Just For Me

March is here.... that means in just a couple of weeks it will be Spring! Here in western North Carolina we had an excessively mild winter. Feels silly even calling it that; more like a little bit of kinda cold days, some measly snow flurries and a whole lotta rain. Very blah, and not at all a satisfactory 'Ahh, that was winter!'. So I'm over it and ready to move on and feel the creative rush that always hits me the first weeks of spring.
Creatively speaking, I'm not there yet. But my body is feeling a strong urge to lighten up! Remember my last post, about taking care of me? My body is one of those long neglected things I'm finally getting around to giving the proper attention it deserves. Starting with what I'm putting in it. I had gotten into a negative pattern of giving into every craving that crossed my path, and you know how that works... every time you (or at least I ) give into a craving it opens the door to many more. I was also stress eating like crazy.
Something I won't divulge even to my own mother is a number, when it comes to my weight, but let's just say that it crept up slowly while I was pregnant with River and the subsequent PPD got it to a place that I'm really unhappy about. I've had a weight problem ever since I was, ohh.... about 12-13. But I've never been one to beat myself up over that. I never had the poor self esteem that frequently comes with being over-weight. But that doesn't mean it was something I was OK with, either. I wanted to change it,but... well, what is it? What is it that holds everyone with a weight problem back? Lack of drive in that area, maybe? Maybe procrastination? I don't know, really, but it started at 12 and, at 32, I'm just now feeling an 'in earnest' attempt, no, real DRIVE, to do something about it.
So here goes, right?! My number one roadblock is saying 'no' to the foods and the amount of food that I want. Sure, I could choose the pasta with veggies and very light dressing, but what I really want is a plate of the noodles swimming in cream sauce (minus the chicken, please) that my dad ordered sitting right across from me (true story, but I made the better choice anyway). So, what do I do? Say no to that craving, of course, but then there's that feeling of not being fully satisfied and I really dislike that feeling. What I've found that is working really well for me is saying positive affirmations before I go to the restaurant, before and while I am grocery shopping, while I'm preparing meals. Something like this;

I enjoy making healthy food choices. I enjoying choosing foods that support my healthy body weight and fill me with energy. I enjoy eating foods that make me feel light and support the good health of my body. I enjoy foods that are clean and whole and are truly made to support my physical well-being. I enjoy these foods. I enjoy eating proportions that leave me light and full of energy. 

....and on and on until I truly connect with the affirmations and have created a strong, positive vibrations in the direction of my health. I tell you, it really is changing my relationship with food and truly easing my cravings and helping me to enjoy making better choices.
To some it may seem hokey to think you can just talk yourself  out of wanting something rich and decadent and really talk yourself into wanting good things for your body but just try it. Try it whenever you are around food or going to be around food. If it doesn't work for you,well, what do you have to loose?

Please share with me what you're doing just for you!