Find Your “Fishing”
As I lost my excess 147 pounds, I found that I had extra time. It takes a chunk of time to eat, searching, planning what you’re going to eat, buying what you’re going to eat, down time that is unproductive feeling bad and unmotivated, and lethargic. When I wasn’t engaging in the process of emotional eating, I had more time. If I was going to continue to lose weight, I knew I needed to fill that time. Okay, but what? What did I like to do? Eating, dieting, binging, etc., had occupied so much of my life that I didn’t have a consistent interest or hobby to fill that time.
Ever since I’ve known my husband, he loves to fish. Fishing is his thing. He thinks about it, checks lake reports, books, magazines, – anything having to do with fishing he is interested in. I decided, I needed to find my own “fishing” to fill my time. Rather than my emotional eating behaviors occuping my time, it also occupied my thoughts. Again, I needed to find my fishing.
I had a purpose – I was going to find my fishing! Sad but true, I didn’t know what I was interested in. I had tried different hobbies and interests throughout the years but nothing really stuck and held my interests. Food was my hobby, interest, my partner in life whether good, bad or ugly. I went to a bookstore and looked up and down the aisles at the different subjects and topics to see if something reached out and grabbed me. My bookstore search didn’t produce a “fishing” of my own. I started paying attention to the interests of my family and friends to see if something hit a chord and became my fishing. Again, nothing really piqued my interest. Was I destined to never find my own hobbies and interests to pursue?
As I continued to lose weight, I felt better about myself, had more confidence, and my world (as in hobbies and interests) opened up. Instead of going out in pursuit of my own fishing, many “fishings” came to me. My husband has smaller interests but fishing is definitely his main thing. For me, I found that I have many interests. I don’t have a main fishing but I have a few fishings. When I get bored or something else interests me, I follow that interest. I am happy and excited when I find a new interest or hobby.
As you lose weight, you’ll also find that you have unoccupied time and aren’t resonating on food thoughts. Food, eating or avoiding it, takes up your time and thoughts. You’ll need to fill your time and thoughts with something new. Something that is exciting and fun that fills YOU up instead of food. Embark on your own self-discovery adventure to find your “fishing”.
All the best,
Cathy
