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Food is Not The Answer

Food is Not The Answer

Lisa Eirene

About Lisa Eirene Lisa lost 110 pounds through calorie counting and exercise. She swims, bikes, runs, hikes and is enjoying life in Portland, Oregon. Her weight loss story has been featured in First Magazine, Yahoo Health, Woman's Day and Glamour.com.

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20 Comments

  1. Kristina @ spabettie

    also? the workout routine is most likely a stress reliever in itself, so it’s taking place of or reducing the want to eat.

    and yeah, if you’re really doing a 90% healthy + balanced, that 10% is good. πŸ™‚

    kitties!! Basil helps me in that way, too… such a soother – he knows when I really need the cuddles.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      VERY good point…the exercise keeps me balanced and relieves a lot of stress.

      Basil looks like he’d be really good at cuddles. πŸ™‚ I can’t wait for Michael and me to get a dog….

  2. Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin

    It’s hard to find the balance between what you keep on and off the blog – I completely agree. Sometimes I feel like I look perfect too, and I am SO not. I try to make sure I do a post pretty often that explains my short comings so there’s no mistaking it. And I do agree with the exercising part. Before, if I had a bad day I’d binge until I was sick and it would lead to a downward spiral of feeling bad about myself, so I’d eat more, disappoint myself, eat even more, etc. Now, I pick myself up as soon as I can and I go for a run! What a difference.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      It is hard. Sometimes you want to share, other times you just don’t want to share ANYTHING. That balance is hard, especially with other people involved.

      Like you fitness has helped a lot with those urges and tendencies to binge. So glad I have that in my life!

  3. Lisa

    Awww….my husband plays that song for me on the winter equinox every year. It’s our reminder that the days will start getting longer. Glad you’re feeling better.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      It’s one of my favorite songs of all time.

  4. Lori Lynn

    Today has been a bit of a struggle for me, but I have been better with not turning to food. I’ve been trying to use the exercise as a stress reliever, rather than the food, and it has worked, partially. Even though today has not been the greatest, I just have to let it go, and focus on the here and now. Move forward, and not have guilt about it. That’s what I’m working towards!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      That’s a good plan Lori. Sometimes it’s one day at a time and that’s all we can do!

  5. Lori

    Stress is hard to find new ways to deal with when food used to be the default answer. However, sometimes food does make you feel a little better (depending on what you have). Making a latte for me can be a real comfort if I am in a funk.

    Most people will disagree, but I think it is okay to turn towards food once in a while as long as you are able to turn away again.

    The kitties are so cute – and I totally agree that they can be stress busters. Just petting them can calm me down.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Last night I was sitting on the bar stool in the kitchen feeling sad and angry and upset. Fat Kitty jumped up to sit next to me and just sat there purring, nudging me, until I noticed and would pet him. He just KNOWS when I need attention.

      The term “comfort food” can be very helpful too…if I’m sick I want comfort food. Soup, sandwiches, mac n’ cheese…and I DO feel better when I eat it. But I guess the distinction for me is OVEREATING those things turns into a negative…and when you’re sad you don’t often know when to stop eating.

  6. Laurie

    Thanks for such an honest post. That is amazing that you are not eating over some stuff…I can’t imagine.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Zero appetite but because I work out 5 days a week I HAVE to eat. So I make myself stick with my meals and planned foods even though I don’t really want it.

  7. Carbzilla

    As emotional as I am, I’m also a very logical person and once it really sunk in that eating wasn’t gonna solve problem x,y or z, then I learned to just sit with the feelings. The feelings hurt but I eventually learned I could survive them, and it would be a double triumph once I did (pain gone AND no weight gain). Eating was just going to compound the problem. But you’ve got to take that moment between impulse and hand-in-the-chip-bag to allow your grown-up brain to process. I tell myself that food solves hunger and nothing else. (Don’t mean to sound like a perfecto smarty pants, ’cause I’m not. Just been at this a long ass time)

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I think I’m realizing that food isn’t going to solve x, y, z…it was a slow realization but I think I finally realize that.

      “food solves hunger and nothing else” is a GREAT mantra to have!

  8. blackhuff

    Firstly, I’m so happy that I am able to read your blog again. Was sick on Monday and then from Tuesday till today, we had a power outage at work and home πŸ™
    It’s so true what you write. Giving yourself permission to splurge sometimes makes me also not want to eat emotionally and I too have learned how not to act with food on my emotions.
    And I also found that when I don’t exercise, I have a bigger appetite. For me, exercise depress my eating which is great. Therefor I eat healthy and in small quantities πŸ™‚

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I’m glad you are feeling better!

      I find that I have the opposite–if I exercise I’m hungrier but not on Rest Days. Weird!

  9. steena

    That comment is very true! It takes a better human to admit their weaknesses than the one who lies too. I’m a huge fan of your weight-loss journey because you are very smart about it. Yeah, stress happens, and finding a healthy way to cope can be a challenge, it’s great that you no longer turn to binging.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Thanks Steena. πŸ™‚ That means a lot!

  10. Jennifer

    There are moments since I’ve started my weight-loss journey that I’ve avoided binging or stress eating by taking it out at the gym, or by talking to friends/family, or even using retail therapy. Lately, I can’t indulge in retail therapy because I’m broke! Every time I turned to something besides food, I was amazed at how powerful that made me feel. Every time I have binged, however, it’s left me feeling just like you said: guilty, depressed, angry at myself. It’s a tough cycle to break, because food felt so comforting for so many years. I’d like to say that I’m passed that now, but I’m not. Not yet. But I at least acknowledge what I’m doing instead of doing it blindly. And, at least I’m trying not to make the wrong choice, whereas before, I wasn’t trying at all!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Being AWARE makes such a difference. Once you’re aware it’s really hard to make those mistakes again.

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