Overwhelmed with life

[Uniquely_Ambi]

I'm not emotional eating yet, but I'm scared it will happen very soon. I feel very bogged down with teaching, wedding, and weight loss.

I'm having a very hard time with teaching. I"m a first-year teacher who's afraid of of my aid because she is close with the administration (principal and asst. principal). She's trying to take over my classroom and is putting her authority over mine. Not sure what to do about it. Just trying to bite the bullet and get through the school year. Also dealing with state testing right now. I've done so many practice tests it's insane.

The wedding is coming up soon. Time seems to be going faster and faster and all I see is what I have left to do and trying to get it all done. It's very hard and frustrating. I need to devote a lot of time to it, but I work over an hr. away from where I live (the only teaching job I could get) and I get up at 4:30 to get to work and usually don't get home until 5:30 and many days even later due to meetings and whatnot. I try to get to bed at least by 9:00, but even that is a dream lately since I have to work on wedding stuff and try and work out.

Losing weight. I started on induction yesterday and for the most part feel it's going okay. Yesterday I wasn't that hungry and I stuck to what I'd planned to eat. Today I had an unplanned snack (legal though) and I'm hungry again and I don't even get to leave for a while. I'm out of food, so I won't eat anything until I get home. I've been working out as much as I can, but even that doesn't seem to be much lately and I'm trying hard to lose what I can before the wedding, especially this week since I'm getting my dress altered this weekend.

I guess it doesn't seem like much, but it's weighing heavily on me. I also have way more cats than I can take care of right now, but I feel guilty about putting them in a no-kill shelter and am having a horrible time finding homes for them.

I have pastries, chips, and all sorts of foods that I haven't had an over a year on my mind. I just want to get a regular burger and fries. I guess I don't really "want" to, but that's what my body is saying it wants. I'm trying hard to fight that. I know I won't give in to that, but lc chocolate is something I might end up eating. Or just eating more of what's legal in the first place. When I'm like this I think I feel hungry even when I don't need food. I had enough for lunch, so I don't know why I'm even hungry.

Any advice would be great. I don't want to break down. I want to stay on induction until my wedding and then start at the first rung of OWL.

[Feelin the Power]

Hi Amber! Nice to meet you!

Well first of all, let me tell you your loss looks great!! Congrats on coming this far!!!

Second, I maintained this WOE for about a year (it only took about 1.5 months to reach my goal), then about a year ago I went straight downhill. I was planning a wedding, working full time, had kids at home, etc. etc. and I lost my willpower. I'm back today to start over and loose the weight AGAIN.

So just keep your head up and don't turn to food. You can do it! We are all here for you!

[JoanOH]

Hi Amber:

First, a big congrats on the amount of weight you've lost so far. You must be so proud of yourself!

I can certainly understand and sympathize with your being tempted to eat what you shouldn't. You're under a lot of stress, it sounds like some may be self-imposed and some are from outside sources. There's not many of us who wouldn't be equally overwhelmed under similar circumstances!

Your body, as well as your mind, is under a huge amount of stress. In your pre-Atkins life, what did you do when you were under this amount of stress? Probably ate. That's what most of us emotional eaters did in the past. We ate because food equalled comfort. Right now, your body is trying to comfort you in the way it was taught for years -- with food. It's saying to you, "Here....I know how to make you feel better."

It's a powerful craving and difficult to ignore because you're not relieving the stress in ANY manner.

My first piece of advice to you is to sit down and plan out your foods and make sure you have acceptable foods on hand at all times. When these cravings hit, it will be far better for you to grab an acceptable food than one that isn't. Also, a high fat/protein food will help alleviate those carb cravings. You should be eating if you're hungry -- this WOE isn't about starving yourself. Just eat until you are no longer hungry - that's the key.

One thing you said that interested me was that yesterday you stuck to what you planned to eat but today you're out of food and hungry.

During this stressful time -- which obviously isn't just going to magically disappear -- you need to be prepared. Sit down for a few minutes each night and plan out what you're going to take to work with you so you don't have to go hungry or so you don't have to give in to those cravings. Have "emergency" foods on hand at all times - in your car, your desk at work, your purse. Again, it will be far better to grab an acceptable snack than to head for the ice cream and chips.

You also need to look for another way to comfort yourself. I understand your time is limited, but you need to find a good 15 minutes a day where you can comfort yourself by doing something you enjoy and something that will get your focus OFF all the stressful things going on. Perhaps it's reading a book or going for a walk, or watching a favorite TV show or having a bubble bath or doing some exercise. Anything to get your mind off the pressures - even just for a few minutes - will make a huge difference. Just like we re-train our sweet tooth and carb cravings, those of us who are emotional eaters have to retrain our bodies to seek comfort in things other than food.

I wish I had a magic wand for you, but I don't. But do try planning your foods for the day and looking for other ways to comfort yourself. And let us know how you're doing, OK?

Joan J

[Uniquely_Ambi]

Thank you for all your tips. I try not to bring snacks to school because I don't want to eat the food. If it's here it will call me and I will eat it-hungry or not. I will make myself think I'm hungry.

I just feel like giving up. I really can't do this right now. I can barely get myself to come to teach anymore. It's so hard and it's pure **** right now.

I don't have time to sleep or anything. I'm just very very depressed right now (I guess my post should be moved to the depression one, lol). I haven't worked out at all this week and I just feel very close to a breakdown.

[JoanOH]

Thank you for all your tips. I try not to bring snacks to school because I don't want to eat the food. If it's here it will call me and I will eat it-hungry or not. I will make myself think I'm hungry.

It's OK OK OK OK to eat!!! You have to have food during the day! You're NOT on a low-cal diet, so try and get passed this, OK?

I just feel like giving up. I really can't do this right now. I can barely get myself to come to teach anymore. It's so hard and it's pure **** right now.

I don't have time to sleep or anything. I'm just very very depressed right now (I guess my post should be moved to the depression one, lol). I haven't worked out at all this week and I just feel very close to a breakdown.

Why don't you try posting in the Depression forum... I'm so sorry for the difficulties you're having and hope someone in that forum might be able to provide you with more suitable information than I can. Emotional eating is more about eating when you're angry or stressed (which you are, obviously) or sad or bored... Depression is a whole different ballgame and I'm probably not the best Moderator here to be able to help you out.

Don't give up, though. That might add more fuel to your Depression fire right now. Post in the other forum and let them offer their assistance to get you through this.

You're in my thoughts. Take care of YOU, OK?
Joan J

[Uniquely_Ambi]

I bring food for lunch, just not snacks. I'm sick of being in this plateau. I'm getting married soon and I don't think I'll lose any weight before then.

[2big4mysize]

Ambi :hug :hug you have come so far from that scared senior who posted about blood sugar issues last yr.
You are going great with all that is on your plate. Have you found a metor teacher yet?

You are under stress right now big time stress and it is releasing some nasty to lose weight on chemicals which we have talked about before in your body. exercise is a positive way to deal with them and give your brain some cool endomorphins to assist you in feeling calm and peaceful.

You want those foods because your doctor BRAIN knows in the past when you were stressed you ate those foods and felt better and it is trying very hard to help you feel better and cover come this stress. It hasn't yet learned new low carb foods that comfort you nor changed behaviors that will asssit you. Have you looked into meditations as an outlet? it wouldn't take much time and you could do it anywhere you were.
You can break up your exercise into just 10 min segments 3 times a day and get better weight loss effects from that then one 30 min session. So how about a brisk walk from the parking lot to your classroom a brisk walk at lunch and a brisk walk before you get in thecarto go home. then you could get some more free workouts at home for a very productive for your depression your stress and your weight loss daily exercise schedule. :yes

We know and your boy friend knows you are going to be the most beautiful bride and the healthiest smallest he has seem you in a long time. So hold your head up and proudly walk down the aisle to make your public declaration of love and commitment to him. That is the only important thing about a wedding. The rest will just be window dressing.


Have you discussed this with your doctor to see if maybe you need a dose change in your depression meds?

[Uniquely_Ambi]

Kind of sad that after a year my body still wants crap to feel better. I wonder if that will ever change? I'm sick of fighting that battle. I'll go ahead and head to the gym tonight. I like having my workout all together at the gym because it is relaxing and when I'm done I usually go the SPA as a reward and relax before going home.

I just have so much to do and my schedule is insane right now. I have a mentor teacher assigned by the district, but I can't trust her worth anything. She tells the principal anything I say to her and basically works with the other teachers behind my back. I'm just trying to get through this year and then maybe get a job as a secretary or something (not sure what else one can do with a teaching degree).

I'm on the highest dosage the dr. can safely give me for Wellbutrin SR and I really don't have the money or the time to keep going back to him and experimenting with meds. Especially if they have a bad reaction on my weight.

I'm basically in survival mode and just dissapointed that I won't be able to lose more weight before my wedding. I'm looking okay now and TONS better than a year ago, but still not where I want to be and yes, only 40 lbs. left, which is tons better than the 100+ I had to lose a year ago, but it still seems far away and all I see are the imperfections left on my body.

I just want to be and feel beautiful for me and my fiance. He's a wonderful guy and he deserves the best. I want to be that for him. I'm trying on my dream dress this weekend that I've already ordered and I'm so scared about how it's going to look on me.

[2big4mysize]

Ambi I caved after almost 2 yrs. there is no time limit on those neural commcetions.
close your eyes and think about being hapy as a kid and poof somethihg you did that made you happy back then will pop up in your head. Our brains have very very complicated cross refferencing systems.

Every new to a district teacher has high hopes and plans for turning things around at their school using what they learned in college it is no different in any other job situation.

See you have already found time in that busy schedule for exercise and a nice unwinding of your tensions in that spa afterwards. Sounds great.

How about wanting something for yourself as your motivation. You and I both know your DBF wants you as the you he met and proposed to and that was several pounds bigger so your weight on your wedding day isn't his issue. it is yours. Focus on something else that is more important then appearance, the actual joining of you and him as husband and wife and concentrate on geting yourself healthier so you two can grow old together.That is what he deserves from you. :hug