Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Addiction

Addictive. I can easily become addicted to something and anything. Food is my main addiction. Food gives me a high, it feeds and nurtures every emotion. I am a food addict. But I can also see how my personality lends itself to addictions. I easily become addicted to those stupid games on face book. Farm town, Farm ville, and most recently frontier ville. Frontier ville has been the worst though as it involves challenges. But I want to be the highest player amongst my friends. It's nothing I've ever vocalized, but there it is...I'm competing for the top slot. And in that, I become addicted to the high of leveling up and moving closer to my goal. I become solely focused on something and it monopolizes my life.....I have that tendency.

Is this a bad thing? Sometimes, yeah. I can't sit on my computer staring at my face book games all day. I can't wake up and go directly to the computer. I have responsibilities and I have to have a life. Those games are not life...they are simply one facet of relaxation. Food addiction...yeah, bad. But is it bad to be so focused on something that is a good thing for you? When I was losing weight the first time around...I was incredibly successful. I lost well over 100 pounds. I was doing great...but I was totally focused....anal about it really. I was addicted to the 'hunt'. Losing a pound was my new high. Conquering the food choices at a restaurant was another high. I was single-mindedly focused on losing weight. I don't think that my husband suffered from my single minded focus. (in fact he lost weight too). But I still spent time with him...I still cooked his meals (healthy ones). It was all good. But in my free time, my quiet time, my time....I was single minded in my pursuit. So that's my question. Is it healthy? Is it healthy to turn my food addiction into a single minded quest for losing weight.

I will say that my husband did used to talk about how he was afraid that I wouldn't know how to stop when I did reach goal. That I would continue on toward some un-attainable goal weight. But I set his mind at ease when I did reach 180 and the doctor approved of that weight and I was happy with myself at that weight.

Soooooo my question is addictions.....transference of addictions.....is it ok if it's something healthy? Hmmmmm

Soooo day one of my challenge...and quite honestly with me getting my butt off the proverbial fence that I've talked about for quite some time.....it ended. I did ok. I did nibble on a small handful of mini marshmallows toward the evening. But otherwise, I did really good. I also restarted taking my multi-vitamins. I used to take them religiously...but then just sorta fell away. So i started that too. I also got my water consumption in......I felt like I was going to float because I hadn't been used to drinking all that water on a daily basis...but I'm workin' it!!!!

Today....food is on track thus far. Zumba is tonight...so life is good. :-)

4 comments:

Vegan Chick Pea said...

Awesome job on getting back into the water consumption and multi vitamin! Have fun at Zumba!

Mom to the Fourth Power said...

Wow... I think I am very similar to you. I've called it "intense" about everything, but my man calls me "dynamic" which sounds better.

I was totally addicted to Farmtown on facebook... like staying UP ALL night and even creating accounts for all my kids so I could do their farms and give gifts and level up. And I did reach that highest level and got my mansion... until they made higher levels than that. But I have let it go. I realized that is IS mindless. There is nothing good that comes from me wasting my time with that.

But now I am "obsessed" with our lifestyle change. Yet I realize that all things need to be in a balance. So yes, it is good to be concentrated and focussed on being in good health BUT, there also needs to be a balance so that other areas in my life don't suffer. Physical is one, emotional, mental, spiritual... taking care of my family, seeking to "be in tune" with my kids' needs, etc. This is what I am constantly working on so I don't get carried away into being TOO focussed on just one area (even if it is a good area).

Just like we need to eat food in a balanced way with a healthy variety - so I am trying to balance my life and what I focus on. Does that make sense.

Yes, I am prone to "addiction" in many many things so I have to be vigilant.

You have done amazing things because of your concentrating on your health. Losing 100 pounds is FABULOUS. You can do great things!! I hope to reach that rank of 100 pounds lost soon too!!

~Margene

Sevenbeads said...

I wish I could get addicted to exercise. I do it because I have to, it makes me feel good and it helps me lose weight. But I wish I craved it. I don't.

I enjoy facebook but have never played a single game. I just don't have the time. I'd rather read everybody's blog. Maybe that's just as big a time waster but some blogs really inspire me or teach me something new. I guess we do whatever relaxes us in our spare time!

bbubblyb said...

Yep, we are very similar Mary Fran. I have talked in great length with my therapist over the years about transferring addictions. What we came up with is if the addiction enhances your life then it's a good thing if it doesn't then it should be limited. We also talked about how I find myself more addicted to computer games, etc when things are going on in my life and I'm stressed. I really try hard to have exercise be my addiction for that because it is what makes me feel the best. It's really about finding that balance and just trying to be happy in your life. I know for me when I'm feeling the happiest is also when the eating addiction just doesn't seem to be an issue. I think we all go through constant ups and downs it's just about making the best choices you can in those moments. It sounds like you are doing ok. I'm here rooting for you.