Cold Turkey Question--please respond

Hello,

I'm normally a lurker (I'm trying to change that and become more active) but my question is how do you feel about quitting cold turkey?  I have tried in the past week to quit all processed sugar cold turkey.  No cookies, cakes, pies, donuts, nothing that I shouldn't have in the first place.  I don't dump on sugar so bad habits have crept back in my life.  I tried the five day pouch test and I do get sick from just a day of liquid so that is out.  I received my lovely gift from mother nature this weekend and the brownie held my hand (oooh the comfort); and that's not the only problem I am so hungry lately.

Ok so no more pity parties or feeling sorry for myself.  I truly want to be a successful BOTTer I will take any advice that you can so kindly give.

Hi Lil-Ray,
Don't know how much help I can be after I just messed up this weekend.  The way I approach my situation is I look at how much I wanted the surgery, and how much and how quickly, I gave up the wine and the cookies, cakes, pies, donuts and eating out everyday when preparing for my surgery.  Its like I was a drug addict or an alcoholic and if I continued to eat or drink those things that were affecting my life I knew I would die.  Now today, I messed up BIG TIME and I've been kicking myself all day, but tomorrow I will be back on track because if I don't not only does my health depend on it, but so does my life.  I am a diet controled diabetic and all the candy and junk I ate today is, and was crazy and yes I feel it.

I'm sure you just like all of us struggled to lose the weight...the trick is mantaining and keeping it off.  You can do this.  Log you food in your journal...throw out all the junk and pack your meals. You like sweets, try a protein bar or something other than cookies and cake to satisfy that sweet demon.  This is the place to be, and all the help and support you need is here.  Don't lurk jump in! 

Remember - PROTEIN - VITAMINS - WATER - EXERCISE - REST. 
To thine own self be true. You can do it. 

Genie

Genie - Don't kick yourself for being human - will only make you want to run and hide from yourself   Accept your humaness (grrr - such a bother ) and love yourself enough to be firm about not hurting yourself   You know what Cathy teaches us - it's not the getting off track that's important - it's what we do the next day - and sounds as though you are DOING the right thing

Sometimes I think Easter is worse than Christmas when it comes to "candy temptation"  Don't let the Easter Bunny kick you

Love reading your posts - they're always right on and helpful

Hi Lil-Ray,

I totally agree with what Genie said.  You are in the right place.  I just had my surgery about 8 months ago.  I joined BOTT because I felt myself slowly slipping into bad habits, and I wanted to get help before it got way out of control.  I don't dump on anything, so yes...it is a challenge.  I do know that I feel so much better when I eat right.  If I have something that I didn't plan on, I just try to balance out the rest of the day with more healthful eating.  (For example this morning, my daughter bought bagels with cream cheese for breakfast...and I ate one..Yikes!)  Of course, it would have been better had I not eaten it at all, but the reality is that sometimes it happens. 

In the past if that had happened to me, I would have made an excuse and said...Oh well, I blew it during breakfast, I might as well eat what I want today....But, I didn't do that.  I kept on thinking about BOTT, and It really did help to keep me accountable. I went ahead and posted my food plan.  It was the best thing that I could have done because it helped me to stay on track for today, and  I feel great!  If I can do it, anyone can do it. 

And about the chocolate thing, I love the stuff.  I do eat one Zone Perfect chocolate nutrition bar just about every day for a snack.  I also have one chocolate truffle protein shake each day for breakfast, so that really helps to curb those cravings (today, I mixed the chocolate protein powder in chocolate Silk soymilk...see, I told you I loved the stuff! LOL.

So, welcome to BOTT!!! We're all in this together, and please continue to post.

Thank you Dreamgirl and Hope for taking time out to reply.  I will take you advice and start anew.  I do feel better when I eat properly and that should be my motivation.  I also do better when I plan my meals so I am on my way to make my breakfast, lunch, and snacks for tomorrow.

Thank you again and I will post more often

I have to tell you, it's not easy.  I have this "thing" in my head that has been with me since I started "dieting" as a kid.  I call it anger induced deprived.  I used to get very angry when the various diets restricted all sugars and fats.  At first, it was easy.  Then the anger would set in when I would see all these folks of normal weight indulge in these delights with no ill affects. So, if I try to do try to restrict, that little anger head pops up and I have this major inner battle.  So, I think.... I can have a cookie.  I can have a few chips.  Well, fine, but then the when to stop issue comes in.  Ok, so I have a certain kind of cookie in the house.  I have a few of the small snack size bags of chips in the house. The mini bags of popcorn etc.  It seems to help.  I don't know if this helps you, but this is how I am trying to cope with it all.  I am working on changing my whole thought processes on food in general.  I am working on mindfulness and developing a rational relationship with foods.  It is a work in process but I think it is going to work.

Shout - I think our anger comes from being forced to face our psychological issues we've been using surgar to self-medicate.  Do you agree?   I know we'll always be a work in progress - if we want to grow 

Right now I'm less than 10 pounds from my goal weight and I'm struggling with - I know how to gain and I know how to lose (on a structured program that tells me what and how much to eat) but I don't have a clue about lifetime maintenance and I get scared.  I have promised myself I will not let this fear sabotage my sheding that last 10 pounds (which, of course, physiologically takes longer to go) and I WILL learn how to maintain.

 

It does happen in the mind that's for sure.  Maintenance, I feel, is a state of mind.  Bring satisfied with eating healthy ( knowing what is healthy ), satisfied with one's choice of activity that encourages a sound, toned inner core and emotionally balanced having faced and have come to terms with the issues that made us obese in the first place.  It's a lifetime of checks and balances. 

If we're healthy (mentally & phsyically) we'll always be a work in progress

Thanks for caring

Lil Ray - I think any way except Cold Turkey is only playing mind games with ourselves - it's like saying "a little bit won't hurt"  We all know that's a big fat lie we're using trying to fool ourselves. There's absolutely NO REASON (only excuses) to eat surgar and there's every reason to NOT eat surgar.  It's being mean and abusive to ourselves to eat sugar.  It's a false sense of comfort - both physically and emotionally.  Clean all of that out of your house - give it to some skinny friend (the "devil" in me suggests give it to a friend you'd like to see get fat ) or even just throw it away - you'll save money in the long run.  Give yourself a little tough love - for 5 minutes at a time stay on track - then celebrate your victory   then go for the next 5 minutes.  We can do almost anything for 5 minutes.  The more surgar you eat, the hungrier you will be, the less energy you will have and the worse you will feel (the only way I know to describe how I feel when I get off track with surgar is "icky")  Please, don't do that to yourself.  Be kind, gentle and firm with yourself instead of putting yourself down.

I'm so glad you posted.  Don't be a lurker  We all need each other.  WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER - YES WE CAN