Prayer for freedom from addiction

[isign17]

Hello everyone...I am starting back with LDL and I'm facing much tougher challenges than I expected.  I feel very enslaved to my addictions (sugar, carbs, fast food, inactivity) and I'm having a very hard time just taking the first step to eradicate them from my life.  I would love to live in freedom from this horrid problem!  It's a vicious cycle and makes me feel so hopeless sometimes.  I know it's possible to change.  I've witnessed it in my own life in the past, but this time I just can't seem to get going.  I would so appreciate your prayers!
Thanks so much,
Andrea

[Gwennaford]

Hi baby.  I totally understand your pain and am praying for you right now.  It's great that you are reaching out HERE where it is safe, positive, encouraging & motivational.  There are dozens of caring people here to help hurting people.

Please read my reply on your "Starting Over" thread about starting a food journal.  Also look for another thread posted today about healthy snack foods.  There's no need to suffer from the enslavement of food addictions when you are FREE to eat all you want from every food group.  It's just a matter of choosing different foods to satisfy your cravings.

I encourage you to start your Food Journal right away.  Post everything you eat & are tempted to eat, good and bad.  We can give you loads of suggestions about other things you can eat in abundance, instead of the harmful things.  When you first start Let's Do Lunch, it is normal to have cravings while your blood sugars are getting stabilized.  Roger Troy has designed a craving-buster plan that I personally guarantee will help you.

ANDREA, YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE!

  Hugs, 

Gwennaford Grape

[isign17]

Thank you so much for your advice and encouragement, Gwen!  A few things happened today that pointed me in the right direction and now I'm feeling so much more hopeful!  I know God is on my side--it's so apparent.  He's working everything out for my good, and I know He brought me to this place to find people like you!!  Thanks again so much for your prayers and everything!!  I will be sure to continue to come here if I'm ever feeling overwhelmed.
God bless!
Andrea

[Debbers1756]

First I want you to know I am praying not only for you, but for myself and all others that are plagued by this horrible addiction.  I just ordered the book (although I haven't received it yet), but found out about the plan in a magazine.  I, like you, could not figure out why I constantly craved food.  From the advice I found in this magazine article, I went to the store last night and bought not only fresh fruit, but quick frozen, especially if not in season yet.  This morning I made a huge smoothie with a banana, frozen raspberries, frozen blueberries, frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, canned chunk pineapple with the juice, stevia, and enough orange juice with calcium to smooth out the frozen fruit.  I put this in a 32 ounce bottle and off to work I went.  I drank this the better part of the morning.  Around 12:30 pm I was hungry, so I had some canned vegetable soup that I added garbanzo beans to and split into a serving for today and one for tomorrow.  I also had a whole wheat tortilla filled with grilled chicken, grilled peppers and onions and tossed that with lite balsalmic vinegarette; added salad to the chiken, peppers and onions and wrapped the tortilla as tightly as I could (without ripping), wrapped it in plastic wrap and threw that in my lunch bag as well.  To round out my lunch, I had some red grapes.  I also have a stock of fresh fruit with me in case I get hungry later this afternoon.  Since I have always been a nighttime grazer, I'm hoping things will go as well as they have today.  I'm going to ask you to pray with me.  I have tried E*V*E*R*Y*T*H*I*N*G and N*O*T*H*I*N*G has worked.  I must admit though, that I feel great today.  There really must be a direct coorolation between processed food and a sluggish motabolism.  This really is the first plan that has not left me feeling starved and thinking of food constantly.

[EnJae]

Debbers;
You're doing good!
Please keep in mind that tortillas are also a processed food and should only be for occasional use.
I'm glad you're here.
NJ

[Gwennaford]

Hi Debbers!  You have come to the right place to overcome additions.  Charska & I were just talking about this topic on this thread:  http://www.letsdolunch.com/boards/index ... 60.new#new

When you are ready, please start a personal food journal by going to the Members Food Jounals board & starting a new topic using your name in the subject line.  You can post your wonderful menus & receive input from the Friendly Food Police (FFP), helpful tips & suggestions about how to LDL-ify future menus.  You don't post the amount, just what foods you are eating. 

I must say that you did FANTASTIC on your first day of Let's Do Lunch.  I am very impressed with your solutions to carrying your lunch.  As time goes on, you will find a way to phase out the flour tortillas - possibly by using lettuce for your wraps & adding a handful of Corn Thins or some popcorn to satisfy the starchy carb taste. 

Keep up the good work.  Praying for you & all the LUNCH BUNCH for freedom from addictions.

Gwen

[Debbers1756]

Thank you for your encouragement Gwennaford and EnJae.  Thank you both for your advice and any help I receive is appreciated since I do not have my copy of the book yet.  The reason I used a whole wheat tortilla is because it showed that it was OK to use whole grains during the protein meal.  Is this information incorrect?  At least I don't feel bloated or starving today.  From what I understand, that is one of the great side affects of this plan.  I didn't buy any melon (honeydew, canteloupe).  Would they be good on this plan?  I have very limited info right now and would appreciate any help.

[Sweet_Pea]

Hi Debbers,

Welcome,

You are talking to a lady who ate for every reason and this is the first plan that I have been on steady for 8 months and still enjoying it.  I have lost over 32 pounds and feel great.

Yes, we can have melons.  I have a piece of lean meat, two ears of sweetcorn and nice big piece of watermelon almost every dinner lately as I like it so well.    So enjoy and come back with any questions you might have.

Hugs, Carrole

[LovinLDL]

Thank you for your encouragement Gwennaford and EnJae.  Thank you both for your advice and any help I receive is appreciated since I do not have my copy of the book yet.  The reason I used a whole wheat tortilla is because it showed that it was OK to use whole grains during the protein meal.  Is this information incorrect?  At least I don't feel bloated or starving today.  From what I understand, that is one of the great side affects of this plan.  I didn't buy any melon (honeydew, canteloupe).  Would they be good on this plan?  I have very limited info right now and would appreciate any help.

Tortillas caused me cravings from the start....I have been really enjoying lettuce wraps.  I like the red/green leaf lettuce stuffed with chicken breast, jalepeno hummus, tomato and black olives.....sounds a bit "over the top" I know, but they really are good!

Welcome aboard!

Blessings,
Julie

[Debbers1756]

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and help.  I understand the concept a little better.  I made it through last night with absolutely NO CRAVINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was amazed.  My dinner consisted of vegetable soup with garbanzo beans and roasted asparagus!  Then I had red seedless grapes for an evening snack.  My husband heard the ice cream truck coming and asked me if I wanted some ice cream.  To my astonishment, I said no!  This plan is something I feel I can live with for the rest of my life.  I'm not sure how to handle going out to dinner and other entertaining events yet, but I figure until the copy of my book comes, I will just not attend.  I will try the lettuce wraps.  There are so many different kinds of lettuce on the market, and I like to try different kinds.  I feel like this is God's way of showing me that we just have to stop and listen to Him and He will give us the answers.  I'm so thankful God showed me the way and I'm thankful that he guided me to this place at this time in my life.  God Bless You All.