Bad habits
On Radical Transparency
The Story: The Story: I struggle with mental health and addiction. In the spirit of deconstructing humanity to it's core, I have to acknowledge the fact that there are many men and women who struggle with issues that I have not personally experienced. I am not a minority. I am white. My parents have money. I am not a member of the LGBTQ community (except for that one time & then another time & maybe a few more times after that-stay open to intimate and loving relationships, always-as long as there is proper communication & understanding). There are certain (many, many, more) struggles that I will never fully understand because I have not personally had to face them. I was born an American Citizen, in Illinois. I am not a victim of any type of childhood: emotional abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, or physical abuse. I acknowledge my privilege and take personal accountability for all of the times that I have used this privilege (wisely & unwisely) to save my own face. The awareness is there. I know that I cannot speak on behalf of these strong men and women. I cannot speak to the anger and sadness that must culminate due to the irresponsible and pitiful excuses for "human beings" (I use that term very, very, lightly) that inflict this type of pain onto any adult or child. For all of you men and women trudging through these excruciating circumstances, I see you and I hear you. I do not understand personally, however, I would be honored to be an ally in any way that I possibly can. I am always up for contributing to a cause that I care about in anyway that is possible for me at the time.
By Claire Geeee4 years ago in Confessions
Sweet Confections
Mia was feeling absolutely fabulous today. For the last 2 years, she had worked so hard to finally lose all that weight. Spending long hours on the computer for months had taken their toll on her body. All that sitting and little moving for weeks at a time lead to a slow increase. And it didn’t help that the food provided by work was delicious and plentiful, yet calorific. But when her knee started acting up, the doctor told her she needed to lose weight. “If you want to live to a ripe old age, you have to lose some pounds and get healthier” the doctor scolded. It was hard work, and Mia hated gyms and workout routines that meant she had to follow set schedules. There were other ways to get exercise that seemed more fun and freer of form. Bicycling along the beach paths, dance oriented classes, and water activities ( like water aerobics) got her burning calories and moving. Also, Mia realized she had been doing a lot of emotional eating to fill a void in her life and heart. Getting to the center of her mind matters allowed her to realize she used food to escape or “drown” her sorrows. All of the dietary plans, physical activity, and mental changes led to a healthy, steady loss of weight over these past 24 months. Now she knew she would never be as skinny as a 20 year old Mia, but she definitely liked herself and her body.
By Janet Freedland4 years ago in Confessions
Losing Cell Phones and other things...
I’ve lost many cell phones, some literally and some figuratively. When my first flip phone with "affordable" service from Cricket Wireless was temporarily lost, it led to many accusations thrown towards my 5th grade classmates. Only to be found in the depths of my bookbag just a few weeks later. Not too long afterwards though, it was lost forever.
By Vernon Macklin5 years ago in Confessions
My Weight loss Journey start
This is a tough thing for me to talk about. There is so much hate for those who are dealing with food addiction. I have been dealing with food addiction for so long I cannot remember a time when I was not addicted to food. The last few years I have been trying to deal with it. There has been plenty of times when I attempted to deal with and lose the extra weight. My biggest fear was being over 300 pounds until one day I discovered I was at my heaviest of 352 pounds. Which surprised me and I panicked and freaked out. Currently, I am at 323.4 pounds. Over the past few years, I keep bouncing between 310 and 330 pounds. I looked through what I have been doing and what been causing it to bounce. After some checking I noticed that I did better when I was keeping track of my eating then when I was not, so I am attempting once again to keep track and sticking by it.
By Brandi Lansdowne5 years ago in Confessions
Are You an Arrogant Control Freak, Too? Probably.
Recently I have realized a few precious little nuggets of truth about myself. And by "realized" I mean that these little nuggets have been shouting in my face like a toddler begging me to watch him jump up and down for the hundredth time and I have just now tuned in to what he was actually saying.
By Anna Anderson5 years ago in Confessions
The Cortisol Connection: Managing Stress in a Season of Panic
Stress can be defined as a state of mental, physical or emotional strain resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. High-stress levels are linked with excessive amounts of the hormone cortisol, which can induce negative mental and physical effects. In "The Cortisol Connection," Shawn Talbot describes how stress ("what you feel when life's demands exceed your ability to meet those demands") can cause blood levels of cortisol to rise excessively. Unless amounts of this hormone are brought under control, there is little point in dieting or exercising to prevent weight gain and disease. The book describes ways of lowering cortisol to levels compatible with excellent health.
By Sachin pandit 5 years ago in Confessions
In All Honesty I'm Fat and Unhappy
You know the saying, "well at least I'm fat and happy?" In all honesty I'm fat and unhappy - because I have been stuck in a repetitive cycle of anxiety and depression - which feeds my obesity. It's okay to be happy and fat, but once it brings on the issue where pain is a daily thing, mentally and physically, there is nothing to feel happy about. I am for one - going to be open and honest about what myself as an obese individual feels about spreading a message of what is called "body positivity." (specifically for individuals like myself).
By Haley C.5 years ago in Confessions
