However, my world and life have changed a great deal since that early success ---- and food temptations in new exciting "low calorie" forms are challenging the best of us in our most vulnerable places of weakness. Particularly, at this time of uncertainty, challenge, and opportunity, all of us need to be top of our game. So I confess and a few lessons learned. For the second time in my life :-), I decided to STOP SUGAR. My sugar in-take seems to have reached another all time peaker. Whether, it was a candy bar, "nutrition bar," cake or some dessert ---- or just piling on the Splenda, I found myself eating so many things sweetened that I hardly knew what a things tasted like without sweetness --- carrots cooked in orange juice, salmon on the barbie with brown sugar, every salad with a splash of Splenda or with apples and cranberries, or evenings with popcorn, cocoa or ice cream. All delicious!!! All full of sugar in some form. I also started eating in PRIVATE so no one would notice. :-) Soon, I began to recognize the more sugar I ate, the more I seemed to need to even taste it or to survive a day. Sometimes, feeling deprived and depleted, I binged on "sweet stuff" --- late at night, my favorite time. This was all very scary! I also noted that this insatiable life of craving was far from rewarding and was resulting in me packing on unwanted pounds quickly. It all seemed gift-wrapped in a long pattern of high work and life stress, too little sleep and not enough exercise. Do you relate? Generally, I eat pretty well --- I have for many years. My first success in life was losing 72 lbs with Weight Watchers, where I learned how to establish a goal and achieve it. It truly changed my life. For many years since, I have struggled at times, but proudly I can say I never went there again --- and what I learned in that first success has helped me achieve many other goals in life.
FESSING UP:
Recently, I again had one of those amazing moments where I was stopped in mid-step and influenced to take action. I am.
A commitment for renewal:
For two weeks I am commiting to again do what has worked before...
Here is the RECIPE and SUCCESS STORY. I ate these things: lean protein, loads of veggies, a little dairy and essential oil (e.g. olive oil) in a very balanced way. I invested in making everything I ate delicious so I could stick with it. Since I have added 1 fruit every day and a serving of whole grain or sweet potato a couple times a week. The one processed food (temporarily) has been a little sugar-free Jello and sugar-free Jello pudding to help me stay with it. Eleven pounds melted away. It started instantly. I feel sooooo different emotionally, even with the reality of big demands in my work that are present. My capacity to deal with it has soared. I'm more productive. I walk taller. I look better...and the experience made me realize this is a refinement in my daily practice that I've needed for a long while.
ON MY WAY...JOIN ME? I wanted to "fess up" sharing my story with you. Additionally, below is a series from previous posts. Perhaps, you too will be stopped in mid-step to re-evaluate your own habits. Your issues or solution may be different, but perhaps this will be a tipping point for you to discover your own way.
We owe it to those looking to us for leadership, don't you think?
Some of you may not perceive yourselves as leaders --- but every day we all have a chance to demonstrate leadership at any age or station in our workplaces, communities and in our homes. Somebody out there is looking to you to set the example --- to lead the way, so our habits and behavior do matter. Everyday, none of us know who will be touched, inspired, influenced by what we do, how we act, how we walk around in the world --- we don't always know or see this happen, but it puts a level of personal responsibility on all of us to do the best with what we have for the good of others. Most of all, we owe it to ourselves to strive to show the world our BEST SELF! It is hard to do it when we are married to food that is driving us crazy and taking away our most valuable gift --- your true self.
FIT FOR LEADERSHIP SERIES
The Leadership Edge
Some years ago, I had the good fortune of meeting Linda Prout, nutritionist and author of Live in the Balance. We had a chance to explore how our LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS is directly influenced by what we EAT. A while back, I wrote shared a three part series on the power of FOOD on our leadership. Below is the #3 on SUGAR's IMPACT. If you missed them: read #1 first about how food can boost your energy for leadership , read #2 second about foods that clam ANGER. This is PART 3 of Linda Prout's wonderful message. A link to her website is also below:
Eroding Community With Sugar
Refined sugar-rich treats such as cookies and candy, are another additive that can undermine leaders and community. Sugar can exacerbate an angry disposition, plus rob you of energy and interfere with short-term memory. Research at Texas A & M University show when sweets are cut from the diet, moods such as depression improve and energy levels go up. Studies also show a sugary snack, such as soft drinks, cookies, cake or candy, causes adrenaline levels to rise and blood sugar levels to plummet. With blood sugar levels low, one's energy, recall and ability to think rationally drops. The rise in adrenaline leaves a feeling of aggression: a formula for mistakes, foul moods and even crime.
Annemarie Colbin, in her book Food and Healing, points out that cultures with more refined sugars in their diets are more individualistic than socially oriented. She says eating excess refined white sugar leads us to feel "excessively individualistic," to the point of "alienation and criminality." My clients often tell me they need to nap or just be alone when they've eating too much sugar. They report new energy to take on projects and play a more active role in their community and families' lives when they get the sugar out of their diet. Eliminating sugar can also help ease PMS, including irritability, depression and mood swings. To calm your mood and increase the energy necessary to lead and build community, reduce your intake of alcohol and refined sugars. Replace "Frosted Mini-Wheats®", jam, Pop Tarts®, sweet rolls, donuts and other sugary foods at breakfast with protein-rich eggs, lox on toast, lean chicken sausage or oatmeal with skim milk and nuts. To ward off afternoon sugar cravings, have a large lunch rich with fish, chicken, beans or tofu and vegetables. Choose fruits for dessert or snacks.
Foods To Boost Energy and Calm Your Leadership Spirit
---Cooked leafy greens: broccoli, spinach, kale, chard, collards, mustard greens, asparagus
---Fish
---Chicken
---Eggs
---Beans
---Soy Products
A diet rich in vegetables, beans, tofu, fish, poultry and lean meats with moderate amounts of whole grains, is generally the ideal diet for lifting energy as well as calming the spirit and reducing anger and agitation. Savoring such meals with friends, associates and family members not only builds health, it builds bonds that build community.
Learn more about Linda Prout's work at her website: http://www.lindaprout.com/
At this time in history, the world needs the best in leadership from us all. How we eat and care for ourselves can make a difference.
WHAT OTHER IDEAS DO YOU HAVE?
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
Author, Putting Our Differences to Work
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the LEAD
It never ceases to amaze me how you post things that are EXACTLY where I'm at at the moment. I made the commitment to myself only yesterday to once and for all change my eating habits. Like you, I found that I was consuming way more sugar and processed food than I could have ever imagined I would -- and my body and emotions are showing the wear and tear of that. This is such a great post -- I am printing it out and keeping it for inspiration when the sugar cravings start. Thank you!
Posted by: Lynne | July 21, 2007 at 08:06 AM
Dear Lynne,
I am so glad this post spoke to you. Your message inspired me. Look forward to seeing how you feel in a few weeks. Last night I heard that diabetes has 23% of our healthcare issues in the U.S. Hmmmm! Could it be we've got an addicted nation on sugar. It is not easy to let-go of it --- but I will feel strong today, knowing you are trying too. Thanks.
Debbe
Posted by: Debbe Kennedy - Women in the Lead INSPIRATION BLOG | July 24, 2007 at 09:09 AM