Destructive Behavior

How much do I love that?  You identified your problem and turned it into a way of eating for life.  I love that you eat cake, but it is when you make a CONSCIOUS decision to allow those few bites.  That's what I call "being in control".  

I never say that I am never going to ever have a piece of cake ever again.  But for me, "being in control" is to pick a day and that is the only day off.  If it ain't that day, I ain't eatin' cake!  Your control always amazes me.

Mary 

If/when you ever come to Houston, make sure it's an "eatin' cake day" 'cuz I will make a conscious decision to take you to The Chocolate Bar.  LOL

Girl, the second I get to Houston, I'm gonna have your ass in that truck so fast, giving me directions to the Chocolate Bar, that it will make your head spin!  Mmmmm...ten dollar a slice cake.  

Mary

Picking one day a month to eat a few bad things is a great idea, but I think you should stick to whatever program you're on for a few months at first,  before taking the "pig out day", because you might get side tracked too easily at the beginning of a diet.

JMO

LOL...the beginning of a diet!  I realize that you have no way of knowing this, but Kimmie and I are both on maintenance.  I think that Kimmie needs a siggie that says...Skinny ***** and I need one that says...Size Smooth!  But that's thanks to my plastic surgeon.  

I totally agree with you.  Beginning a new plan takes a lot of time to adjust and I've seen too many of my peeps here hit the holidays right when they were getting in the groove and it's really hard to get back into "The Zone".

I've been a loser for so many years now that even on my 'off' days, I don't 'pig out'.  I've learnd how my body reacts to that and try to avoid it at all costs.  Once you get used to feeling good about yourself, junk food is just so not worth feeling bad.

Thanks for your input though.  I would have loved to have someone say these things to me 129 pounds ago!

Mary

Does sea salt really have that much less sodium?  Sodium is one thing I've never researched before.  I'm having to go in for BP checks at my docs regularly, to see if I need to get on pills.   So I'm trying to cut down my sodium intake. I've tried Spikes, but just doesn't cut it.   I really like salt,

Also, glad I could help ya think  while cooking to waste some time! :)  

Holly,
For high BP, while pregnant, I gave my daughter a wonderful magnesium in the form of a hot tea (got it at our chiropracter's office) and coconut oil. It's oh so much better than pills, with no side effects. Well, with magnesium you do poop a little easier.

Hey Holl, you can get a reduced sodium sea salt.  What I like about sea salt is that you use less of it because the flavor is so much more pronounced than table salt. 

When I am cooking, I never put salt in my food.  I only salt it after it's in the plate.  Things like starches in your food absorb the salt flavor, and then you have to salt it again on the plate.  Saves a lot of sodium that way.  In fact, if you add too much salt to a dish, they say to put a potato in the pot to absorb the salt.  Dayum! 

And Girl, I do some of my heaviest thinking while I am cooking, so thinking of you is NEVER a waste of my time!  

Mary

I found bad cravings to be replaced with good choices pretty quickly in 2006 when I had "had enough" and made the big switch to healthy living. But, like Mary says, my brain took that path first, and my butt followed. Well, Mary doesn't exactly say that. For me, the first step was to cleanse the effects of the bad out first, and then the good was all that tasted and sounded good.

The eating disorders therapist I'm working with (I'm helping her introduce nutritional cleansing to those clients she feels will utilize this) has a great distraction technique for destructive behavior. She has the person go off into some seemingly hilarious physical movement and mental exercises to completely take them away from the plate of brownies or whatever the compulsion is. But she always gently reminds them that it's their choice, after they swing their arms around and jump up and down a little, to go ahead and have a brownie. She's got a very sweet approach, and sees a lot of success with her ladies.

Our family also uses only Sea Salt, lots of 'Spike' and 21-Seasoning Salute, Xylitol and Stevia (no Splenda or other chemical sweeteners), and raw organic honey. 

My most destructive behavior was one I thought was "okay" or healthy! I LOVE nuts. (Which is why I love Mary) I was eating those stupid roasted salted mixed nuts. I wore them proudly on my belly and butt. Now I have only raw almonds, and in a controlled quantity. I learned what happens to the innocent nut when its natural oils are heated and become toxic. *shudder* Of course, eating a can in a day will really race to your bottom line.

One other thing is that the body will eat and eat attempting to find that missing nutritent, or nutrients. You do NOT know, instinctively, all you need to eat. Once you get the minerals you need to thrive, cravings shush up. It's not easy in this day of depleted soil and chemical fertilizers, etc. Just take a look at www.foodmatters.tv and you'll find a lot of answers to why we think of McD's as their own food group...

Stay the course! You guys are amazing, and inspiring.

Ruth aka Mom Shap (formerly a well-padded Grandma)

Excuse me, ya'll...but did she just call me a nut?  Yep, I just reread it and she DID call me a nut!  But I reckon it's OK, since I'm a loveable nut.  Kinda like that acorn in Ice Age.

I like the therapist approach to cravings, but what if you want a brownie out in public?  Seems that would be a li'l embarrassing.  What price weight loss!

I'm gonna read that website when I get back from my lymphatic massage.  Sounds interesting.

Mary