>Accountability< Week of May 31st to June 6th>

[amadeus4313]

Good morning everyone. Just getting us started on this Memorial Day 2004

I woke up this morning feeling immensely grateful to our men and women in the armed services who so selflessly sacrifice for our freedoms. I am grateful that I live in this country where we have so much that we need to be mindful about being good stewards. I'm grateful for my home, my husband, my children, my friends. I am grateful that I have two jobs which compliment each other and that I enjoy. Most of all I am grateful for my God whose mercies are new each day and who loves me unconditionally whether I am fat or thin, successful or struggling.


Have a wonderful day everyone!

Mary

[amadeus4313]

I have now completed three days of abstinence as I am defining it until I find a sponsor. I am down 3.8 pounds since committing to abstinence

For me abstinence is writing down my food plan for the day, posting it here, and following through. I eat only what is on my plan and only at mealtimes. I do not eat between meals. Nothing!

Yesterday I found myself eating mindlessly for the first time since committing to this plan. On Sundays all of the kids come home for dinner. I was making a salad and twice found myself putting lettuce in my mouth. I caught myself both times. Don't know what triggered it or if it was just habit. Anyway, it's something I am going to have to be more aware of.

I am still getting very hungry between meals, but you know what? I think I'm going to stay at the level I have been for a while longer. It's been a long time since I have really felt hunger and it's an interesting feeling. My blood sugar has been stable, I've just been getting the rumbly empty feeling.

Here is my plan for today:

Breakfast
Mocha latte
orange
1 cup Fiber one cereal
1/2 cup Carb coundown milk

Lunch (cookout at BIL)
1 cup Dreamfield pasta salad
1 Hamburger patty with cheese slice
Snapple Diet Peach

Snack
1 cup Homemade yocheese
1/4 cup Sliced strawberries

Supper
2 oz. Marinated chicken tenders
3 cups Romaine lettuce
2 Tbsp. Kraft Carbwell Caesar dressing

Bedtime
1 cup Carb countdown chocolate
2 Russell Stover LC truffles (these aren't a problem for me in this amount.)

Just for today I am committed to making my food plan and sticking with it.

MaryM

[MaryMary]

Hi everyone,

Thought for sure today was going to rain, but we have been spared. We are driving to the beach today and stocking up our cooler.

Looking forward to tomorrow morning. The 1st of the month is weigh-in day for me. I only weigh in once a month because the recovery isn't about the number but more in the spiritual and emotional realms and focusing on the numbers keeps me from moving on. So once a month I get to look at the number. I know it will be down because my clothes are looser. I know I can't control the number, but just the actions that I take every day to love myself and my family. I can eat healthy and exercise, I can clean my house a little and garden a little. I can toss the clutter or give it away. I can look for a job (the hardest of all of these).

I am grateful for my health, a loving husband and children, and for abstinence and sanity one day at a time.

ODAAT
IDENMW
A&G

[doodles]

MaryMary, you've added some other initials at the end. What is A&G? Enjoy your day. We had tornadoes in the area last evening, but thankfully we were not in the path. Today dawned sunny and bright.
MaryM, Amen. So many have sacrificed for our freedom.
Doing pretty well. I haven't been able to get in the groove of eating breakfast so I eat lunch, dinner and a snack.

[MaryMary]

A&G = Abstinent and Grateful

[loves2sing]

Originally posted by amadeus4313
I have now completed three days of abstinence as I am defining it until I find a sponsor. I am down 3.8 pounds since committing to abstinence

Bravo!!!

[loves2sing]

Tonight I'm completing my 14th day of recommitted HOW abstinence.

The hardest time for me is often at night, after I've finished all of my meals for the day... At other times of the day, if I think of eating, I just remind myself that I'll be eating soon, at my next meal... Now I'm done with all my food for today, and sometimes it seems like a long time before morning...

I want to remember that these would be great times to turn to prayer.

I'm not really hungry, my body isn't hungry - but my mind wants to eat. Why? Out of habit, to comfort myself, perhaps to push away feelings I'd rather not deal with... I don't know exactly, I just feel kind of anxious and a bit on edge, and I think of eating...

For tonight, I'm going to go get in bed with a book. I'll eat in the morning.

Thanks for "listening,"
Cindy

[amadeus4313]

I have now completed four days of abstinence as I am defining it until I find a sponsor.
For me abstinence is writing down my food plan for the day, posting it here, and following through. I eat only what is on my plan and only at mealtimes. I do not eat between meals. Nothing!


Cindy, congratulations on 2 abstinent weeks! I know what you mean about night time. In the past, most of my self-sabotage came just before bed time. I could be great all day and then in that few minutes before bed, I would undo it all. Now I just repeat my mantra IDENMW.

When I quit smoking, I went to a website called silkquit.org. They hada meter that would keep track of your quit date and let you know how much time of cigarette abstinent accumulated. I downloaded it again today, not for cigarette sobriety because I don't plan to ever smoke again, but to keep track of my food sobriety. Back when I quit smoking I would sometimes stare at that meter to keep from wanting a cigarette.

Here is my food plan for the day:

Breakfast
Mocha latte
egg salad
La Tortilla

Lunch
Mocha Latte
2 cup Dreamfield pasta salad

Snack
1 cup Homemade yocheese
1/4 cup Sliced strawberries

Supper
4 oz. Marinated chicken tenders
3 cups Romaine lettuce
2 Tbsp. Kraft Carbwell Caesar dressing

Bedtime
1 cup Carb countdown chocolate

Just for today I am committed to making my food plan and sticking with it.

I am getting ready to head out for a run. It's a beautiful sunny morning. We haven't had many of those lately.

Have a great abstinent day all

MaryM

[MaryMary]

Hi everyone,

Today was weigh in day for me. This only comes around once a month and I have to go to the Y to do it. The good news is I lost 6 pounds in May and am very happy with the results of the positive actions I am taking one day at a time.

Today was also day 30 of recommitted GSA abstinence. Listened into a 7 am morning meeting and ran errands then went to an OA meeting. The thought that I got out of the speaker's presentation was that if I sit around waiting to be motivated to do 'whatever', I will sit around the rest of my life. First I have to take the action and then the motivation will follow. Yeh!

I am going to try and apply that thought just for today.

IDENMW
ODAAT
A&G

[amadeus4313]

Yeah, Mary! I know that weight loss is not the main priority but ain't it a great fringe benefit? Actually, I have felt so great the last couple of days that I can't believe it. I wake up so grateful that this forum exists and that all of you are here.

MaryM

Edited to add: also, congrats on a month of abstinence. No mean feat, that!

[sassytobe]

hello my friends south of the boarder..so glad you are all enjoyed your long weekend......

It is refeshing to read such posiitive messages..you all are wonderfull.

I will not weight myself until sunday but i am on day 6 of my new journey and feeling great.......

take care all

[loves2sing]

MaryMary - congratulations on 30 days! That is awesome!!

I had a long day today, including driving over 400 miles...

Tonight I went to the first meeting of a new Step Study meeting, which will meet weekly for more than a year. We call these AWOL, for A Way of Life, here in Northern California. They only start up every couple of years. I'm really glad for the timing on this one, starting up just as I come back into program.

Today I ate the food I committed to my sponsor last night.

A few minutes ago, I sent my sponsor my food for tomorrow, and my writing assignment. I also wrote to my Big Book Study loop. Those are my evening program tasks.

Now I'm going to meditate and then tuck myself into bed.

Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful, abstinent day tomorrow,
Cindy

[amadeus4313]

Good morning, everyone!

I have now completed five days of abstinence as I am defining it until I find a sponsor.
For me abstinence is writing down my food plan for the day, posting it here, and following through. I eat only what is on my plan and only at mealtimes. I do not eat between meals. Nothing!

I can't believe I am in my 6th day. I am taking each day one day at a time. I am abstinent today. I only focus on today.

Here is my food plan today:

Breakfast
Mocha latte
egg salad (2 eggs, 1 T mayo)
Weresome applesauce/almond muffin
pat of butter

Lunch
Mocha Latte
1 cup Dreamfield pasta salad
3 oz chicken

Snack
1 cup Homemade yocheese
1/4 cup Sliced strawberries

Supper
1 Natural Ovens Golden Crunch bagel
1 TBSP Carb Options peanut spread

Before Bed
1 cup Carb countdown chocolate
1 ZCarb with almonds bar

Just for today I am committed to making my food plan and sticking with it. IDENMW

[loves2sing]

Originally posted by amadeus4313

I can't believe I am in my 6th day. I am taking each day one day at a time. I am abstinent today. I only focus on today.

Mary, this is wonderful.

You have a great attitude!

Congratulations!

Thanks for being here. You are an inspiration to me.

For today, I am being abstinent with you. Thanks for the company!!

Cindy

[amadeus4313]

Originally posted by loves2sing
Mary, this is wonderful.

You have a great attitude!

Congratulations!

Thanks for being here. You are an inspiration to me.

For today, I am being abstinent with you. Thanks for the company!!

Cindy

You know, I have been on these boards for a long time. Until now, I have not been able to find a forum community that fits my needs the way this one does. You are an inspiration to me, also. I have never felt so at peace with my food issues as I have this last 5 days. I've had periods of being "on plan", but always, in the back of my mind, was the feeling that it wouldn't last. Now I know it doesn't have to last any longer than today.

This group is a total blessing to me.

Have a great day all,

Mary/Amadeus (who just heard that finally we are going to get a stretch of nice weather. We farm, but you'd never know it from the last 2 months)

[doodles]

Mary/Amadeus, congratulations! I see you're in Michigan. We've been going to Mackinac Island every summer for about fifteen years. Michigan is a beautiful state.
Cindy, thank you for being here.
MaryMary, how are you today? Congratulations on your thirty days.
sassy, welcome aboard our amazing journey.

Today I'm also A&G. Have a great day, going to get back to work.

[amadeus4313]

Hey Pam,
I love Macinaw Island and the upper peninsula. I live in the middle of the "mitten".

We are a great group, aren't we?

[MaryMary]

Hi everyone,

Went onto 2 phone meetings today and got my blood drawn for annual checkup. Will get the results in a week or so. Going to the beach today to see DD. I love the beach, the water, the sun and waves. It feels like heaven ought to.

Abstinent & Grateful just for today.

Have a good one.

[amadeus4313]

Hi Mary,
Hope your day at the beach is a great one!

[loves2sing]

I'm tired, happy, abstinent, and grateful.

Goodnight to all...
Cindy

[amadeus4313]

Good morning, everyone!

I have now completed six days of abstinence as I am defining it until I find a sponsor.
For me, abstinence is writing down my food plan for the day, posting it here, and following through. I eat only what is on my plan and only at mealtimes. I do not eat between meals. Nothing!

I can't believe I am in my 7th day. I am taking each day one day at a time. I am abstinent today. I only focus on today.

I am thinking about going to a meeting tonight. The thought makes me nervous - walking in and being the new kid, but I'm feeling like I want to go. So, if DH isn't home tonight, I'm going to go.

I went for a run this morning. It was beautiful out this morning. On my runs, I pray for people in my life. This morning, after praying for my family, I prayed for all of us on this forum, that we would find the strength to do what it takes be victorious over the challenges in our lives, to never forget what we've learned, and to reach out and help others along the way. It is, after all, what life is about, no?

Here is my food plan today:

Breakfast
Mocha latte
3/4 cup frozen grapes
1 piece lowcarb foccaccia
1 Tbsp. Carb options peanut spread
1 hard boiled egg

Lunch
Mocha Latte
Michael Angelo's Carb Balance ham & cheese wrap (found these last night - 8 net carbs)
V8 juice

Snack
1 cup Homemade yocheese
1/4 cup Sliced strawberries

Supper
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 Tbsp caesar dressing
2 cups Dreamfield pasta salad (can't wait to finish this up, next time I won't make so much. It's good, but I'm getting tired of it.)

Before Bed
1/2 cup Breyer's Carb Smart ice cream

Just for today I am committed to making my food plan and sticking with it. IDENMW

Have a great day all,
Mary/Amadeus (doesn't that sound like a nun's name - Sr. Mary Amadeus )

[MaryMary]

Hi everyone,

Never made it to the beach today. Going to try to get there today. I am feeling lazy today. Still in my nightgown, but just had breakfast.

Went to the Big Book Step Study last night. I had tears in my eyes listening to one fellow tell his story of recovery. He said he finally understood what it meant to be grateful.

Food is okay and in its place.

Take care everyone,
{{{{HUGS}}}} coming your way

[lowcarbforlife]

amadeus, I have yet to read through the other posts, I stopped when I read yours (the first one), because I immediately related to something you said.

Yes, I too believe God loves me whether I am fat or thin. Period.

I have many problems with compulsive overeating.

I've dabbled in two Christian weight loss programs, the first being Weigh Down by Gwen Shamblin. This didn't work because you were meant to feel sinful and displeasing to God every time you overate. In other words, guilt.

The second one is Thin Within, which is similar, but with emphasis on God's mercy, and without the guilt, but still I have problems with it, because if God's love and mercy is there, every step of the way, I feel reading the Bible is sufficient, these programs really didn't do that much more for me.

If God loves me, just as I am, what is the point of a Christian weight loss program?

That said, I am struggling with eating when I'm happy, sad, especially when I'm stressed, etc.

I realize no diet will work in the long-run if I overeat, but I feel so much better low-carbing, I'm sticking with it anyway, especially because of my genetics - so much diabetes in my family.

Anyway, hi everyone, and now I'm going back to read everyone else's posts!

[amadeus4313]

Originally posted by lowcarbforlife

If God loves me, just as I am, what is the point of a Christian weight loss program?

I guess I would say that I love my children as they are, but still I want the best for them. I feel bad when they fall, but I still love them. Some people may be more comfortable in a Christian group because they are free to talk about their faith in Jesus without having to think about being "pc"

[amadeus4313]

And, by the way, welcome Lowcarbforlife. I'm really glad you came here.