Uh... I didn't hear any ME time??  Down time? Fun?   HALT has helped me a lot.  I am trying to identify what I'm feeling then dealing with it and healing it which means sharing with a friend or my sponsor and mostly with the god of my understanding through prayer and meditation. Trusting someoone, allowing myself to be emotionally vulnerable by sharing it and then releasing it.  I've heard that waiting before grabbing something to eat on impulse is good because you can then think about whether you really want it or not. I like to have healthy stuff ready and portioned out and I keep the junk out of the house. I don't deny myself, I've just become a lot more selective when it comes to empty calories and again portion control is important for me.  I eat all day long some times and I drink a lot of water, a lot.

I accept what I see on the scale, breakingfree. So what! I'm changing my habits and I'm willing and it's a lot easier to put weight on than to take it off. One week the scale is up the next is down but I am looking at the progress since January 1 and I see progress in getting healthy because it's going to be more than the final number on the scale. Most days I'm eating much healthier than I had been. I can be proud of that.

You say you know your triggers.  Me too!  We can prepare and we can also cut ourselves some slack.  It's progress not perfection and for me the ultimate goal is not perfection.  I'm human not an airbrushed picture of perfection.  There are no magical doors that are going to open to make my life more wonderful because I'm getting thinner even though weight loss programs out there tell me so.  Ultimately, how good I feel about myself has very little to do with what I weigh. So right now, I feel very proud of the eating and physical activity changes I've made since the beginning of the year and yes... I am losing the weight.. not as rapidly as some people but I'm participating and my journey to better health is happening.  I take it a day at a time.  I try to make it fun and I keep it simple.  A walk around the block for a fifteen minute break from studying is still exercise and clears your head.  A warm cup of soup with a few crackers or tea with a few graham crackers can hit the spot when I'm tired or whiney and need comfort food. If the feeling persists, I need to call somebody and vent, cry, get some input, unconditional love :) I'm seeking balance everyday but this is a lifestyle change just like recovery and I can't expect every day of my life to be the same. I do the best I can and then do the best I can the next day.  Most days that includes dessert by the way   These are just some things that are helping me.

I hope you'll continue to be patient with your progress and good to yourself every day. ((hugs))  TT

 

 

 

Sounds like you have a lot of awareness -- but also a busy, demanding life.  And I'm also familiar with the thought of 'I can control this if I only get my act together.'  When we find something hard to control, we need more support.  Remember that Overeaters Anonymous is out there for you too.  Sometimes the power of the group and one's HP is more powerful than 'I'm going to control this on my own' - sentiment we've all heard from our A's! 

BF: I have an app that I use that has helped me lose weight more so than just the exercise. I felt that it's held me accountable when it comes to counting calories. I've never been much of a calorie counter, but I really like this app. There is also a website with message boards and I have made a few friends there who send me supportive messages, etc.

If you want more info., just PM me or contact me on FB. What I found was that I will stop before I put something in my mouth mainly because I'm too lazy to enter it into the app or because I now know how sneaky those extra 100-200 calories can be. I've lost 10 pounds since the beginning of February and had set a goal of losing just .5 pounds a week. I have started running but I honestly am only doing 1.5 miles a day right now and I'm not playing tennis or going to yoga right now because I injured my elbow. I truly believe that the calorie control has been the biggest help.

I also did South Beach a few years ago and lost the weight quickly but then I put it back on when I got stressed out and started eating crap again.

Here's where things get weird for me, though. Now that I'm controlling my calories and paying attention, vigilant attention to the food I eat, I have found that I'm shopping more. I totally understand what you said about the 'addiction'. For me, I think I'm trying to fill some hole, some frustration, and anger by shopping. I don't overspend or anything and I've always been a bargain shopper but my habits were bothering me so much that I had to confess to my sponsor that this was becoming a problem. I needed accountability. I mean, do I really need a new shirt AGAIN? Appparently, my brain doesn't want to listen when I try to convince it otherwise. I'd be happy to be an accountability partner with you: you FB message me and hold me accountable for my spending, I'll FB message you and ask how you're doing with the food???

Thank you for sharing your awareness, because it helps the rest of us, too! Like my shopping habit, LOL! Hugs, you're doing great!

Thanks for all the support, I love the apps suggested as well as having an accountability partner. So here is to me getting through this addiction and trading it for something good like studying. Thanks for the ESH and love all!

oK realty throw away that  stupid scale. You are healthy, a number has nothing to do with that. Besides muscle weighs more than fat. The more you build the more your body will break down fats dear one.

Go by your cloths and how you feel,  your energy level etc. Keep only good stuff in the house to eat. Make some rice krispie treats if  you must have something, don't use any margerine or butter. If you like ice cream, stick to sorbets and sherberts. Always have a fruit salad ready to eat with your favorite juice on it. I love strawberrie juice on mine, and lime. Always have a green salad made too with some low fat cottage cheese etc.

I don't know how you eat. I don't eat dairy or meat. Only my chickens eggs. Lots of fake meat baked teriaki tofu in stir fry.

Make your own soups so ez. use coconut milk throw in potatoes, onion, asparagus.  yummers. this helps to have it ready for your busy week so you don't want to grab and stuff. eat air popped popcorn, think no fat and low fat.

You look really good, you don't have to lose a ton of weight to be a healthy you. Its a lifetime thing so  you have to do what is comfy for you. You are a beautiful woman, own that. believe it.

so you like to eat? big deal, food is great. Its finding a balance of the right food. there is nothing wrong with sitting and needing to munch. do not get those little carrots, they are just crap carrots that are broken or whatever and carved down. If you can afford organic to do it. figure out dips that again are low to no fat.

If I don't have any junk in the house, fruit is better than candy. most times you are craving either protein or water. You can get non fat youghurt and freeze it then microwave a bit to soften, its great. I get non dairy.

anyway  please I invite you to look at the positive for petes sake!!!!  looking at what you think is negative is a waste of time! hugs!!       OH I loved water aerobics, I was sooo fit doing that!

Yes Deb, thank you for the reminder, I am more comfortable in my skin suit than ever before, even before kids and ovarian cancer surgeries in 07-08. I just want to take off a little of the excess not even all of it. I do believe I am beautiful and am not overly beating myself up. I do not strive for perfection, okay maybe a little. I am energetic and feel healthy, I just want to get rid of the sabotage. I know I am in progress and accept that, just thought after 3 months of hitting the gym this hard I would have dropped more than 8 lbs. Thanks for the love and support!