Thanks Everyone! I'm definitely going back on my plan, and feel sure I'll be back to 132 pounds in a couple of weeks. [My first goal weight was 135, mow I want to get to 130 lbs---and I'll never ask for more. ]
Maria-Paz, about that evening potato, it's for serotonin production during the night to give sugar addicts even more impulse control. The program is set up in 7 steps, and the potato is pretty advanced. I'm on step 5. The ultimate goal of the program is to give up all sugars, even the natural ones that I use. Truthfully, I'm far from that!
Jana, thanks for the ice cream recipe! Yes, i'd use honey ocasionally, but not too often. I have a Donvier ice cream maker, and make ice cream maybe once every 2 weeks. I mostly use date sugar. One thing I found out recently is you can use evaporated skim milk in place of heavy cream--it's a good subtitute.
I guess I'm feeling bad about my weight gain because I'm having my annual doc's appointment today. You know how you always like to go in there at your fighting weight and all. Oh well...
Heh guys, I don't feel at all like writing. I got home to find one of my cats dead, blood all over the place. Looks like the blood came from inside him. Don't know what's wrong and I just feel so sad, in shock, a big beautiful cat. He'd been sick but I thought he was getting better and was going to take him off to the vet tonight. What a shock. It's so sad and I'm just so down. Still didn't pig out or anything. Times like this I don't want to eat at all. Force myself just to keep energy up. I'm a huge animal lover. Had the four cats. Now, just three. He was a big orange tabby and I'd found him nearly dead a few years ago in the middle of the road in a puddle of blood. Nursed him back to health and it took a good year before he could move right from the brain damage. He was such a sweet cat. I'm so sad. :sad:
Redballoon, I'm so sorry about your beloved cat! I know the grief can be as strong as it is for a human friend (something I realized to my surprise when my sweetest kitty died). You can take comfort in the three years of love and care you gave him, though, and I believe he'll always be with you in spirit. I'm like you, can't eat when there's anything really serious that I'm upset about. But, for me, once the crisis is past, watch out
I'm just flying by... Feeling like I might live today. (Eydie, you're right -- the Nyquil was the answer last night -- wouldn't have slept without it) Had a reasonably good day yesterday. Still not up to much in the line of exercise, but I feel like I need to conserve my energy for getting better.
Red Balloon - I am so sorry about your cat. It sounds like finding you was a blessing for him (and you ). I am sorry you are having to go through this.
Arabella - Sorry you are not feeling well. I think it is wise to cut back on exercise when you sick and give your body a chance to recover.
Eydie - I know exactly what you mean about going to Dr. It seems like it is "on record" and you may not have a chance to change it for a whole year but it is just a really just a number taken in that one minute on one day of the year and no one will probably even look at your chart in that year so no worries. You control the other 364 days of the year and look at all your other accomplishments and be proud!
Amarantha - Thank you for cheering on my few days accomplishments! I am just trying to keep up with the rest of you. Thanks for the motivation.
How is everyone else doing?
Does anyone have triggers? I have two - weekends and when I am with my whole family. I have not sorted out exactly why this happens. The weekend I get - reward, downtime, etc. The good news about that is that my husband (who will eat cookie dough for breakfast!) decided the other night to get rid of desserts for awhile as he has gained some weight so not having them in the house on the weekends will help. But, my sister is coming into town next week so I will be with my famly a lot. I love my family but I can not figure why it triggers me to eat - and I don't mean during the meals while there is good food around. I will just go into my mothers house and suddenly, I want to get into her candy stash. I think I may try the rubber band trick. Any other suggestions for this first BIG test?
Sorry about thy orange tabby's passing, Red Balloon. I'm also a mom to pets, my Old Dog has been with me since puphood and I also have Silly Cat and one bird now, having lost a bird a few months back. It is hard. What was your tabby's name?
Eydie, you probably won't see this before you go off to doc, but in all honesty, I'd tell him/her that you don't wish to be weighed on the office scale. Just tell 'em what you weigh. I know exactly how you feel ... I only weigh on ONE scale and refuse to budge from that rule. It's only a number and it's not relevant to your health whether you're a few pounds up or down.
Macon, totally can relate to the "family trigger" thingie ... only one thing will help, IMO, and that's just to say NO if they offer you anything, explain why and ask them to help you keep to your plan as it is for your health.
Eydie, please don't be hard on yourself! You're doing great! I am not convinced that lowfat eating is necessary to lose weight and maintain weight loss, no matter what the current conventional wisdom is. Your experience confirms my suspicions.
The lentils and rice recipe:
Saute 4-5 large onions in olive oil until carmelized. Put onions and drippings in crockpot.
Rinse and drain 1 and 3/4 cups of dry lentils, add to crockpot.
Rinse and drain 2 cups dry brown rice, add to crockpot.
Add 6 cups of water. Mix everything together. Add salt to taste (the recipe I had didn't call for salt but desperately needed it!!!)
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Top each serving with yogurt. Makes 8-10 servings.
ARabella, I hope you feel better soon.
Yesterday was my first day without white flour, and I feel so much thinner today. Does white flour cause bloating, because I'm sure I didn't lose weight overnight (although that would be nice!)?
Amarantha, I'm curious about the way you follow Sugar Busters--I have the book, but read it a long time ago. Do you limit your starchy carbs to 3 a day( I think that's what the diet proscribes)? Also, does the diet limit fat?
Macon, my sister and my mom are both triggers for me! They live together, and have tons of candy, sweets, and ice cream in their house, and when they come over, they bring these types of things with them. I don't even look at the sweets, and I have sugarless gum with me. But it's hard. I usually end up overeating in an effort to avoid the sweets.
Macon, I sure do have "triggers" -- frustration being a big one. This usually results from me putting family members' needs ahead of my own, having no time or energy to look after myself. I also have the "automatic" triggers -- used to immediately go to my mom's kitchen whenever I visited. Now it depends on how firmly OP I am...
Gypsy (do you mind if I call you "Gypsy?" It just conjures up great images for me) I've had that lentil dish. I also love the plain cooked lentils mixed with well-browned onions. It's such a great, satisfying substitute for meat in a meal. Give me m'judrah with a side salad and I'm happy (So... yeah, I should make that more often)
Amarantha What a well-balanced pet family you have!
Arabella, you are a woman after my own heart! If you have other recipes for mujadrah, please share! This crockpot version didn't taste as yummy as my MIL's. I liked it, but my husband wouldn't touch it. Nothing like mama's cooking, ya know what I mean?
Redballoon - I am so sorry for your loss. I have 5 pets, 2 cats one also an orange tabby that I adore and is now almost 8 y/o and I got him when he was 2 months, and 3 dogs. can completely relate to your pain. Last summer my whire hair foxterrier got very ill and ended up in the ER, for 3 days they didn't know what she had, her kidneys shut and was dying. Eventually Vet discovered she was poisoned and she may've eaten raisins or grapes that are poison for dogs and my terrier and labs had been snacking in the backyard for days. Cristal was at the hospital for 15 days and I have a bill for $4,000 as statement. I cried and cried thinking she would be gone. Now she is well, needless to say we destroyed the grape vines and we will make sure we dont have them back this next summer. After your initial shock please think that you gave him 3 good years after that rough life he might've had. He will always be around, I do believe cats as humans have a soul that stays around. My heart goes to you.
Gypsy - I am making lentils today and I am trying your recipe.
Eydie - I am going to check the website again and see what are the beginner's steps.
Gypsy, I don't limit carbs in any way. The books suggest not eating a lot of bread, that's about it, although some of the things in the books are contradictory, so who knows? It is not a low carb diet. It suggests approximately 40-50 percent of the diet should be in good carbs. The only limits are on "unacceptable" high glycemic foods ... you can't eat 'em!
All went well at my doctor's today. He heartily encouraged me to go back on Radiant Recovery--and I am as of today and I can't tell you how good it feels. Ah, I feel like I'm home.
The second half of the day I spent at the vet's with my 18 1/2 year old cat. [Yes, that's 18!] She's not eating; it happened last month too and we had to take her to the vet to have fluid injected under her skin to re-hydrate her. The vet said we may opt to do this at home and taught me how to do it today. It wasn't bad and I feel capable. The vet also told me that this may be a sign that she may want to pass on, so we're sad to hear that. She used to be a massive cat and now she's down to 5 pounds and she's lost a pound since January.
RedBallon, I'm so sorry about your cat-friend, more than I can say. Please take care of yourself---we're all thinking of you.
Eydie- Glad the Dr. appt. went well today and that you are happy to be back with your old plan. Also, sorry about your cat (hugs). I have never known an 18 year old cat so you must have really given her a good and healthy home!
MP - Wow - from grapes? Glad she is okay. Aren't pet bills amazing? If we could add those to human bills, I think we would qualify for the tax deduction(not to say that it is not worth every penny but it is expensive).
Darlene - YUM! I am going to try that, thank you.
Thanks for the suggestions on the family trigger. Arabella, yes, staying out of the kitchen would help but we tend to hang-out there. It sounds like you have figured out what emotions lead to the trigger which is way ahead of me. Amarantha - I am determined to NOT binge or eat sugar. I just need to keep chanting it. The gum idea is good too! Thanks.
I do not know where all of you live but I can not wait for spring! We get mild weather for a day or two and then cold again, yuk! I think I actaully eat better once it gets warm - less comfort food. Come on summer!
Thanks people for your kind words. I'm feeling much better now. Will try to get in the swing of things again. Til then, take care and good luck with your sugarfree eating!
Thanks for checking in, RedBalloon. Please continue to let us know how you're doing, okay?
Macon, The thing that works for me with food pushers at family gatherings is telling them, "Nope, can't have that. Doctor's orders". It's worked for years with my mother-in-law! Of course, you may have to make up some affliction. Sugar-itis maybe?
Gypsy, about the white flour products and bloating: There's a fascinating book called "The False Fat Diet" by Elson Hass, where he explains all that. I'll refer to it today and try to get back with a explanation later.
Did I mention that I'm finally getting my first mammogram Tuesday? I'm kind of scared!
Yup, best to just say no to even a taste o' the stuff, a little just leads to more for me.
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I'm like you, can't eat when there's anything really serious that I'm upset about. But, for me, once the crisis is past, watch out 
I am so sorry about your cat. It sounds like finding you was a blessing for him (and you 
). I am sorry you are having to go through this. 
I think I may try the rubber band trick. Any other suggestions for this first BIG test?
Sugar-itis maybe?
