It has been 21 days since my last indiscretion.

I am addicted to carbs in any and all forms, but sugar, of course, is my favorite. I have started eating according to the primal blueprint and so far it seems to be something I can sustain. It is HARD not eating from the four food groups - candy, cookies, cakes and ice cream - but I am making a real go of it.

I have been creeping up to 300 pounds and really wish to go the other way on the scale, so am giving this a real go. I have tried many many other ways of losing weight, as I bet many of us have, and nothing has worked for me yet. If I can't get on track in the next couple of years, I will probably go for WLS, because I am getting on in years (40 now) and health problems are beginning to crop up.

The weight gain from 230 to 295 these past two years has been related to repeated miscarriages/fetal losses. Four to date. 9 weeks, 17 weeks, 20 weeks and back to 9 weeks. Hormones and sadness have really upped the carb addiction ante, but I'm fighting back.

I'm glad to have found this site. I read alot at the Mark's Daily Apple forum, but no one really talks about how hard it is to give up carbs. Many of them are cutting (building muscle, cutting body fat) rather than dealing with a food addiction. I need to talk about my addiction, and all of you seem to be open about your struggles, which I truly appreciate.

Cute... but seriously, congrats. That is awesome... it can be very difficult to fight against food addiction and you are doing a great job of it.

To each his/her own when it comes to WLS... I would say that I would be careful with telling yourself things like this. For one, it doesn't sound like a very positive mindset to be going into this with. You CAN do this... And also, I would be careful not look at WLS as a fix if you can't do this by sheer willpower. I have known people who have had WLS and were food addicts. Yes, they lost a lot, but they also regained because the surgery didn't cure the addiction. Just a thought...

As for the rest of your post, I am sorry you have been having a hard time of it. A lot of us are emotional eaters and struggle to resolve stress and conflicts without reaching out to food.

That said, no one can do this for you... this is something you have to decide to do for yourself. No one can keep you motivated or make you eat veggies or exercise... We can surely offer LOTS of support and advice, but ultimately it will be up to you.

Check out the boards, find your niche, and post often!

I see WLS as another tool. One I don't want to use except as a last resort, but definitely a tool to help me get to a healthy weight.

I have been struggling with weight issues for almost 30 years now. I think that looking to WLS is a realistic and honest option if various ways of eating aren't working. If I come across as doom and gloom, that truly isn't how I meant it. I am a realist, but definitely optimistic about primal eating. Other than fighting my addiction to sugar this way of eating has been pretty fantastic!

Hi! It is a good thing to hear of your motivation to start your program. Take care of your health and good luck!

Hey Kathy. I'm a sugar addict too, but I have been recovering and sober for 2 years now. I want to encourage you to believe that it's do-able.

Quitting sugar and other white refined crap did help me lose about 40 pounds in just a few months. So that is where I started. That's without exercise, even. Later, I added in additional tools (calorie counting, exercise, strength training) to lose more weight. But fundamentally, it was quitting sugar that did it for me. (Side note: My husband has also lost about 80 pounds, primarily by quitting sugar.)

I wanted to say also that I relate to your miscarriage history--I lost 3 pregnancies myself. I believe very strongly that my losses were related to ongoing insulin resistance. Quitting sugar and refined white carbs, of course, will largely treat insulin resistance; losing weight helps too. Metformin is another potential treatment, which I used during the first 10 weeks of my 2nd successful pregnancy. (I did eventually have 3 babies.)

Good luck to you. I hope you find the information and support that you want here. Come join us on the 100 pound club subforum if you like.

Hi and welcome to 3FC.

Congrats on your success and good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

Welcome. Cutting sugar and counting calories has also worked for me. I was down to 163, and then fell off the wagon. Now I am getting back on.

Hey Kathy!
I'm totally with you about being addicted to carb and sugar, lol. I'm trying a low carb diet (but still allow myself fruit - even thoguh they are kinda high on the carb count)

Good luck to you (from one sugar addict to another)

Welcome!

I am fortunate to be more into salt then sugar. But when I get that feeling, that sugar crave feeling, I go for sugarfree treats that help pass like sugarfree butterscotch jello and whip cream (2 tablespoons) mmm. These are moreso fat treats then sugar. I am not on the atkins way of eating but there are so many great recipes there that can satisfy your sugar cravings cravings. For my first month of eating healthier I cut everything out as a detox. I am now including small low calorie/sugar snacks. I would say that not having it for a month and having them as treats (not as meals lol) and adding them to my calorie journal has helped me loads. I hope your new healthier lifestyle works well for you and I cant wait to see your progress!

Welcome from a fellow sugar addict.

Hello and welcome! I am a sugar/sweets fan, but I am learning to eat them in moderation..I can have 1 or 2 sweets, instead of the whole boxes. Good luck with your efforts!

Thanks for the warm welcome, everybody!

CityLights, is your username related to the book publisher/bookstore? Love them.

Gamerlady, I am detoxing, too. I don't know what my future diet will be, but for now, I have to avoid triggers. I gave up artificial sweeteners today, to see if it will lessen the triggers to binge on carbs. It's been 22 days, but they have been rough hard earned days.

hhaffner I am eating fruit as well. I think it's part of a healthy diet. I eat in moderation, and I don't think I will ever give up fruit. I might reduce intake if necessary for weight loss, but fruit has too many health positives to give up.

WarMaiden Two years! WOW. Congratulations.

After reading your post I went and googled and found some research backing miscarriage and insulin resistance. You can have a normal fasting blood glucose and still be insulin resistant. I don't think anyone has ever checked this on me, but I do think that at least two of the miscarriages were related to this. (the other two were genetic issues)

I think you might be right on the money with me, because with all of my pregnancies after eating I would become very very dizzy, light headed, my heart would race (into the 130's 140's) and I would feel nauseated and faint. I kept looking this up and asking doctor after doctor about it, but no one had a good explanation. They would ask what my BGS was and when they would find that it was normal, they would shrug their shoulders and call it idiopathic postprandial tachycardia (gee thanks. fancy way of saying we don;t know why, but your heart rate is going up after you eat).

I really hope that the way I am eating helps to solve this, because I am still TTC.