The Utah
SWEAT Spot
A Blog
for Sports & Wellness Therapy
POST #10
MONTH: December
WEEK: 2
TOPIC: Nutrition
Spot
Spot of
the Week: A Holiday Tale: The Binge Bandit Versus The Control
Freak
When I
was a kid, well actually a young adult, I guess an adult… OK until about 3
years ago, I was a hoarder when it came to food. Those around me find it hard
to believe given my shape, but in truth, it hasn’t been until this past year
that I’ve grown into my natural way physically and mindfully. These patterns are
things that I tend to reflect on as I close out yet another year (with half
empty thoughts), and welcome a New Cycle (half full and then some!)
I met
with a client not long ago who I hadn’t seen in months. We talk regularly and
as his Coach, I’ve been building his training plan consistently for endurance
sport, specifically triathlon, for a few years.
Not only has he made incredible gains as a seasoned short and long
course triathlete, he has undergone a health make-over. I believe it started
from finding joy doing sport- having fun, feeling success and seeing life
change. With some nutrition guidance, his body shifted quickly. Like most
recreational enthusiasts, he took time ‘off’ from his training plan and found
his body composition bouncing right back to where he started. The older we get,
the faster this tends to happen. After a few tough races dabbling into the next
season, this man I’m calling ‘Ambo’ (sounds like Rambo), took a step back and
honed in on nutrition. He gave over to a highly structured and medically
facilitated program and WOW! Huge gains with not only weight loss, but
education, awareness, and confidence- some critical keys to long-term success.
Ambo was
not morbidly obese by any means. His energy can spread like wild fire- he expresses
with conviction, half-full (vs half empty) nature, and he can turn a rainstorm
into a rainbow. I imagine him like an Amphetamine
Boost (therefore his nick-name ‘AmBo’), medicinally going right to my blood
stream, providing a motivating high. But he left feeling remorse, even with his
success to where I could barely recognize him,
exposing common signs of internal battles we all face, especially this
time of year.
The Sweat
of the Matter by sharing AmBo’s story is that my recommend could
be for your nutrition program to follow a strict diet in order to reach your
goals, but I’m not. I do commend AmBo and the Program on his successes, and I
look forward to seeing him move beyond performance goals again 2013 season. Instead,
AmBo triggered memories of my hoarding days. When he left the office, we joked
about him sounding like a ‘girl’ fretting over a few extra pounds gained since
Thanksgiving. When he called me a few hours later, he was still kicking
himself- rather his Control-Freak conscience had his Binge-Bandit in the line
of fire. I’d like to share some personal experience, some professional advice
and some progressive tips to gift you if facing your demons this holiday
season.
In my
little days, I remember running from the dinner table crying often, typically
before I got to taking a bite. As I’m writing this I realize that I began to
associate food with emotion very early. I grew up feeling like I had to fight
for everything- love, attention, fun, food… I was a shy pea of a thing, a girl in
tom-boy pants having three older brothers, in a very male-oriented household.
And from a young age, I always had stuff stashed in my closet and school bag, just
in case- not just one thing but lots of the same or a small variety. Food
became my survival kit when I needed to feel so living and breathing without it
within my control was like asthma without an inhaler. I resolved to my stores
often as an athlete natural born and raised, aside from make-shift dinners in
my room.
Strike a
chord? If you’ve followed my blogs, you will likely see that I use writing as a
tool. This Spot has revealed yet another layer of my onion, and when I find
these joyful moments of awareness, I become lighter, faster, stronger from the
inside out.
That’s my
wish for each of you, especially Ambo, this holiday season, whether we are
talking nutrition, work, love, etc.... Take time to:
1. FIND YOUR MEANS- what’s
your tool to access your layers? We all have them being human, both tools and
layers. First step is to face the fact that you might have some need to find them.
Then take a fun journey spending time doing things that bring you great joy
with the soul intention of accessing, for the greater good of you and all you
touch. Once you find your tool, build it
into your schedule like a workout and start peeling away.
2. DOCUMENT WHAT YOU’RE LEARNING- in some
way shape or form. This could be writing, taping yourself talk, or some cool
techno gadget. It could be investing in a specialist that can support your
journey, or it may be best to go with it and let the process unfold without
order.
3. GO ALL IN- by
prioritizing time, attitude, perhaps dollars, etc... I’ve found the half way
process could leave you in a worse place battling the Bandit and the Freak. So,
begin by ‘feeling-full’ with the
intention of reaching ‘empty’, and knowing you will then re-fill with only what
you really need. This is one way of describing a ‘cleanse program’. A healthy
one though!
And most
important, if you’ve accessed a layer or even simply bought the onion and don’t
know what to do with it next, I’m only a phone call away (see office contact on
our website).
Into the New Year, I Wish You Well In Life & Sport!
Cari
Junge
Nutrition &
Therapy Director
Utah Sports and
Wellness
