Back but never really left

[matalina]

Just wanted to say HI again.  I've been a member of The Rebellion for a while though I've not been active, the heart of The Rebellion was always with me.  Steve's great push with his book has drawn me back in - in many ways.

 

Since I was here last I have written 2 full length fan fics, 2 fully realized novels though I'm in the process of re-outlining and rewriting those novels at the moment.  I've entered a writing contest and I've started really thinking about publishing but still not at that comfort level yet.  And I have a goal to submit an entry to another writing contest that is due at the end of March.

 

I've played the yo-yo game with food and diet and weight-loss.  It is no longer a goal.  Yes it's a priority but it's not a goal.  The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of headaches I have which is caused primarily from TMJ and poor posture.  So I took my 20 seconds of courage and signed up for a gym.  Sadly it's not open yet, as they are just now building it.  But I am a member.  My first goal is to talk to their fitness trainer and set up a routine that will strengthen my neck/shoulders and core to better facilitate a better posture.  A nice side effect will be weight loss and in general getting stronger.

 

I'm refining my overall diet.  No not dieting.  Cutting out sugar - mainly soda is my current mission.  Eating also needs to be added to that plate too.  I often find myself not eating breakfast or lunch and that is just as bad as over eating.  Still haven't found the trick to make it a habit I can stick to, but I'm working on it.

 

 

[LordKronos87]

Just wanted to say HI again.  I've been a member of The Rebellion for a while though I've not been active, the heart of The Rebellion was always with me.  Steve's great push with his book has drawn me back in - in many ways.

 

Since I was here last I have written 2 full length fan fics, 2 fully realized novels though I'm in the process of re-outlining and rewriting those novels at the moment.  I've entered a writing contest and I've started really thinking about publishing but still not at that comfort level yet.  And I have a goal to submit an entry to another writing contest that is due at the end of March.

 

I've played the yo-yo game with food and diet and weight-loss.  It is no longer a goal.  Yes it's a priority but it's not a goal.  The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of headaches I have which is caused primarily from TMJ and poor posture.  So I took my 20 seconds of courage and signed up for a gym.  Sadly it's not open yet, as they are just now building it.  But I am a member.  My first goal is to talk to their fitness trainer and set up a routine that will strengthen my neck/shoulders and core to better facilitate a better posture.  A nice side effect will be weight loss and in general getting stronger.

 

I'm refining my overall diet.  No not dieting.  Cutting out sugar - mainly soda is my current mission.  Eating also needs to be added to that plate too.  I often find myself not eating breakfast or lunch and that is just as bad as over eating.  Still haven't found the trick to make it a habit I can stick to, but I'm working on it.

 

I have the same issue.  Often skip breakfast and lunch.  Here for you!

[MarcosBuenijo]

I don't believe there to be anything inherently undesirable about skipping meals. After all, there are benefits from intermittent fasting. I do believe the consumption of excessive sugar is a serious problem. One can only improve their general health by keeping sugar consumption low, and eliminating the consumption of sodas is a good step. Doing this alone could help you with your headaches. In fact, I advised my good friend just last month to change his diet by starting first with eliminating soda. It turns out he was drinking a two liter bottle of soda every day! Sure enough, he called me the following week to report: no more headaches. I also got him to reduce intake of bread and substitute his margarine with grass fed butter. I don't infer eliminating sodas alone with rid you of your headaches, but I don't imagine it would make them worse, ;-).

[matalina]

It can make them temporarily worse though - caffeine withdrawal is one of the biggest reasons I have a hard time kicking the habit.  Currently when all else fails a carbonated and caffeinated drink helps finish that last little bit of relief the body needed.

 

Finding an appropriate substitution for this has been hard.  Energy drinks aren't much better for the waist line and all those that tout zero calories use an artificial sweetener and sadly I don't like coffee at least not in its natural state ie: without sugar and milk.  And coffee also has twice as much caffeine as my body is used to so withdrawal will be killer.

 

Intermittent fasting has it's benefits.  But there have also been studies that show that skipping breakfast can be harmful.  And when it's on a regular basis and your body is telling you hey you need to eat something it's kinda bad.  Not enough calories in your diet and you go into starvation mode.

 

I don't typically cook with margine or butter except in eggs.  I eat very little bread and pasta.  My husband changed up our diet about a year ago, granted it's boring by most standards but we went from a diet high in starches to a diet high in protein for dinner.  The vegetable intake needs to be upped imo.  We still enjoy going out to eat, the occasional off meal plan meal and dinner with the family who aren't keen on our dinner choices.

 

Soda is my number one enemy but it's also the life saver when I've done everything imaginable to alleviate my migraine so that I can continue working.

[MarcosBuenijo]

It can make them temporarily worse though - caffeine withdrawal is one of the biggest reasons I have a hard time kicking the habit.  Currently when all else fails a carbonated and caffeinated drink helps finish that last little bit of relief the body needed.

 

Finding an appropriate substitution for this has been hard.  Energy drinks aren't much better for the waist line and all those that tout zero calories use an artificial sweetener and sadly I don't like coffee at least not in its natural state ie: without sugar and milk.  And coffee also has twice as much caffeine as my body is used to so withdrawal will be killer.

 

Intermittent fasting has it's benefits.  But there have also been studies that show that skipping breakfast can be harmful.  And when it's on a regular basis and your body is telling you hey you need to eat something it's kinda bad.  Not enough calories in your diet and you go into starvation mode.

 

Soda is my number one enemy but it's also the life saver when I've done everything imaginable to alleviate my migraine so that I can continue working.

 

Wow, the soda (sugar and/or caffeine) seems like an addiction for you! Of the two, I consider caffeine to be the least problematic. Of course, I'm biased - I can forgo almost anything, but if you try to take my coffee, then I'll cut you, ;-). However, interestingly, I drink less coffee today than before I started experimenting with a low carbohydrate diet.

 

I wonder if you'll have to move through a withdrawal period. Perhaps the term does not seem appropriate, but I personally consider sugar can be as addictive as other substances commonly associated with addiction. This position of mine is based primarily on personal observations of myself and members of my family. Although, I perceive a growing number of professionals are considering seriously that sugar can be addictive for many.

 

On IF, it is effortless for me. However, I first adopted a very low carb diet that took a few weeks of adjustment. I believe had I had skipped meals before doing this, then I would certainly have experience fatigue, declining cognitive function, and irritability associated with low blood glucose. I simply no longer get so hungry as before, and I speculate this is due do becoming adapted to making use of ketone bodies as a fuel source in addition to glucose. Basically, perhaps I have that buffer from more efficient fat metabolism to carry me at least part of the way.

[matalina]

I do move through withdrawal periods.  I have over the course the years cut caffeine but as you said it's an addiction and an easy one to fall back into.  And the biggest reason is caffeine helps with headaches.  It's a fact, I mean it's in Rx meds as well as over the counter ones.

 

I typically wean myself of the caffeine - lower the consumption until I can drop it or substitute it with tea as a source.  It's all great until an unstoppable headache hits.  The moment when the pain is so intense that my stomach starts to roll is the moment that carbonation is needed.  And that also usually implies I've taken as much of my migraine meds as I'm allowed to take and thus I resort to caffeine.  It's an excuse.  And that one step is a gateway into having another.  Which is why a substitute is required for both the carbonation and the caffeine.  I will use both because they work on my headaches and at the moment a soda is the only thing.

 

Sugar is probably one of the reasons for the addiction.  I agree whole-heartedly with you on it.  There are a whole plethora of things that say don't drink soda - but staying headache free is usually more of a priority than not drinking soda.  

 

And another reason I'm working on other methods of staying headache free.  My ultimate goal is not weight loss - it's to be pain free everything else is icing on the cake.