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Coping With Binge Eating Disorder – WIAW

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It’s been awhile since I’ve done a What I Ate Wednesday post in it’s regular form, but it’s been especially long time since I’ve written about how I’m doing with Binge Eating Disorder.

Since it’s been so long, I thought it was a good time to revisit. I have lots to share!

I believe that B.E.D. is never something you truly get over. Just like any addiction it is with you forever, you just learn how to cope. Right now, I think I’m in the beginning stages of successfully coping with the disorder and overcoming all the struggles involved with binging.

A few months back, I was in a rough spot, both physically and mentally. I had hurt my back, could barely move, and my mood and feelings toward myself plummeted. I didn’t know how to fix the situation and did not want to go to physical therapy for my back (I had gone before and it made things worse), and for my mood, I knew all I need to do was exercise and eat better. So, I did the one thing that I always turn to in situations like this, I read.

I read everything I could get my hands on in regards to healing a bulging disc naturally without surgery or serious pain meds (I was definitely popping ibuprofen, though). I read books upon books and articles upon articles about B.E.D. I wanted to know everything I could know about the disease itself and I wanted to learn some coping methods that have helped others.

Months went by and my back slowly got better. I stretched like I needed to and should have been doing all along, and slowly the pain lessened. As for the B.E.D., there are three stand out things that have helped me become stronger and better able to say NO to a binge.

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The first, is my personal pep talks. Every time I start to crave junk, or am getting the urge to run to McDonald’s for a burger, I talk to myself. Not out loud (but that would be okay too), but to myself. I pause, doesn’t matter what is going on, I stop my thoughts from running towards food and I really think about what is going on with me. Most of the time it is boredom, or some unnecessary craving. Then, once I’ve realized why I am desiring something so bad for me, I tell myself that I don’t eat like that any more. I literally say that. I remind myself that the old me would run to McD’s and buy WAY too much food and eat it all, but that you no longer do that. And you know what? It works! The mind is a very powerful thing and works wonders when it is engaged.

The second, is writing down EVERYTHING that I put into my mouth. Every single bite, lick or taste, goes into my cute little green Moleskin (affliate link). I don’t track calories, I just eat 80% clean whole foods and 10% junk, but I ensure that everything I eat goes in that book. In addition to the food I’ve eaten, I also include the feelings I’m having, or anything else running through my head. It helps keep me focused.

I’m not perfect, there are days when only breakfast gets written down, or I forget about my snack, but I try darn hard to just carry it with me everywhere and to write everything down. It’s working because it is making me very conscious of the food choices I am making.

Finally, is Shakeology. I know I’ve mentioned this a few times, and I know people are still skeptical. I get it, I was too – but there has never been a food or drink before that has helped me curb cravings like Shakeology. So, I will sing its praises from the rooftops. Plus, it really tastes awesome and is like my own little super healthy daily dessert.

I’m not cured. I definitely still have binges and cravings still occur, but they’re smaller, weaker and I’ve set myself up with some great strategies to overcome them.

I am still reading loads and loads of articles and self-help books, because there is almost always more insight that can be gleaned from them. Something that might help me, or may help someone else I love and care about is worth spending the time to find.

If you’re interested in reading all of my binge eating disorder story, you can click here.

Your turn!

Have you ever heard of B.E.D. before?

If you struggle with Binge Eating Disorder, do you have any methods that keep you focused and away from binges?

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I’m linking up with Peas and Crayons! Thanks for hosting!

Our Trip to the Zoo

I’m finally sharing our pics from our trip to the Buffalo zoo!

**Fair Warning – This is a picture heavy post.**

Before our vacation had rolled around (in October) we knew we wanted to take Emmett to the zoo. It is so much easier to go during the day on a weekday than on a weekend, fewer crowds means we have the opportunity to spend more time looking at the animals without being pushed away. We wanted to give that experience to Emmett, so off we went on a chilly Thursday afternoon.

zoo-12It was such an awesome day! Emmett was in a great mood and the sun was shining, we had absolutely nothing but a beautiful, perfect day in front of us.

When you first come through the gate at the Buffalo Zoo, to your right are the elephants so we head right over there. Unfortunately we couldn’t see any, they weren’t outside and they weren’t up front in their building. They did have a note saying that occasionally they had to be pulled for training, so that’s likely where they were. Either way, Emmett was in great spirits, we tried to get him to pose with the poster. 🙂

zoo-15It didn’t go so well. lol He just kept looking through it or grabbing at the edges, but it did make a cute photo.

Our next stop was over to the giraffes! We were hoping one of them would be outside, but no such luck. They were available inside, though. We came right in as they were enjoying their breakfast.

zoo-14While we were standing there a couple of the giraffes (there were a total of 5) came over to us and poked their heads and neck as far as it could through the fence. Probably wanted to give us a good smell. Emmett enjoyed watching them just move about their holders.

We made our way slowly around the zoo, stopping to look at any animal that might be out, Emmett seemed to be in awe of them all. I think my favorite picture we got of him was when we were looking at the monkeys in the rain forest exhibit, we told him what they were and he got VERY excited (he loves monkeys)!

zoo-10Isn’t that an awesome picture!? It’s one of my all-time favorites of Baby Doodah.

zoo-9We visited with the lions, too. We were able to get SO close, they were sitting right on a window ledge, even I was pretty wow’d by that.

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We spent some time indoors looking at the different reptiles and we stopped to have a snack since they had benches. Emmett liked it because he was allowed to get out of his stroller and stretch his legs a bit.

zoo-18 zoo-5Next was over to see the gorillas, where there was a mommy and baby (toddler) gorilla hanging out. It was really sweet to see the momma and baby so attached to each other.

zoo-6Emmett was pretty impressed too!

Towards the end we walked by the Baboons. They were all clustered on one large rock, picking the bugs off of one another. We stood there for awhile, just watching them, one little guy came over, very close to the fence to get a good look at us too.

zoo-20 zoo-19Seamus got some really great pictures of Emmett and I. Sadly, I’m not in a lot of photos with Emmett, but Seamus got some good ones this time around.

zoo-1 zoo-3 zoo-2And of course, I have to share the next ones because Emmett is just so gosh darn cute!

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We really had a fantastic time. I’d love to go back during the summer so that we could see more animals that were likely all cozied up in their homes for the cooler weather that has slowly moved in.

Your turn!

Have you taken your kids to the zoo?

What were your favorite exhibits?

What I Ate Wednesday – Anniversary Edition

I’m so excited to share my What I Ate Wednesday, this week!

As some of you might have read, yesterday was my anniversary! Seamus and I are on vacation, so we took the day and just spent it together. We cuddled, talked and just flat out relaxed, it was one of those days that you dream about later on when things get stressful. We also went out for a delicious lunch to one of our favorite restaurants, Sea Bar. The first time we ever went to Sea Bar was for our first anniversary, last year. Sea Bar isn’t baby friendly, so we don’t get there a lot, but the second an opportunity presents itself, we go. Since we had decided to take Emmett to day care for the day, we ventured out on an adult date to Sea Bar, in downtown Buffalo.

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We’ve probably only been to Sea Bar 4 or 5 times, but every time we go the food is out of this world! I’m a creature of habit, so I order the exact same thing every single time, and it never gets old. My thought is, if you find something you like and that tastes good, why switch it up? Stick with what you know! 🙂

While we waited for our table to be ready I realized two things; one was that I was no longer nursing and could order an alcoholic drink with lunch and two, this would be my first drink with alcohol, in almost two years. Yikes!! I was super excited about ordering a Bloody Mary, my absolute favorite drink and Sea Bar did not disappoint. It was unbelievable, spicy and tangy with just enough vodka to give it a kick. I was worried that Seamus would need to drive us home (since it had been 2 years without any liquor), but I ended up being just fine.

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what-i-ate-wednesday-1023-7I apologize for the low quality pictures, but the wall to my right has light displays that switch colors so it’s hard to capture something well. You’ll notice it more in the next couple of photos where things look very blue.

I love the table settings at Sea Bar, simple but elegant and slightly modern.

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I started with a bowl of Sesame Noodles and we split a spider roll. Just looking at these pictures makes me drool all over again!

what-i-ate-wednesday-1023-1 what-I-ate-wednesday-1023Alright, let me tell you about my  main course. It’s call The Cuban, and it is to die for! It’s freshly cooked and shredded pork, ham, thinly sliced dill pickles, and some hearty spicy mustard smothered with cheese and then placed between pieces of crusty bread. I think they throw it on the panini press for a bit too, but, OH MY GOD! This thing is amazing! Oh, and the french fries are pretty damn good too. The coleslaw looking salad on the plate, is actually Kim Chi. It is VERY hot, so I always avoid it but I’m sure that would be good too, if I ate that sort of thing.

what-i-ate-wednesday-1023-6 what-i-ate-wednesday-1023-10I didn’t get any photos of it, but Seamus got delicious Pork Enchiladas. His reaction to the food is similar to mine. I’m telling you, if you live in Buffalo, GO TO SEA BAR! Their menu isn’t extensive but every single thing on there is mouthwatering. We’ve never gone for dinner, or had anything off of their dinner menu, but I’m sure it is equally incredible.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing at home and then eventually going out to get Emmett. Before we headed home we went to the mall to grab a few things we needed and to get some Cheesecake for dessert. Last year for our dessert we had our wedding cake from the year before, since we didn’t have it this year, we opted for a close second…Cheesecake! Yummy!

Once home, Seamus headed out to the gym and I stayed home with our little bugga-boo. Emmett and I read and then FaceTimed with my mom and dad for a little bit. Oh! And Emmett wanted everyone to see his What I Ate Wednesday.

what-i-ate-wednesday-1023-5He loves apples and does a pretty fantastic job of eating most of it, once he gets going.

Okay, folks! That’s it for this week’s What I Ate Wednesday. Be sure to stop in at Peas and Crayons and check out Jenn’s blog and link-up.

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Your turn!

What are some of your favorite eats from the past week?

Active Weekend – Unofficial End to Summer

Since this weekend is considered the unofficial end of summer, I wanted to make sure I made the most of it. We were active and busy every single day and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you had asked me a year and a half ago whether I’d want to have a jam packed active weekend, my answer would have been no. Now? I love it! I love having something to do with Emmett and Seamus, it makes the weekends so awesome!

On to what made this last weekend of summer, so great…

Emmett actually let us sleep in until quarter to 7 on Saturday, which was wonderful considering he had kept us up most of Friday night. Once he did wake up, we spent our usual time in our bed cuddling and waking up and then got up for breakfast. It was still early, and the cloudy sky had started to turn sunny, so I decided that Emmett and I would head out on a walk and end up at the Farmer’s market. It was pretty humid, but it felt good to get outside and to grab some delicious fruits and veggies from the market. This week’s spread was similar to last week’s.

I grabbed some tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, red onion (that ended up being rotten inside, yuck!), nectarines, a cinnamon roll (for Emmett and I to share) and finally some First Light Farm and Creamery Garlic and Dill Chevre (of course).

Once we were home, we attempted to put Emmett down for a nap but since he had taken a quick little nap in his stroller, he fought going down in his crib. He fought hard too! He scratched me and kept hitting me to get down, I knew he was exhausted because he kept rubbing his little eyes and yawning. Eventually I gave up trying to put him down in the crib and we went back in our bedroom and took a family nap.

Have you seen anything sweeter?

summer-weekend-4I eventually dozed off too, for a good hour and a half! I think we were all still behind on sleep from Thursday night / Friday morning. It felt good to nap and we all woke up in much better spirits! We played for a bit and then went out to grab some Five Guys for dinner, definitely not the healthiest but it sure was tasty. My favorite part about Five Guys are their fries. They fill up the fry container and then just throw (about) another small fry on top of the bag, and they’re SO good.

I made plans Saturday evening, to go out for a bike ride with a couple friends, and Emmett in his trailer, on Sunday morning. Emmett woke up bright and early at about 5:30, which gave us plenty of time since our ride wasn’t until 7:30. We ate breakfast, got dressed and then played, while we waited for my friends to show up.

We rode 5 miles down to Canalside where we stopped and got some coffee (and milk for Emmett). It was gorgeous down there! The City of Buffalo has done a really nice job of beefing up the waterfront to attract more visitors. Emmett was so cute by the water, I let him out to walk around, he was watching the birds bounce around and playing silly games with my friends. Rest assured, he had a good time!

summer-weekend-3 summer-weekend-1Our ride back was decidedly more difficult than the ride down. There’s a very steep incline, that you have to go up in order to get back home. Sadly, I got off and walked at one point, I just couldn’t make it up the hill. I couldn’t peddle fast enough to keep my bike moving forward. I think if I didn’t have the trailer and Emmett, I might have been able to make it. It would have still been a challenge but definitely something I could have accomplished. Either way it was a great workout with great friends!

We got home, Seamus had just finished up his workout at the gym, so we all had a small snack, showered and then headed out for some lunch. We ended up at Milos, the food was fantastic! Seamus needed new work pants so our next stop was the Eastern Hills Mall once we were finished with lunch. We weren’t in any hurry so we walked the whole mall just to see what other stores were there (we haven’t been to this mall in years) and so Seamus could find a couple pairs of pants that weren’t astronomically expensive. He found the best deal at Sears and bought a couple different pairs.

Emmett was the best little boy. He just sat and was friendly with all the strangers we came across, smiling at them and waving. He was very very happy!

summer-weekend-2We got home and played for awhile and eventually it was time for dinner, then bath, milk, cuddles and bed. We were both so worn out!

And finally today, Labor Day! Emmett once again had us up early at 5:30, I went in and nursed him and then we went back to our room where we all cuddled and tried to get Emmett to sleep for just a bit longer, it didn’t work out. We were up and making breakfast before we knew it. That’s okay, when you’re up early, it gives you time to get everything done that you need to.

We went to Target and got some household items that we needed, and also a few items that weren’t needed. (It’s just not possible to go into Target for only what you need.) Then to Wegmans for our weekly grocery shopping, it was dead when we got there but eventually got pretty busy. I’m assuming it was because of all the kids who return to school tomorrow and Wednesday.

We got home, put the groceries away and then put Emmett down for a nap. While he slept I was able to relax, clean and work on my blog! Call me productive!

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Our weekend ended with a trip to Babies R Us for new shoes for Emmett, he lost the pair we got him two weeks ago, well we have one shoe but the other is gone, it disappeared into thin air. We also hit up Kohl’s for gym shorts for Seamus and then Anderson’s for ice cream for the whole family.

We were active and busy and it felt good to enjoy the last “unofficial” weekend of summer.

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Your turn!

What fun things did you do this weekend, to end your summer right?

Life is Good!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for several years. The best way to combat the yucky feelings is to venture outdoors for some exercise and sun, I did exactly that this morning!

Most Sunday mornings start out the same way in our house, Emmett lets us know he’s awake by yelling a little bit, I head in, change his diaper and nurse him and then we head back into our bed for some cuddles. I seriously dread the day when Emmett decides he no longer is interested in the cuddles. This time is one of my absolute favorites! It allows Seamus and I to gradually wake up, plus we get to cuddle our sweet boy. We then usually progress into breakfast, getting Emmett dressed and play time but I wanted to try something different today.

I work full-time outside the home, so I struggle almost daily to find time to workout. Last night, as I’m drifting off, it hit me, why not workout while Emmett is eating breakfast and getting dressed, then I’m not missing out on time with him AND I’m getting a workout in. I let Seamus in on my plans and he was A-OK with it, so out the door I went after, our ultimate cuddle session.

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I did about 6 miles on my bike and I made sure that I hit some serious inclines so that I got a good burn. I felt amazing! It was sunny and warm, but not humid, it just felt great to be out there moving.

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And in case you’re one of those skeptics that think there is nothing beautiful in Buffalo, then you’ve never ventured into the city. There are gorgeous old homes, lakes, trails, views, etc., to look at while you move along. The picture below doesn’t do the scene justice, we have a beautiful little lake about a mile from my house where they rent out rowboats. At night they chain them all together in the center, every morning I pass it going to work and I just envision the stunning pictures that could be made with a better camera than my iPhone.

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I also want to mention, that if you live in Buffalo, or even if you don’t and are looking for somewhere to donate, consider the Buffalo Zoo. They currently have a campaign going on to try and build a new habitat for the Polar Bears and they need the help of our community to do so.

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On my way home I swung by Starbucks and grabed an iced coffee, because really, is there anything better in the world than Starbucks iced coffee? I think not.

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Venti Iced Americano with a shot of Vanilla and splash of cream, please! Thank you!

I took my water bottle in with me so that I could chug some of that while I waited for my coffee.

Once home, I walk in the door and get the biggest smile from my little boy. Whether he missed me or not, I have no idea, but there is no doubt of the love he has towards me. It makes me so so blissfully happy seeing him smile! I had some breakfast while I cooled down and hung out with E-dog.

Chobani with slivered raw almonds and a banana.

Chobani with slivered raw almonds and a banana.

Then after my shower it was time for Emmett’s nap, so he and I hunkered in for a bit more nursing and then lots more cuddles.

72113-572113-6You tell me, is there anything sweeter than a sleeping, cuddly baby?

The day is only half way over and it has been perfect! Now to keep this positive momentum going into the stressful week I have ahead.

How do you start your Sundays?

Shamrock Run 2013

…is in the bag!

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Yesterday, on a very chilly day in Buffalo, a group of friends and I decided to be crazy nuts and do the annual Shamrock Run. This run is HUGE, 5,600 (according to the Buffalo News) huge. If I’m being honest, I don’t really hate cold weather and I don’t even hate running in the cold. A few years back when I was in super amazing running shape, my favorite time to run was in the freezing cold. Typically very few people are out which makes it quiet, so I wasn’t worried at all about the weather that an early March run could bring, what I was worried about was the fact that it was an 8K, which is 4.97 miles.

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I never questioned whether I’d finish it or not, I knew I would. I can absolutely walk 5 miles (if needed) without a problem but how quickly I completed it was the question at hand. As I mentioned, I was doing this with a group of friends all of whom are in pretty amazing shape compared to my “lump” self, who is just getting back into things, so I put pressure on myself to get it done as quickly as possible so that they weren’t left waiting, though there was a beer tent at the finish line so things couldn’t have been too bad for them.

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Urias, Me, Jen and Jen 😉

I completed the race in 1:16:06. I was happy with the time it took me to complete it but I was not happy with how badly I hurt. My shins were killing me and I just felt overall tired. There were plenty of hills and again it is nearly a 5 mile race, I could have been in better shape but instead of continuing to beat myself up over what has already come and gone, I am going to change the future. As I told my husband this afternoon, NO MORE BS! We both laughed really hard at me phrasing it this way but seriously…enough already!

I spent the early afternoon preparing everything for the week, so that each evening all I need to do is throw it into a container and I’m good to go.

Spaghetti Squash, Green Beans, Carrots, Radishes, Shredded Lettuce & Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Squash, Green Beans, Carrots, Radishes, Shredded Lettuce & Spaghetti Sauce

I’m ready for the fresh start that a new week brings. I have goals for the month of March that I am working towards and I have so many reasons to work hard and accomplish what I am setting out to do.

photo (2)What are your goals for the month of March?

 

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