Things To Do Instead Of Eating!

Have you ever been so bored all you could do was think about food? Ever wish those thoughts would just go away!

Well here is a list of 60 things you can do to take your mind off of food!

1. Call a friend, your sponsor, a support person, anyone who you can talk to who will either get your mind off of food, or someone to talk to about whatever it is that you might be feeling.

2. Go for a brisk walk

3. Meditate or listen to a hypnosis or guided visualization download.

4. Give yourself a manicure/pedicure– can’t binge with wet nails.

5. Volunteer at the ASPCA to walk dogs or pet cats.

6. Watch a funny movie at home.

7. Take a shower, give yourself a hot oil treatment, shave your legs, tweeze your brows– self care time.

8.) Get organized sort out your bills, create a budget– organize your home. Often getting organized can help you feel more in control and enable you to thwart a binge, which can often feel very out of control.

9. Draw, paint or color.

10. Knit, crochet or do needlepoint

11. Take a nap

12. Get out of your house and into your car, go to the beach, the lake, the park… somewhere pretty and relaxing.

13. Clean out your closet, donate your old clothes or sell them on eBay.

14. Read a good book.

15. Put on music and dance it out. Go out dancing. Call your friends over and have a dance party.

16. Go to the gym. Stretch, go to a yoga class, do a yoga DVD or an exercise or yoga class on On Demand cable. Move! Do jumping jacks, run in place, anything to move a little energy and release some tension.

17. Take a relaxing bath with nice bath salts or essential oils.

18. Write in your journal

19. Scream into a pillow.

20. Go to an OA or EDA meeting, either online, in person, or on the phone.

21. Go to an online support forum with other people dealing with eating issues. www.obesityhelp.com www.facebook.com (The LIOS group, many other supportive groups for WLS on fb)

22. Read a magazine

23. Write a blog! Read a blog!

24. Chat with friends on facebook or update your facebook profile. Twitter!

25. Sing!

26. Get your hair done or do your own hair. Experiment with different styles, curling iron, flat iron, curlers, etc.

27. Make cards for people, catch up on Thank You notes, send out notes to relatives you haven’t spoken to or seen in a long time. Not the ones that stress you out and make you want to reach for your old friends Ben and Jerry.

28. Go out and take photos.

29. Play video games or facebook games

30. Write and direct a short play with stuffed animals or Barbie dolls or action figures or your pets or sock puppets and videotape it to put on youtube.

31. Smell lavender

32. Pick flowers

33. Garden

34. Create a collage

35. Go bowling, play pool, play golf or miniature golf, play basketball, hit tennis balls, go to a batting cage, go for a swim.

36. Scrapbook

37. Write an angry letter to whomever you are holding anger at. You don’t have to send it, just let it out. Afterwards, put it somewhere safe. You might let go of some emotions that you’d been stuffing and you might find that you no longer have the urge to binge.

38. Go through old pictures

39. Cuddle with your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, daughter, son, cat, dog, teddy bear, etc.

40. Do karaoke, you can either go out to do it, or do it at home with friends.

41. Play music! If you play an instrument, whip it out and start playing. If not, teach yourself to play one. Beat on some bongos, ping a triangle, strum a guitar, whatever is convenient to you. If nothing, make an instrument out of household objects and play it.

42. Catch up on your emails

43. Learn a new language!

44. Write a letter to your future self, about what you’re going through right now.

45. Write some notes with positive messages and post them around your home or get out of the house and put them up in dressing rooms, public restroom mirrors, restaurants, etc

46. Make a list of why you rock. Think about what’s great about you. Can’t think of those things? Call someone who loves you and ask them to tell you.

47. Light candles and incense and relax

48. Explore your neighborhood or town. Go to local museums or art galleries.

49. Call a friend or relative who has been unhappy lately and needing some support. Sometimes giving support can be incredibly heartening and also supports the supporter.

50. Use crayons to color hard! This can release tension.

51. Search through your couch and house for change! Put everything you can in a jar and put it aside to start a fund for yourself as a motivator in your journey. Every time you reach a milestone, you can buy yourself something fun, like a new pair of shoes, or some jewelry or new CD, or whatever you like within reason.

52. Roll on your back. This is a spinal massage that helps you to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

53. Read positive affirmations.

54. Write out your intentions or personal goals for yourself for the week. Write out both long term and short term goals- things that you are striving for and ways to help you get there.

55. Throw a temper tantrum! Go into your bedroom, lay on your stomach in your bed and scream into your pillow while you kick your legs and punch your hands into the bed. Ever see kids do this? They expend all that energy and it moves right through them. As adults, we can’t really do this and lots of anger and pain winds up feeling stuck in the body. We often try to stuff that down with food and for some, get rid of it by purging.

56. Make jewelry out of household items or beads or coins.

57. You can also take that old clothing, especially those that are significant to your pre-op days, and cut it up into squares and make a “recovery quilt.”

58. Do a home makeover! Rearrange your furniture; get rid of things that you no longer want– sell them on eBay! Put up some curtains; just make things pretty for yourself.

59. Do volunteer work.

60. Write a novel, short story, or poetry.


If you can think of any others to add please post below!
xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

A Word on Body Image

Body image is an issue that comes up often in our community. Frankly, it is something I struggle with in a different way than many men and women in our community. I never knew how big I was. I knew I was wearing big clothes and needed big sturdy chairs, but when I would walk down the street and see a person who in retrospect was probably smaller than me I would think, "I'm not THAT big. Am I?" It wasn't until the night before I started my pre-op liquid diet, a week before the lap band that it all came tumbling down like a ton of bricks. I had asked my husband to take before pictures of me. So I put on a tight pair of sweatpants and a tank top so I could really see what was going on and he snapped a full frontal and side profile shot. When I asked him to see the pics, I nearly died. Who was that humongous woman in the camera. There was NO WAY that was me. Not a chance right? It was me.  

      

This was me at 391 lbs. My heaviest ever. 

While this was the image the camera  was showing me that night...

This was the image I was expecting to see in the camera... size wise anyways.  

Me at 350lbs

So now here I am 273.5 lbs as per my 6 month surgeon checkup today. Skin is starting to hang, I have scars from 3 surgeries and I have an opportunity to be really down in the dumps about myself. I my back fat is starting to hang, my boobs are deflating... Ok... you get the picture. I LOVE MY BODY! Yep, I said it... LOVE! I can stand in front of the mirror frontways, sideways and I will tell you what I see.

1. My butt looks fabulous!
2. my body has a shape that is curvy but sexy and I no longer look like a beached whale. 
3. I look good in clothes. 
4. My legs are starting to form shape.
5. My arms have a muscle or two. I am not even bothered by that hanging skin below the line that defines my muscle because three years ago that arm was solid filled out fat! 

Do I see the scars, heck yea! do I see the skin and the imperfections... OF COURSE! I am a woman after all lol but they don't bother me. It is all about perception ladies (and men... guys have this drama too)! When I had my lap band surgery my husband said, "Hunny, you could use wheat germ oil and those scars will go away." To which I replied, "HELL NO! Those scars are my battle wounds! One day I will be able to tell my babies that all these scars and hanging skin were so I could hold them in my arms!" I still feel that way two surgeries later. My inner thighs may look like a sharpei dog one day, but I did it all to have a family. There is no such thing as a perfect body. Everyone has a mark or imperfection they wish they didn't have or something that makes them a little self conscious. We imposed these imperfections on ourselves! Ladies, would you EVER say you wish you didn't have children because now you have stretch marks? My guess is HECK NO! Take a moment today to remember why you had your surgery. Then go get naked and stand in front a mirror and love those battle wounds! Take pride in those imperfections! Maybe you are lucky enough to have the money for plastics, but guess what, that leaves scars. BIG ONES! Everything is a trade off. 

Stand in front of the mirror today and only give yourself positive messages. You may not believe those messages today or tomorrow but one day you will be able to see yourself as beautiful. I see you as beautiful!! 

Love yourself today!

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

Is Food an Addiction?

The Diagnostics and Statistical Manual (DSM IV-tr) lists a few levels of what we have come to know as addiction. Substance ABUSE and DEPENDENCY…  

The criteria for substance abuse as listed in the DSM IV-tr is... 

A maladaptive pattern of abuse leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one or more of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:

1. Recurrent use resulting in failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home.
2. Recurrent use in situations in which it is physically hazardous. 
3. Recurrent related legal problems.
4. Continued use despite persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance.
5. These symptoms must never have met the criteria for substance dependence.

Ok so I can easily stretch food to fit into the above description of substance abuse… I say STRETCH because realistically, most of these wont happen to a foodie. Perhaps we may meet the criteria in Number 4 but I am willing to bet that most if not ALL of us can cancel out Food ABUSE because we meet the Criteria for dependence. 

The criterion for Substance DEPENDENCE however, I don’t need to stretch at all to fit. The criteria for substance dependence as listed in the DSM IV-tr is...

A maladaptive pattern of use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three or more of the following seven criteria, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:

1. Tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
1. A need for markedly increased amounts to achieve intoxication or desired effect. (check)
2. Markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of substance. (When I was little I ate a cookie, pre-op I ate a whole damn box!)
2. Withdrawal, as defined by either of the following:
1. The characteristic withdrawal syndrome… Substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms. (Check: I know I am a bitch when carb detoxing and even worse when sugar detoxing)
3. Substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended. (Check)
4. There is a persistent desire or there are unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use. (CHECK!! Every failed diet in the last 15 yrs!)
5. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain substance, use substance or recover from its effects. (Check! How many of us have spent countless hours thinking about whats for lunch, where we are going to go out to eat, what we will eat when we get there and how we will burn off the meal afterwards)
6. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use. (Check: I know I didn't want to be seen at certain social functions at 391lbs. The clothing selection was limited, what would people think, would I be able to walk there from the car etc... etc…)
7. Substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (Check! So many of us continue our negative eating patterns knowing we may die from our high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes etc etc)

Ok so just saying, to qualify as substance dependence, you need 3!!! I got ALL 7!!!! How many did you get??

**The criteria above was taken word for word as the criterion for Alcohol.

So are you convinced yet that food is an addiction? No of course you aren't! You want the SCIENTIFIC PROOF! Ok Ok. As always I come prepared! I am sure you have heard me rant about this before. Research shows that carbohydrates and sugar react with the same neuron receptors as OPIATES! Opiates are drugs like:

• Opium
• Morphine
• Codeine
• Heroin

Don't believe me... read it for yourself HERE and HERE. And here are a few quotes from a a few studies I have used in the past. I cannot link to because I got it through my Adelphi Library. But you can find the study if you would like to pay for it. 

Research done by Bruinsma and Taren (1999), shows that, chocolate may evoke similar psychopharmacologic and behavioral reactions in susceptible persons as opiates. A review of the literature on chocolate cravings indicates that the hedonic appeal of chocolate (fat, sugar, texture, and aroma) is likely to be a predominant factor in such cravings. Other characteristics of chocolate, however, may be equally as important contributors to the phenomena of chocolate cravings. Chocolate may be used by some as a form of self-medication for dietary deficiencies (eg, magnesium) or to balance low levels of neurotransmitters involved in the regulation of mood, food intake, and compulsive behaviors (eg, serotonin and dopamine). Chocolate cravings are often episodic and fluctuate with hormonal changes just before and during the menses, which suggests a hormonal link and confirms the assumed gender-specific nature of chocolate cravings. (p. 1249) Another interesting finding on Chocolate suggests that addiction for chocolate may stem from the same receptors in the brain as opiates. Naloxone, found in chocolate attaches to opiate receptors in the brain. “Endogenous opiates, are involved in drug addictions and are responsible for the body's response to pleasure, stress, and pain. A study investigating this hypothesis found that infusions into rats of the opiate antagonist naloxone diminished taste preferences for high-fat and sweet foods and selectively suppressed consumption of these foods; in contrast, rats infused with morphine, an opiate agonist, increased their fat intake.”

** Bruinsma, K., & Taren, D. L. (1999). Chocolate: Food or Drug? Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 9

Avena, Rada, and Hoebe (2008), shows that intermittent sugar access also acts by way of opioids in the brain. There are changes in opioid systems such as decreased enkephalin mRNA expression in the accumbens. Signs of withdrawal seem to be largely due to the opioid modifications since withdrawal can be obtained with the opioid antagonist naloxone.(p.887)

**Avena, N. M., Rada, P., & Hoebel, B. G. (2008). Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 32(1), 20-39.

Withdrawal symptoms of opiates include:

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Muscle aches
• Increased tearing
• Insomnia
• Runny nose
• Sweating
• Abdominal cramping
• Diarrhea
• Dilated pupils
• Goose bumps
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Which ones do you get? I get Anxiety and Agitation big time. But I have also had the Muscle Aches and Diarrhea. We are not created equal. 

So how about now... I have given you solid evidence and research to back my claim that food IS an addiction... What are your thoughts?

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

I Am Not DONE!

Today I want to talk to you about the reality many of us live with, being a revision patient. I know, that as a revision patient there is a good chance my weight loss will be slower and less than someone who has had WLS for the first time. I am even more than ok with this. I am and continue to be realistic about my weight loss both in regards to amount and time frame.

I have lost a nice chunk of weight relatively quickly, as far as I am concerned with my sleeve and I am very happy with it, but every time I stall, I can't help but to find myself thinking... AM I DONE?

I know stalls are part of weight loss and I do not expect to lose every single day. But I do expect to lose something every single week. even if it is a half a pound. I expect to lose every week. This is probably not realistic as stalls DO happen. I just broke out of a two week long stall This morning. I was holding steady at 281.4 for the last two weeks! Literally, two weeks down to the day! This morning, BOOM 279.6! Awesome!

TWO WEEKS!!! That is really a drop in the bucket of time... Why am I freaking out? Because I am a revision patient. I failed 5 billion diets... The Lap-Band didnt work out.... Dare I say it... WHAT IF I FAIL AGAIN??? *covers eyes*

So the thought comes to me... What if, this is it. What if I am done?? When is the other shoe going to drop?? After about 10 minutes of this thinking I have to wake up and knock it off! I AM NOT DONE!

It is however time to take an inventory...
1. Am I drinking all my water? I have been a little lax the past few days....
2. Am I getting all my protein? I think so... Maybe It's time to start logging for a few days just to make sure...
3. Am I exercising? Not as much as I should....
4. Have I been stressed out lately? ABSOLUTELY!!!
5. Have I bean eating too much or not enough? Probably not enough food to be completely honest... which probably means I am not getting in all my protein even though everything I eat is protein and veggies lately.

These are the questions I ask myself. Time to change it up a bit... two days ago, I took my hubby on a nice long walk around the neighborhood. Yesterday I was running around all day so did some more walking just because I had to. I worked really hard to get my water in the past two days and have started to make sure I am eating more! BAM... Stall is GONE! This is possible! I am NOT done!

Sometimes we just have to kick out those nasty thoughts and get into gear! Here are some other tips to breaking a stall 

xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

I am NOT a Garbage Can!

Ah The Garbage can weight lifting... The ultimate oxymoron! I heard this from a friend of mine yesterday at a support group and I had to share it.

We were discussing the angst about turning in our "Clean Your Plate" club membership cards and one women spoke up and shared.

I hate to waste food. It is such a shame to throw food into the garbage. But I have come to realize, for so many years I have treated myself as the garbage. 

What a powerful sentiment. did we not all do this at one point in our lives. We gave more respect to the garbage can! We can't throw food away so out of respect we throw the food away in ourselves. We become the garbage can!

Now that we have had our WLS or are about to, or even if you have no intention of ever having WLS, treat yourself better than garbage. You deserve it! No more eating food because you don't want to throw it away. If you are that concerned put it back in the fridge and eat it later. It is ok to say, no more food! My body has had enough. Treat yourself and your body with more respect that your garbage can!

xoxo,
Sleeve Pixie

When Diplomacy Becomes Toxic...

Diplomacy is defined as, skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility. What happens when the hostility is already there? When it has been building for a long time now and hidden under the guise of niceties and cordiality. It could be the aunt who always made fun of your weight and is now secretly jealous of you for getting skinny or your boss a co worker or frenemy?

I think as children we are always told to be nice, and give hugs we don't want to give and say things we have no interest in saying and... we do what we are told. That behavior for many of us has grown into being walked all over because of our weight, our feelings of being less then, worthless etc... Well that should not be the case!

No one is saying you have to be mean, cause drama at the Thanksgiving table, yell at your boss or expose your frenemies. What I am saying, is that you are worth being treated with respect and dignity. It's ok to dislike people. It is even ok to defriend them on facebook! You are not suzy sunshine and anyone who expects you to be clearly has not found the self dignity to handle the confrontation that comes with disliking someone.

There comes a time when diplomacy becomes toxic. The relationships and fake smiles just eat you up inside and you are ready to burst with no where to turn. Today I have decided to take a stand. No more fake friends. No more disliking people because my friends dislike them. No more pretending to like people because of how it may or may not effect my social status, career, opportunities etc. This is NOT high school. I don't have to love the popular girl to get recognized. I am an amazing person and have a lot to bring to the table. If people can not judge me by the worth I have and only by the people I associate with then I am choosing to change the channel! You are not worth me if you cannot see my worth.

"Keeping people in your life who do not better it is not diplomacy, its STUPIDITY!" Plain and simple. Realize you have intrinsic value and worth!

xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Me? Bad-Ass?

Last night, I had a heart to heart with a good friend of mine about my recent struggles and frustrations. He told me, "You are a magical person and I love your 're-vision' article and your blog. You have the capacity to be a POWER-house".

He was totally right. I had forgotten for a moment, even if only a brief one, what I was doing. I fell to the back of the line because I was too tired of pushing to the front. I was ready to give up and again admit defeat. That is the self saboteur in me.. She figures out how to pick the lock on her cage every now and again no matter what I do to keep her at bay. As I sat there talking to my friend, I found myself complaining about my life, my situation my DRAMA.

Then he said something to me that I don't even think he knows meant much of anything to me. He said, remember "it's only temporary!"

Huh? What do you mean it's only temporary?? It's RIGHT NOW!! I hate this situation RIGHT NOW!! I don' care that it will not be the case in 10 minutes or 10 days or even 10 months, but RIGHT NOW I am struggling... Then it hit me... like a ton of bricks... This is the addict in me talking!! This impulsive I want it and I want it NOW behavior and way of thinking is the addict in me coming out to rear its ugly head.. I have been working so hard on the abstinence of the drug of my choosing (food) that I have over looked the addict within me and she has been waiting silently for the right moment, the right opportunity to strike!

Perhaps one may even call it a transfer of addictions... I can no longer use food to cover up my feelings so now I cling to anger, depression, drama, the thrill of the fight, the choosing of the sides, the win, the kill, the BULL! I have to stop! I have to refocus and retrain the little me who is still an addict and perhaps always will be.  I have to learn to change my ways of coping with... whatever the RIGHT NOW is.

Now I will be the first to admit, this is probably the hardest thing you will ever have to do. Change your essence. Everything about you and your life has fostered and nourished the addict in you. From your enablers to your self sabotaging behaviors. I admire you for even taking the first step on this long hard journey. But I promise the end more than justifies the means!

It was suggested last night that I make a list of all the "bad-ass" things about me... I started to think... I am going to tell the world about my bad-assness lol Blogspot here I come and watch out! Then I thought... hmmm... What is bad-ass about me?

Do you know whats bad-ass about you?? Well let me start you off... You are currently reading my blog. I think that is pretty darn bad-ass if I do say so myself :-) Now you finish! Make a list of what is bad ass about you!! Put in a journal, on a blog, leave it in my comments below if you want to. But you should know what is bad-ass about yourself. So here is my list.... My friend started me off by telling me being an LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker). is pretty bad ass bad-ass...

In case you are having some trouble with your list... Let me define BAD-ASS for you!

BAD-ASS
1. adjective. having extremely favorable qualities
2. adjective. pertaining to a person or thing that is rugged, strong, and/or ready to show these qualities
3. noun. person who is perceived to have the qualities in definition 2
What Makes Me A Bad-Ass!

1. I am an LMSW 
2. I am an OH SGL
3. I am a "Revision"ary
4. I can go over an hour on the elliptical
5. I am 296.4lbs as of this morning! 
6. I write a pretty bad-ass blog!
7. I am beautiful inside and out.
8. I am sexy and desirable.
9. I have integrity.
10. I am open, honest, empathetic and welcoming to all.
11. I am a giver.
12. I can have a drink with the boys and put on make-up with the girls
13. I have a great sense of self confidence and self worth
14. I have a group of bad-ass friends that love me unconditionally! 
15. I met the man of my dreams
16. I married the man of my dreams
17. I am on the path to live up to my greatest potential
18. I take full advantage of my opportunities
19. I take risks
20. I have unbelievable insight into myself.

If I sat here for a few more hours I can definitely come up with a much better list but for now 20 will have to do. I will write this list on paper and keep it somewhere that I can add to it as things pop into my head or happen. How is your list shaping up?

Remember we are all bad-ass in one way or another!
in love and support
Sleeve Pixie

Happy Chanukah!! The Festival of Light

Today is day 2 of the 8 day Jewish Holiday Called Chanukah (can you CH flem? If not, replace the CH with an H).

Chanukah is a time for family, celebration and joy -- and also a time for remembering the reasons for celebrating. 


This holiday is often called the "Festival of Light" and to me, its a time of newness and a time to start over. On the first night of this holiday we thank God for sustaining our lives so that we could experience a moment of joy. It reminds us that life is a gift and helps us to appreciate when something good happens.

Please don't think I am in any way pushing God or religion down your throat. That just isn't my style... If you believe in God, you do, if you don't, you don't. But I think the message is still relevant.

Today, we can be thankful for being alive. We didn't die on the table! We got our obesity before it got us. We won! Sometimes, life gets in the way and its hard VERY HARD to stay positive. I have literally had a week from hell. I have been arguing with my husband constantly, my hormones are ALL OVER the place, and to top it all off, I had to turn in my license plates for 32 days this morning because when my husband lost his job, we couldn't afford to pay car insurance and we had a lapse. I am devastated!! Now that I have my sleeve, I have lost my best friend, food!! No more love affair with my two favorite men. Ben and Jerry or crying over a bag of Double Stuffed Oreos... Nope! I still had to get up this morning, measure out my food, and move on with my life. Where is the happiness?? The Joy, the Blessing?? THE LIGHT???

For me, my new light is cooking. I have learned that I love to cook and my creations in the kitchen taste way way way better than a microwaved burger from the local fast food joint. My blessing is my husband, we just shared our 5th year anniversary and I am looking forward to many many more! My Joy is you! My friends, my support group, my family. My happiness can only come from within myself. It will never come from children, dogs, coach bags, OH conferences, the number on the scale, the new tummy tuck or boob job not even from the great lost love affair. It must come from within me! Like a wick held within the candle wax, the flame is held from within.

So I'm on a mission! I want you to light your flame!! Get on in to the kitchen and get cooking!! Chanukah is also a holiday, as are all the Jewish Holidays, jam packed with FOOOOOD! Fried food to remember the oil that burnt for 8 days...

My favorite Chanukah treat is Sufganiyot, which in English translates to deep fried Donuts (usually jelly even though I don't like Jelly). Even though this treat is NOT deep fried it is still donuts and VERY YUMMY!

Shelly's Mini Chocolate Mocha Protein Donuts

*This recipe has been reprinted for you with the permission of Shelly aka Eggface. 

It is my personal opinion, that Shelly is an angel and an excellent cook! She has saved me from Dunkin Donuts with her willingness to share recipes to replace the junk food I love. Everyone should check out her blog ~ The World According to Eggface

Ps. Shelly, please come out with a way to make us friendly double stuffed oreos! Thanks!!!

Ingredients1 cup Almond Flour (aka Almond Meal) 
1/2 cup Chocolate Protein Powder 
1/2 cup Multigrain Pancake Mix 
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Taster's Choice Instant Coffee Tube
1 Egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Sugar Free Syrup (I used SF Vanilla)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1/4 cup Water
Super Groovy Mini Donut Pan


DirectionsPreheat oven to 325. 
Mix all ingredients till well combined. 
Spray Mini Donut Pans with Pam. 
Fill 1/2 full with batter (batter is the consistency of brownie batter). 
Bake for 8 minutes, remove from pan and cool on wire rack.



Donut Glaze
4 Mini Sugar Free Chocolate Bars (or milk, dark or white chocolate)
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Syrup (any flavor will do)

Nuke for 30 seconds or so till melted. Stir to combine. Coats 12 donuts. 

For colored/flavored frosting: combine SF white chocolate & 3 drops or so of food coloring, SF Syrup and nuke for 30 seconds or so till melted. Stir to combine.

Dip cooled donuts into chocolate glaze and then into optional toppings.


Topping Ideas:
Crushed SF Candy (SF Candy Canes, SF Malted Milk Balls, SF Jordan Almonds)
Toasted or Untoasted Unsweetened Coconut
Crushed Nuts (Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Almonds)
Crushed Sugar Free Cookies
Peanut Butter Flour
SF Cocoa Powder 

Happy Chanukah!!

xoxo

Sleeve Pixie

Dr. Amen... Scam Artist or Revisionary?

So this morning I awoke to a post on my Facebook feed in which Melting Mama Challenged us to take a quiz with her. The quiz was written by Dr. Amen or at least his clinic people.

"Daniel G. Amen, MD is a physician, child and adult psychiatrist, brain imaging specialist, bestselling author, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the CEO and medical director of Amen Clinics, Inc. (ACI) in   Newport Beach  and   Fairfield, California, Bellevue, Washington  and Reston, Virginia." 

 He also happens to be someone who's work I very much respect. I have heard him speak before and I have briefly studied his findings in grad school in my abnormal psychology class. He takes scans of his patients' brains and reads the scans of each person to determine a specific course of treatment for each individual. He works very heavily in the addictions field as well as with the elderly population and ADD children and adults.

There has been much talk of whether Dr Amen is a scam artist or "the real deal" but I am here to talk about neither. The reason I highly respect his work is not because of the ground breaking nature, but because of the ideas and principles behind it. I spoke in a previous post about weight watchers changing their diet plan every 5 seconds or so and how for some, the old plan works better and for others, the new plan works better. Why? Because everyone is different.

Dr. Amen does not see his patients as addicts or old or ADD, he sees them as people; As individuals, and knows for each individual person there must be an individual treatment plan. If you have 10 patients addicted to cocaine, I can guarantee you that NA alone, will not work for all 10. It may work for 2 or 3. Maybe 4 or 5 of them need to go to an outpatient treatment program first. Maybe some of them need in patient treatment for 30 days or 6 months in order for them to find the strength/motivation to stay sober. Each Person is different. The circumstances that drove them to begin using cocaine is different as is the amount they use, who they use with etc etc etc. So why would you think "one for all and all for one". We are not musketeers, we are people!

The same with a food addict or compulsive overeater. We didn't ALL get to the surgeons office because we sat at McDonald's our whole lives. Some of us did... many of us weren't even fat our whole lives. Go figure?

Personally, I was born 9lbs and nothing has changed. Every single person in my family is over weight on both sides or has been at one point in time. Genetically I was screwed from conception!! But my genes aren't the only reason I am sitting here writing this blog... I have learned behaviors that got me here as well. For example, I used food as a reward AND a punishment. Whenever I was younger my grandmother, whom I lived with, used to tell me, "You're Punished!" My punishment was always to watch TV or rent a movie or eat or something enjoyable. She never did this maliciously or with the intent of making me 391lbs, but that message has stuck with me throughout my life. In my family, for graduations and birthdays and anniversaries, we go out to eat which taught me that food is something you do when you are celebrating. It's not conscious, by ANY means... but it is what it is.

Maybe for you, your parents wouldn't let you have dessert until you licked your plate clean. So you joined the "clean your plate" club. You stuffed yourself to the gills, expanded your stomach just for a few cookies or a piece of cake. Do you still do that?

For those of you who eat in secret... you have your little candy stash in the night stand by your bed or the drawer at work or maybe even the glove box in your car? I am willing to bet when you were younger your parents told you you couldn't have candy and junk food so you would sneak it. You would stop at the corner store on the way to or from school for that $0.25 candy didn't you? You don't have to tell me. But you know your own scenario. Even if you don't realize it yet.

So if our beginning scenarios are all different, then why should our treatment be the same? Why is it some patients make it out relatively OK with no therapy and some lose their damn minds?! Why do some make it to goal and stay there forever and others regain, revise, and restart?

We are all different. Sit down today and figure out why you walked into your surgeons door. Not because you were sick on 500 medications couldn't walk etc etc... While those are valid reasons for having surgery those are just symptoms. Those reasons wont keep you on track. Figuring out where your behaviors come from, dealing with them if they need to be dealt with and changing your thought patterns and actions forever will!

xoxo
Sleeve Pixie

Ps. If you are interested in Dr Amens quiz you can find it on Melting Mama's Blog :-)