I used to... but now Im different

Has anyone ever had the experience with religion (the church) where someone will get saved(recommitted or whatever term) and people will keep reminding them about where they were? For example. The loose woman. We gotta love her. But there is always the 'Didn't you used to mess with so and so and his brother... at the same time) Blah, blah, blah.  I always thought that was the pits and one of the things that kept so many people from forming a lasting relationship with God. So, I start this topic to say. I am sooo tired of folks bringing up old stuff (filtered.. lol). Like oh so you don't eat.... you used to ...... Uh. I am so over the comments, its disgusting. So I would like to invite everyone to join with me and posting some of your used to that will be left behind with the unwanted pounds. I used to give up after a few days.  Now I'm different. I am fighting like mad to keep my goals in the forefront and understand that a temporary want is not what I really want in the long term. I used to lurk/hide on bad days where I was feeling stressed and would emotionally eat.  Now I'm different. I will post on good and bad days regardless. I will be on the lookout for stress and try to head it off.  I used to be soo mean to myself in my head that all those bad thoughts came back and sabotaged me once I got back on track. Now I'm different. I compliment myself each day at scheduled times and whenever I feel negativity coming back in. I used to feel like it was unfair if I couldn't indulge in a drink and eat with friends socially.  Now I'm different. Alcohol isn't helping me lose weight and neither is the temporary pleasure of eating a high calorie, fatty, tasty, creamy (insert other adjectives here) meal. I want to be able to eat in any restaurant one day without worrying about my hips and the chairs. I just say no and eat a salad.

You know, this is one of the reasons this board is so amazing. You have put into words all of the feeling that I've been having.  Right now I pay more lip service to my resolutions then I do to actually accepting them, but I do have a few. I will try hard to be less critical of where I am.  I will begin to celebrate what I have accomplished instead of being upset over what I haven't. I will try hard to stop looking at food as bad.  If I accept that I want a bite of something that is normally not on my food plan, I will have that bite and move on.  Instead of wallowing in the guilt and self pity I will move on and accept what I ate and get back to basics. I will begin to enjoy events instead of always worrying about the foods or drinks that I can't have.  I will enjoy the one time situation and then wake up the next day and live the new life I have made for myself. Thank you for this post!

A big God bless you on this Lord's day!     I tatally agree with all you wrote! We sooo need to be kinder to ourselves.  Why do people dredge up the past? Cause they feel so lousy about themselves!  I've decided that if anyone says things that are not uplifting concerning my weight, I will tell them that MY weight is not a topic of allowed conversation!  Nuff said....I mean if I don't talk about thier warts, don't talk about MY weight! lol.....Good going for you, you are on the right track!

What a great post!  Thank you so much for putting this in writing.  You have a great attitude and some great strategies that I fully intend to "steal".    Thank you!

AMEN, MY SISTAH!!!!! That is sum good stuff right there...I LOVE to hear a lady KNOW  she can change.  That is the way. I would agree with all you said...I would change this: I used to feel like it was unfair if I couldn't indulge in a drink and eat with friends socially.  Now I'm different. I will feel personally empowered when I order foods out that meet my goals. I will feel empowered when I plan my alcohol intake for the week. I can drink socially when I trade off sweet foods for my weekly alcohol intake. I am different now beacuse I realize being with my friends is the important part, not the food or drink.

You know I just had the wooooorst week.. and then I saw this EXCELLENT post. You truly inspired me. You completely put into words exactly how I feel but I won't be defeated because now I am different. Sweet! You rock.

I used to give up on healthy eating for the day or even the week if I made one mistake.

Now I'm different. If I get off track I will get immediately back on tract EVEN if I am in the MIDDLE of eating something - when I get my sense back I will THROW IT AWAY and start my healthy eating plan again that very second!

I am so happy that I was able to make my thoughts clear to you guys. Sometimes its all so cluttered in my head. I really think that a lot of this battle is of the thoughts. Stay focused! (speaking to you and me!)