I think it's a realization that I've finally come to. I try so hard and do fairly well until mid afternoon and then I collapse. I would then berate myself for being weak and a loser -- something I'm sure most addicts do. I feel like a failure and had stopped posting everytime I started again because I felt that you would all be sick of me and think "oh here she goes again!". Sugar truly is an addiction and I don't think I realized how true that statement is until last night. So instead of considering giving up, I will just keep trying and taking it one day at a time. I know that I am not a total failure because my scale keeps moving down slowly. My portions are better and I do eat mostly protien and veggies until I run right smack into a sugar attack. Thanks for putting up with me and thanks Ellis for being my It is appreciated more than you know.

Kristin

(((Kristin))) Believe me dear, I know exactly how you feel. Yes, sugar IS addicting. And the worst part of that addiction is that we can get a fix anywhere, anytime. Sugar is even in medicine! No wonder we have such a hard time giving it up.

Have you been able to identify any specific "trigger" foods? If so, maybe you can come up with inventive ways to avoid them. For me, about once a month, when the red tide rises, I absolutely NEED chocolate. So, I buy ONE bar of really good deep dark chocolate and enjoy it. I figure it's better to eat the one thing I've been craving than to eat a bunch of other stuff in its place...that only leads to a junk food binge.

You're doing great, by the way...Ten pounds is nothing to sneeze at...try lugging a 10# bag of potatoes with you everywhere and you'll see what I mean.

Mamacita

Kristen - I don't think that anyone on this website will get "sick" of you!! I am sure that I speak for everyone when I say that reading other peoples struggles encourages me. If all anyone talked about on here was how good they were doing, I would feel like crap because I am not doing all that great!!!! I think we need a combination of hearing peoples struggles with peoples success stories. That way we all feel inspired to battle.

Mamacita - thanks for the quip about the potatoes!!! That made me smile, because I have lost only ten pounds also and thought I wasn't doing that great, but 10 lb bags of potatoes are HEAVY!!! LOL

Kristin, my dear, don't ever be afraid to stop posting.
Funny... I was just thinking yesterday of posting something to tell people that, even if you fall off the wagon permanently or change plans, to PLEASE keep posting here if you want to! The camaraderie here is wonderful. Heck, I've been off-plan for a year, and I'M still here!
And the "afternoon thing"... I hear ya, hon. I don't know what to do about it either, other than having a nap.

Along the lines of bags of potatoes...

I work for the nursing education department at a community college, and one of the CNA instructors has been my main cheerleader through losing the weight. She always comes into the office with baited breath on weigh day and practically turns cartwheels for me when tally goes up. She's been great. She always equates it to dog food... "Monica...50 lbs! That's 2 1/2 bags of 20 lb dog food!"

Anyway, she got tired of the dog food example Wednesday, so she ran down to the nursing lab and came upstairs again with a one pound model of...fat. All nice and yellow and waxy looking with little splotches of fake blood vessels going through it. She plopped it down on the desk and goes, "You lost f i f t y - t w o of those, Monica!" And really, it was kind of amazing. One pound of fat is bigger than you'd imagine. I was trying to figure out where exactly I had room to fit 52 of those things on my body...

Anyway, my CNA instructor buddy is the ultimate in weight loss equivalents, so if yas need help on thinking them up, let me know...

Yup, it's an addiction and most of us understand it completely. Never ever stop posting because you are off plan. That's when we NEED to post!

By the way, yesterday afternoon I was at the Fair Office (long story) and the leftover boxes of candy that we gave out at the gate called my name loudly! Yes, I ate a couple - of boxes!

I'm a sugar addict and the only way for me to control it is to not have even one taste.

Hang in there! ((((Kristen))))

fuzzy - your post inspired me to look up pics on the internet - check out what I found:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...D%26ie%3DUTF-8

and

http://www.nutritioncouncil.org/memb...splays/Fat.jpg


(copy and paste in your browser)

Pretty gross!!!!

Kristen, you sweet girl! I echo what everyone else says...keep posting! If no one ever posted their pitfalls, we would all start to think everyone is perfect, and never post our own! Let's all be honest with each other and support each other through these tough times that we ALL have!

I agree...sugar is literally my drug of choice. I eat it to escape exactly as an addict takes a hit or an alcoholic drinks. Truly. I joined OA a couple months ago, with a dear friend's support and I can't tell you how much it has helped. However, it's a program of attraction, not promotion, so if you are interested, check out www.oa.org and see what you want to do. I'll not say more, but I know it has helped me, even when I can't go to the meetings each week.

Kristen, have you made it through the detox? I must admit, getting through it is incredibly hard, but once you do, you never want to go through it again. At least, I don't. I remember the headaches and pain that comes with sugar, and I don't want to touch it. Can you get all the sugar out of your house, literally, and just stay home (or make sure you have no money and no access to any) until your detox is over? I guarantee it will help! Might take as long as five days or as little as 3. Try it.

Afternoons are hard! Can you take up a hobby that uses your hands? Get out for a walk? Play games on the computer? Something, anything to occupy you.

I can understand completely. Never stop posting, holing up inside yourself will only lead to more unhealthy habits!

I spend nearly all my time with my DF, who is 6'6" and lean. He eats donuts, candy bars, cookies, cakes, chocolate, fried foods, etc. Anything and everything unhealthy, he loves. I noted yesterday how Weezle felt watching her boy eat ice cream in front of her. She felt deprived and cravings were tough. I feel that VERY rarely. Not because I'm not an addict, but simply because I've learned how to deal.

A couple of years ago I was a 223 pounds sophomore in high school. You ladies understand how tough that is. I went on the Gabe Mirkin diet. It is similiar to SB in many ways. No processed foods, no sugars, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. I loved it. Brown rice and barley concoctions each night a different way, I was always full. That is when I taught myself that the sugar just ISN'T worth it.

Going out with my girlfriends to restaurants and shops wasn't tough anymore. I would watch them eat their full fat hot fudge sundaes and chicken fingers. I wouldn't feel anything, and if I did, I thought about how I would feel afterwards if I did eat that. Truly, I would feel like total s***! Therefore, when I didn't eat the junk, I would reward myself and feel good. Not only would my body be happy with me for not eating that, but my attitude was lightened. I showed myself just how strong I was each time I said no. Willpower is just that, you've got will and you've got power, you just have to put the two together and kick it up a notch!

I splurge every now and then, but I remember to keep my attitude positive and focus on how good I'll feel if I don't eat it...that's how I keep myself in check.

Eat to live. Don't live to eat.

Stay strong girl!

Samantha--

Aren't they gross! I set our "fat model" in front of the chocolate jar for the afternoon here on Wednesay. Interestingly enough, it didn't deter a whole lot of people...

Monica

Having a confirmed sweet tooth, I know from where you are coming.

I made a funny discovery a couple of years ago that has really helped me with the cravings for sugar. I was at home on a Sunday and had cravings sooooo bad, I just wanted that piece of whatever contained sugar (didn't matter to me). To keep myself busy, I convinced DH to go for an afternoon drive (it's wonder that we didn't stop for and ice cream cause it was a hot summer day). When I got home, I was still in the desparate craving state.

I decided that I would while away some time reading posts on 3FC, but took a litre bottle of water to the computer with me. I also decided at that point that I would drink the bottle of water (I actually drink the flavored waters because I don't much care for plain water), and if I still had the craving after I finished the bottle of water, I would indulge the craving with something sweet.

I drank and surfed and discovered when I was finished the water, I no longer had the craving. I truly was stunned at the discovery. Sooooo, I thought I would try the same thing the next time I had a craving. Yup...it worked like a charm. And, being me, I needed to know why this was happening.

What I read when I researched several places was that, you tend to have cravings when you are dehydrated. Indulging the craving does not satisfy the craving because you have not dealt with the root cause - dehydration.

From that point on, I decided that when I felt this acute need to binge on something (whether sweet, or not), I would first make myself drink a litre (quart) of water. I have done that fatihfully and often find that the craving is gone when I am finished. However, if the craving persists, then I indulge it but try to keep the behaviour controlled so that it does not become a binge. I have not had to indulge the cravings very often because they are ususally gone by the time I finish the water.

Great idea, Peggy! And makes perfect sense.

BTW, Monica, CONGRATULATIONS at your further loss. Your coworker sounds amazing and I'm so glad you have her to cheer you on! Yay! When I had lost 60 pounds, my dad said, "It's like a little kid dropped off your body and is running around!"...what a great image! That "kid" is now big enough to be in fourth grade, I bet!

fuzzy that is funny I was just thinking that I should make one of those fat blobs and set it on my kitchen counter. Now I am wondering if it would work???

Little chick--

I did have one nurse stop by to ask why we had the fat blob sitting by the candy. I told her "because that's how the chocolate looks once it finds its way to your thighs." Made me laugh, anyway...

Beachgal--

Come to think of it, 52 pounds is about how much my youngest nephews weigh... Guess what I'll be thinking next time I see them?

kristin,
no one here will ever get tired of you posting. we are all here for the same reason to support each other!! this journey we all have chosen is a very hard one and sometimes it is good and other times it just totally sucks, but we are all here for each other. i had my first OP week this past week but this only came after several months of me starting and stopping, and gaining and loosing and a lot of whining. the support of this board is amazing!! post on your good days but most importantly check in here on your bad days too we want to hear it!! hang in there!!