Being on IP and not having food to use to calm my emotions has forced me feel my emotions. I still have my slips sometimes, but it never feels good or like a relief to overeat anymore. I used to feel relaxed from it, but now it makes me feel physically sick, fails to calm me, and then I get mad at myself for slipping. I've still got work to do on my emotions too, but I think this is a lifelong challenge for many people, not just us. There's a lot of tough things to deal with and it's surprising how we react to them. I'm proud of you for getting back on track once you got back home because I'm sure you had a lots emotions to process and you decided to protect youself and go back to healthy food choices.

For the peanuts, maybe you can find a substitute to keep on hand like the IP peanut butter bars or something similar. That might give you the peanutty taste you're craving. There are probably good alternative snacks out there too that might be crunchy and in small pieces similar to how you'd eat peanuts. That's great you're both getting healthier together even if it's not the same plan.

Hi everyone,

Today was a huge step for me. I put my self care before the needs of others. I am super proud of myself because before I would have turned to food to calm myself while I waited to talk to my friend about postponing the party. Even after all the calling of guests was done, I felt really stressed and still I did not turn to food. Have come to the realization that I am no longer a "people pleaser" at least not when it has a detrimental effect on me. Big change for me. Are any of you noticing changes in your personality/ boundaries?

Schenectady, have to give the credit to Hawaii's coach, she says that sugar is the devil.

Luccilove,

I believe that when we eat off program, we are using food for something other than nutrition. The key is to figure out what we are using it for-at that moment. I really wanted to medicate my feelings away today- really missed the calm that would come after a date with Ben & Jerry. But- even more I remember the pain of being overweight in our society. So today, I spent a the day with worry, unease and irritation. Not a fun day, but I made it through with the help of earl grey tea. I learned something new about myself and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Slipfree- I'm so sorry to hear that your tag sale and party for your friend are postponed! You've worked so hard cleaning and getting ready for both. Hopefully it won't rain every day and you can hang out in your garden sanctuary you've created.

Hiker- I know you work a lot, so maybe you're not getting enough to eat in the day or forgetting to eat. Are you getting home from work starving? Maybe a mid afternoon snack would help and/or having some shortcuts prepared for when you get home to eat dinner. There's no shame in rotisserie chicken with the skin peeled off and easy veggies. While you're getting back on track a hardboiled egg makes a good snack to take the hunger edge off. Once you're back in ketosis, you'll be feeling good and less hungry again.

Lucci- You can do it! How is your stomach on P2? I don't remember having problems on P2, but I suffered from the big c a lot with P1, so I probably still had that during P2.

I had my second to last visit at my clinic before I move next week. It was a good one. I lost a pound and some inches since last time and realized that I don't have to go completely back into P1 if I need to lose some bloat. I just need to do it for a few days to get rid of the puffiness and then stop when I'm feeling better. I think I was just feeling heavy from some overindulgence last week celebrating my new job and then I had TOM. My stomach was really bloated and I was feeling gross from something of the things I consumed. It seems like every time I get TOM I feel so much heavier and it triggers me to think I need to go back on P1 and lose 10-15 more lbs. I'll get the hang of this. It's such a head game sometimes, but it's a relief that my body responds well to going back to P1 to lose extra lbs.

I'm proud of you! That must have been hard to make those calls and deliver the bad news, but I bet your guests appreciated the time you took to call them instead of just sending an email or text. It's even more impressive that you let yourself be with the negative emotions and not turn to food. I read somewhere that we are all afraid our emotions will destroy us, but that's impossible. It's also impossible to get deep down, loving relief from food. I think after being on IP so long, you lose the ability to be truly comforted by food because our bodies and brains have been reprogrammed and we don't get that euphoric, comforted feeling from sugar and carbs anymore. I agree that it's much more painful to be overweight in society or to suffer health problems from obesity. I'm glad you came to peace with your day and I hope tomorrow is better for you too.

Slipfree- I'm proud of you too!! And yes I have noticed a change in my personality/boundaries. My nephew is in for a visit from NY (staying with us) so every night for the past week my daughter, her b/f, my granddaughter, my DIL, and other grandaughter all come to my house for dinner. I am getting worn out, working all day and then coming home and cooking, serving, cleaning, bathing grand daughters.... yesterday my husband was grilling chicken and my DIL texts me and says that my son is coming home from work early and wants to stay home and relax so would it be alright if she and my grand daughter ate and ran (and brought his plate home). Normally I would say, sure, but not this time. I told her that we'd just do it another day.

I was proud of myself, that was major for me. My house is not a fast food restaurant, you don't eat and run and expect to take home a plate for your husband so that you don't have to cook. Sometimes they just don't think.

I think that I am getting bolder and speaking up for myself because I don't have the comfort of the food/alcohol to mask my feelings anymore. Instead of covering them up I am having to feel them so it is making me speak out and stand up for myself.

I wholeheartedly agree! This isn't just a diet but a plan to help us each realize that we are the ones in control, not the food. It helps to get us thinking in the right way and realize that theres so much more to life than just food. And all the 'junk' food we used to eat does nothing but make us sick and unhealthy. Why do we do that to ourselves? Like anything in life, we have to work hard and then see the good results. It may take some time to come to this realization, bad habits are hard to break but they are breakable, its up to us to make that effort and each of us is truly worth it!

Such great conversations on here and I am learning something from each one.

First, for me, I have indeed come to realize that sugar is the devil - if I slip, I sit and think and crave sweet things. Stupid things like JuJubes or Skittles that often when I am eating them, I do not even like.

I have realized that I just need to stay away, completely, from sugar because it starts me down that proverbial slippery slope.

The time I spent fighting the cravings could be better spent reflecting on WHY I want them and what is going on in my head. I have always been a super emotional person so it is time I learn to read myself better and use my non inconsiderable strength and power to discover another way to deal with whatever empty place I am trying to fill!

Schenectady, I think we all have empty places. I have realized that nothing bad happens when I do not fill them. Most of the time something has happened to shine a light into the empty place. I try to figure out why I am feeling the empty places, sometimes cavern. I am pretty solution based, so if I can work on the emotional issue, I will. If I can't change anything at that moment, I keep busy and try to focus on the good things in my life.

Kooky and Hawaii, You are both right. Patterns can be changed. I know that no food is worth going back to where I was. It is all about taking it one food decision at a time.

Kelly, I am glad that you set that boundary. I have experienced the same change, I am just not as "sweet". No sugar to dull my feeling anymore. I think hormones play a big part too. It is all part of learning to live within my "new" body.

Kooky and Want2b, thank you for the support about the party. You are right, I have been working hard and I was mightily irritated by the weather forecast. I just wanted the tag sale done, so I could have a period of relaxation before school starts. Oh well, can't change it, so I have to live with it.

Kooky- how is the packing?

Want2b- how is the puppy?

Hiker- hope that you had a good night.

Kind of a side note Schenectady: IP has brought back the peanut crisps, although they do contain soy if that is an issue for you, sorry if I don't remember correctly...
If you need to munch alongside DH, you might try those. The email from my clinic suggested mixing them with the chocolate puffs/crisps to make a PB Cup sort of snack, lol.

Great convo on emotions & food, you guys! I think now that we are able to take control of how we fuel our bodies, we are also gaining strength to deal with the emotional/mental challenges of how others treat us. Here's to no more 'doormats!'

Slipfree, I also am a 'guy style' problem solving sort of gal, and sometimes that gets me in trouble with my friends who are more of the 'hand holding' emotional support sort of gals, lol. I have to remember that if they are telling me their problems, they probably just want someone to 'be there for them' and not necessarily suggest a solution. I have always been fairly analytical as opposed to emotional, so it can be a tough go to just keep my mouth shut and give them a hug.

Liana

Liana- it's funny I am solution based with myself but not with others. Have learned over the years that not everyone sees the same picture. Part of that learning is from being a teacher and having to meet kids where they are.

I am in a blue funk right now. Can not seem to get out of my own way. Hoping it is hormonal because it just does not feel like me.

Good Morning Everyone, I've got a busy weekend ahead of me of packing and getting rid of stuff I don't want to take with me when I move. I also need to buy some new work clothes. Admittedly I have not packed a thing, but I just have a small one bedroom apartment and I did a major purge when I sold all of my larger clothes. I'm moving next Friday, so the final countdown is on. I just have four more days at my current job which is already making me feel better that I'm getting away from it. I've had nothing but stress from that place for the past 3-4 years...the past months pushed me over the edge of wanting to leave to needing to leave. I'm pretty relaxed now knowing I'm leaving. I don't expect my next job to be perfect, but I think it's a better fit and I'm looking forward to a fresh start.

Slipfree- How are you feeling today?

How is everyone? What do you have planned for the weekend?