Success is more than a number on the scale

After starting this week feeling like a complete failure (yes, irrational I know), I've had to stop and re-evaluate for a minute. After a couple days, I've decided I'm not a failure, and in fact, I've reached a whole new level in my life this week.

I used to be a HUGE emotional eater (no pun intended...really) - happy, sad, pissed, angry, stressed, etc. Ive had to work harder at that than anything else along my journey. I spent years of my life numbing every emotion with food.

But I realized this morning that I haven't done that - I've been an emotional train wreck all week (and it's only Wednesday ughhh) and I have not resorted to food. I actually haven't thought much about food this week. I just have to let myself experience whatever emotions I have...and go from there. I've been working on this for about 2 years now, and its progressively getting easier.  It's not easy, it'll never be easy, but it's definitely easier than it was.

I still have a lot of work to do - stress and being tired are still triggers for me, but I know that as long as I am aware of that, i can control it.

So, it's the middle of the week, and I am crossing these feelings of being a failure off my list of crap that's bringing me down. If nothing else, if I never lose another pound, I know I've accomplished something bigger than weight loss. 

And I don't think I'd make it without all my friends here - a big THANK YOU :) 

You've done such a great job, Alison! I hope to be as smart as you one day

And I totally agree that it's about more than the scale. My blood sugar this morning was 102. If you told me a week ago that my sugars would be this close to normal 6 days out, I would never have believed you. So, even though it's too early out for me to see a real difference on the scale, I'm already so excited about my journey.

Congrats on yourweght  loss and thank you for your inspirational message. You and I are sleeve brothers (sleeved on the same date). Am shooting for the 200 club myself

Hey. I haven't seen you in a while sleeve brother.

Thanks for the reply sleeve sis. I have had a lot of things gong on in my personal life so I haven't posted as musch in a while. WIll try to correct that in the weeks to come. Looks like you are doing reallywell.

It is so much more than a number! You are have done and are continuing to do great, and I'm not going by your ticker- just the things you have done and posted about. The negative self-talk does nothing other than add to the stress, so try to turn that off as much as you can. Sometimes we kinda focus too much on the future and don't look to the now or the then as much as we should. ((hugs))

You have done amazing!

I too was an emotional eater. Trying to deal with life's roller-coaster without food has been a challenge for me, but I'm learning. It's always a journey.

This is a big break through. Having a bad week and not resorting to food is a huge lifestyle change that will help you forever.

I just had my gallbladder removed. I'm swollen and bloated- up 6 pounds. I decided to not worry about it. I know that it is not a real weight gain.  We have to choose how we treat ourselves physically and mentally.  I'm a work in progress too.

We've come too far and been through too much to be mean to ourselves!

We all have days (weeks) when we feel like crap or less than. What is so admirable is how you're dealing with it! I mean, hell, YOU"RE DEALING WITH IT!!!!! You're not eating your way through the emotion. That is so fantastic.

I have enjoyed following your posts and hearing about your journey. What you have been able to acheive and change in your life is nothing less than amazing. You are so self aware, it is impressive - especially to a fellow emotional eater! 

Thanks for continuing to inspire me and so many others!

 If you need to talk, I am here. You can always text me if you want, just PM me and I will shoot you my number. 

You have done amazing and are far from a failure in any part of this journey, but the emotional eating thing is a BIG one, you are doing great.