Tuesday thought~ Where do you struggle?

Yesterday, Melind posted a thread about struggling with fluid intake.  I write this as I drink my cappuccino flavored protein drink!  Anyway, it got me thinking.  At what aspect of your weight loss journey do you struggle? 

Is it with snacking, or could it be like me...sweets?  Do you have problems actually eating?  Is post weight loss depression taking control of your life?  I believe we all struggle to a certain extent.  Even the "veterans" struggle!  So don't be scared, or ashamed, or just down right embarrassed to admit it.  We all struggle with some part of our journey.

Where do I struggle?  My weakness has always been sweets!  I have posted about my addiction to ice cream before surgery, and how it held an evil grasp on my life.  Well since surgery, I don't eat sweets.  At least not in the same way I did before.  What do I do?  I search for recipes that don't contain sugar , but Splenda!  Guess what, I'm just kidding myself.  Sugar free does not mean calorie free, it just means there is no sugar!

When I make a decadent dessert that is sugar free, I have a tendency to throw caution to the wind.  I will sit an eat until it's gone, telling myself..."Self, it's sugar free. so it must be OK!"   Is it, probably not, all I did was find a way to cheat the system!  One night in paticular, I ended up eating 3 slices of Blueberry pie in a 4 hour strecth.  The dumping Gods found me and deposited their wrath upon me.  I have not done that since!

So, that's me.  What about you?  What part of this journey are you finding unbearable?  Where do your struggles lie today?  I believe by sharing this information, we are making this support group a better place .  Who knows...someone might be able to learn from what they read here today!  I know I learned a little about my struggles just by writing them out!

Hi, My name is Scott and I have a sweet addiction! 

My weakness is food in general.  I realized just this past week, that I still am addicted to food in general.  My mind thinks I need to graze all the time.  I thought I had it under control, until my band needed tightening up for over 2 weeks, and my bad eating habits reated its ugly head.  Now I feel like Im starting over in trying to control the demon.  The people I work with dont help, or should I even say that, I dont help myself sometimes is the bottom line.  Just because they bring food to work, sweet yummy mtn dew cake, or strawberry cheesecake, or brownies, I know I shouldnt eat them, but I do!!   And since my surgery 11 months ago, I CRAVE ice cream allthe time.  I always have sugar free ice cream in the freezer, but its not the same.  I dont exercise enough, i know that if increase my exercise, i wouldnt be as bored, and I would have another outlet to replace the food but do I do it?  No, but I will.   I have to, otherwise my surgery, time and efforts will have been for naught.

can we do a food demon exorcism??  arghhhhhhh

This leads me to a thought of how the church has a revival every year.  The preacher comes, preaches the word, unconverted people "come to Jesus"....  but another purpose for revival is for the saints to 'fess up and get back on the right path, should they have made mistakes.  Revival is for everyone.  Even the preacher of your church, cause if he didn't need revival, HE'D be the preacher!  They give him a time to be refreshed too.

 

Well the fact is, we ALL struggle....  even the preacher! LOL.  The key is, are we going to be honest with ourselves (and others) ?  If so, then there is a great release and freedom that will come.  But if not, we are held in bondage, almost as if we blackmail ourselves, hang a dirty ransom note over our own head and say "I know something no one else knows, and you ought to be ashamed."  That also keeps us going back to the very same mistake that we are trying to hide!  Isn't that how it goes, even though it sounds so ironic?

 

My problem right now is that I am not faithfully taking my iron pills.  I have them on the top of the commode in the same basket that all my other vitamins are in, but because they are my night pill, I have forgotten to get them.  I am thinking about taking them to work and take one every day at a time when I don't take anything else.  But I find myself tired, rundown...  like I'm about to run out of gas and am running on fumes.  I know better!  I don't need anyone to educate me on the side effects of not taking my iron.  I have given the same sermon to others who come on the boards and say "guess what? I am not taking (vitamins, iron) pills."  So it is a lifelong commitment and struggle at times to do all the things we need to do as successful patients.  I am getting up this moment to put the iron pills in my work bag.  I am going to make a plan and make a commitment to do better.

I struggle with 2 things..sweets and grazing.  I know that I am still addicted to food.  I do make sugar free desserts, about once or twice a month.  I am now doing two things different though.  I am trying really hard to make them low fat, low calorie, and I either freeze them, throw them out, or give them away after 2 servings.  I have to hold myself to that or I will eat the whole thing in a grazing fit.  As for the grazing, I find I do that without even thinking.  I HAVE to get a handle on it!  My problem is this.  I always felt like I was cheated because I had to diet and no one else (it seemed) did.  Why should "they" be able to eat whatever goody there is on the planet and I couldn't?  Everytime I would go on a diet, I would feel deprived and eventually talk myself out of dieting.  I am working diligently on getting rid of these demons!
Hi..my name is Marilyn and I am a foodaholic!!!!!!

Marilyn

Just as promised to myself, I got my iron pills to work and just took it!  I am so proud. LOL

Thanks, Scott, for the thread today.  We need to talk about the things we struggle with, and need help in correcting.  I am going to vow to do better. 

Wow great thread Scott. One of my problems is stress/worry. I tend to worry about stress and then I stress out over worry. Ya'll know that saying....Don't worry until you have something to worry about..They ain't happening for me. As far as my foods, yes I still eat some of the stuff that I shouldn't and it is much easier, right now because I have very little restriction, due to not being able to get a fill and ya'll know the story behind that. But, that is going to change, I will be able to get a fill on 08/11, so I feel like that will jump/kick me back on track. I also, posted as soon as DH gets is "date" and starts the 2 week liquid diet, I'm going to do that with him. We both go to the store, but I stay away from my bad foods, but somehow they tend to find their way in our buggy. It has to be DH, I say no, he says but I want some, then when we get them home, we both eat them. It's like I have the control while we are shopping, but once they are in this house, it's fair game. It
is not so much sweets, but potatoes,bread,crackers,pasta, etc. I just have to figure out a way of saying no here at home like I do in the store. OR better yet, he can start saying no in the store too...(HINT..HINT.. I Love You Honey) We have had several "discussions" right in the middle of isle's at the store. I will be reading labels and putting stuff back because of the "high" numbers they have in it and then he will come behind me and toss it in the cart. This is just yet another bump in the road for me and soon DH will see that too and start making better choices. He has almost cut out his diet drinks and is trying to do the no drinking with and after meals.


Cheryl

Cheryl

PHIL!  Can ya help our sistah out?  Start saying "You're right honey.  NO." LOL

I always get the last 2 words in every conversation...
"YES DEAR"

I always knew you were a smart man Scott. LOL

Confession time.

I have been battling those old clinical depression demons. When this happens, I quit sleeping and start eating. So I have been grazing...on all the wrong stuff to make matters even worse. For me it is sweets. I know what my sugar limit is to avoid dumping and I seem to be able to stop just short of that. I'm just eating below that bar too often. I don't want to reset that switch so that I don't dump and I am afraid that I am doing that by pushing it so often.

I am now back on antidepressants that help me sleep. But, they can also increase the appetite so I am still dealing with that demon.

I have removed all of the stuff I just don't need to get into at all from the kitchen and/or house. I am also making a strong effort to get out of the house more. This not only gets me away from the temptation to graze, it also helps with the depression to be out among other people and be more active.

Hi, my name is Susan and I am a carboholic!