I’ve been at it again.� Staying up past 1am reading when I should be sleeping.� Each morning this week I stumbled out of bed around 7:30, the rapscallions having long since uncovered and renounced all stall tactics.� Each morning this week I determined never to go to bed so late again.� Each morning this week came far too soon.
I didn’t really feel it until today.� Today I am tired.� I woke up unable to wake up, so I have slugged my way through most of the day.� Projects remain incomplete, clothes continue to collect dust in laundry baskets, and I did not make the bed.� And I always make the bed.
To make matters worse, I seem to have acquired a hollow leg during the night.� Despite my late breakfast and early lunch, I could bring down a grizzly bear with nothing more than a butter knife and a George Foreman grill.� Following that, I have fantasies of eating my way through my favorite local bakery wearing only my newly acquired bear pelt and a bib.
I studied eating disorders in college, and yet somehow managed to acquire disordered eating habits.� I’ve heard and read a lot on the subject, and one of the most frequent issues under discussion are the triggers that cause one to engage in disordered eating.� There are any number of specific triggers, but Jorjana and my nutritionist both reminded me of a mnemonic device that I should recall every time I feel the urge to eat something I shouldn’t–like grizzly bears and bread pudding.
H.A.L.T.
Having memorized so many mnemonics for law school, I tend to roll my eyes and shudder when I hear a new one.� I did just that when I heard this one, but I was (and am) ready to lose weight, so when two people tell me on two occasions to “H.A.L.T.” before I eat something I shouldn’t and first consider if I am hungry, anxious, lonely, or tired, I take that as a sign for me judge less and listen more.
So I filed it under “things that might be lame but you never know” and never thought of it again.� Until today, when I stood in front of the open refrigerator and imagined all the delectable things I could be eating if I wasn’t dieting.� This, after eating a filling lunch of salad and leftover frittata.� I slammed the refrigerator door in frustration and thought about it.� Why am I hungry?� I just ate lunch, and, three hours before, breakfast.� I shouldn’t be hungry, but I am.� Then my subconscious took over like the secretary to a hapless executive and out of the file cabinet I pulled out H.A.L.T.� As was my experience with every other mnemonic I learned in law school, I couldn’t remember what most of the letters meant except the last one, tired, which is exactly the letter I need to remember.
Tired.� I am hungry because I am tired.� I am not hungry; I am tired.� And just like that, I was no longer hungry.� It was as if I was under the spell of a hypnotist who suddenly snapped her fingers, party trick over.� Once the reason for my hunger became clear, once it was obvious that my body was searching for stimulation to keep my eyes open, I was no longer hungry.
And then I discovered that writing can keep your eyes open as effectively as hunting grizzly bears and bread pudding.
I am actually never hungry when I eat. That thought is disgusting to me. I eat so much crap that I am never eating out of hunger. I mostly eat out of boredom. I was just diagnosed with a thyroid problem and am always tired so that is another eating trigger. I know that I am eating out of boredom and tiredness but just can’t help it. MB
i just read this while eating ice cream. bad krista. this is not how i’m going to lose weight.
I have never heard of this, but will now put it in my aresenal of “stop eating right now, Rachel” tactics.
Thanks!
I just like food – glorious, delicious, food! I must at least try the H.A.L.T, however. I lost a whole lot of weight on vaca. With my pants too big, I figured all I needed to do was come home and continue strength training and I’d have it made, right? Oh-so-wrong my friend. I landed on American soil and my first thought – FIRST THOUGHT – was fried food! Needless to say, the weight I’d lost came back – with a few friends, I’m sure. Sigh. Anyway, since the word diet makes me hungry, I’ll see how this new “trick” works. Thanks!
OhMYGOSH !!! know this feeling waay to well. I tell you up on your protein, that is all I can say to you. I had those feeling prior to me loosing all the weight I lost almost 5 years ago. Protein saves my rear. I notice now that if I eat let’s say a Greek omelet for breakfast with some good fruit I stay very happy and full until lets say 4ish, now if I only have my yogurt with fresh fruit and granola I am ready to eat lunch at 12 pm. I did all sorts of different diets and spent alot of $$$ on them, and nothing ever stuck. Yes, I lost the weight but it would all come back shortly after. But not the protein one.
Good luck maybe put a lock on that fridge….lol
“I have fantasies of eating my way through my favorite local bakery wearing only my newly acquired bear pelt and a bib.” Oh damn girl, your pen was on fire….
I can relate. In college I had an eating disorder. As a senior, I wrote a thesis ON eating disorders thinking, I guess, that I could cure myself. Today, I’m still an effed up eater and I’M SICK OF IT. I’m with you—I hate all the cutesy suggestions (I had a therapist that told me one week to come up with some affirmations for the next time….and I never went back) but geez this one might make sense. I’m tired of Starting Tomorrow. I’m tired of not enjoying food because of the guilt I associate with it because I don’t know when to stop. I appreciate these posts so much. I’m right there with you, toots.