Home   >   Health   >   resetting the craving clock

Resetting the Craving Clock

By on October 16, 2013
quitty

By Natalie Hughes, Editor-In-Chief.

I’m past the week two milestone of my Six Week Shape-Up. And things are getting go-o-o-o-d up in here! My pants no longer make me feel like a stuffed sausage, but even that’s small potatoes compared to the energy, focus and happiness I’m feeling since I took responsibility for my health.

Speaking of sausage and potatoes, we can’t forget food (indeed I never do!)

A few weeks back, Risse–the nutrition half of the Go Fit Gals–talked about the importance of planning for success, and boom, big lightbulb for me. I do so much planning in other areas of my life. How is it that I had never planned my health? I’ve almost never thought more than about a half hour ahead about my food. I just let it happen to me. Worse than this, I’ve only wanted to eat what I felt like, and with a hectic schedule and too much sugar and salt in my body, I wasn’t craving healthy stuff. My mind and body just wanted more of the same. To make matters worse, much of my work life is also spent in a busy city area with every fast food choice you can imagine. Grabbing lunch on the go seemed so much more convenient than chopping, dicing, broiling, sautéing… so take-out is exactly what I did most noon hours. “Hmmm, what do I feel like today? Burger? Chicken sandwich? Wrap? Salad?” (They weren’t all totally unhealthy choices, I swear! I’m not even much of a french fry person.) I’ll bet even those so-called “good choices” had an awful lot of hidden sodium, fat and sugar.

When it came to dinner, as a family we had fallen into a pretty bad rut of about 12 mediocre meals which rotated through the month. Most of them were kinda like,

“Here is your starch. Here is your veggie. Here is your protein. See, I’ve made a balanced meal and I am not a bad mommy.”

So Risse has re-introduced me to something called ACTUAL FOOD. This is the kind you find on the outer aisles of the grocery store, like produce, fresh meats, eggs and greek yogurt, all put together in beautiful, delicious ways that I would never have done if she hadn’t made it so. darn. easy. I know I’m not crazy… my kids are eating these meals–gobbling them actually–and so is the husband. Oh, yes the husband, who is being incredibly supportive, will put the crockpot on for me when I leave him the recipe, and have kitchen adventures with my daughter making something new from the plan for us to try. THE PLAN. Did you hear that? There is a plan and I’ve bought ingredients ON PURPOSE.

After about 3 days of eating my pre-made breakfast and lunches, fitting healthy snacks in, having home cooked-from-scratch dinners, something happened. I stopped craving sugar and salt.

It’s crazy, but this thing might be working.

Because… are you ready for this? I’m down 2 more inches.

As Crystal Andrus would say, BAM!

 

Yours in Spirit,

Natalie

 

P.S. Just tuning in? Read my 6 Week Shape Up, Day One article, and my Week One article.

nataliecalmNatalie Hughes, editor, writer, performer and songwriter, is a gifted interpreter of the human experience, expressing passion, humor, heartbreak, healing and freedom to a depth that few writers reach. Natalie is also the Musical Director for Crystal Andrus Productions, providing music for short films, international speaking engagements, and powerful meditations. Hear her in music and conversation weekly as the co-host on Empowerment Class and The Crystal Andrus Show. Natalie lives along the picturesque waterways of Peterborough, Canada with her husband – photographer Michael Hurcomb – and her two children. For more, visit nataliehughes.com and find Natalie on iTunes,  Twitter and Facebook.

About simply...woman!

We encourage spreading the message of knowledge and wisdom. We appreciate and thank our featured partners for their articles. All information provided on Simply…Woman online magazine is for reference only; the content is based on the authors’ experiences and therefore is not intended as a substitute to the services of a fully qualified professional. Although every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, Simply…Woman makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information.