Jennie's Journal

[LINDA RN]

I was a sweet and chocolate addict.
Jenny, you just cannot afford the medical complications that eating that stuff will bring on.
Look at the ingrdients. Those processed sweets (especially the Snickers) have so much bad stuff in them.
The High Fructose Corn Syrup is at the top of the list!
Go back to the boards and read up on what HFCS does to you and then read up on Trans Fats.
For me just denying myself something that still tasted good to me did not work. I always ended up caving in.
But when I made the decision that this stuff was so destructive and would cause problems I sure did not want to deal with later, it was much easier to find an alternative.
Like Knighte I can't have it around becuse once I start, I only stop when it is gone, and then the cravings call to me to buy more in the store.
I agree that the pumpkin smoothie is very filling and satisfying. The crustless blueberry and apple pies are good also. Time to start making some rich smoothies and freeze them in smaller containers. It is better than milkshakes or ice cream.
Maybe you should try an LDL sweet feast.......fill the house up with everything LDL sweet and gorge yourself until you can't stand the sight of something sweet. It way even take several days but eventually you will beging craving lean protein and veggies.
There is a solution there for you.
Seek out God and let Him lead you.
He does not see you failing, so don't call Him a liar by believing a lie.

[Joyful Friend]

Jennie,  I was a sweet junkie.  I could eat a ton of candy, cheese cake, carrot cake, anything that had sugar in it.  I would do fine for a while then benj.  As Ollie said, Food Addiction  is like  drugs and alcohol addition.  My DH can eat one or two pieces of candy.  I had to finish the pound.  To break it, I ate tons of fruit.  My addiction was broken and my cravings went.  I didn't jump on or off.  If you set your mind and heart to LDL for a week, those desires flee.  You have had had a lot on you with your daughter's surgery.  Now, it's time to focus and pray.  With God's help, anything is possible.    JF

[jencita]

After reading all your wonderful, encouraging comments, I know that I have to try again! I did what you suggested Linda and gorged myself with tons of fruits until I was sick - the cravings were going away - I think that is why I was so disgusted with myself when I caved again.  My family just lives on junk and I know that they will keep bringing it into the house no matter what I say.  I need to learn to say no. I am like you were JF, I needed to eat the pound - I could never be like normal people and eat 1 or 2 pieces. I just dont get why I was able to stay on track and lose 16 pounds in the fall and just can't do it now. Maybe it was the stress, and the stress still continues and I know stress can make you cave faster than anything. If I had time to make soup and had fruit in the house, I would try the soup/fruit flush that knighte suggested but don't have the food in the house today so this is my plan for today:
Breakfast:
refried beans, eggs
Lunch: banana, apple
Dinner: Chili

Thanks again everyone for your comments and prayers - it is what I needed to try again. I will keep praying - I just need to do this sooo badly!

[LINDA RN]

Print off some of the articles on how awful the processed foods are for you and make it required reading.
New rule: If you want to continue to buy that junk, first you have to put half of what you have just spent in a jar to pay for your funeral, because I won't!
If you still want to bring it in you must buy a cabinet and a small refridge for your room and keep your room locked. You must eat that junk out of my sight because I choose not to watch you commit suicide.
If you really love me, you will commit to cooking one LDL friendly dish a week to help me out.

Then there is the other option: The food budget will be spent on fruits veggies and lean meats. There will not be enough money left for the junk so if you still want that stuff, you will have to buy it with your own money.

[jencita]

LOL!! Thanks for the much needed laugh Linda - I like the funeral one - that just might do the trick with my OCD children!! HaHa - I will let you know if it works!!

[MsHeirloom]

Linda-  I love that tough love approach!  I am one of the very fortunate ones who has the complete approval and support of my family, especially my husband.  He does, however, go to Costco at least once a week to eat samples and buy the huge, nut covered ice cream bar thing!  The only non-LDL foods he ever brings home are nuts which he eats to maintain his weight.  They don't bother me in the least.  In the beginning, he kept those in the garage out of my sight.  He cuts up fresh fruit every morning and pops corn once or twice a week.  He is very enthusiastic about all the LDL foods I cook, and he is very proud of my success so far.
Jencita-show your family this post.  Maybe they will want to help you if they know how this has worked for someone else.  I owe my husband a huge debt of gratitude for his unwavering support.  I'm not sure if this would have worked if I had had to watch him gorging himself with foods that I formerly craved.  The end result is less of me and improved health for both of us!  Pam

[LINDA RN]

Everytime I have lost weight before, it has been because Gary has taken the lead. There was a time when we first got married he was doing alot of physical labor on his job and I, being a psych nurse was doing very little. I would come home and cook all kinds of stuff for him and having not eaten southern style I tasted as I cooked then ate a ton of food with him. Well, he lost every pound I gained. I ate what he ate and in the same quantities. When he finally gained weight and decided to get it off, we did it together. I know I probably could not have done it without his support.
Jencita, you just have to be creative in enlisting your family's support. Sometime's grossing them out with the potential consequences may work. It at least takes the responsibility off me if I share the info of how the stuff they are eating is killing them. Then it is on them if they choose to ignore it. Like I said, just saying no to something that tasted good and was a familiar comfort food, did not get it for me. Knowing how it was eating away at the perfect temple God created motivated me to take better care of what I had been given.
Since you can't afford costly car repairs, we do what the manufacturer recommends for maintenance.
Should we treat our bodies less????

[jencita]

I ate my last junk food yesterday - and I chose to do it. My husband and kids were good yesterday - they did not buy me any chocolate or junk.  I'll be honest the only one in the family right now that is making the cupcakes, cookies, and sweets is my daughter who just had surgery. She lost so much weight during the surgery that I haven't got the heart to tell her to stop the baking. It makes me feel good that she is eating again, albeit all the wrong foods. Once I tell my husband that I am full force back on my diet, he will be supportive - I just keep sending him mixed messages - on one day, off the next day. So it is mostly my fault. I also feel guilty putting this on them. I put this weight on myself so I should take it off myself. I became panicy yesterday realizing that my daughter is getting married in 7 months and I was so hopeful that this wedding I would look decent. I looked so obese at my other 2 daughter's weddings that I really wanted to try to look good in this wedding. I am going to do this!!
Breakfast: eggs, refried beans
lunch: banana, apple
dinner: soup, popcorn

[LINDA RN]

Find a dress or an outfit that is the size you want to be for the wedding. If you don't have anything in your closet, get something at the Goodwill. Then start trying it on every day. Once you get 15-20lbs off, you will like looking at how loose your clothes are on you, that will become your motivation for sticking on plan. Knowing that you will be looking at all those pictures of you from the wedding for years to come is a great inspiration/motivation.

[jencita]

Great idea Linda - It might actually keep me on track!!

[MsHeirloom]

Jeenie, I know you can do this.  You have some new insights into how you are responsible for much of your "bad" food choices.  Best wishes.  Please let us know how we can help.  Pam

[LINDA RN]

I agree, Pam,
Jennie, you have crossed a big hurdle just admitting the mixed signals you have been sending.
Armed with that understanding, you can begin to change your mindset.
We are here to help. Let us know.

[lrainbow2006]

Jencinta....I know how hard it is to have young people in the house who can eat the pizza and the subs and sandwiches, cookies...(i better stop).  I have told the kids please don't eat these in front of me so they resorted to bringing stuff in through their bedroom window...wonder what the neighbors think of that??  Problem is...the empty pizza box etc. ends up in the garbage where I look at the stuck on cheese longingly..lol... 
We all know what we can and cannot eat to lose weight and I for one know how hard it is when you first start out, or jump back on board.  I'm still fighting temptation, and losing at times, (Valentine chocolate!!) but I wake up each day knowing I have the secret if I will just let it happen.  There is so much support on here and so many successes...we really can do this together.  So go shopping, read labels...and stuff yourself with good food.      Lisa 

[knighte]

Meals look like good LDL foods. Good job. 

[jencita]

Thanks again everyone. I did good yesterday. I feel like I have the determination. I just took on a third job - maybe that will keep me so busy that I can't think about food!
Today:
Breakfast: refried beans, eggs
lunch: chipotle bowl
dinner: banana, salad

[jencita]

Well I caved again the last 2 days. I did really well on Wed and had a late meeting at work but needed to come home and write an OB lecture and do a post for my certification class so knowing I virtually had to pull an all nighter - I ate honey mustard pretzels with a beer. Thursday due to lack of sleep, I caved right away and ate handfuls on chocolate that were sittiing in the facutly room without even thinking before eating. I am going to blame it on stress. I am working 16 plus hours and it is killing me. But I am going to keep trying because I want to look young & skinny for my daughter's wedding.
today
breakfast: refried beans and eggs
lunch: soup, banana
dinner: smoothie, popcorn if hungry
If I have time this afternoon I would like to try one of the recipes on the boards

[LINDA RN]

Jencita,
You really need a week off to get on track.
Do the best you can, then plan on taking a week of with only LDL foods.
Get some much needed rest then start cooking ahead and freezing your favorites.
You know dried fruits aren't recommended but dried fruits would be better than pretzels!
I even think nuts would be better than the processed grain products.
Sticking to whole foods is so much healthier. You can eliminate the whole foods that are stalling your weight later. At least try to get off the junk and put a halt to the feeding frenzie. Have you ordered any corn thins yet? They are good to have around but come to think of it you were caving on pretzels at home.....you coulda had popcorn!!!!
Anyway sounds like you are stressed and fatigued to the max so time-out is in order.
Hope you can take that week off soon.
Do you get spring break?

[jencita]

Thanks Linda,
I think you are right. I am actually going to take this weekend to try to regroup. I need to stock up on LDL foods and freeze. I do have expired corn thins but they still taste good. I am not sure why I finally got into the mode in the fall but now am in such a slump but I am going to persevere.
I am going out to dinner tonight and will probably eat a baked potatoe with a steak and pray I can bypass dessert.

[mylifeforhim]

Jennie, have a feast of LDL foods and enjoy them!  Roger recently said the following on this forum and it really struck a chord with me.  I have saved it in with my LDL recipe files and it is really helping me and maybe it will help you too.

Here is what he said to someone else,

Here's the thing, Terry. You have to make the DECISION that you WANT to lose weight. It's like JF said, "If I don't crave it, then I'm not going to eat it! Did you CRAVE the pizza? Did you CRAVE the wings? If you did, then you are not eating correctly on Let's Do Lunch. If you didn't CRAVE those foods, then you have NOT made the DECISION to Lose Weight.

Again, you need to make the decision to Lose Weight, and then you need to eat strictly Let's Do Lunch foods and/or recipes (including heavy proteins) until you are full whenever you are hungry, no matter how often that is and no matter how many calories you consume. If you do this, you will NEVER crave any fattening food.

The decision is yours,

RT

Hope it helps you, too.   

[jencita]

Today
breakfast: refried beans, eggs
lunch: salad, banana
dinner: soup apple