January 13th, 2019 Cues

January 13th, 2019 Cues

Yesterday: I maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I met my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

The broadcast at the grocery store yesterday went very well. These were once single station broadcasts, now they've progressed into dual station broadcasts where I'm presenting live on one station and then immediately jumping over and repeating the on-air break on the other. It's not too difficult for me, it just means I'm talking twice as much--instead of four breaks an hour, I'm doing eight breaks. The producer back in the studio is the one running back and forth between studios. I just wait until they tell me to start talking--then I do, all about food, food, and more food.

It's an interesting dynamic for me, really, and without proper perspective in place--the issue of food "cues," the visual and auditory suggestion of trigger foods, and their effects on me, might be a problem.

For some, the mere mention of a personal trigger food is enough to set their mind in motion. Make it a suggestive and descriptive commercial--even more so, make it a TV commercial, even stronger!

Food cues are everywhere. Simply driving down the main drag of any populated area provides a constant barrage of fast-food signage, their logos might be all the "cue" our brain needs--add extra signage, like a picture, large banner, or extra words describing a special--and watch out! Turn on the radio--and now you're hearing me or some other broadcaster selling everything from fast-food to grocery store items.

How do you prepare yourself against the constant flow of cues? It isn't realistic to think that we can somehow block out every cue out there. And wouldn't that be a constant chore? Allowing these cues to be all-powerful creates days and nights where we're constantly navigating a culinary minefield--constantly assessing the danger--is it "on-plan" or is it wildly "off-plan?"

Yesterday's broadcasts included a special for my personal number one trigger food of all-time. This trigger food was one that I once used in ways that perfectly illustrate my level of food addiction. The best example was the day I sat in a back alley behind a convenience store, eating it with my fingers instead of a spoon. And here I was, selling this incredible deal to anyone listening. A deal on something that, if I started eating it again, could very well, eventually, kill me. The irony couldn't be more clear.

Every time I voice a commercial for a restaurant, bakery, or grocery store, I must remember--this is my job, this is what I do for a living. I also remember how not everyone listening is like me. For some, it's not a cue to compulsively eat into oblivion--for them, it's just a good deal; good information to have as they navigate their food options.

If we can't turn off all of the external cues surrounding us each day, then what can we do?

When I'm feeling exceptionally vulnerable, this is when I'm most at risk of being affected by food cues. When food cues start looking and sounding like a wonderful solution, I must get connected with support in whatever way necessary. Spiritually, directly with a support friend, or, if the effect is mild, simply reminding myself of why my daily practice is important. In social situations, where there are food and food "pushers," I must remember the mantra, "not my food." Having a clear understanding of what is and isn't "my food" is something important to have and evolve. 

I can't afford to hand the responsibility of my continued wellness over to the multitude of uncontrollable influences that are a part of everyday life. I spent many years using the cues as reasonable and expected "outs" for my daily practice. Shifting the perspective away from this helped take away the power I was freely handing out to every picture, sound, or suggestion of food. If I feel like these cues are starting to become bothersome or influencing my food plan decisions, I must look at my daily practice and explore ways for me to get better connected with the structure and principles my continued wellness requires.

If maintaining my daily practice requires me to live in a world completely void of food cues, I'm in big big trouble. My continued commitment to a recovery mindset instead of a diet mentality mindset, can and will continue to help in this area.

Where's my higher power? If my continued wellness is constantly in jeopardy based on my avoidance or lack of avoidance from food cues, I'm essentially making food my higher power. I literally can't live like that. If I choose to, I will die--because it will kill me. Dramatic? Yes. True? Yes.

Yesterday's broadcast inspired this post in-part. The other part was reading a negative review of my book from audible. I normally stay away from reading reviews. But I received an update from Audible concerning my book--and that took me to their website---and that led me down the rabbit hole of reading these things. I shouldn't have. There were some good ones and Amazon has a bunch of good ones--but this...oh my, it was not a good review!! I'll save you the search. This is what I read:

"Surreptitious advertising for the food industry"-- This is just another diet book that cannot go three pages without naming a brand of pizza, soda pop, cake etc... If you were writing a book to help alcoholics overcome an addiction, would you write Jack Daniels, Budweiser, Vodka, Spiced Rum, Coors, Jim Beam on every third page? In a movie, this is called product placement, and companies pay to have thier products included. In a diet and weight loss book, it is even more insidious advertising, because it goes directly into the mind of the most vulnerable audience, and most likely to go buy whatever product you planted in their minds within a day or so. Which will hopefully, ignite or reignite the addiction. This particular book, cannot get 5 pages in before naming a pizza brand and talk about cake, biscuits and sausage gravy, and eating and food food food. As I listen to chapter one of the audiobook version, the author literally, cannot go 3 minutes without putting junk food and eating into the mind of the reader/listener. NOTHING else this author says matters as far as I am concerned. That is ALL you are meant to get out of a book like this. It is advertising junk food to the weak and vulnerable. Plain and simple. I cannot recommend anything written to promote junk food to those suffering from obesity. Crybaby fat guy selling pizza and other junk food.

Well, okay then. Not everybody's cup of tea, apparently. LOL

Thank you for reading and your continued support,

Practice, peace, and calm,

Sean

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