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| Available for Kindle and in print. |
As a child, the adults in her life taught her that food was a medicine, one she used to sooth the abuse she suffered in her childhood and later on in her romantic relationships. She has battled an emotional food addiction as well as chronic health issues as a result of her weight.
But Susan's love for her children, her family, the new love in her life, her faith, and, quite importantly, her love for herself--all helped her turn her health around. Her results are astonishing, and she has been able to help many others along the way.
I strongly recommend this read. In this day's highly sedentary and food-driven culture, our health often gets put on the bottom shelf. Look at Susan's photos from then and now. Read about how she has struggled and battled and bled and bruised in order to feel good again, in order to be there for her children--not only physically, but mentally as well, Whether you are struggling with weight issues or not, this is a true story that will move you. Read on for photos and and an author interview full of helpful insight.
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Book blurb: "Obesity, mental affliction, dependency, broken marriages—and at the apex of it all: Food. There are many who silently suffer through the perpetual cycle of deadly addictions, but very rarely is food addiction spoken about. It’s a hushed existence with many who suffer under its control. Obesity began to control my existence at the age of eight. My battle with binge eating shaped every area of my life, from relationships to my low self-worth, for over thirty years. Battling compulsive overeating is not as easy as “going on a diet” when the issues that feed the addiction are psychologically rooted. In this intensely raw and introspective account, no stone is left unturned as I recount defining moments of a journey that embodies dysfunction, inner turmoil, and the emergence of determination and courage. In telling my story, it is my hope that those who have lived a windowless existence take solace in the knowledge that personal revelation and resurrection is indeed attainable when you Dig Deep For Change."
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Interview with Susan R. Anderson
What is a typical day of eating for you?
Eating breakfast helps jump-start your
metabolism and provides energy for the morning hours. A well-rounded breakfast
should include grains, fruits and dairy, as well as protein.
I eat a high protein whole grain diet. For breakfast I usually eat
fiber-rich cereal with 2% milk, or whole grain oatmeal with a boiled egg.
For lunch I usually eat a colorful salad with lots of veggies and a
lot of bean varieties such as chick peas and black beans with lean chicken or
turkey, and balsamic dressing.
I am a mini-snacker. I have several small snacks in between my main
3 meals. It’s important to keep the metabolism revved all day, and having at least
3 snacks does the trick. It also keeps extreme hunger between lunch and dinner
at bay.
A small cup of plain Greek yogurt with fruit, a palm-sized portion
of natural almonds, string cheese and an apple, natural peanut
butter or hummus and celery sticks are some examples of my mid-day munchies.
On the dinner plate, I focus on dividing my plate almost equally
between lean protein, grains, and vegetables. For dinner I’ll have some form of
grilled protein such as tilapia, steak or chicken, a quick veggie stir fry over
a small portion of brown rice, or a grilled hamburger on a whole grain bun with
a small green salad.
You are a mom.
You are an author. You work full-time and you carve out a workout schedule. Do
you have any advice for people who are too busy to eat well?
Whether you're overworked or just plain overstressed, time is
valuable to all of us. When making a lifestyle change, it can easily seem
overwhelming to include new habits like exercise and healthy eating into your
jam-packed days. Weekly meal prep is invaluable to those who are always on the
run.
Plan time each week, perhaps on a Sunday afternoon, to prepare foods
for the rest of the week. Take a few hours to shop and plan your meals
for the upcoming week. Cut your fruits and veggies and store them in Ziploc
bags as pre-portioned snacks or to make cooking quick and easy during the week.
Then all you’ll need to do during the week is throw your prepared foods in the
oven or on the stove for a few minutes for a healthy, home-cooked meal.
Some doubt the
existence of binge eating disorder. What do you say to those who think food
addiction is simply a lack of willpower?
Trust me on this: food addiction is real. People like me who have
suffered under its domination for years will tell you the same thing. Although
food addiction has been largely rejected by many, there is overwhelming scientific
evidence to support it. It is possible to get
addicted to food. The activity that occurs with sugar cravings is
the same that occurs with cocaine cravings. It isn't simply
imagination. It is real.
My father was addicted to gambling, both my sister and mother were
addicted to cigarettes and alcohol. My
drug of choice happened to be in the form of food.
The pleasure centers of our brain are activated when we eat or do
anything that feels good, which is why people get addicted to lots of things
like gambling, sex, and video games, to name a few--not just drugs. In fact,
some people are addicted to food, regardless of what's in it. It's not the
sugar, salt, or fat. It's the chewing and swallowing of any food that they are
addicted to.
This is why overeating is the trickiest of the addictions to recover
from. With drugs, we can lock the beast out, but with food, we let it back in every
day.
Could you give
any advice to those who completely lack the motivation to change poor eating habits? You have to want to get healthy in order to get
healthy. How can we kick ourselves into wanting it if we are struggling with
motivation?
I have been asked this question many times. There is only one answer
that I can give, which is a completely simple and very honest one. You have to
WANT to CHANGE. You have to want it more than your cravings, you have to want
it more than personal distractions, and you have to be determined to do a
complete mind shift in terms of what we eat and our daily activities as it relates
to our health and weight loss. It is actually very easy to stay motivated once
you program yourself for it! Thinking and acting from a new mindset will create changes in your
body. Here are a few tips to jump off
the junk food wagon:
· Try
drinking lemon water in the mornings and whenever you feel like eating junk
food. This speeds up the metabolism.
· Try
avoiding going past junk food areas in supermarkets; it may tempt you to get
into unhealthy eating habits again.
· Plan
meals ahead; it will make you less likely to pick up fast food and it means you
can tailor your shopping list to fit. That way you know exactly what you're
buying.
· Read
the label. Things that you never thought were high in carbs, fat and calories would surprise you!
· Toss
it. Get rid of all the current junk food in your house. Sounds drastic and it
is. This was my first step, and it helped me tremendously.
· When
you want to mindlessly snack on something unhealthy, remind yourself why you are
in this fight in the first place. Remember your goals. Then grab an apple!
What are some of
your favorite ways to get a great workout?
I love exercises that are fun and will keep me engaged. Local YMCAs
frequently offer dance classes that are fun, and it’s always great to learn a
new skill. I love Zumba. It is a high impact, intense, and super-fun way to burn
TONS of calories in 30 minutes! I encourage anyone, whether they can dance or not, to channel their inner Beyoncé and move that booty!
At what point did
you decide you wanted to write a book to share your story and help others?
I was inspired to write my story about seven years ago, ironically when I was just beginning my journey. I promised God that
if He would give me the endurance, strength, and mental capacity to finish this
journey to save my life, I would tell anyone who would listen my story and
how I did it. I have a deep passion and connect very personally to people who
struggle with food addiction, severe obesity, and depression. I am them. I can
relate to the struggle, the mental anguish, health issues, and physical pain of obesity. I also know what it feels like to be on the other end
of that spectrum when your mind and body are free from the weight that holds
down the spirit. Digging Deep for Change is a personal love letter to those
that long for inspiration and encouragement. I am no different from you, if I
can change my life, you most certainly can too.
Have you heard
from anyone you have helped along the way?
Yes! I am pleased when I receive emails and messages from women and
men who have read Digging Deep for Change and how they have renewed their journey to healthier living. My latest email was from a brave and
dynamic woman who had given up on herself before she was led to read my book. She
has since lost forty pounds, and is on her way to achieving not only her weight loss goals
but her personal goals as well. I am very humbled and even more excited for
those who are beginning to experience the kind of freedom that I have. My
prayer is that everyone who reads DDFC will experience that kind of epiphany.
How have the
changes you've made in your lifestyle affected your family
and people close to you?
It’s fantastic to see the domino effect that my journey has had on
those who are close to me. My nieces, who were both over 100 pounds overweight, have been inspired take their health more seriously, as well as my college-aged
daughter, who has now lost over 50 pounds by following my diet and exercise regime
while away at school. My husband takes the prize for most diligent and
determined though. After undergoing hip surgery, he became determined to lose
weight and began working out with me. He cut the sugar and empty calories from
his diet. To date, he has gone down 4 pant sizes, and has gained tons of
energy that he didn’t have prior. I like to call him my prized pupil!
Do you have
another book in the works?
Not yet. I have toyed with the idea of writing another book, but
right now I am focusing on promoting DDFC and getting this very important
topic in the forefront. Many people deal with the external issue of obesity without realizing that the issues that are underlying have little to do with
what is consumed, but rather what is consuming us internally. It’s a subject that needs to be
talked about, and I am working now to do just that via public speaking appearances
via media outlets.
Any closing
comments for others who are Digging Deep for Change?
As I chronicled in my book, the road to a healthier body and mind
will not be a cakewalk. I won’t lie--if you are truly committed and serious about a losing a significant
amount of weight, the journey you will go on will not be an easy one, but the
rewards are incredibly gratifying if you stick in there.
We sometimes cheat ourselves out of our victories because we give up
when things become challenging. We give up on the goals and dreams and just
settle for the here and now. This
translates into any area of our lives.
On a journey of personal transformation of body as well as mind, you
must be a visionary. You have to decide that you will look beyond what you see and how you feel now, and look ahead to where you will be. This can be
difficult because of our “microwave mentality." We want results right
now. We want to pop a magic pill and wake up to our new selves.
I encourage everyone struggling with weight loss to look beyond your current condition.
Motivate yourself. Don’t give
up because there is no one to workout with or cheer you on to victory. There won’t always be a constant cheering
section. Be a team of one. Be determined to beat the odds, because you
absolutely can.
_____________________________________________________________ Order Digging Deep for Change, available on Amazon.
Contact Sue:
diggingdeep4change@yahoo.com
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