ME and FOOD vs CRAPPY DAYS
/Weight Loss Fluctuations (9.29.2025 to 10.5.2025)
It’s a modern-day phenomenon that most people live lives centered on family, fun, smiles, vibrant vacations, and supportive friends. “InstaLives” reflect our shining homes, brilliant children, photogenic pets, and ever-so-loving relationships. Aren’t things grand?
Often our days are grand.
Sometimes they’re crap. Today is such a day for me. There’s nothing tragic, traumatic, or dramatic. It’s merely one of “those” days. The sky is a deep Carolina Blue (if you’re a Tarheel, you know of what I speak). My most cherished possessions are placed just as I like them, surrounding me with positive vibes. Our old dog, Jack, is asleep on his bed, his heavy, deep breaths keeping a calm cadence, much like the grandfather clock in the hall. My houseplants are mostly alive—an improvement over my previous attempts at green thumbery—and the chickens are doing their thing in the backyard.
Still … a crappy, no-good day. I’m in quite the funk. I picked a fight with My Lovely Mate. Vexingly, he didn’t join in. What a jerk. How dare he stay reasonable and calm when I’m weepy and irritated?
Here’s the thing, though: food hasn’t entered my thoughts, other than to write about food not entering my thoughts as the topic of this post. In years past, having one of “those days” (or “those hours”, “minutes”, or “microseconds”) would have found me pulling away from a drive-up window with a bag brimming with warm fast food, the savory perfume floating around until the next moment I was able to have the car at a complete stop. Heck. Who am I trying to kid? I would totally reach blindly with my right hand for some French fries to feed into my gob while steering with my left.
Sure, whatever had set me off, or torn me up, or hurt my feelings, or pissed me off would still be there when the Big Mac or M&Ms or pretzels were nothing but a memory and a belch. But I would convince myself that the food helped smooth over the rough patch. What the food actually did was make me a walking rough patch. It never fixed anything. I didn’t use food to cope. I used food to not cope.
Things can and will be unpleasant sometimes. People will still disagree with and disappoint us. And we will still act like petulant toddlers for no good reason. But having long ago exorcised food from my internal and emotional armament in the slog against all the challenges and frustrations that arise, I might stew in my feelings, but I don’t have to wallow in the predictable regret at having turned to food when food can’t do a thing about the [fill in the blank] that made today crappy. Separating food from feelings is a victory.
I guess I can pull that out and think about it, even on this crappy day. And if I can go that, you can do that. I promise.
Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D., but instead, I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths, and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all. I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!
