Author: Alison Carrey

How I’m Escaping the Pleasure Trap (and losing weight!)

For a long time, I was trapped in a cycle of eating, overeating, dieting, losing weight, gaining the weight back, etc.

Sound familiar?

I thought there was something wrong with me, but as it turns out, I’m more than ok. There’s nothing wrong with me at all. 🙂

It’s the Pleasure Trap! (Learn about the book below).

Or more specifically, it’s the food produced by modern society that was keeping me in the pleasure trap (craving it and then going back for more).

Check out this video to learn how I’m losing weight and getting healthy by escaping this trap.

I learned all about the pleasure trap in the following book.

The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health and Happiness, written by Dr. Alan Goldhamer and Dr. Doug Lisle, is a detailed and science-based book that will open your eyes to what’s going on in the food around us today. Learn how it’s not your fault that you’re constantly drawn to calorie-dense, unhealthy foods, and discover how you can retrain your body to enjoy nature’s healthy foods.

Check out the Audible version.

If you’re struggling with your weight, give this book a try. It really opened my eyes.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

Instant Pot Virgin…No More! Tasty AND Oil-free, Barbecue Lentils

Have you ever bought something you really wanted, and then once you got it, you kind of ignored it?

Well, that’s the way it was with my Instant Pot.

After seeing so many recipes that required an Instant Pot, I thought it would be a good idea to have one. Not sure what took me so long, but I finally bought one last year, and it sat in its box either in my basement or in my dining room ever since.

I think I was just a bit intimidated by it. Too much pressure! 🙂

This past weekend, my husband and I took the plunge and opened the box. After our intense test-run of 3 cups of water, we were officially trained and ready to go.

Our first recipe was from a new cookbook I bought specifically for the Instant Pot. But even better, the recipes use NO added OIL.

In case you’re an oil fanatic, or you just can’t imagine not using oil in your kitchen, we do not need added oil in our food. Oil is a man-made, highly fractured and highly concentrated, food-like substance that does not serve our body (nature didn’t give us olive trees with taps that dispensed oil).

I’ll have to do a more detailed post about oil soon, but in the mean time, if you have doubts about the negative health effects of adding oil to your food (any kind of oil), and are even moderately interested in your long-term health, read this book!

If you’re already aware of the dangers of adding oil to your food, then you know what a treat it is to find an oil-free recipe.

Plant-based, oil-free AND for the Instant Pot? Jackpot for me!

This recipe is NOT mine, like I said; it’s from Jill McKeever’s cookbook I ordered on Amazon last month (thankfully the book didn’t sit for a year or two; I probably wouldn’t have been able to find it!).

The recipe has only 5 ingredients, which makes it simple and easy to make. I want to eat healthy food, but I don’t want it to be complicated.

So how did it turn out?

The Instant Pot was easy to use and did a great job with this recipe. The sautéing part, which came after the pressure-cooking phase, took about 15-20 min. I was surprised it took that long for the sauce to thicken, but I didn’t know what to expect because the recipe didn’t say how long it would take.

We used a baked potato instead of wedge fries, and layered some kale, the lentils, broccoli and yellow pepper on top.

Why add the veggies?

  • To increase the nutrients (= high nutrient density)
  • To decrease the overall calorie density (= low calorie density)
  • Veggies are the secret to optimal health (any health-related wisdom tells you to eat more vegetables!)

We loved the taste of these lentils, and they were even better a few hours later and the next day.

I would definitely make this recipe again, but I’d double it, so we could have more leftovers. You could put these lentils on a salad or on top of any whole grain as well. They’d work great to take to a pot luck too.

So, if you’ve been hesitant to break your Instant Pot cherry, have no fear. Once you make one recipe, it won’t seem like a multi-button, might-explode monster looming on your counter.

Thanks for reading, and I wish you success on your efforts to eat more healthfully.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

Two Key Lessons for Healthy Weight-loss

It’s been three weeks since I ended my 10-day water fast.

I’m happy to report that I’ve maintained my weight loss after my re-feeding period. 🙂

10 day water fast: lost 16 lbs

7 days of re-feeding (gaining weight in water, fiber, protein and glycogen in the muscles) led to me gaining almost 6 lbs.

That leaves me with a net loss of 10 lbs, which is where I am at today.

What?

That means I haven’t lost any weight since the end of my week of re-feeding (two weeks ago)!

Well, guess what; it’s NOT a failure.

Why? Two reasons:

  • I haven’t gained any of my fasting weight back in two weeks. That’s awesome! Are you celebrating with me?
  • I have MAINTAINED my weight loss for two weeks. Do you know how hard it is to maintain weight loss? Ok, two weeks is nothing to brag about, but that means I’ve been eating and moving my body for two weeks, and my weight stayed pretty much the same. This is a gift because, I’ve learned how to maintain the weight I am, and my next step is to tweak what I am doing, so I can continue to lose the weight I need to lose in order to have optimal health. This was the first key lesson I learned: plateaus can be a gift.

I discovered something else. There are three levels of adapting to a new eating program, and each one has given me information to help me.

  1. Master Level: This level is one that you have figure out, and you don’t seem to be struggling. For me, I have easily been able to eat whole plant foods without any added oil, sugar, salt or flour for three weeks. I have also not had any alcohol or processed food. I am not struggling with this way of eating. I am enjoying it, and I don’t have to think much about it now. Mastered! The only thing I have allowed myself is the occasional tamari, hot mustard or HP sauce. On one occasion I had a delicious plant-based “cheese” dip, but it had too much fat and sodium in it, so I stopped using it.
  2. Learning Level: At this stage, you are applying another strategy, but it is not yet mastered. For me, it is intermittent fasting. My goal is to eat in a 10-hour window and to fast for the other 14 hours. I have been able to do this most days, but not all. This means I am still learning how to do it and learning how it works for me; it is not yet a practice I have mastered.
  3. Try or Introductory Level: Here, you are just trying something to see if it will help. You’ve just begun. For a couple of days now, I added in walking on my treadmill or outside as well as pausing to think about my actual hunger level after I finish eating my dinner. Since I’ve just started these two ways to move toward health, I consider them ways I am trying out.

Once you’ve mastered a bahavior change, these three levels are always at play. As I move along in my journey, I will be able to add things to the mastered category, continue learning things I tried out as well as introducing new tricks.

Both lessons will help me to see my successes and to realize that long-term weight loss is a process that takes time.

I can be patient. My health is worth it.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

Update: Two Weeks after my 10-Day Water Fast

After completing my 10-day water fast, I began what I think is the most important part of fasting: re-feeding: what I eat after the fast.

There are two phases of re-feeding:

  1. The foods consumed in the first week to ten days after the fast
  2. The way of eating that continues on a daily basis, for long-term health

I follow the re-feeding protocol used at True North Health Center (TN) in Santa Rosa, California. My confidence in fasting and re-feeding comes from my knowledge from two key books:

  1. Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eating and Fasting for Health
  2. The Pleasure Trap by Dr. Doug Lisle and Dr. Alan Goldhamer

I also have first-hand experience fasting at TN for an 18-day water fast early in 2020 (right when Covid-19 hit, so I had to speed up my re-feeding).

My Re-feeding Phases

Day 1: fresh juice (celery/watermelon; celery/apple, celery/carrot/apple and celery watermelon). Day 2: fruit (except citrus) and juicy vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, zucchini and tomatoes. Day 3: Add all raw vegetables and citrus fruits as well as cooked veggies. Day 4: Add starchy vegetables like potatoes, squash, carrots. Enjoy thin soups. Day 5: Add legumes and thicker soups. Day 6: Add whole grains. Day 6: Add nuts/seeds.

Long -term way of eating: I am eating whole, plant foods without any added oil, sugar or salt. Occasionally, I will use mustard or a condiment that has a bit of sugar or salt, but that’s it. No alcohol for me. It is toxic to the body, and for a person like me recovering from breast cancer and wanting to prevent it from spreading or returning, booze is out.

Learn more about my weight-loss and mindset shifts that are helping me move toward long-term changes in my lifestyle and ultimately, optimal health.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

Welcome to my Journey to Health and an Ideal Weight

Like so many women, I’ve struggled with my weight and attempted to lose weight many times.

Guess what? I’ve been super successful! Losing weight over and over again. 🙂

The problem is…I keep gaining it back. 😦 Currently, I am about 40-50 lbs overweight.

Early in 2021, I found myself in a deep funk. One that lasted for weeks instead of just a few days. I was in a state of what I call an “almost depression”, combined with anxiety and overwhelm.

This month, I knew I needed a drastic shift to get my body and mind reset.

I wanted time to complete a water fast to:

  • reset my taste buds
  • get a head start on my weight loss, and ultimately,
  • to help me begin and maintain a healthier lifestyle that will lead to me feeling vibrant and comfortable in my own body

I know a water fast sounds crazy to most, but it is, in fact, the fastest way to heal your body. Since I had breast cancer in 2020, achieving a healthy weight and having strong health is more important to me than ever before.

Although I was hesitant and afraid at first, I’ve decided to share my journey with other women because I know it will help me, and it might help you.

At this point in my life, I realize I no longer need to be afraid of what others think. From now on, I choose to be free to be me.

Check out my video to learn more about my journey and to see where I am on Day 4 of my water fast.

Note: I am not a doctor, nor am I an expert on water fasting. You should not attempt a water fast without consulting your doctor. People with underlying conditions and/or who are on medications may not be suited to a water fast. The best way to water fast is to do a supervised water fast, under the care of an experienced physician (which I have done before). See True North Health Center to learn more about safe water fasting.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

OMG…THAT’s what I Look Like?

If you’re disgusted at your own body, you are basically hating yourself on a daily basis. Learn how living in the present could give you greater peace, less stress and ultimately, a better relationship with your body.

Do you cringe or berate yourself when you look in the mirror or catch a glance of yourself in a store window?

Sadly, you’re not alone.

Too many women, including myself, loathe and despise what they see when they stumble upon their full body image, while previously happily moving through their day.

Now that I’m over 50 and getting a bit wiser, I realize just how awful this ingrained habit is. 

Think about it: the place you live 24 hours a day and year after year is your body! You’re the only one who lives there. If you hate your body, or even parts of your body, you are basically hating you!

That’s just not right, and it certainly CANNOT be healthy!

How can you blossom into a healthier version of yourself if you hate you? It seems like oxymoronic thinking. I hate my body, but I want it to be better. 

Since my late 30’s, I’ve been working at losing weight at one time or another, just like so many other women. Hating my body and wanting it to be different hasn’t helped the process. 

So, what’s the alternative?

Accept your body today, as it is.

What? Sounds crazy. Why would you do that? You don’t want to accept your current body with rolls, cellulite, or other unwanted features, right? 

I’m not saying you have to accept your current body’s state forever; it makes sense to eat healthier foods and move your body more to become healthier. Absolutely, we should try to do that.

What I am saying is that you can learn to feel calmer, happier and less stressed by starting to learn to accept your body as it is. I’m discovering specific ways that are helping me to begin to accept and love my body, and therefore, feel better.

I would love to share all the tricks that are helping me, but for this post, I’d like to focus on just one helpful strategy.

Living in the Present

Most of us don’t fully live and enjoy the present moment. Physically, our bodies exist, but a lot of the time we’re mentally and emotionally somewhere else. 

Where? The past or the future.

Some people live in the past, dwelling on what happened, why it happened and draining their emotions (sadness, anger, resentment, bitterness, etc.) and hours of energy on things that no longer exist. While our earlier experiences affect who we are, they’re in the past.

Don’t get me wrong. Some people have been through a lot in their life and may need to address past events and situations. If you’ve had experiences that require you to work through them emotionally (neglect, abuse, etc.), doing so with a counselor is going to serve you better than dwelling on things that keep you stuck or blaming others for your life.

Most of my past stays there, but for me, it’s the future I seemed to be obsessed with. If I dedicate most of my thinking time to what’s happening later in the day, or next week, or next month, I’m smothered with unneeded emotions: worry, anxiety, doubt, fear, etc. 

Can you guess one of the things that dominates my future thinking? 

Food and Weight: When will I eat?, What will I eat?, What should I eat?, I should eat less, I should eat more greens and vegetables, I should stop eating crappy food etc. 

Past thinking slips in too: I ate too much, Why did I eat that? Why do I always overeat? Why didn’t I choose the salad? etc.

Future thinking is my normal, and it never occurred to me that it was negatively impacting me.

This whole idea of being fully present and not mentally jumping into the future is new to me, so I am, like all of us, a work in progress. Luckily, I made an amazing discovery while practicing living in the present: I feel calmer and less stressed!

Which way of living sounds better to you?

Past Living…sadness, anger, resentment, bitterness

Living in the past leads to energy-draining emotions like anger and resentment.

Future Living…worry, anxiety, doubt, fear

Living in the future creates more feelings of worry and axiety.

Present Living…calm, peace, joy, stress-free

Live in the present to feel more peace and less stress.

Clearly, the Present looks more appealing. I’ve applied living in the present to several aspects of my life to see how it would feel. Here are a few ways I’ve tried.

Falling asleep: I focus on the present by appreciating my warm bed and home. I focus on what my body needs to sleep, and I breathe deeply and slowly. If my mind wanders to the past or future, I refocus or I repeat affirmations like, “I am healthy and strong”, or “I will have a deep, restful sleep.” Plug in the words you need to feel presently calm and to avoid thinking about the past or future.

Eating: Instead of hurriedly putting food together and then, while eating, wondering what I will eat next, I now try to eat in the present. I plan and prepare a meal more thoughtfully. I sit down to eat and concentrate on being grateful for the food, chewing it at a leisurely rate (instead of the usual shoveling it into my mouth) and enjoying the tastes and textures, 

So, how can you live in the present with your body? How can you learn to accept your body where it is, for the moment, and stop beating yourself up about it? Let’s first compare some possible past, future and present thinking about our bodies.

Past: “I’m disgusting. I ate way too much pizza last night. I think I had 6 pieces. I’m such a pig. No wonder I’m so huge.”

Future: “When will I finally get serious about losing this weight? Look at yourself. I’m going to start my diet tomorrow for sure. Otherwise, I’m going to balloon up even more. Yikes!”

Present: “I’m healthy and have a good life. I see that my body could be at a healthier weight,  but that’s ok for today, for this present moment. Although I don’t look the way I want right, now, I’m learning to love myself just the way I am”.

I have done this, and guess what? I feel better. 

It doesn’t mean I accept my weight forever, and it doesn’t mean I’ll never live in the past or future again when I look at my body. It does mean I’m working at loving myself, which includes my overweight body, just as I am, because negative self-bashing is not good for the soul. 

Self-bashing, whether through past or future thinking hasn’t helped me lose and keep off the weight so far. It’s time to try something different.

Ultimately, what I’ve learned is that I can control my stress, and so can you. 

You ARE in control of whether you think about the past or future. Unless there’s something awful happening in the present, in an exact moment (and there rarely is), you can enjoy many peaceful, stress-free moments.

By changing our thinking, we can begin to accept our bodies in the present moment. By doing so, we can feel better, which can give us energy and motivation to make lifestyle changes that, with practice, can stick and ultimately lead to a healthier weight for our bodies.

If you haven’t considered the idea of accepting your body before, try living in the present and speaking kindly to yourself about where your body is right now. Give it some time and see how it feels.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

SignatureAli

Thank you to my daughter for drawing the images for this post. She pointed out that she made a mistake, which works beautifully because it’s a reminder that we don’t have to be perfect at our first try at something.

Personal Walking Retreat

Walking is an easy way to exercise. It’s YOU time that can be your own personal retreat.

I’ve been working at making walking a daily habit, but wait a second.

Walking is NOT work.

As human beings, we’re designed to move. We’re not put together in a way that means lying in an awkward posture on a couch for 4 hours watching Netflix is normal. 

Ok, couch lounging might feel natural, but it isn’t! We HAVE to move our bodies for our health. Or we’re going to end up immobile and needing lots of help when we get older. Body movement doesn’t have to be walking, but it also doesn’t have to be tortuous exercise routines you don’t enjoy.

Over the last 4 months, I’ve been able to get outside walking on a regular basis. I started doing it for my health, and now I do it because of the many benefits.

So why do I think walking is THE way to get moving if you’re not used to being active? 

For Almost Anyone: Unless you’re in a wheelchair or are bedridden, you can walk. Even if you’ve just had surgery, or you need a cane or walker, you can walk. Just take it easy if you have mobility issues. If your vision is poor, or you need some kind of support, arrange a regular walking time with someone you trust. If you don’t have any physically-limiting concerns, you can walk. I went for a 2 km walk the day after I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy (they took three lymph nodes). Minor surgery compared to most, but I didn’t want my walking habit to be derailed.

Uber Easy: Put on a pair of shoes and step out the door. 

No Cost: Use what you have for now to get your butt out the door. If you want to buy better quality runners as you develop your walking habit, then go for it, but don’t use I-don’t-have-the-right-shoes as an excuse.

Personal Retreat: This is really key. Walking can be that one time in the day for YOU. Escape your day. Do with it what you want. Think over a problem and some possible solutions. Use the time to get energized with a playlist you love. Groove to your moves. Get informed or entertained with a favorite podcast. Listen to an audio book you’re enjoying. Walking is freedom, not work.

De-stress: We’re loaded up with stress these days, and we all need some down time. Away from work, away from household tasks, away from family obligations and away from people. Some like to walk with their friends, and that works too, but for me, I like time to myself to decompress. Going for a walk can be a great way to cool down after an argument too.

Feels Good: Once you get walking, your body livens up and energizes you. When you move your body, you feel good. If you feel tired, or even drained, you might be surprised at how walking will get your juices flowing. If you deal with any kind of depression, give walking a try.

Fresh Air: Whenever possible, choose walking outside over a treadmill walk or a walk on an indoor track. Indoor walking is better than no walking, but getting the fresh air is a bonus. Humans weren’t intended to live inside buildings 24 hours a day. We need to breath in fresh air for our lungs. Walking allows you to get lots of fresh air.

Vitamin D: By getting outside, you can get nature’s medicine through sunshine (even if it’s cloudy, the sun’s rays are getting to you somewhat). There’s always some article reminding us that we need more Vitamin D, especially the kind that doesn’t come in a bottle. If there’s too much sun, wear a hat and sunglasses to protect yourself from excessive UV rays.

Nature Delivers: Aside from fresh air and sunshine, walking gives you a connection to nature. Try to walk in an area with trees, plants and grass, or even better, in a park or forest. Many of my walks are in a nearby forest where I can hear the trees swaying in the breeze and where I sometimes spot a deer or rabbit. Often, I walk in my neighborhood though, to save time. I’m still among beautiful trees and can look at lawns and gardens along my way. Even if you’re in a dense urban area, look for signs of nature to enjoy: plants, peoples pets, birds and glimpses of blue sky.

Neighborhood garden
Forest walk

Decide your Distance: Start where it feels right. Don’t overdo it. If one block is all you can walk, then no problem. Build up to two and three blocks. Maybe you’re a little more limber and you want to start with 2 km. Go for it and build up to 5 km. It’s up to you. Vary your distance. Do a faster 3 km walk one day, and a slower 5 km walk another day. There are no rules. Do what feels right each time you go for your walk.

Take your Time: You can fit your walk in during the morning before you shower and head to work. You can fit it in during your work day. You can do it as soon as you get home from work, or you can try an after-dinner walk. You could do two 10 minute walks or a single 20 minute walk. It’s all up to you.

Pick your Pace: Start out slowly and build to a faster pace. If you have a Fitbit or other tracker, use it to track your pace. It is super-motivating to see how your pace improves. 

No Excuse: Walking is the perfect no-excuse way to move. Make walking a non-negotiable, time-for-you habit.

If you haven’t yet discovered the amazing benefits of walking, give it a try for one week. Aim to walk for at least 10 minutes daily for seven days. See how it feels.

Maybe you’ll decide walking is not for you, but maybe…you end up walking for much longer and discover a new love.

Be HEALTHY (Healthy Eating And Living Transforms and Heals You),

SignatureAli