How Is Blogging Helping Me To Reach My Goals?

Before beginning my blog here, I have to admit I thought Blogs were sort of lame.  I mean why would you want to lay out your life, for everyone to read.  Why would you want to admit your failures, and share pictures of your fat self to the world?  

I am one month into my blog and I am discovering that, blogging is a great way to get your feelings out, it gives me a way to express anger, regret, happiness, sadness, grief and whatever else I may be feeling at the moment.

Often times before my blog, these types of emotions would cause me to eat!  I would eat in isolation, I would pretend no one knew I was eating that "Snickers bar" or whole BAG of  Snickers bars.  I admit I felt like nobody would understand and that I was alone in my feelings.  What I have come to know now one month later.  Is that I am not alone, there are others out there who are going through the same things.  I have realized I am a part of something bigger through my blogging.

You find kindred spirits, people who touch you with their own struggles with weight, and how it effected their lives and how the Band has helped them through it, but more importantly how this community of incredible supporters has helped them through.

I found Catherine's blog first and I set out to read it from the first post to the last.  It was the end of June.  I was captivated by this woman's story.  She was so honest, so real.  It was not at all what I expected from a Blog.  I was hooked, I could not wait to read another Blog.  This one was Jacquie, she had an incredible story as well, I started to feel a connection to these women.  They all had been just like me, obese and fat and now they weren't.  If they can do it so can I.  Then I found LapBandGal and she truly inspires those who read her blog as well.  Stephanie also gave me courage to pick up my big girl panties and stop the whining about how I had screwed up my band journey and start a new. Cat also gave me motivation, there are so many here who have.  I have a huge list of blogs that I follow!  I am learning something from each and everyone of them.

I did not think I would have time to blog, well perhaps in the beginning it is easier to stay focused, I do not know.  I do know that I look forward to my blog now.  It has become an obsession of sorts.  I want to write, I want to read and read and read.  When you look in through the window of a person's blog, and you find honesty, and often times, very painful admissions, it helps you to work through your own.

Now, when I think I am hungry, I stop and ask myself, is this my stomach or is this my head?  I don't think I will ever have to stop doing this, for me emotional eating has always been my downfall.  If I am feeling emotional then I will log on here and read blogs, or write on my own.  What a great way to NOT turn to food for that comfort.  I have found that I always feel better after my dose of blogging.

How will blogging help take my weight off and keep it off? 
The answer is that it helps quell the emotional storm raging inside of you if you are an emotional eater.  If you aren’t an emotional eater, it distracts you and gives you time for the cravings to pass.  It also gives you a platform to think out loud about why you want to eat and what your long-term goals might be.  Others can learn from your blogging, as well.  You never know how many people are going through the same thoughts or will go through them by the time they read your blog.

By taking time to write out your thoughts, or the events of the day, or emotions at the moment, you may find a solution to the problem that would otherwise leave you holding a bag of cookies or chips.  Chips are a quick bandage to what ails me.  When I do not want to face it, and I just have to cope and move on.  I used food to stuff those emotions.

Distraction and water are great "hunger stoppers".  Hunger and thirst are are sensed by the same part of the brain.  Sometimes we get the signals confused and we think we are hungry when we are actually thirsty.  By trying a large glass of water before you eat any food, helps you to determine if it is real hunger or simple thirst that has you wanting to eat everything in sight.  The distraction of writing can help you to wait the 20 minutes to give the water time to do it's job of quenching your thirst.  If you are still hungry after 20 minutes then you probably need a snack or a meal.

So what do you do if a computer is not around when you need your blog fix?  In today's technological world you can blog on your Smart Phone.  I love my Android! You can keep a notebook handy wherever you go for any writing you need to get out of your system.  You could even type it up as a blog later.  As you look back at all the writing and blogs you have done, you will be amazed at your personal growth and all you have learned.  You will also be amazed at how much more resolve you have to reach your goals.  You may even notice your goals have evolved into bigger and better things.

I am so thankful for finding BOOBS!  I am thrilled to be a part of it this year, and I look so forward to meeting the women here who have inspired me to keep moving!