what we were in that first picture.

But the love is still there.

Have a Merry Christmas and Healthy Happy New Year everyone!

Love,

Nalida

#PlantBasedGodsGrace

The new treadmill arrived this week and was assembled tonight! Thanks to the great generosity of a dear friend, we were able to get the second treadmill to add to our very old but trusty one! Side-by-side training is coming up! Everyone tried it out. I did a little running on it and it felt pretty good. We have some more bitter cold days coming (teens and twenties) so let the indoor training began!

#Grateful

#PlantBasedGodsGrace

5 years ago I couldn’t have envisioned running around our yard then the streets of Boston with this lovely young lady. It was just so much dealing with educational plan issues, autistic tantrums and so much more. Now the plant based lifestyle and running keeps us both more calm. At each practice and each race, I often get the thought that flashes through my mind: “What are you DOING out here?” And I then answer it back: Running. Simply running for life.

#PlantBasedGodsGrace

#BackyardRunners #DownhillGirls did it by God’s Grace! We did our last outdoor run for 2017—The Halfway to Dot Toy Drive 5K. And we did it in the snow!! ❄️ Luckily it wasn’t sticking yet. We got our “Santa Run” finishers metals as well as earned our hand made ornaments. We had a lot of fun. One young lady finished early but looped back twice to encourage us which was so nice. We got to thank her back at the hall before we left. It’s a cold, snowy day and a great one for a Christmas run!

Backyard Runners Team (our registered team name) picked up our bibs and shirts in preparation for the 5K tomorrow—snow or shine! ❄️ ☀️ But we’re praying for shine. 🌞

EMDR For Food Addiction—30 Second Technique

I’m reading another book on the neuroscience of food addiction. It’s called The Thin Woman’s Brain: Re-wiring the Brain for Permanent Weight Loss by Dilia Suriel. It has some very interesting information. I’ll give a more thorough review when I’m finished but wanted to share this bit. There’s a scientifically proven technique called EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization Response—that has helped people, including me, heal from trauma and it’s effects (including all types of addictions and stress) by letting go of toxic shame and rewiring the brain to see the truths in the past events as well as eliminate the false perceptions surrounding them. A counselor trained in EMDR can be a great help in your health journey especially as research shows most people who are overweight or obese or who have other addictions have experienced some early trauma.

The quick EMDR technique described in the book can be implemented immediately. Here’s the neuroscience background: When you are smelling or seeing food that is hyper palatable and you crave it, your brain automatically moves your eyes quickly up and to the left. When you start to fantasize about that delicate treat, your eyes move to the bottom right. To DISRUPT that craving and get relief, for 30 seconds move your eyes around in various directions. That’s it. I’m going to add that to be fully successful in using this technique, you have to get off the “pleasure trap” (see book of that name written by Drs. Lisle and Goldhammer as well as Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book Eat To Live where he references it and discusses “toxic hunger” which The Thin Woman’s Brain calls “brain hunger.” )

1)Incorporating the techniques to get out of the pleasure trap with a nutrient-rich whole food plant based lifestyle (long term) with 2)Counseling as needed with EMDR for any past trauma and/or abuse (intermediate-long term) with 3) 30-Second EMDR (rapid eye movements in various directions) to disrupt a current food or food-like substance craving (short-term/immediate) is a good plan to help with changing your lifestyle to a healthier one and rewiring your brain to a healthier non-addictive one.

Nini and I put on our new Santa running hats and I wore my new turtle running tights for our run today. We ran 2.1 miles, gearing up for the 5K Toy Drive this Saturday. We couldn’t plan for more guides this time, much to the chagrin of Michael Sr. and Mika, so it’ll just be me and my running buddy Nini. Mika continues to do well with her treadmill runs and has gotten quite self motivated! And Michael Jr. wants to train now too so Michael Sr. gave him a feel for the treadmill. Thanks to the generosity of an awesome friend, the Bessons will be adding a new treadmill to go right next to this very old one. Everyone is excited as it should arrive and be assembled before Christmas! Now two of us can run side by side (perfect for when it starts snowing and we no longer will run in the yard).

#BackyardRunners

#TreadmillFamily

#PlantBasedGodsGrace