The Green Mountain Diaries – Day #6

Hey guys! Welcome to the day 6 recap of my time here at Green Mountain at Fox Run! As I’m sitting here typing this, it’s actually day 7 and the day I leave   I’m so sad, but incredibly grateful for the experience (even if I feel it was much too short!).

Yesterday, after breakfast, I joined Robyn’s workshop, “Creating Your Green Mountain Cookie Jar.” Your “Green Mountain Cookie Jar” holds slips of paper that list activities you love doing that are practical and that would serve the purpose that food normally would. This is a great delay tactic for emotional eaters. For example, if you are feeling anxious – and that is usually a trigger for you to eat – you can draw a slip from your Green Mountain Cookie Jar and complete the activity (let’s say it’s a self-soothing technique like taking a bubble bath). If you’re still hungry after this activity, fine! (The point is not to get you to never eat for emotional reasons). But you may find that you are satisfied and that you really didn’t want/need food.

I decided to fill mine with green slips that included activities I could do to satisfy my #1 trigger, which is stress!

 

(I flipped when I found this sticker that looks just like her!)
and pink slips for affirmations whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or sad…

I think this is an incredibly helpful idea and just writing out the affirmations made me feel so positive about myself. And, thinking about activities I love doing made me wonder, “why aren’t I doing these more often?!” Definitely a great take-away. I’m really going to put these in a jar at home and put it in the kitchen!

Later, I took zumba with Kate and it was as fun as zumba is back home with my favorite instructor (quite a compliment to Kate!) and also just as strenuous because I did all the modification to use a bit more of energy. I did realize one thing during this class, which was hard for me to realize, but something I have to face: I’m still in the habit of picking myself apart whenever I’m in front of mirror. I was half exercising and half feeling disgusted at my reflection in the mirror. I know where this voice comes from (thanks to Darla’s “Messages from the Past” class). And, I also know what to do to address them (currently constructing a new neuro-pathway for positive self-talk), but it was still sad for me to recognize the behavior and still partake in it despite the thought-stopping technique. Time, Bella. We all need time.

On Fridays, classes are offered called “Sustain the Change,” and one is geared for people who are leaving and one is geared for people who are continuing another week (or 2 or 3, etc.). I went to the class offered for those leaving and we learned about “Predictors of Success for Long Term Weight Management.” Robyn mentioned studies done by the Weight Control Registry (which I’ve mentioned here), as well as techniques found and discussed in the book, The Solution: For Safe, Healthy, and Permanent Weight Loss by Laurel Mellin. The six predictors of success are: staying physically active, managing stress, practicing cognitive behavioral tools, self-monitoring, feeding yourself well & creating a support team. I couldn’t agree with all of these more! For each predictor, we jotted down changes we planned to implement when we got back home (and we understood that they will all change with time – for example, if you had not been physically active before Green Mountain, you shouldn’t write that your plan for staying physically active at home involves an hour of strength training a day (so not practical! or enjoyable lol)). Talk about a class that really equips you with the holistic tools necessary to sustain a positive and healthy life!

After lunch, I certainly got plenty of the time I needed.

Kate took a small group of us snowshoeing and the scenery was even more beautiful than the last time because the sun was out and it felt like we were in this weird simultaneous summer and winter wonderland. Thankfully, there were no incidents of panic on this trip and the reason why will illustrate what I mean when I say the women I have met here have been my favorite part of this trip. As I came downstairs for snowshoeing and saw my pals all bundled up with mittens, I was reminded that my wimpy knit gloves were not enough last time and that I had panicked thinking I was getting frostbite (I know, I know…SO melodramatic!). So I asked Kate if there were mittens in the Lost & Found that I could borrow. She said, “oh, check your mailbox.” It turns out that my pal who had loaned me her mittens last time I went snowshoeing (after I had panicked) had anticipated my need and left them in my mailbox as she was not going snowshoeing. Do you see what I mean?!?!

After snowshoeing for an hour and returning to the loop that led right back to Green Mountain, Kate asked if any of us wanted to go further through the “Logger’s Trail.” Two of us said yes and off my friend and I went with her through the most spectacular sites ever. Have you seen my pictures on Facebook? This was hands-down my favorite moment. At some point, Kate asked us if we wanted to remove our snowshoes so that we could power walk through the snow, so we did. It was incredible to feel the inches and inches of know beneath my feet and around my ankles (thank goodness I had boots!) – and what a work out! We climbed hills, walked through a grave yard and shared our life stories. We ended up adding another hour to our outing and I loved every second of it.

After a delicious dinner, I decided to forgo the field trip to paint pottery and instead stayed in to reflect on my trip here. I don’t think I need to say it (isn’t it obvious?): this trip will always hold a place in my heart as one of the most fun, thought-provoking and self-loving times of my life.

Goodbye, Green Mountain at Fox Run!

<3,

The Cranky One

Tags: body positivity, emotional eating, green mountain at fox run, snowshoeing, zumba