Brian Be With Me Day

I am rejuvenated by Crystal's posts and so happy that she's come "home" to our beloved Board. Crystal, you have inspired me! As you all know, I have a terrible addiction to chocolate and candy. It's gotten so bad at work that my consumption of the stuff has tripled this past month - some of it has to do with new people starting in new positions and have picked up the trend of leaving jars of candy of every imaginable kind on their desks for people to take as they walk by - my Demons in my head have not let me walk by without grabbing a handful. It's gotten out of control. So today, I talked to God on my way in to work and I asked him to take this on for me today - and I asked him to send my brother Brian to watch over me - Brian died several years ago and I still miss him so much. I just want to get through the day without eating candy. That's all I want today. Just today. Wish me luck, guys - and I wish for all of you a beautiful, safe, sane day of health! Love ya, Maureen

I am happy to be back.  That is such a lovely thought.  We all need angels in our lives.  Honey, you are definitely not the only chocoholic, I crave the dumb stuff.  I have been making chocolate protein shakes to help me detox.  Kinda like the fat kids version of methadone.  We can do this, Reenie.  You are not as far gone as I am, but I believe any soul can be redeemed, so we have to believe anyone can lose weight.  We have the attitude switched on in our heads and it is full steam ahead.  By the by, does anyone else have this wierd little piccadillo?  I will try and try to lose weight; however, until that little "go switch" gets flipped in my head, nada, bumpkiss.  Once I flip that little determination switch on, it seems that I can accomplish anything.  I am mentally flipping on all of your "go switches".Seriously, I am sending out prayers for all of us.  I know it's cliched and a little strange, but I read The Secret after a church group was studying it.  Basically, it is supposed to be about the laws of attraction and that you will get back the same vibes as you send oout into the universe.  I think it's hooey, but the principle stands.  Positive thinking is half the battle.  It did inspire me to think more positively and that was a push I needed.  See ya, my son is begging for the use of my laptop.  We're having ANOTHER snowday and the teachers are now sending home packets of work for home schooling to keep them current.                                          Love as always, Crissie

Crystal, I really believe that no one is "as far gone" as anyone else.  We all start back from exactly where we stand.  I struggle, struggle, struggle like anyone else, but I firmly believe that the battle is not lost as far as I am still struggling. 

Just thinking out loud...  maybe we should stop referring to this struggle as a battle.  Maybe we are overwhelming ourselves by thinking of our food issues as battles, wars, demons.  I like your analogy of flipping a switch because it makes the problem smaller. 

Long ago, I lost 80 pounds by takng the mental attitude that "I don't".  When offered chips, I would reply, "Thank you, but I don't eat fried food."  What should we eat for dinner?  "I don't eat fast food."  I used my tendency for all or nothing thinking to my advantage with the little phrase "I don't."  I need to flip my "I don't..." switch again. 

Today, "I don't eat fast food."

Big hugs to you and stick around!
Connie

You are absolutely right!  I just said positive thinking is the key and didn't even realize I had sent a negative message.  Thanks for pointing it out.  I'm a nurse, dang it!  I know how to set achievable goals in a positive manner.  I have a long term goal already set.   My first short term goal is to get back under 250.  I can do this by next week.  Then I will set another short term goal.  Reenie set her's as no candy today and I know she can do it.I have been good all day today so far and am not craving carbs at all.  Hey!  I just realized when I typed that, that I have already met one short term goal! 

Thanks Connie,

Love ya guys, Crissie

Yep, I agree with Connie about the all-or-nothing thinking and that there is nowhere to go with that mindset! We are doomed to fail because living life is much more about embracing the grey matter that lies between the black-and-white limitations we set for ourselves. I love the "switch" analogy - and I love the "I don't" strategy; I have tried a similar strategy with some success although inconsistent - when I'm about to eat something crappy, I ask myself, "How will that make you feel?" I know the answer to that. Really bad, it will make me feel really bad. This has worked sometimes for me. All I can say is with this thread, I am in the company of two pretty remarkable strong women! If you two can be so positive in the face of what you both have dealt with, and continue to deal with - well, I am humbled, plain and simple. So - it's 3:13 p.m. The voice in my head switched to autopilot and said, "go get some candy." I happened to be staring out my office window, which overlooks the Thames River - the sun is shining so beautifully and my gaze traveled to the clementine that's sitting on my window sill - and I said, "naw - I want that instead." I just had the sweetest clementine ever! No candy today. Except for 4 little SF pieces - my own, nobody elses. Does that count? Love you guys - Maureen