Detoxing: Mind Over Body

Pre-Day 1.

Me: Ok I'm going to do this... I really need to lose weight...

Day 1.

Breakfast.

Me: Ok so far it's ok, but I already want pad thai......driving and dealing with annoying drivers...

Lunch.

Me: Ok I reaaallyy want pad thai now!!

5 hours later...

Me: Screw it, I'm eating my pad thai!

Day 1. Again...

Breakfast.

Me: Ok I know I need to lose weight but I really feel like eating pad thai again!

*Working and super stressed out now...

Lunch.

Me: ...eh this is fine I guess... still want my pad thai

3 hours later...

Me: Hello, yes I 'd like to make an order for pick up please. Yes one pad thai... chicken, extra-hot.

*Whatever. I deserve my pad thai... I'll do it for sure tomorrow!

Day 1. Again...Again...

Breakfast.

Me: Ok I'm at work, drinking my smoothies... Yes doing good!

Lunch.

Me: Ok still doing good... but now I'm really craving pizza!

2 hours later

Me: Why am I still thinking of pizza!?

2 hours later

*Driving home... annoying drivers everywhere...

Me: OMG... even just a slice or 2!

2 hours later

Me: I'm going to order it! It's fine!

2 boxes of Pizza Hut pizza later...

Me: Shit..

Let's pause here...

At this point, I just realized that for the last few hours, I binge-ate. Even though I wasn't hungry, I kept eating—simply because I "felt like it!" A LOT OF FOOD...

Thereafter... I realized I needed to reflect on how and why I eat so much! And that's what I did.

I was back in obesity range, but losing weight clearly wasn't a good enough incentive for me to stick with the detox. I had to think and reflect more deeply.

I have always been an emotional eater, a stress eater, a binge eater. I love food—always have and always will, and that's OK! But the fact that food is more powerful than my own willpower is an issue.

I thought back to when I was obese and severely pre-diabetic over ten years ago. After so much work, I am obese again, and though I haven't been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, I am clearly at risk for it. I started to realize that my health needed to be at the center of this detox. This needed to be the priority. My health—both mentally and physically.

I need to be able to control my cravings and eat intentionally rather than emotionally.

So what did I do?

I started the next day with my detox. This time though, my willpower was stronger.

I realized two things that need to be present when you do a detox:

1. It needs to be more than just about losing weight (even though you definitely will)... it needs to be about your health.
2. Your mind needs to be in the right place. Meditate, Pray, De-electronic-ize. Do what you need to do to really be in a good mental state where you have the strength to maintain Mind over Body for the number of days you are pursuing the detox.

So you know what? I started the detox during a holiday week: Valentine's Day and President's Day. Ambitious right?

Most people said,

Why don't you start after the holiday? That will be easier...

But you know what? I wasn't going for easy. I needed to really challenge myself to be intentional during this detox: with my health and my food choices, I knew that with enough mental strength, willpower, and focus, I could do it.

So during Pre-Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day, and Post-Valentine's Day, I was able to resist all the goodies, cupcakes, and chocolates! I was OK! I made sure I was full and satiated enough throughout my detox, and hence able to resist the cupcakes, and cake, and brownies. Doing the detox during these days was a way to challenge myself even more. If I could succeed with the detox during chocolate-filled days like these, then I will have proven to myself that I do have self control, that I can do it. Something that can translate into real-life practice with food after the detox.

Day 4.

Lunch.

Now I am in the middle of the fourth day. It is a Friday afternoon, almost finished with work, and what I typically do on a Friday night is get my yummy pad thai, binge eat and binge watch Netflix. But today... I am going to prove to myself that I do not need to binge eat pad thai to enjoy my Friday evening. I am going to fill my evening with more than just binge watching Netflix, too—going to fill it in with some reading and yoga. Really hear my body. Allow my mind to meditate.

So even though I am not done with this detox, I can already tell that it has been successful!

Day 7.

Friend: Come on Paulina, come do brunch! You're practically done!

Me: No. I am going to finish out this detox. I am finishing the full seven days.

And let me tell you, my friends... I did it!

I now speak to you from the other side of the journey of this detox. And it was reinvigorating, re-energizing, eye-opening. Why? Not because of the magic smoothies, no... but rather because I proved to myself that I have the mental strength to control my cravings, resist temptations, and be happy with eating healthier alternatives! That may not seem like a big deal, but it is a HUGE DEAL. This means the potential mark of a beginning to a new and healthy lifestyle—one of moderation and body awareness.

Now the biggest challenge lies ahead: I can technically eat whatever I want now! I am no longer following a specific smoothie schedule, I am now following my own mind and body. But I think this training the past seven days has equipped me with the mental tools needed to prove again to myself that I can practice self control with food.

In sum, what were the different benefits from doing my detox?

1. I can see a difference in my thinking towards food. Retraining my mind to see food in a healthier light. My cravings are not so loud anymore (aka for pizza or pad thai)
2. I can feel myself feeling stronger and healthier. Filling myself with lots of water, fruit, and vegetables has really been effective.
3. I can even feel that I've lost at least 1 dress size; 12 pounds!

My energy levels were still great with boxing, but I do know I need to drink more water. So again being more aware of my body's needs.

So I hope that my story can help you find the right mind and body balance to do really see these positive effects in your life. A detox can not only be for and from the body, it has to be for and from the mind. And in the end, it is your mind that will carry you through the detox, just like your mind carries you through that last rep, or that last mile, or that last boxing round.

Your mind is very powerful, and if we can internally reflect a bit more on how and what we eat, we can dramatically change our perspective and mindset toward food. This, in the end, is the first step to developing and creating a more positive lifestyle for food, physical and mental exercise, and spiritual alignment.

#mindoverbody