I want a cookie.

Have you tried following that thought all the way up to it's natural conclusion? Ie, if you ate the cookies, would you feel better? Or more likely, would you just be MORE upset because:

1) the cookies didn't help - the "problems" are still there
2) you ate a bunch of cookies you didn't want to eat, and feel
fat, bloated, sick, or even "just" sorry that you let your
lesser angels drive your actions.

For me, this sometimes helps. Every time I use this exercise (when I think enough to use it before I actually engage in whatever behaviour), it helps me. Think it through.

Maybe you will decide the cookies are really what you want/need right now. That's okay. At least you won't have the feeling that you binged and were out of control because you consciously DECIDED to go ahead and eat them.

Take care Lora. And FWIW, I don't think a cookie or two would hurt right now. Normal, thin people eat for comfort sometimes too. Only you know if that will open the door to uncontrollable behaviour though.

Thanks, Amy.

Giving in to the cookies (like I gave in to the HD ice cream on Thursday night without even thinking about it) will just make me feel worse.  Because I was an emotional eater pre-op, I have put a lot of emotional and psychological energy into being able to eat most anything in moderation post-op (and knowing that I cannot be trusted with certain things... like cookies), and in NOT eating for comfort or to relieve anxiety or boredom... so I'm just pissed off to have that particular demon rear its ugly head.

I had some strawberries and Cool Whip this afternoon and made some SF Jello and Cool Whip "parfaits" for dessert tonight... and hopefully that (along with the bubble bath I had before putting my jammies BACK on this afternoon and lighting a fire in the fireplace, and settling in to be a tv/movie-watching, book-reading slug) will help me wait until I really want the cookies for NON-emotional reasons (and can force myself to just have two).

Lora

if you have to have it, have it, not all of the, Also today I saw in Wally world, Fig Newton crisps or something. Low sugar and 2g protein per serving, 3 cookies. Don't recall the caloric count. I am only 2 weeks out, i will be looking for them much later in my journey.

Lora, I guess if you want to eat to soothe yourself after having some bad feelings, then what you need to do is to find another way to soothe yourself, right? I really am not good at that at all. I'm not even really in touch enough with myself to admit that the reason I want the ice cream is because the boy doesn't love me and we're on a 6 month break from even talking.... (Sorry, my issue.)
 
Anyway, I guess you have to find another way to soothe yourself. Or grind up the damn cookies in the garbage disposal. Or eat them.

I guess in order for the alternative soothing to work, we really have to convince ourselves that we feel better. The cookies make us feel better without convincing, because they've been a comfort for so long, but I think we have to convince ourselves of anything else. Like talk ourselves off the ledge, so to speak. 

You know, I'm a recovering alcoholic, and you may know that we are encouraged to not ever think of ourselves as "cured." Addiction is insidious and 3 years may seem like a long time, but imagine a 3 year old. They still don't drive, sign contracts, or cook on hot stoves. :) Take care. Glad you are here.

You could "counsel" yourself or I would probably make a thick protein shake with chocolate protein and  use some peppermint SF syrup, some choc SF syrup and lots of ice, maybe almond milk ( or whatever milk you use) whip it up thick and put some whippage and SF choc Herscheys on top (mashed up SF  peppermints bits are good on top, too).

Same kinda taste without the guilt trip later on.

Lora,
I had the same feelings this week but for different reasons. I got the news my 35 year old niece passed away. After a few moments of shock I though of wanting to eat all the sugar I could find. And I work at a grocery store. Just imagine the damage I could do.
I had to struggle with though feelings for a while. I am 4 months out from surgery. I have not indulged in any sugar. But it was so overwhelming I could feel the power it had. It scared me. 
I wanted to cry for my niece and myself. So I ripped my office apart and cleaned everything. And then I went home.
But I know I am going to have to face this demon every time I am upset or any stress I will be going through. I don't have the answer. I guess we just fight the best we can every time.
I do know that sugar is poison and a drug my body loves. And I am a recovering Addict. I hope I can stay off of it. I guess it's just one day at a time.
Good luck to you. Make the best decision you can for you. You are worth it.

I never thought about being a sugar addict but this makes sense. I guess that is exactly what I am.  I am losing the weight and happy to say I am down to "moderately overweight" but still overweight.  I am still losing though.  I am a sugar addict and that is tough.  I stll want something sweet after most meals.  I am more of a candy addict that I have not broken.  How do you break a candy addiction?  I eat skittles or sweet tarts (a few at a time) but I still want that sugary sweet.  I do eat protein bars and mostly they are good for the sweet tooth but just not quite the same as a sweet tart

HUGS!!!!

I satisfy the ice cream cravings with going out for sf frozen yogurt and topping it with fresh fruit. Since I only get it out of the house, there's not a carton there for me to eat up.

But you're going through a really hard time right now. Be kind to yourself and if you have a cookie or slip up, don't be mad at yourself. Think how you would respond if one of your patients told you about giving in and having a cookie. Be as nice to yourself.

Take care!
Jan

Yes... I routinely exhort my clients to give themselves the same compassion and tendeness that they would give to someone else in their situation... so I am sure that some of them would LOVE to know that I sometimes find it as difficult to do it as they do! Thanks for the reminder.

Lora

Not sure if this is helpful info for you or if I am contributing to the struggle. But you can by small portions of Edy's, hagaan das and blue bunny ice cream the ozs very from 3.5-6 per container but they are high in calories and sugar. But for me they satify the craving and I do not have to by a whole pint and worry about eating more than I should