Yesterday I was at Trader Joe’s and almost picked up a box of Gorilla Munch. I haven’t had a bowl of cereal in a year and a half, and that last bowl was some Trader Joe’s High Fiber cereal that was supposed to help get the anesthesia out of my body. So what’s so bad about cereal? Well there is the whole grain thing, and the cane juice thing in this particular one…but ultimately my eating a bowl now and again isn’t going to completely derail my health. You still won’t hear me touting the health benefits of a high grain diet, or a diet with sugar (not from fruits) included on a daily basis, but I might indulge every now and then. I have a very control-freak personality, and I know that it might even help me mentally if I can see that yes I can eat some unhealthy foods on occasion and I am not going to shorten my life span by decades. I won’t be eating enough of anything that is unhealthy that will make me feel ill (it only takes a day of poor eating to do that to me), but an occasional bowl of gorilla munch, or a random gluten free cookie will not be the end of me. My blog (and future cookbook) will still be focused on healthy recipes, but don’t be surprised if I happen to mention a sweet or gain every now and then. Maybe it is the therapy or the new anxiety medication (Yes I have fairly acute anxiety), but I am exhausted by trying to control EVERYTHING. I am at a healthy weight and I don’t plan on that changing at all, but I can still be a healthy person and not be a perfect eater at all times. In fact, this might even make me more healthy when it comes to my emotional well being.
In general I like being able to eat foods that I can fill up on without feeling sick or guilty, and I cannot do that with grains, however, if I can stick to 1 serving (a true measurement of course) a day then that still completely fits in with a healthy diet in my book. I won’t say the same thing for sugar, but I am no saint. If you are trying to lose fat I don’t recommend adding things back into your diet yet though. I am ONLY doing this because I am at a place where I am comfortable, and know that I can easily cut back if things go awry.
I did not buy that box of Gorilla Munch by the way, but I might get some oatmeal soon. I miss oatmeal and a bowl no and then is again, not that big of a deal. I will definitely try to stick to gluten free stuff though as there isn’t really a reason for me to purchase of box of anything with gluten.
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…”I am exhausted by trying to control EVERYTHING.”
Word. This is one of my biggest struggles right now. I’ve actually been thinking about trying medication AGAIN even though it’s never done me any good (and usually tons of harm). I just feel so wound-up all the time and obsessed with everything. It’s exhausting. I can’t seem to find a middle ground for myself even though that’s what I advocate for everyone else. Lame.
Oatmeal kicks ass! You can’t label oatmeal as
“unhealthy”, no way. Everything in moderation is the key. You have done an amazing job losing the weight and you make it sound like eating a bowl of oatmeal is like sneaking a candy bar. You are only as healthy as you feel, a lot of it is mental. It’s all about your outlook :)
Well, I cannot actually say that oatmeal is indeed “healthy” either. And that is the conundrum, There is no need for oatmeal to be included in the diet, but also 1 serving of a whole grain a day is probably not going to do too much damage either, so that is what I am working with now. As long as I can stick to 1 serving a day on days when I choose to have some grain, then I will be ok. There are other days where I do splurge and have more than one serving, but they are not often, and I can recover from those by getting right back on track.
Sigh. Sometimes, I really want a bowl of cereal too (mmm gorilla munch!) but alas…I can’t choose it if I want to, as my body keeps proving that if I veer even slightly from the elimination diet I’m on, that I get sick and broken out again, and have to go back on steroid cream. The amount of grains I eat is probably horrifying (usually have oatmeal in the morning, and rice pasta at night), but those don’t seem to bother me.
Although I probably shouldn’t eat them as much as I do, but otherwise I really would be eating nothing but veggies and fruit and beans, and I can’t handle that!
Like your blog… just a thought or two on anxiety, from which I also suffer greatly.
Exercise helps me keep the anxiety at bay. As does daily meditation and progressive muscle relaxation routines.
If you haven’t tried these things already, they might help too.
Best, DJ