The nuts have me

...or I am nuts. Or I'm just mindlessly eating. Or the new Utah Trader Joe's is turning me into a different kind of addict.

I remember in yoga teacher training one of the instructors explained how food can nourish you by you having the food, or how you can get out of control by "the food having you". Or is it the food eating you? Try this meditation: Sit quietly with a bowl of grapes, nuts, berries, cooked rice or other grain...something healthy. Now close your eyes and slowly chew that food. Picture it going down your esophagus. What is the food doing to your body or what will it? Breathe deeply. Do this for five to ten minutes. I hope you feel as fantastic as when I do this exercise. Luckily I catch myself thinking about cigs and alcohol using this visual technique without actually smoking or drinking. I just close my eyes and visualize the acts. The smoke entering my lungs, not all of it coming back out, some of it settling on my tissue. The wine going through my bloodstream and sending signals to my brain, beating on my dopamine levels, making me dizzy, elated, then angry or sad. Then I visualize the next morning. When you want to give into your vices a smart technique is pressing the FF button in your head. What did you do after you drank? Did you text, post, or email anything? Did you flirt or argue with anyone? Did you just watch mindless TV and get a headache the next morning? How was your day after?

So here I was with a bag of five TJ's chocolate-coated ginger snaps (I am a huge fan of the grocery store and when they finally opened in my state last Friday I happily bought snacks I've never tried before) and a glass of almond milk in front of the TV. No I didn't press Fast Forward, I was too busy enjoying the cookies and milk in front of a Christmas TV moment. Damn you TV and Fred Claus. One cookie turns into the five, one glass of milk into two. Then I'm out but there's still 1/2 movie left so I get the cashew bag. Oy. TV is sure evil. Need a new strategy. Yoga mat in front of TV. Yoga mat nailed to floor in front of TV. Weights on rack nailed to the floor in front of TV. :) I'll think of something. Dinner was almond tea (hey I apparently was a nut tonight) and a Caesar salad with grilled salmon. Could be PMS or the healthy dinner because boy it was snack time when I got home!

At least...

I ain't...

...and it's definitely hot yoga at noon tomorrow!

Love,

Smobergirl

33 days