Positive Changes

Day 24 of the 30 day yoga challenge was called something like 'Yummy, gentle, restorative yoga' and it was 18 minutes of hip-opening gentle stretches.  No heavy perspiration, no core work, no balances or binds.  It was indeed 'yummy'. 
I also decided to try a bigger cup of coffee this morning to see if it would help alleviate the feeling I have been calling 'burnout' when maybe it's just that I took the caffeine too low too soon.  To be honest, one of the main reasons I want to give up coffee (other than the obvious health reasons) is because I believe it is the culprit for my stains on my teeth.  I can't be totally sure because the mouthwash I use also says it can cause surface stains.  How messed up is that?  I am finally doing everything my dentist wants me to do and it could potentially be contributing to my teeth looking bad.  Ha ha.  Anyway, I have decided that before my next cleaning in November, I am going to be off coffee except for the occassional cup.  That way I can tell if it's my mouthwash causing the stains.  There are other ways of getting caffeine in the morning. 
Last night I had a bit of a victory with food.  I have been having a slightly irritated throat for a couple weeks now, and my mom's cure for that was always ice cream.  I really haven't been craving ice cream though, and typically just keep drinking lots of water.  But last night on my drive home from work, my throat was plenty irritated and it the fact that I'd missed my afternoon snack made it a perfect storm for a massive ice cream craving.  Not just ice cream, I wanted the hot fudge and carmel and nuts.  My mouth was watering at the thought and I fully intended to go get some after getting the dog out.  The kids would get a big kick out of that, it's a part of summer afterall.  As I was walking the dog around I started to think about Brain Over Binge Workbook and that little battle in my head was, I know this is my lower brain talking, not my logical higher brain.  Yeah but, I haven't had ice cream in a while now and I want it.  I've been working a billion hours and not getting lunch breaks and having to stay late with customers. But, when am I ever going to take control of this and make the effort to really change? So I continued with the dog, and we got pretty hot by the time he did his business and that made it even harder to resist the urge to get some cold, throat-soothing ice cream.  But, because I was hot and so wiped out, I really didn't feel like driving over to the store to get it. And I would be spending money on something completely unneccesary.  So I reasoned with myself that I was likely craving sweets because I was over-hungry.  I decided that I was going to eat my planned meal and if I was still really craving ice cream, I would go get a small container.  I ate my dinner (refried beans with cheese, lettuce, onions, shredded lettuce, taco sauce and sour cream) and I felt so good.  All the cravings disappeared.  I did still have a slightly irritated throat so I just chugged water all night.  That was my food victory.  The more I don't give into those situational cravings (ie, over-hungry, stressed out, hormones) the less they will crop up as a possible solution to the situation at hand.  I am not against having something sweet from time to time, if it is a genuine craving that doesn't go away, because I know if I deny myself a true craving I will only find a whole heap of substitues that will add up to way more calories than having a little bit of something I want would have.  The way I can tell if it is true is through a little self-examination and experimentation.  When I feel a craving come on as if by whim, I try to figure out what it is I really want.  Am I bored?  Lonely? Frustrated? Wanting the moment/day to feel more 'special'?  Am I really hungry or thirsty?  I did learn that the body naturally craves high fat and sugar foods when it goes into 'survival' mode, when you haven't eaten for too long (what I call over-hungry).  The hungrier I get, the less logic and inhibition my brain exhibits.  That's what Brain Over Binge author calls the 'lower brain' the one that acts on instinct.  When I am not over-hungry and it comes time to eat, I don't have cravings and I don't have a problem sticking to what I planned out for the most part. So I do think that I am learning really great tools from the book and now I just have to remind myself to use the tools I am learning so that they can work.  I am going in the right direction.
I do feel like the yoga is starting to firm my body some.  Today I put on a pair of stretchy capris I have had for about 2 years.  I have never had them not cling to my every fiber (my legs are the thinnest part of me so I didn't mind that) until I put them on today.  Today they don't hug my legs, but hang a little loose.  I did try on a tweed pair that have been too small for me and they were definitely still snug but I could button and zip them which was difficult in the past.  I will use that pair of pants to tell my progress.  I really love that pair of pants (and that's a big statement because I hate wearing pants) and I can't wait to be able to wear them.
Tomorrow I have to be to work at 7am, a whole hour and 15 minutes earlier than normal, which means I have to alter my sleep schedule slightly if I want to do yoga in the morning.  I was considering waiting to do the workout until after work, but I really like to be more restful in the evenings.  So, I think I will try to get up at 4:15 to see how it will feel when I do it during my kids' school year.  I have to fight my whining brain and realize it is only 45 minutes earlier than I normally get up, and I still get a little extra time than I would during the school year because right now I don't have kids to get ready and feed.  So it will be a good test run. It's going to make for a long day but with a little extra coffee I think I can manage. 
Long enough post.  Can you tell I had more coffee today?  Lol.  Have a good Wednesday!