Abstinence - 207th Day

Breakfast
1 banana
1 cup raisin bran
1 cup fat free soy milk
1 cup coffee
2 cups water

Lunch
2 small manicotti stuffed with cheese, with tomato sauce over them
1/3 cup cooked broccoli
1/3 cup caramel apple crisp dessert
2 cups water

Dinner
Rotisserie chicken leg & wing with skin
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 can New England clam chowder
1/2 package blueberries
2 cups fat free soy milk
2 chocolate-flavored graham crackers

Denise Phares/kitties4
 

 

Hi Denise!

I just wanted to say that what helped for me when I had long-term abstinence at OA was as they say "keeping it simple".

I had 3 PLANNED meals with no snacks inbetween BUT I ate almost the same meals with a bit of variety every single day.  For example, dinner always was a baked potato or brown rice w. a baked chicken breast and a green veggie (I loved it, I cherished it, I looked forward to it) Breakfast was Oatmeal, A fruit, & coffee or some whole bread w. cheese, a fruit and coffee.  Lunch was a salad w. white meat chicken or turkey.

I am by no means trying to critize or tell you what to do, but I always thought that you had the right idea just way too many different foods for one day.  Even today with my  Lap Band and Weigh****chers, it helps me so much to "keep it simple".  Too many different foods can overwhelm a person and one can lose sight of their goal.

The reason why I'm finally saying anything is that I saw in a recent post that you still have over 160lbs to lose.  How much have you lost so far?  I know it is a tough road!!!!  If you keep true honest abstinence for an entire year, you could have at least 2/3rds of that weight off.

All the Best to you,
Leila

Thanks for your concern!  Since I've been on this stricter abstinence for only one month, I've only lost 3.5 pounds so far, in October 2008.  Before the changes, I had gained two pounds in September.  That's why I made the changes.  They have certainly made a difference so far.

As far as variety of foods - I get bored really easily eating exactly the same foods every day, over and over.  That's why I vary them so much.  The reason I dropped the whole wheat pita pockets and the soy yogurt was that they were over 200 calories each.  I dropped the candy on Saturday nights for the same reason.  I dropped the dried fruits because they are a form of very concentrated sugar, and I always felt the urge to eat more of them than was allowed.

Without OA, the meetings, the literature, the prayers, and the phone calls, I wouldn't have been able to make any of these changes.  It's taken me this long to make them, that's how much of a compulsive overeater and food addict I really am.  I find it very difficult to "let go" of foods, even though I know they are causing me a problem.  Recovery is a long, slow, difficult process, and I'm also getting help to deal with my childhood issues which started my overeating by going to a psychologist who treats people with eating disorders.  My husband and I went to her earlier this year for marriage counseling, and we found her to be an excellent therapist.  Already, she's helping me, and I've only been going to her for two weeks now.

Denise Phares/kitties4