As I read these old Romans and Greeks, I realize that they knew more than we do about training good human behaviour into themselves and their children than we do now, or at least, take the time to do in mass of the population.
That is to say that the Christian religion stalled progress for most of 2000 years, in many ways of human behaviour. Oh well, shit happens, drop it and move on. The Romans used god to explain what they did not know, or were just unable to understand yet, but knew that the earth went around the sun.
They knew how to train people to do most anything. They knew it was our thoughts about the subjects that caused problems, that our desires was the main issue, and getting our desires under control was the job of reason, will, awareness, soul, spirit, consciousness, what ever we call that part of us that knows right from wrong, reason from desire, and the like. As Tolle's "I cannot live with myself", the split must come, and we need to figure out what "I" is, and what we can control or have power over. All else is for others to take care of, or the gods. We need to learn to live in accordance with the laws of nature, Logos. That does not include addictive highly processed foods with added exorphins to bump up the addictive property's.
My beliefs do not require that anyone believe as I do.
Enough. Please feel free to express any thoughts on this subject or any other burning desires you may have.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Self Abuse
Last night we went out to some friends. They all know I have food issues. For four hours, I was forced to sit in front of food, and not overeat. It is just abuse, self abuse. Why go? Yetties. There cry, eat, eat, and in Polish, yets, yets.
For me, it is this damn christmas season, and there is nothing good about it. Food pushers. Stupid, rushed, aggressive drivers, not showing any good will. They are more aggressive than usual, likely due to being in a rush.
Going out around foodies is a bad thing for any compulsive eater, whether they have a chemical issue, behavioural issue, or temptation issue, food knowledge issue, or any of the others.
Enough said. this is the last year of self abuse. No more.
For me, it is this damn christmas season, and there is nothing good about it. Food pushers. Stupid, rushed, aggressive drivers, not showing any good will. They are more aggressive than usual, likely due to being in a rush.
Going out around foodies is a bad thing for any compulsive eater, whether they have a chemical issue, behavioural issue, or temptation issue, food knowledge issue, or any of the others.
Enough said. this is the last year of self abuse. No more.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Stoics
Epitetus makes clear three pertinent ideas:
a) That it is not the event that causes the feeling, but rather our mental thoughts about the event.
b) We have power over our own reasoning and little else. We have influence over our desires and aversions. We have no power over our bodies, or instincts. We have power over our violations, most of the time. That which we have no power or influence over is non of my concern. It is; therefore, accept it.
c) It is the job of we humans to bring our desires and adversions into alinement with reason and Logos (Laws of Nature).
The typical desires may include greed (coveting the neighbours job), lust (coveting the neighbours ass), envy, jealousy, sorrow, fear, spite, petulance, and over-indulgence.
a) That it is not the event that causes the feeling, but rather our mental thoughts about the event.
b) We have power over our own reasoning and little else. We have influence over our desires and aversions. We have no power over our bodies, or instincts. We have power over our violations, most of the time. That which we have no power or influence over is non of my concern. It is; therefore, accept it.
c) It is the job of we humans to bring our desires and adversions into alinement with reason and Logos (Laws of Nature).
The typical desires may include greed (coveting the neighbours job), lust (coveting the neighbours ass), envy, jealousy, sorrow, fear, spite, petulance, and over-indulgence.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Epicurus
Epicurus - the pleasure guy. OK, but pleasure as he defined it was not modern pleasure. Pleasure to Epicurus was absence of guilt, pain, and anxiety. Not to much pleasure there, Epicurus included the middle ground, which in our modern thought, is not pleasure. But there is much neutral ground in life. Epi was a Stoic, so accept all that is not in our control, and we can accept or change any thing in our control, which is our mind and some actions. It was not left to wisdom.
Most people do not know what would make them happy. Epi says it comes down to "we can be happy if we look in the right places." That is internal, where we have control, in our minds. Happiness is that our expectations have been met. If we lower our expectations to our reality, we can be happy anywhere.
Epi went onto say, beyond that, for him, he wanted friends and family to be close, freedom, which is economic independence, or self-sufficiency, and an analysed life. He started a commune on a hill side in Greece, not far from where he was from, and they achieved self sufficiency. Old hippy way of life, but that was the standard of the day. The analysis life part is a basic of Stoicism.
Now just consider what he achieved. He wrote a few books, that 2000 years later are still being studied. He recognised that advertising (even then) raises expectations, and high expectations lead to unhappiness. Self sufficiency provides basic needs, security, and safety at the time. It also provided some physical work that is so essential to health. Being part of a community / commune provided belonging, and social activity. The self analysis of life and writing provided esteem and status, self- realisation and fulfilment. When we look at our modern Maslow's needs, what do we find?
All this from a fellow who lived on a hillside in a rock hutch and raised goats and a garden. It is our expectations that are out of line with reality. Perhaps, as a youth, I picked up the idea I could eat whatever I wanted and I wanted everything. Do I expect to be able to eat sugars, grains, dairy products, and excess fruits? Does advertising drive that urge, that want, for good tasting food? What level should my expectations really be at? Also note that hunger was not included in Epi's list of nots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpKB3EU9FYc
Most people do not know what would make them happy. Epi says it comes down to "we can be happy if we look in the right places." That is internal, where we have control, in our minds. Happiness is that our expectations have been met. If we lower our expectations to our reality, we can be happy anywhere.
Epi went onto say, beyond that, for him, he wanted friends and family to be close, freedom, which is economic independence, or self-sufficiency, and an analysed life. He started a commune on a hill side in Greece, not far from where he was from, and they achieved self sufficiency. Old hippy way of life, but that was the standard of the day. The analysis life part is a basic of Stoicism.
Now just consider what he achieved. He wrote a few books, that 2000 years later are still being studied. He recognised that advertising (even then) raises expectations, and high expectations lead to unhappiness. Self sufficiency provides basic needs, security, and safety at the time. It also provided some physical work that is so essential to health. Being part of a community / commune provided belonging, and social activity. The self analysis of life and writing provided esteem and status, self- realisation and fulfilment. When we look at our modern Maslow's needs, what do we find?
All this from a fellow who lived on a hillside in a rock hutch and raised goats and a garden. It is our expectations that are out of line with reality. Perhaps, as a youth, I picked up the idea I could eat whatever I wanted and I wanted everything. Do I expect to be able to eat sugars, grains, dairy products, and excess fruits? Does advertising drive that urge, that want, for good tasting food? What level should my expectations really be at? Also note that hunger was not included in Epi's list of nots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpKB3EU9FYc
Friday, December 14, 2012
Stoic's and Overeating
What would a stoic think of the modern issue of overeating?
Yes, the Stoic's, back 2m in time, where a few nobles in Rome had a overeating issue. Logos had the issue down to overconsumption, and the thinking of the subjects. The solution was to change the thinking, and end the problem.
Logos is a concept of "the natural laws" or the word of nature, or the laws of nature, as understood at the time. It contained much wisdom, and something like the serenity prayer, but first is it outside of our control, than accept it, if it is in our control, accept or change it. It is all about figuring out if we have control of not. We have no control over our bodies, only our will, beliefs, and some thoughts and some actions.
Death was an ever present issue at the time. There are many things worse than death. Slow, painful death is one, as is suffering until we die. Both worse than death, OK. Now consider obesity as a major factor in a slow painful death, worse than death. So then the behaviours that lead to obesity are worse than death. Therefore, overeating and eating in response to cravings are worse than death. Use that as a motivator to stop overeating and eating to satisfy desire. Desire is the enemy. "At the table before consuming, look upon on these dead plants and animals before me and meditate on death a bit."
As a Stoic, such thinking should have empower anyone who enjoys life. The Stoic seem to define joy differently than most. They use a negative definition. Joy does not contain anxiety or suffering. This is includes the near neutral area, which contains most living time, not just the high of modern joy. It is much easier to live in Stoic joy.
Please express any opinions on this or any subject.
Yes, the Stoic's, back 2m in time, where a few nobles in Rome had a overeating issue. Logos had the issue down to overconsumption, and the thinking of the subjects. The solution was to change the thinking, and end the problem.
Logos is a concept of "the natural laws" or the word of nature, or the laws of nature, as understood at the time. It contained much wisdom, and something like the serenity prayer, but first is it outside of our control, than accept it, if it is in our control, accept or change it. It is all about figuring out if we have control of not. We have no control over our bodies, only our will, beliefs, and some thoughts and some actions.
Death was an ever present issue at the time. There are many things worse than death. Slow, painful death is one, as is suffering until we die. Both worse than death, OK. Now consider obesity as a major factor in a slow painful death, worse than death. So then the behaviours that lead to obesity are worse than death. Therefore, overeating and eating in response to cravings are worse than death. Use that as a motivator to stop overeating and eating to satisfy desire. Desire is the enemy. "At the table before consuming, look upon on these dead plants and animals before me and meditate on death a bit."
As a Stoic, such thinking should have empower anyone who enjoys life. The Stoic seem to define joy differently than most. They use a negative definition. Joy does not contain anxiety or suffering. This is includes the near neutral area, which contains most living time, not just the high of modern joy. It is much easier to live in Stoic joy.
Please express any opinions on this or any subject.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Dissolving of my Inadequacy
Many of us have experienced a feeling of inadequacy, unworthiness or similar negative feeling. The Tolle Philosophy provides a quick method of 'dissolving' these feelings. Buddhist is similar, but Tolle is easier to understand, and once we understand, the process is simple.
The first thing we need to understand and accept is the physical/conciousness/mind or ego split of we humans. This may be also seen as physical/spiritual/emotional split. Then we need to understand and accept that the ego is a construct of the mind, and emotions are stirred up as a result of impinging on the ego. The ego has a function, to protect us from sudden change, and to collect all the collective expectations of others. The ego in general, is the reflection and collection of others expectations; it is not us, but what others expect us to be, as we have gathered over the years.
I grew up in a verbally abusive environment, where everyone had expectations on me, all unreasonable, and nothing based on the authentic me, or my limited physical or mental capacity of a child. I was expected to grow up fast, perform like a motivated adult, when I did not care. It youth was labour enslavement in a form.
No child can grow up to meet the expectations of 5 adults (2 parents, one set of grandparents, one great uncle). All these expectations were drilled into my ego. By 'dissolving' the ego, all these feelings disappear, including the feelings of inadequacy. I was inadequate, when measured against their expectation. It was there expectations that was out to lunch, not me. Add to this, the habit of trying to fill the expectations of others of influence; employers partners.
The method of watching thoughts and recognising the feelings as feelings, and watching those feelings is a neat concept. We need to recognise that the feeling is something pinching our ego, and understanding that ego is a reflection of the expectations, from interpolation of what happened, extending beyond the real data.
Data is, it cannot be changed. Our opinion of that data can be. We can accept the data, and not accept our interpretation, we can change our interpretation, or we can accept the old interpretation, along with the suffering that it brought. In summary, we can accept it or change it in some way, or change our ego, one of the three.
If we do not live up to someone's expectations, they will need to deal with it. We do not bow, grovel, or put up with their abuse.
The ego is a reflection of others, therefore impermanent, not us, and changeable.
Please feel free to express any opinion you may have on this subject or any other.
The first thing we need to understand and accept is the physical/conciousness/mind or ego split of we humans. This may be also seen as physical/spiritual/emotional split. Then we need to understand and accept that the ego is a construct of the mind, and emotions are stirred up as a result of impinging on the ego. The ego has a function, to protect us from sudden change, and to collect all the collective expectations of others. The ego in general, is the reflection and collection of others expectations; it is not us, but what others expect us to be, as we have gathered over the years.
I grew up in a verbally abusive environment, where everyone had expectations on me, all unreasonable, and nothing based on the authentic me, or my limited physical or mental capacity of a child. I was expected to grow up fast, perform like a motivated adult, when I did not care. It youth was labour enslavement in a form.
No child can grow up to meet the expectations of 5 adults (2 parents, one set of grandparents, one great uncle). All these expectations were drilled into my ego. By 'dissolving' the ego, all these feelings disappear, including the feelings of inadequacy. I was inadequate, when measured against their expectation. It was there expectations that was out to lunch, not me. Add to this, the habit of trying to fill the expectations of others of influence; employers partners.
The method of watching thoughts and recognising the feelings as feelings, and watching those feelings is a neat concept. We need to recognise that the feeling is something pinching our ego, and understanding that ego is a reflection of the expectations, from interpolation of what happened, extending beyond the real data.
Data is, it cannot be changed. Our opinion of that data can be. We can accept the data, and not accept our interpretation, we can change our interpretation, or we can accept the old interpretation, along with the suffering that it brought. In summary, we can accept it or change it in some way, or change our ego, one of the three.
If we do not live up to someone's expectations, they will need to deal with it. We do not bow, grovel, or put up with their abuse.
The ego is a reflection of others, therefore impermanent, not us, and changeable.
Please feel free to express any opinion you may have on this subject or any other.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Belief System
It occurs to me that our belief system, which we rely upon, is also, like ego, largely built from what we have been told by others, not first hand experience or careful study. In fact, all that we know is from others. So both are full of errors. Back to Buddha: do not believe anything you have been told until you have tested it yourself, and if you find it to good, right, and true, then adopt it and live up to it.
So not only are our egos misleading us, so is our belief system. Silence. We can have no opinion without due consideration. Anything we say is built on either ego or belief system, or knowledge. The science is good, if it is well done. Food science is at best shaky.
Where does this leave one?
So not only are our egos misleading us, so is our belief system. Silence. We can have no opinion without due consideration. Anything we say is built on either ego or belief system, or knowledge. The science is good, if it is well done. Food science is at best shaky.
Where does this leave one?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Tolle Trinity
Tolle does not express the same trinity, but he does separate consciousness from the mind which constructs the ego, a reflection of the expectations of others. It is not hard to relate consciousness with some that we may call spirit.
When something impinges on our ego, we generate strong negative emotions. It is not hard to relate our emotions to the ego and the ego to the past. Knowing that allows us to apply our consciousness to look at what generates the emotions, and see that we could not live up to the unrealistic expiations, hopes of parents, that we would be the ideal child, as each of them hoped for. All different, all beyond any possible achievement. They expressed disappointment. The ego is just collective reflections of others, parents, grand parents, teachers, coaches, others. We can accept that and let it all go, or we change our egos. Either way we end suffering. Score one more for Tolle.
When something impinges on our ego, we generate strong negative emotions. It is not hard to relate our emotions to the ego and the ego to the past. Knowing that allows us to apply our consciousness to look at what generates the emotions, and see that we could not live up to the unrealistic expiations, hopes of parents, that we would be the ideal child, as each of them hoped for. All different, all beyond any possible achievement. They expressed disappointment. The ego is just collective reflections of others, parents, grand parents, teachers, coaches, others. We can accept that and let it all go, or we change our egos. Either way we end suffering. Score one more for Tolle.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
How Do You Grow an Overeater?
How does one grow an overeater? This starts out like a questionable joke. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
But seriously folks, how do you train a infant/child to become an overeater? Easily, I think.
Every time they cry, feed them. Every time they are stressed, feed them, rich, sugary food. Every time they have a tantrum, feed them. Resist bed, feed them, and give them wheat, potatoes, gravy. Every time they get cranky, feed them. Keep lots of rich, fat, starchy and sugar treats around the house, freely available. Lots of proteins, prepared meats, just ready to eat. Lots of pies, cookies, doughnuts, fruits, nuts, ready for the crew and kids. 24/7 smorgaus board. Encourage uncontrolled eating, and make it possible, even expected. Soon they will expect it, want it, and use it to stuff feelings, especially if the parents are always busy, working, cooking, and the kids are left to there own entertainment, and often left alone.
Isolate the one you want to make fat, to cause ongoing stress, to make it worse.
Now the young adults must retrain themselves. This may or may not be successful. It may take considerable time, effort, perverseness, and the outcome may not be what is expected.
One of the powerful methods of correction is some form of spiritual awaking, a new awareness, and new attitude toward life. What this may involve is anyone's guess. It can take the form of tremendous personality upheaval. They (I) became someone else, and my true authentic self began to emerge from behind the parental imposed collective expectations. The science is strong, but the direction is not clear yet.
Thank you for reading. Any opinions / suggestions?
But seriously folks, how do you train a infant/child to become an overeater? Easily, I think.
Every time they cry, feed them. Every time they are stressed, feed them, rich, sugary food. Every time they have a tantrum, feed them. Resist bed, feed them, and give them wheat, potatoes, gravy. Every time they get cranky, feed them. Keep lots of rich, fat, starchy and sugar treats around the house, freely available. Lots of proteins, prepared meats, just ready to eat. Lots of pies, cookies, doughnuts, fruits, nuts, ready for the crew and kids. 24/7 smorgaus board. Encourage uncontrolled eating, and make it possible, even expected. Soon they will expect it, want it, and use it to stuff feelings, especially if the parents are always busy, working, cooking, and the kids are left to there own entertainment, and often left alone.
Isolate the one you want to make fat, to cause ongoing stress, to make it worse.
Now the young adults must retrain themselves. This may or may not be successful. It may take considerable time, effort, perverseness, and the outcome may not be what is expected.
One of the powerful methods of correction is some form of spiritual awaking, a new awareness, and new attitude toward life. What this may involve is anyone's guess. It can take the form of tremendous personality upheaval. They (I) became someone else, and my true authentic self began to emerge from behind the parental imposed collective expectations. The science is strong, but the direction is not clear yet.
Thank you for reading. Any opinions / suggestions?
Sunday, December 2, 2012
OA Meme
In preparation for this upcoming workshop, I have been doing a bit of reading. It has become apparent to me that the OA organization guidelines hinder adoption of newer understanding of the disease, as they prevent the dissemination of newer information. Oh well. They do provide for a relief from social isolation, caused by the personality's that typically become overeaters and made worse by the electronic communications that enable productivity without human contact.
It has become apparent to me that we OA people appear to be comprised of two separate populations: those who have a endocrine or chemical addiction to specific foods and those who have a behavioural addiction. There are those too, that have both, like myself.
The chemical issues must be cleaned up first. It is my current opinion that these are exorphin addiction. These are a group of chemicals that drive us to eat more, and to seek then out. Abstinence from these chemicals is the first step, followed by developing integrity to never intake these again. (No SGO6EEH) It is a natural genetic characteristic carried to excess in a world that these exorphins are plentiful in. To recover, we need overcome our nature, to change. In addition, the food industry is aware of this human behaviour and is exploiting this increase sales. That is likely one of the main cause of the current obesity epidemic.
Behavioural addiction is also a mater of identifying, displacing the behaviour with a better behaviour, but neither is easy. (Schwartz relabel, reattribute, refocus, revalue) or (psychological strategic, describe and replace).
OA, at the group level, still provide me with the extended social benefit, and occasionally gives me the opportunity to spread my message.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
It has become apparent to me that we OA people appear to be comprised of two separate populations: those who have a endocrine or chemical addiction to specific foods and those who have a behavioural addiction. There are those too, that have both, like myself.
The chemical issues must be cleaned up first. It is my current opinion that these are exorphin addiction. These are a group of chemicals that drive us to eat more, and to seek then out. Abstinence from these chemicals is the first step, followed by developing integrity to never intake these again. (No SGO6EEH) It is a natural genetic characteristic carried to excess in a world that these exorphins are plentiful in. To recover, we need overcome our nature, to change. In addition, the food industry is aware of this human behaviour and is exploiting this increase sales. That is likely one of the main cause of the current obesity epidemic.
Behavioural addiction is also a mater of identifying, displacing the behaviour with a better behaviour, but neither is easy. (Schwartz relabel, reattribute, refocus, revalue) or (psychological strategic, describe and replace).
OA, at the group level, still provide me with the extended social benefit, and occasionally gives me the opportunity to spread my message.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Introduction to Plan of Eating Workshop
On January 26, 2013, NLI, the Northern Lights Intergroup, is holding a Plan of Eating workshop. This is a first draft of my opening statement as to the purpose and the essentials of my storey.
the opinions expressed here are the strictly the opinions of the speaker. Take what you want and leave the rest. These opinions do represent OA as a whole.
I have written this out to keep me on point, otherwise I would either miss pieces or go on for hours.
The way I look at obesity and overeating is it has three parts;
Later we will have time to ask questions and discuss how we handle the various issues / difficulties / situations / emotions we each face.
As I see it, we have three reduction choices:
I started with by adopting the gray sheet when I first came to the program, about 25 years ago. No sugar, no grains, a pound of meat each day, low fat, a raw veg and a cooked veg at each meal, 3 meals per day. Nothing but good living in between. Then on some days, I would only eat salads. That took the weight off, but then came maintenance. I was working at a engineering lab, working on a masters, and attending OA. Slightly busy, OK. Then the work got seasonally sparse, so I had time to study OA. That worked for about 5 years, but then the work came back and it took me away from OA.
I gave up trying to follow the food plan rigidly, and the breads and fats crept back in, but I never took back much sugar, and the weight crept back on. I kept coming to OA, as time permitted, and occasionally after that, but quit putting any effort into the program, and then just quit coming.
By 2006 I was in trouble weight wise, and in 2007 I started to study the food and nutrition. I figured that if I could understand the issue, I could find a diet that I could follow. In 2008, I decides to reduce bread, wheat from my food plan, mainly due to a food log and computing calories. It became obvious to me that bread was my main food, and it had no nutrition value that could not be replaced with vitamin pills and no calories. Then I recognised it was bread made me hungry, even in small quantizes. Eggs and bacon would last me 5 hours until hunger, but if I added a single toast, I would be hungry in 2 hours. Bread had to completely go.
I read Good Calories Bad Calories, and realized much of my food issue were chemical. I was addicted to wheat. Wheat and all sugar and starch rich foods had to go.
Harold died, and I went to the funeral. I realized that I missed the support that OA had provided, at good meetings, so I came back. St. Albert Monday night for a while. I tried TOPS for a bit, but they know less about food and required nutrition than I did by that time. Internet is a wonderful resource, but sorting out of the crap is required.
By this time I had concluded that acellular carbohydrates do not belong in the food supply. Saturated fat, other than saturated Omega 6 and 9 is not dangerous, and I ate too much omega 6 oils. These are all chemicals which are addicting or addiction like behaviour occurs. There are two parts to the problem, a chemical addiction, and behavioural addiction (exo-adrenal and endo-adrenal). The solution is stop ingesting, stop doing the behaviour.
Now the doing is not so easy. Sugar and wheat, grains in general, are the easiest to identify, and leave out. Then I find some additional foods have a strong pull. It turns out that there are a bunch of exorphins and exocannopioids in our foods. Wheat, dairy products, artificial and natural flavour enhancers, some preservatives, and artificial sweeteners contain these proteins and peptides. Most processed foods contain these. These are just not suitable foods for me.
Beyond that, it also turns out that, in our food supply, there are hormone enriched foods that are troublesome and GMO. These are just poisons, non editable, looks like foods.
This has resulted in about a 60 kg initial loss and 10 kg rebound before elimination of exorphins.
So what does this leave: vegetables, leaves, stems, roots, flowers, home grown preferred, and meats, mainly not from factory farms. Eggs from farm chickens. Fish from open waters. Not to much protein, and lots of animal fats to satiate hunger. Berries and fruits in local season. That would be ideal, but then there are situations and temptations. This is essentially the "Paleo" diet or "Primal" diet, or "Archivor" or pre 1950 eating style of ancestors, less wheat.
Psychologically, anything else is just not food.
Maintenance is tough. We have two energy sources, carbohydrates or fats. We can run on either, but the switch from carbohydrates to fats is tough psychologically. It is against government policy and media support, but for me it is necessary.
I learned a lot about food and nutrition, and much is not right in the public media information and food production and sales. I started with Good Calories Bad Calories.
the opinions expressed here are the strictly the opinions of the speaker. Take what you want and leave the rest. These opinions do represent OA as a whole.
I have written this out to keep me on point, otherwise I would either miss pieces or go on for hours.
The way I look at obesity and overeating is it has three parts;
- a physical component,
- an emotional / mental / psychological portion,
- and a spiritual / philosophical / knowledge component.
Later we will have time to ask questions and discuss how we handle the various issues / difficulties / situations / emotions we each face.
As I see it, we have three reduction choices:
- we can adopt a plan of eating,
- learn about food and nutrition requirements enough to design our own plan, or
- pray for something to come to us, naturally.
I started with by adopting the gray sheet when I first came to the program, about 25 years ago. No sugar, no grains, a pound of meat each day, low fat, a raw veg and a cooked veg at each meal, 3 meals per day. Nothing but good living in between. Then on some days, I would only eat salads. That took the weight off, but then came maintenance. I was working at a engineering lab, working on a masters, and attending OA. Slightly busy, OK. Then the work got seasonally sparse, so I had time to study OA. That worked for about 5 years, but then the work came back and it took me away from OA.
I gave up trying to follow the food plan rigidly, and the breads and fats crept back in, but I never took back much sugar, and the weight crept back on. I kept coming to OA, as time permitted, and occasionally after that, but quit putting any effort into the program, and then just quit coming.
By 2006 I was in trouble weight wise, and in 2007 I started to study the food and nutrition. I figured that if I could understand the issue, I could find a diet that I could follow. In 2008, I decides to reduce bread, wheat from my food plan, mainly due to a food log and computing calories. It became obvious to me that bread was my main food, and it had no nutrition value that could not be replaced with vitamin pills and no calories. Then I recognised it was bread made me hungry, even in small quantizes. Eggs and bacon would last me 5 hours until hunger, but if I added a single toast, I would be hungry in 2 hours. Bread had to completely go.
I read Good Calories Bad Calories, and realized much of my food issue were chemical. I was addicted to wheat. Wheat and all sugar and starch rich foods had to go.
Harold died, and I went to the funeral. I realized that I missed the support that OA had provided, at good meetings, so I came back. St. Albert Monday night for a while. I tried TOPS for a bit, but they know less about food and required nutrition than I did by that time. Internet is a wonderful resource, but sorting out of the crap is required.
By this time I had concluded that acellular carbohydrates do not belong in the food supply. Saturated fat, other than saturated Omega 6 and 9 is not dangerous, and I ate too much omega 6 oils. These are all chemicals which are addicting or addiction like behaviour occurs. There are two parts to the problem, a chemical addiction, and behavioural addiction (exo-adrenal and endo-adrenal). The solution is stop ingesting, stop doing the behaviour.
Now the doing is not so easy. Sugar and wheat, grains in general, are the easiest to identify, and leave out. Then I find some additional foods have a strong pull. It turns out that there are a bunch of exorphins and exocannopioids in our foods. Wheat, dairy products, artificial and natural flavour enhancers, some preservatives, and artificial sweeteners contain these proteins and peptides. Most processed foods contain these. These are just not suitable foods for me.
Beyond that, it also turns out that, in our food supply, there are hormone enriched foods that are troublesome and GMO. These are just poisons, non editable, looks like foods.
This has resulted in about a 60 kg initial loss and 10 kg rebound before elimination of exorphins.
So what does this leave: vegetables, leaves, stems, roots, flowers, home grown preferred, and meats, mainly not from factory farms. Eggs from farm chickens. Fish from open waters. Not to much protein, and lots of animal fats to satiate hunger. Berries and fruits in local season. That would be ideal, but then there are situations and temptations. This is essentially the "Paleo" diet or "Primal" diet, or "Archivor" or pre 1950 eating style of ancestors, less wheat.
Psychologically, anything else is just not food.
Maintenance is tough. We have two energy sources, carbohydrates or fats. We can run on either, but the switch from carbohydrates to fats is tough psychologically. It is against government policy and media support, but for me it is necessary.
I learned a lot about food and nutrition, and much is not right in the public media information and food production and sales. I started with Good Calories Bad Calories.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Dealing with General Discontent
The serenity prayer says accept it or change it. But then that was the old way, and too simple for many of us. Just listing out the discontents, dis-satisfactory items, and looking at them, one at a time makes the load lighter.
Now we first need to have a good look at it, and see if it is our responsibility or some one else's. If it is someone else's, just walk away, it is not our issue, our responsibility, it is what it is, accept it.
Now can we change it now, then do it. Done. End. Fin'e. Now then there are the the things we can change in the future, but the past is. Could have, should have, are history. Accept it. Move on.
There are the things we can change, now. The now is important, if not now, when. OK. If we can in the future, put it on the schedule, and ignore it until then. Now there are the things we could change, but to what, that is the question. Make a decision, right or wrong, and we will get more information.
Stewing on the problem will likely not work. They are not problems, more like situations, part of out storey, not part of us.
There is an issue with psychological time, all we have is now. We must not value future or past above the now. Now is all we have, all we ever had, or ever will have. \Make the most of it. End of lecture.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Now we first need to have a good look at it, and see if it is our responsibility or some one else's. If it is someone else's, just walk away, it is not our issue, our responsibility, it is what it is, accept it.
Now can we change it now, then do it. Done. End. Fin'e. Now then there are the the things we can change in the future, but the past is. Could have, should have, are history. Accept it. Move on.
There are the things we can change, now. The now is important, if not now, when. OK. If we can in the future, put it on the schedule, and ignore it until then. Now there are the things we could change, but to what, that is the question. Make a decision, right or wrong, and we will get more information.
Stewing on the problem will likely not work. They are not problems, more like situations, part of out storey, not part of us.
There is an issue with psychological time, all we have is now. We must not value future or past above the now. Now is all we have, all we ever had, or ever will have. \Make the most of it. End of lecture.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Dissatisfaction
Dissatisfaction with life in general, other persons, places, things, bored, frustrated, halt, hungry, angry, lonely, tired are all reasons for change in our lives, not to eat, even if our first reaction is to eat. It is difficult avoid temptation if there is food readily available, and we are in any stress state.
Boredom, anxiety, stressed, or a situation when we are forcing ourselves to do something we do not want to do, are difficult if food is present. The easy change is to move myself to somewhere there is no food present. Ideally, we should always be doing something we want to do more than eating.
Desire to do something makes a big difference in our attitude when we are doing it. Right now, in my life, there is little that I want to do. That is a problem. This general discontent that I feel is not good, it drives me to food. So what do I want to do? There in lies the problem. Very little. But I need to want to do something. Some days I can keep busy, but I have no desire to do much.
Overcoming the negatives is the first step. Developing desire to do something, the willingness to do, and the willingness to what is necessary, are the necessary steps. OA does a good job of addressing history, but less so if the emotion is current. Therein lies the weakness in the program, it has no formal method of dealing with current time, beyond a sponsor. Writing does provide some outlet.
Essentially, the work that I did was not what I wanted to do, but portions were not objectionable. But then, I never really wanted to do much. Oh well. I have the choice to accept or change. I need a objective in my life.
I do not have a feeling of derivation, when not being able to eat something. I know how dangerous GMO foods, and SGO6EEH are, unfit for human consumption. Paint them green or blue as a sign of not fit for humans, as they did during WWII. Could be getting this information out to people who want it be my life's calling? But there all those who object, argue. I do not care what they eat, I am just about the information.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Boredom, anxiety, stressed, or a situation when we are forcing ourselves to do something we do not want to do, are difficult if food is present. The easy change is to move myself to somewhere there is no food present. Ideally, we should always be doing something we want to do more than eating.
Desire to do something makes a big difference in our attitude when we are doing it. Right now, in my life, there is little that I want to do. That is a problem. This general discontent that I feel is not good, it drives me to food. So what do I want to do? There in lies the problem. Very little. But I need to want to do something. Some days I can keep busy, but I have no desire to do much.
Overcoming the negatives is the first step. Developing desire to do something, the willingness to do, and the willingness to what is necessary, are the necessary steps. OA does a good job of addressing history, but less so if the emotion is current. Therein lies the weakness in the program, it has no formal method of dealing with current time, beyond a sponsor. Writing does provide some outlet.
Essentially, the work that I did was not what I wanted to do, but portions were not objectionable. But then, I never really wanted to do much. Oh well. I have the choice to accept or change. I need a objective in my life.
I do not have a feeling of derivation, when not being able to eat something. I know how dangerous GMO foods, and SGO6EEH are, unfit for human consumption. Paint them green or blue as a sign of not fit for humans, as they did during WWII. Could be getting this information out to people who want it be my life's calling? But there all those who object, argue. I do not care what they eat, I am just about the information.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Step 2a
Came to believe that a power outside of ourselves could restore us to sanity. Well not quite, it says greater than ourselves in this version. But it has not always been that way, and in other places it says outside of ourselves.
For me, outside works better. Consider the big book laying on the self. It or they collectively have pulled millions of alcoholics of the scrape pile of humanity, something I could not have done. Yet it sets there, unable to move. That is a power greater than I, for sure.
Can I put the diet sheet in the same class? All I need do is accept and follow directions to recover. OK.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
For me, outside works better. Consider the big book laying on the self. It or they collectively have pulled millions of alcoholics of the scrape pile of humanity, something I could not have done. Yet it sets there, unable to move. That is a power greater than I, for sure.
Can I put the diet sheet in the same class? All I need do is accept and follow directions to recover. OK.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Decaffeination
Decaffeination: the process of removing caffeine. So what do we call it if I remove my source of caffeine, and go to running my life in an unstimulated state? My plan is to go decaf, and if I have a head ache, withdrawl, I will add one tea, and see what happens.
This is likely a hit and miss process, much like a hit and miss governor on an old engine, it keeps the exhaust valve open when it is over speed. Sounds like Katie song...No fear of heights. brush drums. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJhsYmfFGzk
That is the plan. Remove one more stimulus. Could it be that the stimulus are out stretching the physical capacity? Adrenal fatigue that the medical profession says does not exist, could be just that, exhaustion from over stimulus.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
This is likely a hit and miss process, much like a hit and miss governor on an old engine, it keeps the exhaust valve open when it is over speed. Sounds like Katie song...No fear of heights. brush drums. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJhsYmfFGzk
That is the plan. Remove one more stimulus. Could it be that the stimulus are out stretching the physical capacity? Adrenal fatigue that the medical profession says does not exist, could be just that, exhaustion from over stimulus.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Dignity of Choice
Tonight, I feel obligated to write about the pamphlet, Dignity of Choice. Having spent many evenings studying food, nutrition, and human requirements, along with a bit of other things, I can say that it is my opinion that this document is worse than useless, and actually harmful. It would turn off many who have struggled with there food issues.
In a effort to not offend, to extend the hand to all, it has removed the teeth of following a food program. It is written for the mathmophobic, and stops short of providing any useful information for either guiding diet, weight loss, or recovery. The plans of eating provided do not identify and address any of the issue of food addictions.
People with addiction to sugar should have no sugar plan, and nothing that turns into sugar. Their low carb plan is moderate carbohydrates, and low fat. No one could stay on it for long. It lacks understanding that we have two energy source, carbohydrate of fats. We must get adequate energy of one or the other. Fats will reduce hunger, carbohydrates will increase hunger. It has more protein than I need, a 5'10 male need, which will raise insulin and glucagon and hunger. Not well laid out plan. It does not provide adequate information to design or adjust a diet. This is essential for recovery, and unavailable from public funded sources here.
It does not address the chemical addiction nor the behavioural addiction. We need to address the actual condition to be of quick help.
And above all else, keep coming back.
In a effort to not offend, to extend the hand to all, it has removed the teeth of following a food program. It is written for the mathmophobic, and stops short of providing any useful information for either guiding diet, weight loss, or recovery. The plans of eating provided do not identify and address any of the issue of food addictions.
People with addiction to sugar should have no sugar plan, and nothing that turns into sugar. Their low carb plan is moderate carbohydrates, and low fat. No one could stay on it for long. It lacks understanding that we have two energy source, carbohydrate of fats. We must get adequate energy of one or the other. Fats will reduce hunger, carbohydrates will increase hunger. It has more protein than I need, a 5'10 male need, which will raise insulin and glucagon and hunger. Not well laid out plan. It does not provide adequate information to design or adjust a diet. This is essential for recovery, and unavailable from public funded sources here.
It does not address the chemical addiction nor the behavioural addiction. We need to address the actual condition to be of quick help.
And above all else, keep coming back.
Mediation
Should mediation be raised to tool status? I understand that there is a young girl world service that will not rest until there are 12 tools as well. Should mediation be raised to tool status?
Some say prayer is telling god, and mediation is listening to god. Prayer never seems to help me much, but mediation does. Mediation is often just clearing out mind, stopping thinking, and concentrating on just one thing, often free of time.
Mediation in all it's different forms can range from mindfulness, to mind blanking concentration, to concentration on just one thing. It can last a few seconds or minutes, to several hours, or in some cases, general through out the days, one day at a time, for the remainder of life.
Currently, I am rereading the Power of NOW, a book essentially on mediation, without using the term often. It is brings us to a meditative state quickly, without years of practice. It is in modern terms, and also contains Eckhart Tolle philosophy. Although I do not entirely agree all, it is general right as far as he goes, and is only questionable in a few places. When we look at where the words point, sometimes, the same idea also impacts other items that are of a bigger issue to me than where he found them. But there is a lot in 240 pages.
Other sources of simple mediation can be found in Jon Kabot Zinn, or numerous Buddhist traditions.
Some say prayer is telling god, and mediation is listening to god. Prayer never seems to help me much, but mediation does. Mediation is often just clearing out mind, stopping thinking, and concentrating on just one thing, often free of time.
Mediation in all it's different forms can range from mindfulness, to mind blanking concentration, to concentration on just one thing. It can last a few seconds or minutes, to several hours, or in some cases, general through out the days, one day at a time, for the remainder of life.
Currently, I am rereading the Power of NOW, a book essentially on mediation, without using the term often. It is brings us to a meditative state quickly, without years of practice. It is in modern terms, and also contains Eckhart Tolle philosophy. Although I do not entirely agree all, it is general right as far as he goes, and is only questionable in a few places. When we look at where the words point, sometimes, the same idea also impacts other items that are of a bigger issue to me than where he found them. But there is a lot in 240 pages.
Other sources of simple mediation can be found in Jon Kabot Zinn, or numerous Buddhist traditions.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
family history
Looking back over my family history, any that there is a record of seem to have issues with food at times. Grandmother always fought her weight, as did mother. Mother had less success. Father was on a "diet" ever winter, as he did less work in the winters. Grand father was likewise, but he also had more age on him.
As we age our metabolism and activity levels both reduce; hence our input must also reduce. It is more difficult now, but life goes on. Attitude change is necessary as in a suitable food program. Paleo, or LCHF, in some form seems to work for me.
The program is all about attitude change. Any diet would take the weight off me, if I could just stick to it. The program allows me to stick to the diet.
As we age our metabolism and activity levels both reduce; hence our input must also reduce. It is more difficult now, but life goes on. Attitude change is necessary as in a suitable food program. Paleo, or LCHF, in some form seems to work for me.
The program is all about attitude change. Any diet would take the weight off me, if I could just stick to it. The program allows me to stick to the diet.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Location, Location, Location
Where is the problem spot for overeating? and why?
Any more I eat at home most of the time. That way I can stay away from SGO6EEH much better. There are some issues with that also. Temptation to overeat, but at least it is real food. Enough good fats keeps the hunger in check, but what about temptation and cravings? They are worst at home in the evenings.
One method is to never be home except to sleep. It is neither the time, nor location. Both must be present for it to be a problem. Exhaustion is the factor that pushes both together. Perhaps there is a solution of getting up early in the mornings, then by 8pm, lights out. It would work except I like to watch a bit of TV, and go out the odd evening to a meeting or something.
Chatting on the phone does not do it for me, I need to be out, away. By evening, I have no interest in anything much left. Getting older makes a difference. I just get tired, and lose interest. Before TV, there was much more local social interaction. Now, we just isolate, shut down, and displace social with quasi social electronic entertainment, or a few read. No more social, even for us low social types. Some of us are not really chatty, and just keep our mouths shut and go away to avoid conflict.
I was at an OA meeting the other day that I watched open conflict, and an emotional breakdown. After, I had to ask myself, why do I keep going? All these raw women, and a few seasoned mature people, with sharp edges from all the grinding. Is it worthwhile? Am I getting enough out of it? But yes, I keep going back for those few who are working the program, inside the program. Living the program is at the meetings is difficult some days.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Any more I eat at home most of the time. That way I can stay away from SGO6EEH much better. There are some issues with that also. Temptation to overeat, but at least it is real food. Enough good fats keeps the hunger in check, but what about temptation and cravings? They are worst at home in the evenings.
One method is to never be home except to sleep. It is neither the time, nor location. Both must be present for it to be a problem. Exhaustion is the factor that pushes both together. Perhaps there is a solution of getting up early in the mornings, then by 8pm, lights out. It would work except I like to watch a bit of TV, and go out the odd evening to a meeting or something.
Chatting on the phone does not do it for me, I need to be out, away. By evening, I have no interest in anything much left. Getting older makes a difference. I just get tired, and lose interest. Before TV, there was much more local social interaction. Now, we just isolate, shut down, and displace social with quasi social electronic entertainment, or a few read. No more social, even for us low social types. Some of us are not really chatty, and just keep our mouths shut and go away to avoid conflict.
I was at an OA meeting the other day that I watched open conflict, and an emotional breakdown. After, I had to ask myself, why do I keep going? All these raw women, and a few seasoned mature people, with sharp edges from all the grinding. Is it worthwhile? Am I getting enough out of it? But yes, I keep going back for those few who are working the program, inside the program. Living the program is at the meetings is difficult some days.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
the Trinity
In biblical times there just does not appear to have been the words to express or the shoulders to stand on. The trinity, the father, son, and holly ghost, are there the same as Tolle body, mind, and consciousness? Where does the pointer point? It suggest it is all the same.
Now we have the trinity in OA, physical, emotional, spritual. If it is as Tolle says, the ego is a construct of the mind, a reflection of the collective learning of ourself, then once again we have the trinity with ego causing the problem. As the ego is a construct of the mind, we can learn, unlearn, ignore, refocus, redirect, the ego in many ways. So the emotions are then mind. Personality is then mind, not part of the self, the spirit. OK
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Now we have the trinity in OA, physical, emotional, spritual. If it is as Tolle says, the ego is a construct of the mind, a reflection of the collective learning of ourself, then once again we have the trinity with ego causing the problem. As the ego is a construct of the mind, we can learn, unlearn, ignore, refocus, redirect, the ego in many ways. So the emotions are then mind. Personality is then mind, not part of the self, the spirit. OK
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Rant about diversity
I am just back from an intergroup meeting where lost of good stuff got said. It strikes me that it is a wonder this has hung together, but if we do not, we will just hang separately.
Everybody has different food programs, and different views on how food programs should be described, how much science should be involved. Some people are really adverse to any food science. As an atheist, the food science is my god; that, and anything that produce attitude adjustment. I need both. I need to be rigid about not eating SGO6EEH, and others feel it is too rigid, and claim that none causes a feeling of derivation. I do not feel deprived after I recognised the danger of these foods, I feel like I escaped a government and food industry that is trying to kill me off so they do not have to pay old age security to me.
The avoiding of wheat has never cause deprivation after finding it causes hunger like feeling, addiction, GERD, psoriasis, bloating, inflammation distress, some arthritis, as well as weight gain. If in doubt, read Wheat belly. That should relieve a feeling of deprivation.
Fruit and fructose, sugar, is evil in so many ways, just watch Lustic's Video, or read Sugar Shock, or White and Deadly.
Deprivation is a sign of not too much willingness to do what is necessary. If you want recovery, without willingness, oh well, grown up and take responsibility for the hoeing. If you pray for potatoes, you must be willing to pick up the hoe.
Some of the personalities, including my own are just nasty. A question came up that could cause concern about future of the intergroup, to be or not to be. It is all generated about concern as to why we are not retaining people, why abstinent is shaky for so many of us. It is my opinion that so many define abstinent so tightly that failure is assured. We each need to define it in a way that we can work toward a more reasonable body weight, and be able to maintain it.
I have an concern with those who are so easily from one food program to another. It is ok to change, until we find something that works for us. Some do not not like a "boring" food program, or a "restrictive" program, both of which work for me.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
meme systems
A meme systems, a series of memes that form a philosophy, are just that, a group of concepts that work together to form a philosophy, or religion. As long as the meme system is useful, great, but when the society changes, the meme system must also change, be abandoned, or just remain stagnant and die out. Those are the choices, what else is there?
The god meme system is on it's way down, although it may take many generation to die out. It will be replaced by a more logic based, science based, belief system. We have the time to think about what is required with the system. I see it more as a Linux thing, many people will bring bits, and it will combine, to become the truth, after testing and rejecting the untruths.
We need to clean up our past indiscretions, first by identifying, and not continuing to do them, and then right the wrongs of the past. How to do that is not clear. Perhaps others have better ideas in that regard. It is not right to expect the next generation to pay for the political mistakes, the efforts to fix a broken system that was failing, or that cannot work. Perhaps it is simpler to let people starve rather than keep feeding them, if they are unwilling to produce. The northern Indian populations want to live where there is no work, and be fed from the south while they reproduce as fast as they can. It is not workable, and will not last. There is no solution that satisfies everyone.
The obesity problem is similar. We must only eat metered meals. There is no other choice. We need to do it willingly, but we deserve the truth. Carbohydrates, especially sugar, fructose, glucose, lactose drive appetite. Work backwards, limit carbohydrates, and proteins that can become carbohydrates. Control our weight with fats. Duh. Low reward small meals. No SGO6EEH ( H -hormones)
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
The god meme system is on it's way down, although it may take many generation to die out. It will be replaced by a more logic based, science based, belief system. We have the time to think about what is required with the system. I see it more as a Linux thing, many people will bring bits, and it will combine, to become the truth, after testing and rejecting the untruths.
We need to clean up our past indiscretions, first by identifying, and not continuing to do them, and then right the wrongs of the past. How to do that is not clear. Perhaps others have better ideas in that regard. It is not right to expect the next generation to pay for the political mistakes, the efforts to fix a broken system that was failing, or that cannot work. Perhaps it is simpler to let people starve rather than keep feeding them, if they are unwilling to produce. The northern Indian populations want to live where there is no work, and be fed from the south while they reproduce as fast as they can. It is not workable, and will not last. There is no solution that satisfies everyone.
The obesity problem is similar. We must only eat metered meals. There is no other choice. We need to do it willingly, but we deserve the truth. Carbohydrates, especially sugar, fructose, glucose, lactose drive appetite. Work backwards, limit carbohydrates, and proteins that can become carbohydrates. Control our weight with fats. Duh. Low reward small meals. No SGO6EEH ( H -hormones)
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Secular 0, 1. 2. & 3
This is my opinion of 0, 1, 2, and 3 in a secular way, the way I have come to look at these steps. There are some people who naturally live without effort at a "normal" weight. It cannot be that difficult, once we learn. Going beyond that, cleaning up the past, learning to live well, learning to do daily cleaning, learning separation of thoughts and actions and teaching others are important to the meme, but less so to recovery.
Also look at where the words point, not specifically at the word. The words are dull pointers.
Also look at where the words point, not specifically at the word. The words are dull pointers.
- We need the desire and time, together become the perseverance to recover, to what is normal weight.
- We need the willingness to recover.
- We need the willingness to do, study and learn what we must to recover.
- We need to lose the belligerent attitudes, to become teachable: We need to lose "I know what is best for me" attitude, the instant "you are wrong" attitude, and become willing to study, learn and follow, not just program but food science or a food program.
- We need to recognise we have a problem with food, food addiction, eating behaviours, and perhaps ego extension. We do not know how to manage these thing in our lives. There are solutions.
- We need to accept that there is much information and methods available to be learned, and behaviours that address these behaviours. The knowledge bank is growing.
- It is your choice to learn and understand other peoples solutions and try a few of those solutions to your problems.
- Am I willing to follow a food program until I learn enough about food to develop my own?
- Am I willing to see the food thoughts and let go of them? not act on them?
- Am I willing to do what is necessary to recover?
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Fat happies
Here is an example of what we used to call fat happies
http://www.fatnutritionist.com/index.php/food-addiction-natural-rewards-and-self-fulfilling-prophecies/
Know they have a problem, unsure of what the problem is, and are blissfully unwilling at this stage of understanding. They are happy. They are actively working at maintaining a happy attitude, unwilling to address the issue, and this one is trying to teach her attitude to others. Run if you want recovery.
Better to become a "recovery warrior" eg. http://www.voiceinrecovery.com/blog/2012/11/01/your-eating-disorder-doesnt-define-you/
http://www.fatnutritionist.com/index.php/food-addiction-natural-rewards-and-self-fulfilling-prophecies/
Know they have a problem, unsure of what the problem is, and are blissfully unwilling at this stage of understanding. They are happy. They are actively working at maintaining a happy attitude, unwilling to address the issue, and this one is trying to teach her attitude to others. Run if you want recovery.
Better to become a "recovery warrior" eg. http://www.voiceinrecovery.com/blog/2012/11/01/your-eating-disorder-doesnt-define-you/
Monday, October 29, 2012
Morning Prayer
What is morning prayer? To me this is tough without a god, or knowing god is just a concept. We need to know where we are going short term. Morning prayer is a time to set out today's plan, nothing more.
Am I willing to recover, am I willing to what is necessary, (No SGO6EE, 301+1 or 311)? Am I willing to all those other things, exercise, work (what ever that is as a semi-retired person)? Do I have a plan for today, that complies with my values of what I think future life of this species will look like? What will future community look like long term?
We are living as society and growth is expanding. This is a time of excess for some, of food, of choice, of growth, of prosperity. This too will end. What will our future society look like? I think, first a time of wearing out the existing assets, then a relearning of gardening, subsistence farming, understanding the human psyche as never before in the general population, understanding what drives us. We are evolving.
The authentic self is a concept that somewhere inside us is a true self, what we really are, and there is a growing movement to find that self. Buddha found himself, and laid out one path. Many other have laid out what they think is the path, even the christian and moors have a concept of a path to the future, but have no ability to express where they are going in modern terms. For those of us who have grown up in modern times, out grown religion, we need a clear concept of what we need to evolve into to survive, without being excessively wordy. We need to understand the best of what we have, recognise the limitations, shortcomings, and move forward as individuals and as a collective.
Meditation, time set aside for quite thinking, clearing the mind of other thoughts, and practice controlling our own mind is a wonderful thing. Learning to take a few minutes at a time of non-thinking, which usually is really thinking about only one thing, is wonderful, intense and insightful process. Some people like visualization, others like listening to music, or some other distraction. Exercises, to some also does the same thing, at the same time, strengths the mind housing organelle. Yes, I do suggest that the mind is the ultimate next phase of evolution. It will be all about concepts, and learning.
I will also suggest that we humans will go through a process of belief and value changes. A godless "religion", in the form of good laws, behaviours will be codified and taught to the young, who then can progress without the need of unlearning and relearning, that so many of us have had to do. We got sidetracked with greed philosophy, but the reality is we need to live in the society in which we live in, the community of our peers per-say. So we as a species, need to evolve to something more. At the same time, we need to keep the pressure on all the individuals to continue to evolve to grow, and how do we do this, to me, is unknown. At the same time, wasting resources on those who do not demonstrate the capacity to develop or the desire to devlope is just foolish. But this is often an attitude, and when the attitude changes, development happens. Desire and willingness to do are powerful agent of change.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Am I willing to recover, am I willing to what is necessary, (No SGO6EE, 301+1 or 311)? Am I willing to all those other things, exercise, work (what ever that is as a semi-retired person)? Do I have a plan for today, that complies with my values of what I think future life of this species will look like? What will future community look like long term?
We are living as society and growth is expanding. This is a time of excess for some, of food, of choice, of growth, of prosperity. This too will end. What will our future society look like? I think, first a time of wearing out the existing assets, then a relearning of gardening, subsistence farming, understanding the human psyche as never before in the general population, understanding what drives us. We are evolving.
The authentic self is a concept that somewhere inside us is a true self, what we really are, and there is a growing movement to find that self. Buddha found himself, and laid out one path. Many other have laid out what they think is the path, even the christian and moors have a concept of a path to the future, but have no ability to express where they are going in modern terms. For those of us who have grown up in modern times, out grown religion, we need a clear concept of what we need to evolve into to survive, without being excessively wordy. We need to understand the best of what we have, recognise the limitations, shortcomings, and move forward as individuals and as a collective.
Meditation, time set aside for quite thinking, clearing the mind of other thoughts, and practice controlling our own mind is a wonderful thing. Learning to take a few minutes at a time of non-thinking, which usually is really thinking about only one thing, is wonderful, intense and insightful process. Some people like visualization, others like listening to music, or some other distraction. Exercises, to some also does the same thing, at the same time, strengths the mind housing organelle. Yes, I do suggest that the mind is the ultimate next phase of evolution. It will be all about concepts, and learning.
I will also suggest that we humans will go through a process of belief and value changes. A godless "religion", in the form of good laws, behaviours will be codified and taught to the young, who then can progress without the need of unlearning and relearning, that so many of us have had to do. We got sidetracked with greed philosophy, but the reality is we need to live in the society in which we live in, the community of our peers per-say. So we as a species, need to evolve to something more. At the same time, we need to keep the pressure on all the individuals to continue to evolve to grow, and how do we do this, to me, is unknown. At the same time, wasting resources on those who do not demonstrate the capacity to develop or the desire to devlope is just foolish. But this is often an attitude, and when the attitude changes, development happens. Desire and willingness to do are powerful agent of change.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions on this subject or any other.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Moving beyond god
http://innerpilgrimage.wordpress.com/2012/10/28/imagine-all-the-people-living-for-today-12-step-atheism/ got me thinking---
I had to go look up the lyrics, so here they are:
Artist: John Lennon Lyrics
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
We as a species are evolving, just as we always have. Belief in a higher power has got us to where we are, a species in trouble in may ways, yet a successful species. Now where do we go from here? I will suggest the first step is to learn to live self-disciplined, frugal life in a time of abundance, of food pushers, of drug pushers, of self indulgence, and of self delusions.
I had to go look up the lyrics, so here they are:
Artist: John Lennon Lyrics
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
We as a species are evolving, just as we always have. Belief in a higher power has got us to where we are, a species in trouble in may ways, yet a successful species. Now where do we go from here? I will suggest the first step is to learn to live self-disciplined, frugal life in a time of abundance, of food pushers, of drug pushers, of self indulgence, and of self delusions.
Letting go of a god concept, puts the responsibility on us, to set our own course, knowing where we want to go as a species, and also not knowing how to get there. Looking back on where we have been, evaluating the process, discontinuing what does not work, and trying new unproven methods is all good. We need to evaluate those new concepts as well.
We move through a series of attitudes. What we are doing now is working, why evaluate, is the general status quo. When we identify that we have a problem, we begin the drift to something else. We drift from an attitude of apathy to desire for a solution, which is the requirement to enter the program, a desire. Until then, we are just adrift. Once we have desire to recover, we need to figure out what recovery looks like, we need willingness, first to recover, then to do what is necessary for recover, then moving on to willingness to do all those other things involved in recovery. When we become program people, we have a few guiding principals laid our before us. We can chose to live them, as they are or as they fit our life's. We begin to grow along spiritual lines, into something else.
Where we are headed is not known, however we discontinue behaviours that cause us immediate problems. Food issue cause us immediate and longer term issues. Short term, we can understand this as just high blood glucose. Long term, the scales is the issue.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to post your own thoughts or opinions or this subject or any other.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Commitment
The OA+ program is a willing commitment to follow spiritual principals. One of these principals is a reasonable food program, which I now define as No SGO6EE, 311+1. These spiritual principals rank up in priority close to ethics or any other higher values, noble motives, or similar ethical principle.
Note that upholding this principal is not possible for me without abstinent from SGO6EE. Without avoiding those, I become a craving being and cannot abstain for long. It is circular illogical argument, but true.
Cleaning of the remainder of defects is a life long process. Some of these defects are self inflicted, and are not really defects, but weaknesses. It is just self improvement in areas which before now, did not matter. I can still become vicious when annoyed. I still have reluctance to talk to others. I still insist on freedom of will to follow or not.
Ultimately, it is all dependent on if I am willing to recover today, am I willing to do what is necessary today.
Note that upholding this principal is not possible for me without abstinent from SGO6EE. Without avoiding those, I become a craving being and cannot abstain for long. It is circular illogical argument, but true.
Cleaning of the remainder of defects is a life long process. Some of these defects are self inflicted, and are not really defects, but weaknesses. It is just self improvement in areas which before now, did not matter. I can still become vicious when annoyed. I still have reluctance to talk to others. I still insist on freedom of will to follow or not.
Ultimately, it is all dependent on if I am willing to recover today, am I willing to do what is necessary today.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
addiction to exorphins
First, there are two separate parts, one chemical and one behavioural. Deal with the chemical part first, and then look up Schwartz and deal with the behavioural part using both the program and what else may be necessary after dealing with the chemical part.
It call comes down to exorphins verses endorphins. Foods that provide exorphins flood our brains with them, and we are not comfortable with the few endorphins we produce. We need to become accustom to living with the few endorphins we produce. The only way is to be totally abstinent (or very low) of foods containing exorphins. To become a "social" eater allowing exorphins to remain in the diet is near hopeless, like becoming a social drinker out of an alcoholic.
The 12 step help those who want to be helped. Few of those who walk through the doors the first time want to be helped. Many are doctor, employer, wife/husband, socially- mandated. Until we honestly want to be helped and become willing to clean up our lives, the program is just a place to get our ticket punched.
The program is useful for recognizing that we have a problem, and understanding that there is a solution. Many of the young members have psychological and philosophical issues that need to be addressed. The programs can be a wonderful resource once the newcomer loses the belligerent attitude so many come in with, and become teachable. Until then, the old members will not waste there time on explaining much to overcharged egos, so you have not entered the program. What is the failure rate of those who have truly entered the program? Many know they have one more relapse in them, but we are not sure that we have one more recovery.
The program was there for me when there was nothing else, and we are there for those who want the program. Those that do not want it are just noise, wind in the trees. There is wind coming from inside the program as well.
Willing to do what is necessary is the first part for recovery. Becoming teachable and learning to either follow a food program or learn to build a food program free of exorphins is esential.
Be aware that many of the existing food programs contain exorphins, as the exorphin issue is not well understood. For me, it is easier to cut out all exorphins. More can be found at my food website http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/.
It call comes down to exorphins verses endorphins. Foods that provide exorphins flood our brains with them, and we are not comfortable with the few endorphins we produce. We need to become accustom to living with the few endorphins we produce. The only way is to be totally abstinent (or very low) of foods containing exorphins. To become a "social" eater allowing exorphins to remain in the diet is near hopeless, like becoming a social drinker out of an alcoholic.
The 12 step help those who want to be helped. Few of those who walk through the doors the first time want to be helped. Many are doctor, employer, wife/husband, socially- mandated. Until we honestly want to be helped and become willing to clean up our lives, the program is just a place to get our ticket punched.
The program is useful for recognizing that we have a problem, and understanding that there is a solution. Many of the young members have psychological and philosophical issues that need to be addressed. The programs can be a wonderful resource once the newcomer loses the belligerent attitude so many come in with, and become teachable. Until then, the old members will not waste there time on explaining much to overcharged egos, so you have not entered the program. What is the failure rate of those who have truly entered the program? Many know they have one more relapse in them, but we are not sure that we have one more recovery.
The program was there for me when there was nothing else, and we are there for those who want the program. Those that do not want it are just noise, wind in the trees. There is wind coming from inside the program as well.
Willing to do what is necessary is the first part for recovery. Becoming teachable and learning to either follow a food program or learn to build a food program free of exorphins is esential.
Be aware that many of the existing food programs contain exorphins, as the exorphin issue is not well understood. For me, it is easier to cut out all exorphins. More can be found at my food website http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Struggling with the Program
Today, I am struggling, not with food or willingness to follow, but Our Invitation to You. I do not agree with "the reasons for the illness are unimportant" The illness is in question, but I do not have a better word. But the major concern is the whole concept that "the reasons are unimportant" I know the reasons now, exorphins in the food supply. Knowing what to eliminate, how it actual works, make it so much more palatable. I am powerless over exorphins, and my life is unmanageable in this respect.
It is willingness to not intake these that is the first key step in recovery. Just for today helps. But knowing a clear reason for this issue that I have with food make the logic so much simpler. It is easy, If I want to be a normal weight, I must have the willingness to not intake. In the words of an old fellow, If you pray for potatoes, you must be willing to pick up the hoe.
It is willingness to not intake these that is the first key step in recovery. Just for today helps. But knowing a clear reason for this issue that I have with food make the logic so much simpler. It is easy, If I want to be a normal weight, I must have the willingness to not intake. In the words of an old fellow, If you pray for potatoes, you must be willing to pick up the hoe.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Exorphin Junkie?
Are we exorphin junkies?
http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/2012/10/exorphin-issue.html
references http://www.wakingtimes.com/2012/05/04/do-hidden-opiates-in-our-food-explain-food-addictions/
http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-toll-of-hubris-on-human.html
http://www.danmahony.com/bigfood2.htm
And Wheat Belly
Enough already
http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/2012/10/exorphin-issue.html
references http://www.wakingtimes.com/2012/05/04/do-hidden-opiates-in-our-food-explain-food-addictions/
http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-toll-of-hubris-on-human.html
http://www.danmahony.com/bigfood2.htm
And Wheat Belly
Enough already
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Changing Ourselves QS1
Recovery from obesity requires a great deal of change at the personality level. These changes can be put into categories like nutrition, philosophy or religion, psychology, psychological knowledge and other categories. An obese person does not know what they need to learn to recover. After recovery, we do not know what concepts we needed to learn to maintain recovery, and when we start to slide back, what did we forget? Or what did we quit doing? Or what additional things do we need to learn?
Recover is a ongoing learning process of self discovery, self actualization, self fulfilment, and it does not end at normal weight. It is more difficult to maintain than lose, as recovery goes from an active stage to maintenance stage.
1. Before we can get a good foothold into the program, we need to take step 0, giving up the addicting foods or addiction like foods. No SGO6EE. We need to separate the chemical addiction from the behavioural addictions, and address both.
2. We need to develop enough fixity of spirit to follow a reasonable food program.
3. We need to adopt a reasonable food program.
4. We need to be able to adjust our food program on the fly.
5. We need to do spiritual development.
6. And we need ongoing support, which I found in weekly OA meetings.
Change itself can be broken in 5 steps, first precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. I will add that change requires willingness first, therefore change has 6 steps, willingness, precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.
Willingness involves identification that we have a problem, and that we would like to solve the problem, to the point of some recovery. I personally check that I am willing to recover, willing to what is necessary for recovery, and that I am willing to what action is required each day.
Precontemplation is a stage before we make a decision to do something. This may vary from apathy to the knoledge that we have a problem, through uncertainty as to what to do, through exploring the possibilities.
Contemplation involves some serious learning and perhaps detailed exploring the options, perhaps a decision as to which option to select. It may involve exploring the cost and time involved, and perhaps an ideally, what success looks like.
Preparation may included learning what must be done, getting the new supplies in stock, disposing of the old. Development of a food program, menus, quantities, and similar, as well as purchase of food stuffs may be included. Preparation may also include spiritual development, in terms of development of sufficient spiritual rigidity to follow your food program.
Action is the doing, the follow through, of the food program one meal at a time, with enough good life between each meal. For today, and just for today. Action includes a morning planning secession, review of the plan, and daily/weekly reinforcement.
Maintenance includes modification to the food plan, learning additional spiritual concepts to keep you strong on the fixity of spirit, and exploring other concepts that may be of use. To go where we have never been before, to explore, and to learn about ourselves.
Recover is a ongoing learning process of self discovery, self actualization, self fulfilment, and it does not end at normal weight. It is more difficult to maintain than lose, as recovery goes from an active stage to maintenance stage.
1. Before we can get a good foothold into the program, we need to take step 0, giving up the addicting foods or addiction like foods. No SGO6EE. We need to separate the chemical addiction from the behavioural addictions, and address both.
2. We need to develop enough fixity of spirit to follow a reasonable food program.
3. We need to adopt a reasonable food program.
4. We need to be able to adjust our food program on the fly.
5. We need to do spiritual development.
6. And we need ongoing support, which I found in weekly OA meetings.
Change itself can be broken in 5 steps, first precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. I will add that change requires willingness first, therefore change has 6 steps, willingness, precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.
Willingness involves identification that we have a problem, and that we would like to solve the problem, to the point of some recovery. I personally check that I am willing to recover, willing to what is necessary for recovery, and that I am willing to what action is required each day.
Precontemplation is a stage before we make a decision to do something. This may vary from apathy to the knoledge that we have a problem, through uncertainty as to what to do, through exploring the possibilities.
Contemplation involves some serious learning and perhaps detailed exploring the options, perhaps a decision as to which option to select. It may involve exploring the cost and time involved, and perhaps an ideally, what success looks like.
Preparation may included learning what must be done, getting the new supplies in stock, disposing of the old. Development of a food program, menus, quantities, and similar, as well as purchase of food stuffs may be included. Preparation may also include spiritual development, in terms of development of sufficient spiritual rigidity to follow your food program.
Action is the doing, the follow through, of the food program one meal at a time, with enough good life between each meal. For today, and just for today. Action includes a morning planning secession, review of the plan, and daily/weekly reinforcement.
Maintenance includes modification to the food plan, learning additional spiritual concepts to keep you strong on the fixity of spirit, and exploring other concepts that may be of use. To go where we have never been before, to explore, and to learn about ourselves.
Essential of Recovery
What do we need to recover from obesity?
A suitable food program, and enough fixity of spirit to stay on the program.
Tess sums up the need for change of thinking as
" How CAN people who are stuck in an outworn world-vision become unstuck?'
but this is not what she was referring to.
A suitable food program, and enough fixity of spirit to stay on the program.
Tess sums up the need for change of thinking as
" How CAN people who are stuck in an outworn world-vision become unstuck?'
but this is not what she was referring to.
No god, draft of the process
English. Not good some days. Bah. Humbug.
1. Accept that willingness to recovery, to commit to the process of recovery, willingness to commit to work required, that is willingness to recover and is part of step one of recovery. If not recovery, then development.
2. Acceptance that we have a problem, specifically with SGO6EE, and/or the compulsion to eat is a big issue. SGO6EE are chemically addicting for some people. We, the addicted, may be just the extreme of the bell curve, the leading edge of the curve of the population in this respect.
3. Acceptance that we are unable to manage, control, the food and eating in our lives, and that we need to set up and follow a plan of eating, to get out of this issue of overeating/obesity is essential. This is "our live are unmanageable" in respect to food part of the program. We acknowledge that the following is the difficult part, but it is easier once we get the SGO6EE our of our lives.
4. We need to learn new concepts of stress release, emotional release. These are new to us concepts, philosophy's, psychological methods, of changing our thinking, to engineer an end to the problem. We need to learn about food, and the chemical processes that drive us. We need to learn concepts of dealing with the irrational, emotional, and sick people that we are attached to in our lives. We need to learn how to just eat our planned food in the midst of this ever present banquet of tasty and poisonous foods. We need to be able to get the message of no SGO6EE to those who do not want to here, the control freak that pushes sugar. We need to learn to keep ourselves on that narrow track.
5. God believing people use gods. We non god people must appeal our higher nature, our belief system, our more evolved minds, our logical thinking process, our Vulcan nature. We may need to develop this part of us more to become stronger that the addiction. Fixity of conviction may be required even before we have the proof.
6. We must let go of ego, for it was created by our mind as a defence method for the young, to help them develop quickly to what they have become, but when they have time and want to develop past what they were, we must let go of ego, and use only logic.
7. We need to learn the concepts of those who have gone before and create new concepts where required. Life lessons, about what they tried, what worked, what did not. What we think, and the whole process of thinking, of developing thoughts, testing thoughts, and adopting those that work for us. This is the equivalent to spiritual development, but without the god as the basis.
8. God may have brought us as far as he can in our ongoing human evolution, and it is now time to go it on our own, or start to learn the concepts required to go it on our one in a humble way as a population. An individual has always been able to strike out and that is the next step in evolution, but to bring society along with us, and fix our human created problems of excess, is a noble effort, I think.
Comments please.
1. Accept that willingness to recovery, to commit to the process of recovery, willingness to commit to work required, that is willingness to recover and is part of step one of recovery. If not recovery, then development.
2. Acceptance that we have a problem, specifically with SGO6EE, and/or the compulsion to eat is a big issue. SGO6EE are chemically addicting for some people. We, the addicted, may be just the extreme of the bell curve, the leading edge of the curve of the population in this respect.
3. Acceptance that we are unable to manage, control, the food and eating in our lives, and that we need to set up and follow a plan of eating, to get out of this issue of overeating/obesity is essential. This is "our live are unmanageable" in respect to food part of the program. We acknowledge that the following is the difficult part, but it is easier once we get the SGO6EE our of our lives.
4. We need to learn new concepts of stress release, emotional release. These are new to us concepts, philosophy's, psychological methods, of changing our thinking, to engineer an end to the problem. We need to learn about food, and the chemical processes that drive us. We need to learn concepts of dealing with the irrational, emotional, and sick people that we are attached to in our lives. We need to learn how to just eat our planned food in the midst of this ever present banquet of tasty and poisonous foods. We need to be able to get the message of no SGO6EE to those who do not want to here, the control freak that pushes sugar. We need to learn to keep ourselves on that narrow track.
5. God believing people use gods. We non god people must appeal our higher nature, our belief system, our more evolved minds, our logical thinking process, our Vulcan nature. We may need to develop this part of us more to become stronger that the addiction. Fixity of conviction may be required even before we have the proof.
6. We must let go of ego, for it was created by our mind as a defence method for the young, to help them develop quickly to what they have become, but when they have time and want to develop past what they were, we must let go of ego, and use only logic.
7. We need to learn the concepts of those who have gone before and create new concepts where required. Life lessons, about what they tried, what worked, what did not. What we think, and the whole process of thinking, of developing thoughts, testing thoughts, and adopting those that work for us. This is the equivalent to spiritual development, but without the god as the basis.
8. God may have brought us as far as he can in our ongoing human evolution, and it is now time to go it on our own, or start to learn the concepts required to go it on our one in a humble way as a population. An individual has always been able to strike out and that is the next step in evolution, but to bring society along with us, and fix our human created problems of excess, is a noble effort, I think.
Comments please.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
No god OA
What would a no god OA look like? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahv_1IS7SiE
Step two is the tough part to get around, but good orderly direction sort of works. It would require a commitment to some philosophy that sees a food program, a food philosophy if you like. I think that a Paleo like diet, or pre 1900 type diet with no wheat or no ground wheat, as unless you find organic grown, no fertilizer, heritage cultivars- or just no wheat.
Three moderate meals per day but the important part would be the work between meals is most important. Many of us use food as motivation or release to get through the parts of work we dislike. At least half of my work was stuff that I did not like, and now just decline to do.
But much of this is personal ethics, personal philosophy, and the psychology that we must use to get around it. Or is it a personnel philosophy that we must adopt. I am just not sure.
For me, the concepts of following a plan that places food in the proper prospective is simple, it is the doing that is difficult. Meals get large, and the temptation to snack is always present, as there is always food available here. It is a bitch of a situation, unable to empty the house of food, as I am not the only one who lives here. I guess the other choice is to remove myself from this environment.
Step two is the tough part to get around, but good orderly direction sort of works. It would require a commitment to some philosophy that sees a food program, a food philosophy if you like. I think that a Paleo like diet, or pre 1900 type diet with no wheat or no ground wheat, as unless you find organic grown, no fertilizer, heritage cultivars- or just no wheat.
Three moderate meals per day but the important part would be the work between meals is most important. Many of us use food as motivation or release to get through the parts of work we dislike. At least half of my work was stuff that I did not like, and now just decline to do.
But much of this is personal ethics, personal philosophy, and the psychology that we must use to get around it. Or is it a personnel philosophy that we must adopt. I am just not sure.
For me, the concepts of following a plan that places food in the proper prospective is simple, it is the doing that is difficult. Meals get large, and the temptation to snack is always present, as there is always food available here. It is a bitch of a situation, unable to empty the house of food, as I am not the only one who lives here. I guess the other choice is to remove myself from this environment.
Life between meals
I came to the rather blinding realization that weight loss is more about life between the meals than anything else. It must be away from convent eating places, and therefore must become away from computers, writing, away from home, where I am fully involved, committed to something useful and rewarding. That, in effect, is a life change for me, but to what is the question. Perhaps only the mornings at the computer, but the afternoons and evenings must involve something else.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
No SGO6EE
No sugar, grains, omega 6 oils, exorphins, endocannabinoids is a mouthful so I simply say No SGO6EE.
In a email comment Kim H said " Unlike many low-carbers I've read about or talked to, I can & do quite easily binge on low carb/High fat foods-especially grains or dairy artificially sweetened & nuts. So, if I want to be free of addictive food/eating behaviors I have to avoid artificial sweeteners, grains, nuts (except a very small amount), most starches (except in very small amts) "
Those foods listed are those two E's. http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/2012/09/endocannabinoid.html
In a email comment Kim H said " Unlike many low-carbers I've read about or talked to, I can & do quite easily binge on low carb/High fat foods-especially grains or dairy artificially sweetened & nuts. So, if I want to be free of addictive food/eating behaviors I have to avoid artificial sweeteners, grains, nuts (except a very small amount), most starches (except in very small amts) "
Those foods listed are those two E's. http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/2012/09/endocannabinoid.html
We do not need appetite stimulus in our lives. We need to remove the chemically addicting foods from our diet, and then we can tackle the addictive behaviours. No AA ever becomes a social drinker; No OA can ever become a social eater.
This is why I think it is essential for us weight challenged people learn the chemistry of our food, rather then rely on other to tell us the real storey of what we should eat. Dietitians’are trained to be good little employees of food companies, not on how to train people to lose weight and keep it off. Once we become knowledgeable in food and a bit in human physiology, and psychology, the penny drops, we revert to Paleo-ish, meat, vegetables pre 1900 diet, and the problem, chemical addiction, goes away.
The obesity epidemic did not start in 1980, but about 1900, when sugar came into common use. By 1927, 50% of the ladies were 20 to 40 pounds heavier than they had been. Sneaky thing acellular carbohydrates. When they became really cheap, HFCS, in early 1980, then it really got out of hand.
We may need to weigh food a bit to get right sized portions of meat and some vegetables, for a while, to calibrate our eyes to the new foods. But we just need to do that today, tomorrow you can decide if you need to or not.Three moderate meals each day, and Maffetone two week test is the way to start.http://philosophyofweightmanagement.blogspot.ca/p/facts-and-beliefs.html
Daily Routine
A daily thought routine, for today, also seem to help with eating control, or more correctly non-control. Of late, I have been trying to answer three questions, each with several parts. The questions are still morfing, but as they stand now:
- Am I willing to be in recovery today?
- Am I willing to do what is necessary for recovery today?
- What is the plan for today?
Today is, just for today, it takes away future and past. It is the only part that I can work with.
Question 1 is just about willingness, for without willingness to recover, not much happens. Willingness without action is like faith without works, dead. I need to be willing to do what needs to be done for recovery first, and then a bit of work, and other things but that is just for today. Recover becomes the first priority, for without, nothing else will go on for long.
The plan for today, is something I need to have in my mind, No SGO6EE, 311, plus a few reviews during the day, and what ever else needs to be done that day.
For years I showed up to work knowing only what was the first thing that I was doing, but often solid clue where I would sleep tonight. I learned to live like that for most of twenty years. Planning ahead was always short term, with some distance items. This is the same thing, just for today.
Review is essential to keep one's self in line. But that to, is just for today. Living in day tight compartments, unit of time, helps.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Addict Personality
Does the addict have a group of personality characteristics?
- Controlling...
- Aggressive, my way or the highway...
- No compromise... I want whatever I want
- I will do whatever to get it...
- Anything in the way gets run over...
- Anybody in the way gets trampled, ignored, abandoned, until the addiction is satisfied / passified for now,
- the addict is never satisfied for long
- will do anything for their drug of choice
- is extremely wilful, to get their drug of choice
The drug of choice (doc) gets ahold onto the primary mind and takes charge to guard a source of its doc, and does what it needs to secure a long and steady supply. The doc takes control.
We need to rassle control, and submit to a understanding program that keeps us clean, long term. No tasting, no "controlled intake", absolute abstinence. No social drinking, no social eating.
To those who do not agree: You can believe what ever idiotic concept you believe, but leave me to my ideas, as I will you.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
the Child
http://philosophyforchange.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/nietzsches-three-metamorphoses/
The program brings us to the child.
We become teachable again, but we test it before we adopt it. We become Nietzsche's child.
'On the Three Metamorphoses'. In this last section he outlines how the human soul begins as 'a camel' wieghted down by loyalty to the old gods, then he must become a 'lion' and denounce them before becoming 'a child' who creates a new value and new meaning for his life.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Work
Somebody said something about work, I do not remember who, that went some thing like this; "Work prevents boredom, vice, and need."
Work if we are interested in what we are doing is a great thing for passing the time. If we are uninterested, it is drudgery, worse than slavery. Being a money slave is bad enough, but if we actually dislike the work, then it is torcher of the worst kind. Work, when we enjoy it, makes the day go quickly, and we enjoy it. That is necessary for life and prosperity. We can change ourselves to like it or we can change the work we do, either within the organization or for another, if there is opportunity.
But the economy and our environment are changing. Gone, likely forever in our lifetime, are many of the manufacturing jobs, to the third world, where wages are low for now. They may come back, in the next generation or three, when transport cost becomes large. Energy is cheep, transportation very reasonable. There in lies the issue.
But what does this all have to do with recovery. We need to be happy with our work for recovery. We need to be contented with our activity, and the income it brings for recovery to really take hold. Note that we can be happy if we are living to a principal, even motivated to do almost anything, if we believe that principal is good and right and true. (and for emphasis, not good english grammar. Nether are sentences starting with but.) But some of the time, we can change our thinking to modify our motives to "higher motives" as Carnegie called them. All we need do is the next right thing for today. Good orderly direction. That's it, that's all.
Work can displace a vice such as overeating, once we get clear of the chemical addictions. It is just displacement for today, but a bunch of for today's will add to a lifetime.
Work if we are interested in what we are doing is a great thing for passing the time. If we are uninterested, it is drudgery, worse than slavery. Being a money slave is bad enough, but if we actually dislike the work, then it is torcher of the worst kind. Work, when we enjoy it, makes the day go quickly, and we enjoy it. That is necessary for life and prosperity. We can change ourselves to like it or we can change the work we do, either within the organization or for another, if there is opportunity.
But the economy and our environment are changing. Gone, likely forever in our lifetime, are many of the manufacturing jobs, to the third world, where wages are low for now. They may come back, in the next generation or three, when transport cost becomes large. Energy is cheep, transportation very reasonable. There in lies the issue.
But what does this all have to do with recovery. We need to be happy with our work for recovery. We need to be contented with our activity, and the income it brings for recovery to really take hold. Note that we can be happy if we are living to a principal, even motivated to do almost anything, if we believe that principal is good and right and true. (and for emphasis, not good english grammar. Nether are sentences starting with but.) But some of the time, we can change our thinking to modify our motives to "higher motives" as Carnegie called them. All we need do is the next right thing for today. Good orderly direction. That's it, that's all.
Work can displace a vice such as overeating, once we get clear of the chemical addictions. It is just displacement for today, but a bunch of for today's will add to a lifetime.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Social Needs
How high is your social need? I am not really talking about Maslow's social need but how much "social need" do you have? How many hours per day do you want to be with other people, in discussion, or in sharing a activity? I, personally, have fairly low social need, but I do need some.
I once knew a young lady, we were both young then, who could not be by herself without getting stressed. Turns out, she had come from a big intermeshed family, and liked it. She, literately, could not stand to be alone. I, on the other hand, need little social contact. Looking back on family history, I have a grandfather who was high social, who needed a lot of social contact. His brother needed very little, but was social when to opportunity presented its self but in a few hours got antsy to get under way.
Also note that our social need can vary over time, and intensity will also impact the amount we need. A few hours of sharing a common activity may be adequate, while a few minutes of serious discussion may be too much.
Do (I) you get enough social contact or too much? Is work more than enough, even too much, or to little? It it causing stress in your life or boredom?
I once knew a young lady, we were both young then, who could not be by herself without getting stressed. Turns out, she had come from a big intermeshed family, and liked it. She, literately, could not stand to be alone. I, on the other hand, need little social contact. Looking back on family history, I have a grandfather who was high social, who needed a lot of social contact. His brother needed very little, but was social when to opportunity presented its self but in a few hours got antsy to get under way.
Also note that our social need can vary over time, and intensity will also impact the amount we need. A few hours of sharing a common activity may be adequate, while a few minutes of serious discussion may be too much.
Do (I) you get enough social contact or too much? Is work more than enough, even too much, or to little? It it causing stress in your life or boredom?
Monday, October 8, 2012
Willingness
Willingness is necessary for any change.
Do we (I) have the willingness to recover?
Do we (I) have the willingness to change?
Am I willing to do what is necessary to recover?
Am I willing to follow the food program?
Is this whole obesity epidemic the result of "self will run riot." A whole generation of doing what we want. We can do what ever we set our minds to, according to Norman V. Peale. and perhaps the whole obesity epidemic is just the natural result of such philosophy combined with abundance.
added later
Is the program, that is living under the direction of something we have no control over, ie. a concept, the answer to all our problems? Or is it just a convenient way to ignore all the pressing issues and carrying on, oblivious to the problems? That is living in a parallel universe, for the trek fans. And if it is just a way to ignore our problems, is that so bad? We just carry on anyway. We can spend our days thinking and stewing, but their is no solution and it is beyond our control, beyond our responsibility, and possible beyond our ability to solve anyway.
We could go explore consciousness if we like. Eckhart Tolle has made that his life's work. Micheal Brown found it was his solution to living in reality, rather than deal with the work-a-day world. There is the guy living out in Arizona that does not use money, in idealistic driven work, ignoring supporting other. Buddha, having produced a heir and a spare, went out and explored the human mind. We can do the same, without even changing our life a great deal. We just need to detach from our old thinking and do the next right thing, what ever that is. It may be to go to bed and sleep in the evening. Or read, write, paint, clean, or whatever. Or perhaps visit with others, in person, or via electronic means. We have many choices. Eating is just not one of those choices, and in my case, perhaps TV must also go.
Do we (I) have the willingness to change?
Am I willing to do what is necessary to recover?
Am I willing to follow the food program?
Is this whole obesity epidemic the result of "self will run riot." A whole generation of doing what we want. We can do what ever we set our minds to, according to Norman V. Peale. and perhaps the whole obesity epidemic is just the natural result of such philosophy combined with abundance.
added later
Is the program, that is living under the direction of something we have no control over, ie. a concept, the answer to all our problems? Or is it just a convenient way to ignore all the pressing issues and carrying on, oblivious to the problems? That is living in a parallel universe, for the trek fans. And if it is just a way to ignore our problems, is that so bad? We just carry on anyway. We can spend our days thinking and stewing, but their is no solution and it is beyond our control, beyond our responsibility, and possible beyond our ability to solve anyway.
We could go explore consciousness if we like. Eckhart Tolle has made that his life's work. Micheal Brown found it was his solution to living in reality, rather than deal with the work-a-day world. There is the guy living out in Arizona that does not use money, in idealistic driven work, ignoring supporting other. Buddha, having produced a heir and a spare, went out and explored the human mind. We can do the same, without even changing our life a great deal. We just need to detach from our old thinking and do the next right thing, what ever that is. It may be to go to bed and sleep in the evening. Or read, write, paint, clean, or whatever. Or perhaps visit with others, in person, or via electronic means. We have many choices. Eating is just not one of those choices, and in my case, perhaps TV must also go.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Thanksgiving
Fixity of attitude is all about how rigidly we maintain a specific attitude and what that attitude is. Thanksgiving may be a time of gratitude to the season, the year, the harvest, if we know what harvest is, but for some of us, we need to maintain that attitude all year, for our survival.
Some people are happy bubbly very pleasant high social air heads. Nice to be around, but of no use when the going gets tough, and unable to provide a understand of their handling a substantial problem to other. In there make up, there is no problem. Others of us have a problem, we know we have a problem, and are looking for a solution. We hang around with people who are working toward a solution, and those who have found there solutions, hoping some of it will rub off. For that, and those, I am grateful.
It occurs to me that the "I am right, you are wrong" attitude is the bases of this. Ego preservation, a defence method, may be part of this. But ego is a construct of the mind, which it not us ether, but is the reflection of what we have been told, our learning, ancestors, and similar. It is the entrenched learned, survival primal instinct, that drives us forward. Something else to inventory and review.
Today, Canadian Thanksgivings Sunday, could be a day of gratitude and reflection, but then every day should contain some elements of that. It could be many things, or just another day.
Some people are happy bubbly very pleasant high social air heads. Nice to be around, but of no use when the going gets tough, and unable to provide a understand of their handling a substantial problem to other. In there make up, there is no problem. Others of us have a problem, we know we have a problem, and are looking for a solution. We hang around with people who are working toward a solution, and those who have found there solutions, hoping some of it will rub off. For that, and those, I am grateful.
It occurs to me that the "I am right, you are wrong" attitude is the bases of this. Ego preservation, a defence method, may be part of this. But ego is a construct of the mind, which it not us ether, but is the reflection of what we have been told, our learning, ancestors, and similar. It is the entrenched learned, survival primal instinct, that drives us forward. Something else to inventory and review.
Today, Canadian Thanksgivings Sunday, could be a day of gratitude and reflection, but then every day should contain some elements of that. It could be many things, or just another day.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
OA success
OA as a program works for those that want to work it. The program consists of:
- a daily reset to a plan for just today
- a decision to follow the plan for just today
- the willingness to do the plan for today
- faith in the plan for just today
- a plan for the day
- a review at the end of the day.
Some days the plan will include cleaning up our past, and figuring out how to do better in the future. Most of what we do is good enough. We done good. Pat ourselves on the back and go to sleep. Some days we need to be the student, and some days the teacher. Some things we just need to step back from and let go by. No opinion necessary. No action necessary. No thought necessary.
There are many ways to say this does not work, but logically, how can it not work if we have a reasonable plan, and the willingness to do it?
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Plan of eating
In OA there is a plan of eating as a tool. It reads as follows:
As a tool, a plan of eating helps us to abstain from eating compulsively. Having a personal plan of eating guides us in our dietary decisions, as well as defines what, when, how, where and why we eat. It is our experience that sharing this plan with a sponsor or another OA member is important.
There are no specific requirements for a plan of eating; OA does not endorse or recommend any specific plan of eating, nor does it exclude the personal use of one. (See the pamphlets Dignity of Choice and A Plan of Eating for more information.) For specific dietary or nutritional guidance, OA suggests consulting a qualified health care professional, such as a physician or dietician. Each of us develops a personal plan of eating based on an honest appraisal of his or her own past experience; we also have come to identify our current individual needs, as well as those things which we should avoid.
Although individual plans of eating are as varied as our members, most OA members agree that some plan — no matter how flexible or structured — is necessary.
Yah sure...
I hold rigidly to the belief that there are chemical in the food that is driving this desire to eat. In addition; for some of us, there is a compulsion or obsession.
We first must eliminate the chemicals, then address the compulsion. Just for today philosophy, will work to get us started. I just need to to this today. Eat only fresh fatty meat, eggs, fish, cooked, and green vegetable, leaves, stems, chuted, limit roots to non white, with oils; olive, coconut, gee, cold pressed first run canola; only for about two weeks, will get us clear of the chemicals. No sugar, wheat, grains, processed foods, "vegetable" oils, butter, cheese, milk, rice, corn, beans.
Until we do this test, we will be unable to separate compulsion and chemical. Just for today, each morning, commit to the test, for it is for education of your body, and your learning. After each of three or four meals each day, a large glass of water and a ten minute walk, to provide separation from the food eating place. We do not need to do this for long, and just for today, is the only commitment.
Note your hunger, and record what you ate and how much. Weight should be recorded every AM, and after ten days, start a 10 day running average, which will become your "official" weight. You (we) need to eat clean for about 14 days straight. If we slip, oh well, back on the program, but you need about 14 days clean. Are the cravings and hunger less? Has any thing else changed? Less GERD, IBS, Blood pressure, blood glucose issues?
Are you clear of the chemicals? Do you feel the difference? Do not starve yourself. If after 14 clean days, you feel the same as before, we will talk more. It took me about a month to get the first 14 clean, but after 3 days, it became much easier.
As a tool, a plan of eating helps us to abstain from eating compulsively. Having a personal plan of eating guides us in our dietary decisions, as well as defines what, when, how, where and why we eat. It is our experience that sharing this plan with a sponsor or another OA member is important.
There are no specific requirements for a plan of eating; OA does not endorse or recommend any specific plan of eating, nor does it exclude the personal use of one. (See the pamphlets Dignity of Choice and A Plan of Eating for more information.) For specific dietary or nutritional guidance, OA suggests consulting a qualified health care professional, such as a physician or dietician. Each of us develops a personal plan of eating based on an honest appraisal of his or her own past experience; we also have come to identify our current individual needs, as well as those things which we should avoid.
Although individual plans of eating are as varied as our members, most OA members agree that some plan — no matter how flexible or structured — is necessary.
Yah sure...
I hold rigidly to the belief that there are chemical in the food that is driving this desire to eat. In addition; for some of us, there is a compulsion or obsession.
We first must eliminate the chemicals, then address the compulsion. Just for today philosophy, will work to get us started. I just need to to this today. Eat only fresh fatty meat, eggs, fish, cooked, and green vegetable, leaves, stems, chuted, limit roots to non white, with oils; olive, coconut, gee, cold pressed first run canola; only for about two weeks, will get us clear of the chemicals. No sugar, wheat, grains, processed foods, "vegetable" oils, butter, cheese, milk, rice, corn, beans.
Until we do this test, we will be unable to separate compulsion and chemical. Just for today, each morning, commit to the test, for it is for education of your body, and your learning. After each of three or four meals each day, a large glass of water and a ten minute walk, to provide separation from the food eating place. We do not need to do this for long, and just for today, is the only commitment.
Note your hunger, and record what you ate and how much. Weight should be recorded every AM, and after ten days, start a 10 day running average, which will become your "official" weight. You (we) need to eat clean for about 14 days straight. If we slip, oh well, back on the program, but you need about 14 days clean. Are the cravings and hunger less? Has any thing else changed? Less GERD, IBS, Blood pressure, blood glucose issues?
Are you clear of the chemicals? Do you feel the difference? Do not starve yourself. If after 14 clean days, you feel the same as before, we will talk more. It took me about a month to get the first 14 clean, but after 3 days, it became much easier.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Too what lengths
Too what lengths am I willing to go to recover? Just for the exercise, this time, I used the other to.
For some of us to get on the program we give up something that was important to us, for other we just need to be willing to give up important thing, places, people in out lives. It may be necessary for some of us to step back from family who are pushing us into the disease or what ever this condition really is. We may not be able to spend time with people displaying the symptoms of compulsive eating, whether they are or not is not the question. We need to make the decisions that are right for us, not right for others. They will just need to live with our decisions. There are control freaks out there, and some of us are (may be) dependent, but it is life or a slow painful death. Your choice.
For some of us to get on the program we give up something that was important to us, for other we just need to be willing to give up important thing, places, people in out lives. It may be necessary for some of us to step back from family who are pushing us into the disease or what ever this condition really is. We may not be able to spend time with people displaying the symptoms of compulsive eating, whether they are or not is not the question. We need to make the decisions that are right for us, not right for others. They will just need to live with our decisions. There are control freaks out there, and some of us are (may be) dependent, but it is life or a slow painful death. Your choice.
To what lengths
To what lengths will I go to have this blood obsession arrested, one day at a time, for today? Am I willing to record all caloric inputs, including quantity? Am I willing to do 10,000 steps? Am I willing to go to meetings regularly? Do service work, whether anyone wants the service or not? Do service until service becomes the obsession, or at least thinking of others becomes the obsession? Not yet? More willingness required?
I am a compulsive person, so the compulsion can become recording and doing 10 thousand a day (pick a number).
Service work can become an alternate obsession to overeating. My mother would do anything for anyone other than here family. She "kept in touch" with extended family, but mostly lost touch with here children. Such was her opportunity cost of her obsession. I am not suggesting that we get that into service, but the possibility is there.
These blogs (4) are my current mild obsession now. But these are not strong enough to displace the food obsession yet, always.
Food addiction
video http://bigthink.com/ideas/23923
One of the key functions of the neurotransmitter dopamine is to create feelings of pleasure that our brains associate with necessary physiological actions like eating and procreating. (gives us motivation to do it again) We are driven to perform these vital functions because our brains are conditioned to expect the dopamine rush that accompanies them.
Addictive drugs flood the brain with dopamine and condition us to expect artificially high levels of the neurotransmitter. Over time, the user's brain requires more dopamine than it can naturally produce, and it becomes dependent on the drug, which never actually satisfies the need it has created.
One of the key functions of the neurotransmitter dopamine is to create feelings of pleasure that our brains associate with necessary physiological actions like eating and procreating. (gives us motivation to do it again) We are driven to perform these vital functions because our brains are conditioned to expect the dopamine rush that accompanies them.
Addictive drugs flood the brain with dopamine and condition us to expect artificially high levels of the neurotransmitter. Over time, the user's brain requires more dopamine than it can naturally produce, and it becomes dependent on the drug, which never actually satisfies the need it has created.
Changing Ourselves
As we go through the process of changing ourselves, primarily in a effort to be able to maintain a normal weight, other things change along the way. We have no control over what will change. It will happen suddenly, but what will happen and when is unknown.
The first change that must occur is the process of learning, to take the time necessary to learn little bits, and then keep coming back. Perseverance. It will take time. We need to develop patience. We need to develop an inner peace.
We need to learn that we can only change ourselves and then only sometimes, and not in a predictable fashion. We can change the way we react to the world, and this is where much success lies. We cannot change the world around us much. We can change our exposure to the world around us, but what do we want to become? Isolated. Recluse. Do we want to drive those around us away? Or the life of the party? It is our individual choice.
It take determination, commitment, courage, compassion, perseverance, gentleness, consistency, and responsibility to change ourselves in a big way. We need to consider long and hard before we make major changes, for once these start, we may be changes forever.
The serenity prayer does a nice summary of all this.
The first change that must occur is the process of learning, to take the time necessary to learn little bits, and then keep coming back. Perseverance. It will take time. We need to develop patience. We need to develop an inner peace.
We need to learn that we can only change ourselves and then only sometimes, and not in a predictable fashion. We can change the way we react to the world, and this is where much success lies. We cannot change the world around us much. We can change our exposure to the world around us, but what do we want to become? Isolated. Recluse. Do we want to drive those around us away? Or the life of the party? It is our individual choice.
It take determination, commitment, courage, compassion, perseverance, gentleness, consistency, and responsibility to change ourselves in a big way. We need to consider long and hard before we make major changes, for once these start, we may be changes forever.
The serenity prayer does a nice summary of all this.
Willingness
Change of any kind requires willingness to change. We go through about 5 stages, precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. There should also be a feed back loop to modify the final state to a more favourable state, but that tends to allow creep back to the original issue.
Willingness to change is a state of mind, in fact, the first three are mainly in our head. Until we get to action, it is all in our heads. That is my problem, I think about it and am not strong on the actual doing. Just do it.
Willingness to change is a state of mind, in fact, the first three are mainly in our head. Until we get to action, it is all in our heads. That is my problem, I think about it and am not strong on the actual doing. Just do it.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Drop out rate
In several places, I have noted comments about the OA drop Out Rate. I maintain that, before you can drop out, you need to be on the program. We have many visitors, perhaps they buy a book, and go away. These people have never been in the program, so they are not part of the drop outs. I think that our actual drop out rate is low. There are many that come in, work the program, and leave. Stop practising sure. But the program is ongoing, no graduation, they never go that part of the program, so they never got onto the program, so they cannot drop out. Visitors come and go, sure, but if you are on the program, it is a life commitment. End of.
For those of us who define god as good orderly direction, how can we drop out? We can stop attending meetings, but since we do not do "exit interviews", what do we really know.
What has god done for you today?
For those of us who define god as good orderly direction, how can we drop out? We can stop attending meetings, but since we do not do "exit interviews", what do we really know.
What has god done for you today?
a twist again
A Buddhist’s Non-Theist 12 Steps:
1. We admitted our addictive craving over alcohol, and recognized its consequences in our lives.
2. Came to believe that a power other than self could restore us to wholeness.
3. Made a decision to go for refuge to this other power as we understood it.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to ourselves and another human being the exact moral nature of our past.
6. Became entirely ready to work at transforming ourselves.
7. With the assistance of others and our own firm resolve, we transformed unskillful aspects of ourselves and cultivated positive ones.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed.
9. Made direct amends to such people where possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. In addition, made a conscientious effort to forgive all those who harmed us.
10. Continue to maintain awareness of our actions and motives, and when we acted unskillfully promptly admitted it.
11. Engaged through the practice of meditation to improve our conscious contact with our true selves, and seeking that beyond self. Also used prayer as a means to cultivate positive attitudes and states of mind.
12. Having gained spiritual insight as a result of these steps, we practice these principles in all areas of our lives, and make this message available to others in need of recovery.
1. We admitted our addictive craving over alcohol, and recognized its consequences in our lives.
2. Came to believe that a power other than self could restore us to wholeness.
3. Made a decision to go for refuge to this other power as we understood it.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to ourselves and another human being the exact moral nature of our past.
6. Became entirely ready to work at transforming ourselves.
7. With the assistance of others and our own firm resolve, we transformed unskillful aspects of ourselves and cultivated positive ones.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed.
9. Made direct amends to such people where possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. In addition, made a conscientious effort to forgive all those who harmed us.
10. Continue to maintain awareness of our actions and motives, and when we acted unskillfully promptly admitted it.
11. Engaged through the practice of meditation to improve our conscious contact with our true selves, and seeking that beyond self. Also used prayer as a means to cultivate positive attitudes and states of mind.
12. Having gained spiritual insight as a result of these steps, we practice these principles in all areas of our lives, and make this message available to others in need of recovery.
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