This War is Not Won in a Day, a Week, or Even a Lifetime, But It Is Worth Fighting

There are some problems that are easily solvable. You can flip a switch, replace a valve, write a letter, make a phone call, or any number of easily done things, and boom; that problem is solved. Some problems/challenges/wars are harder to solve and take longer to get the job done. Those might require a series of battles that have to be met head-on and dealt with on a number of occasions. These might include health issues, relationship issues, as well as work issues or a variety of problems.

Those of us who have weight issues have a different sort of problem.  This type of challenge is more akin to drug and alcohol addiction than anything else, in my opinion.  This problem/war lasts a lifetime and is never, ever won.  However, please do not be discouraged.  It is a war worth fighting.  Getting control of my eating approximately 3 months ago has made a huge difference in the way I feel, as well as the way I now view food. It has also altered my eating habits.

I realize that eating like a thin person might one day make me a thin person.  Won't that be awesome! I further realize that if I quit eating like a thin person, I will never, ever have a chance of being thin. 

If anyone reading this blog, (and I thank you for being one of my readers) can relate to my food battles, please take heart.  This takes work. No one can force you into anything when it comes to food.  You must decide for yourself and for your own reasons.  Please consider stepping into the eating world of thin people.  Eat what you want, but eat only when you are hungry, and eat only till you feel full.  That's it!

So Far, So Good!

This is the end of my second day at Mary Kay Seminar and what a wonderful day it has been! Yes, I am in my "pink bubble" just floating along, enjoying all the training, the excitement, and the friendships of other directors.
It has been fairly easy to eat the right foods today. At breakfast we had fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, and toast. It was served buffet style which enabled me to only take the foods that had no processed carbs and no processed sugar. No pancakes and no toast.
There was really no time for lunch today, but I did snack on peanuts. You know, I have found that when my 'lion', my overeating addiction is under control, then so is my appetite. I just don't get very hungry.
This evening we ate dinner at the hotel restaurant. I had a Texas Caesar Salad with grilled chicken and NO croutons. It tasted wonderful and was very filling.
Tomorrow will be more of a challenge. Seminar officially begins and the meals served will be placed on the tables for us.
I plan on just taking it one meal at a time, eating what I can, and carrying nuts to snack on if I get hungry.
Tomorrow evening, --one meal at a time!

Slippery People

This is the second part of my thoughts on an Alcoholic Anonymous teaching about avoiding Slippery Places, Slippery People, and Slippery Things.

Something that is slippery is different from something that is slick. If you pick up something that is slick or step on something that is slick, you are almost certain to drop it or fall. If you know that it is slick ahead of time, you will probably find a different way of accomplishing your task rather than picking it up or stepping on it.

If you pick up something that is slippery, or step on something that is slippery, there is a chance that you might drop it or fall, but it is not inevitable, if you are cautious. Therefore, if you know ahead of time it is slippery, you might go ahead and carefully do it. That is why slippery is more dangerous that slick.

For a recovering compulsive overeater, slippery people are dangerous. They are your friends. They are fun. They are probably obese. They love to eat and they always have food around. They love you and they love it when you eat with them. Right? Inwardly they will be jealous of you for finally gaining control over your 'addiction lion' called food and they will even admire your strength and 'will power'. However, because of their jealousy, they may try to subtly tempt you into returning to your old ways. They may not do it on purpose, but trust me, they will be glad (even if they don't say so) when you once again join their happy, but miserable overeating clan.

Oh, yes, your addiction may be enough under control that you can be around these people and not overeat. For a while. But little by little, bite, by bite, you will slip, yes, slip back into your old ways. It is almost unavoidable. I am not being pessimistic or negative. I am being realistic.

So what do you do? You can find new friends and never, ever see your old eating buddies again. That is only partially realistic. What if the slippery people in your life are your family? Totally avoid them? Not possible.

I don't think it is realistic to completely change our circle of friends and certainly our family. You just do your best to avoid situations where there are the types of food that will tempt you to overeat. Again. do your best. Personally, it was helpful for me to bring food to family gatherings that I can eat. Taking care of your dietary needs yourself, will give ensure there is food present you can safely eat.

Being aware of the 'slippery' situation you are in, will make you more cautious about you eat. You must have your 'lion' on a short leash and tightly held.

Another Alcoholic Anonymous teaching is about taking one day at a time. I may not be able to do something for the rest of my life, but just for today, I can do it. Remembering back to my Overeaters Anonymous days, there were times when my prayer was not for the day. Instead it was, "Lord, help me make it though this meal." "Lord, help me make it to the next meal." "Lord, help me make it through this church dinner."

Yes, fighting a food addiction is hard, very hard, but God's grace is sufficient, not only for one day at a time, but for one meal at a time.

Well, Maybe My Weight Doesn't Matter, But I Do Care!

A couple of days ago I wrote a post stating that the numbers on the scales are not the top priority when you are seeking to control an overeating addiction. Instead not abusing food is the focus and daily goal of a recovering compulsive overeater.
However, I am here to tell you that I do like to see the numbers on my scales go down. Don't you? You get in the morning, stand on the scales and say, "Yes!", when you see a lower number than the day before! I do!
And what about the days when the scales may show the same weight as the day before, which they will on most days, or oh, dear, the numbers go up by one or two pounds. Does your "Yes!" turn into "Oh, no. This is not good. I am doing my best. I have eaten everything I should and nothing I shouldn't. This is diet is just not working for me. I think I'll eat pizza today, and maybe some dessert as well." If you are one of those people who can't handle a momentary increase or a temporary stabilization in your weight, then Don't Weigh Daily!!!! Do it once a week, or once a month. Not daily. Don't sabotage all your hard work and right eating by just seeing discouraging numbers on your scales.
Lisa, my daughter, has been on this new eating plan for almost a month now and I don't think she has weighed once. She fears that she might be discouraged if she gets in the scales and sees little or no weight loss. Lisa knows she is losing weight by the way her clothes fit and that is good enough for her. Yea, Lisa!!!
For me, however, I like to see the numbers daily. Ok, at least twice daily. Yes, this is coming form the same person who wrote 'It doesn't matter what you weigh." Yes, that is true, but I do care!
I have not told you what my starting weight was. I thought about whether or not to share that gosh awful number with you and decided against it. The main reason? I am too embarrassed. I just can't write that number on this blog and know that all the world is going to see it. I can't do it I will, however, share with you my pounds lost as they gradually come off.
In a few days I may write about my goal and how much I have to lose and then you can do the math!
For today let it be known that, thus far, after my 6th day on the diet, I have lost 3 pounds!!!!! Thank you for your applause!
Have a wonderful day. May God bless you and your family.

Slippery Places

This morning I was watching the news and, of course, one of the lead news stories was the continuing saga of Lindsey Lohan. I feel sadness for her. One of the news anchors said, "She has everything anyone could want, and yet she makes these bad decisions. Sad." The anchor was only partially correct, in my opinion. In some ways she is actually very poor. She is rich in what she doesn't need and has very little of what she does need to live a full and happy life.
Anyway, on this news program Danny Baldwin was brought on to discuss his feelings about Lindsey Lohan and her addictions. He has been through rehab many times with varying degrees of success and failure. At this present time he is apparently staying clean and sober.
As he spoke something he said caught my attention. He was talking about the 12 Step Program and shared that one of the things they learn in this program is to avoid "slippery places", "slippery people", and "slippery things".
That statement spoke volumes to me as a compulsive overeater, and it has been in my thoughts off and on all day.
For those of us who see overeating as an addiction, it is every bit as real as a drinking addiction, gambling addiction or any other kind of addiction. It is an addiction which can be every bit as difficult to overcome as any other addiction. That said, I still believe that we have choices. Yes, we can choose to not eat that 4th brownie or we can choose not to order the large double meat hamburger with extra cheese and fries. Yes, we can choose not to eat those things, but sometimes it is very very hard. Even when we do make the right choices for a season in our lives, staying 'on the wagon' and not ever abusing food again is realistically speaking almost impossible.
When I was a member of Overeaters Anonymous this analogy was used: Think of your addiction as a lion. For an alcoholic, drug addict, gambling addict, or any other kind of addict, you can take your lion, you addiction, lock him in a cage and leave him there. Never take him out again. As a recovering addict can never again take a drink, never again gamble, etc. You must leave the door to the cage closed. Though you may hear the lion roar, as long as he is in the cage, he will not control and destroy your life.
For a compulisve overeater our 'lion' is food. We cannot leave our lion in his cage. We must take our lion for a walk 3 times a day at least. Inevitably there will be times when we get 'scratched'. There will be times when we just eat too much of something. I will write more about that on another day.
A "slippery place" for a recovering alcoholic is a bar or another location where liquor is present. For me, a compulsive overeater, a slippery place is an 'all you can eat' restaurant. I will do just that---eat all I can!!!
Avoiding slippery places is, of course, easier said than done. If, as a compulsive overeater, you find your self in a 'slippery place', where the temptation to over eat is very strong, put a very strong leash on your 'lion' and don't allow yourself to engage in 'slippery eating behavior'.

This is my 6th day on this diet and I have had a great day, excellent energy level, no much hunger, and generally feeling good.