Emotional and Psychological Eating & Food Issues...

[Katlam]

Stephanie--I have to agree with everyone who's already posted. You'll have good and bad days, and some days you'll feel such pressure to eat whatever your trigger foods are. You will have much more power over it all with this way of eating (WOE). Practice will help, time will help, seeing how fantastic you look as each and every pound falls off you will be a HUGE boost. Keep at it and you'll get there.

Kathy

[bizzlekitty]

What everyone has posted is dead on.

My own story is very similar to yours. I also tried a zillion different diets over the years to try and lose weight and nothing has worked very well. The best one was Weight Watchers, where I lost 30 lbs, but got tired of it and being hungry all the time and regain the weight plus another 30+ lbs. I am now almost to the lowest weight I was on WW now... doing Atkins... for free... and I have totally changed my eating habits permanently. This is amazing seeing as I was a big fast food/carb crazy person before (potatoes are still my favorite food, but I haven't had them in a long time)

How to make it work:
1. Do Atkins by the book - avoid the low carb products until maintenance, eat your veggies, drink your water, exercise, don't skip meals!
2. Consider doing induction for a longer period of time. I did this and found that it really helped break me of the carb cravings and temptation to cheat, in addition to changing my WOE permanently.
3. See how long you can go cheat free. No little bites of cake, chips, nada.
4. Stop drinking pop/soda of ANY kind. Most of it encourages you to drink more, causes cravings and is probably not that good for you. Switch to unsweet tea with Splenda. (I used to drink 6+ cans of Diet Coke a day)
5. Visit this board and forum daily. Frequent the Before and After pictures too. This place is the BEST support system you are going to find.
6. Don't worry if you make mistakes, but don't use that as an excuse to not get right back on track again.
7. Don't expect to lose weight consistently, you might have stalls. Stick with it, just not to lose weight, but for your WOE for the rest of your life.

You are very beautiful. I loved your wedding pictures. Hope to see "less" of you soon!

[MotherNature]

I forgot to mention it in my former post, but you are absolutely beautiful. I would kill to have your face and oh that perfect skin and gorgeous hair!!! And by the way, hubby ain't bad either! LOL

Cathy

[ontheway2Stephanie]

Ok, you guys are making me blush! I swear I don't look like that all the time - it was my wedding! Although I have to say my hubby is pretty hot.

I do plan on doing induction for a much longer period of time then the two weeks. I will probably incorporate nuts into my diet, though, if I do induction longer because I love them. But I will stay at the 20 carbs or less.

This board has already helped me a lot! I can see that by just interacting with people who are also doing this will help keep my motivation up. You guys are awesome!!!

[LindaJay]

You've received some wonderful advice, and it sounds like you are smart (as well as stunning!), and you know what you need to do! You are already headed in the right direction. I too have been overwieght my entire life -- in fact, I now weigh less than I did when I got married 22 years ago!

So, if I can do this after more than 40 years of being overweight, I am sure that you can do it too! I also "mourned" the loss of my favorite foods, and I think that in some post last year, I compared it to "missing" a really good friend -- after all those snacks have been there for me whenever I needed them! And I, too, really enjoy food -- eating, reading about it, trying new stuff, etc. Almost all social events revolve around food -- trying to refocus your social and emotional life away from food and to your friends, etc., is really hard! But it does happen!

I wish you all the best in your journey -- and know that we are all here rooting for you, and will tell you anything we have learned along that way that we think will help!

[2big4mysize]

Congrats on your success already working your Atkins shrinking down!

........

I do plan on doing induction for a much longer period of time then the two weeks. I will probably incorporate nuts into my diet, though, if I do induction longer because I love them. But I will stay at the 20 carbs or less. ...........

Just so you know that wil be called modified OWL if you post on the induction board. very atkins proper but not sticking with the acceptable ffods list. I did that for the first 100 pounds added back rung 1 more og the veggies and rung 3 the nuts while keeping the total carbs under 20 net. in the original DANDR that was the way to do it according to rule 5 you just got the carb counter and fixed your carbs undr 20 but now that rue has been altered so yyou canh't eat nothing not on the list. your plan will still work if you can metabolically handle the nuts and can control your portions.

Happy low carbing

[Deflating Diva]

Sorry girl I was one of those read and run persons. I was busy and barely had time to read. I'm a sucker for wedding pictures. Your wedding was beautiful and trust me I know good taste when I see it. It looks like the board has already told you what you needed to know. You also seem to understand that food is no longer the center focus in your life. If I had a young stud hubby like you do I would never be around the kitchen. I hope you are listening we all have the same issues we all started out 100 pounds over weight and plus some because I alone was 140 pounds over. You are going to win this time because it is not a diet it is a way of life. You are in control.
Deflating Diva

[DonnaJ34]

Stephanie I have to say you are beautiful and I looked at all your wedding pictures with envy. You seem very happy and your hubby is lucky as are you..

This may sound strange but I was emotionally "bonded" with my food to the point -when I went out to eat and my family ate something I longed for I'd tear up because I was denied having it. My kids would say, MOM we're sorry you can't have any of ___ and I'd say, No you guys, I choose not to have any.

Now they see the progress and are both changing their eating habits for the better and losing weight! (They are just 11 and 14) My daughter has given up soda - completely and for an 11 year old I think that is amazing! If she can give up something whole heartedly than surely I can give up my additiction to certain foods I still sometimes want badly (and have). I have a mexican problem, a significant one. I crave tortillia chips and cheese dip - and when I eat it I am mad at myself and really in a bad mood, **** I even figured out how many I can have and still stay below the 20g a day of carbs. Just doesnt work because I don't lose if I do it.

Anyways this isn't about my demons...you can stay on induction for quite some time, I did for 6 months. You will notice significant loss in inches and not scales frequently so measure yourself and do try to keep a journal as someone suggested earlier. It saved me. It holds you accountable for what you put in your mouth. Simple as that, you can do it girl! If I can lose anyone can do it, I have -0- willpower and Atkins made it possible for me to have some control over myself and what I eat. :nod

Keep on fighting the good fight and it won't always be easy, nothing good ever is!!
:joy



Started 1/03

[kkat55]

Re: Emotional and Psychological Eating & Food Issues...

This was a GREAT thread!!