Expert: Reverend Abbott - 3/13/2008

Question
Like you I have been on every diet known to modern man and lost and gained weight. I will be turning 50 next month and I am so tired of being fat. I know my problem is addiction. I stopped drinking four years ago. I am one year into not smoking and of course I gained almost 20 lbs. Now I want to end this addiction cycle once and for all. It seems so matter how hard I try I cannot get my mind wrapped around it. I cannot afford therapy, as I am completely strapped as far as money goes. I just don't know what to do anymore. I pray for strength and usually do well for the first few hours of the day. Then as the day wears on it becomes a free for all. I know my problems and have no trouble admitting them or speaking of them. I just don't know how to stop. Any new insights or suggestions maybe I have not thought of or tried? Any thing would be appreciated.

Tammy

Answer
When you're tired of being controlled by food; tired of being on a diet; tired of living for something other than the day and your potential - then you're on your way.  

 One of my favorite quotes "Begin at the beginning and go on 'til you come to the end; then stop" (Lewis Carroll, "Alice In Wonderland").

 Sounds simple doesn't it? We stress so much over how to stop when all we have to do is 'stop'.  
  One day I decided it was over.  This was how I was and that was that, so I was going to be the BEST that I was, the way I was.

No more buying a size smaller with the promise to "fit into them soon" - I went out and bought a couple of pair of "fit me now" pants and a few nice, bright, very different for me tops.  Pins, scarves, nice nails and even a different hairstyle (be brave).

Then I started eating right. NO diet. They obviously hadn't worked up to now, so why keep expecting anything different?

The only real rule I had was that before I ate the junk I wanted, I had to eat the right stuff.  So I started the day with oatmeal or other whole grain cereal (not just per the label, read the actual ingredients, make sure it has the words "whole grain" in the first three words.  

Put out an apple and two bananas; an orange, a grapefruit and a banana; three bananas; three oranges; whatever it is you LIKE and before bedtime, they must be GONE.  I had no problem with this and would often have 5 to 8 pieces of fruit a day - except for avocados (two a week), it's ok.  

Now, when it came to the junk?  MEASURE it!  Read the box or the bag and  actually count out or measure a serving.  No guesstimating anymore.   The hardest part is convincing yourself that when that serving is done - that it's GONE.  There is no more.  There is no larger bag or box to reach for and get seconds from.  It's another application of " .... go on 'til you come to the end; then stop"

Park your car as FAR from the entrance of buildings as you can get.  Walk at every opportunity, take stairs even when it hurts, never eat in the living room or bedroom OR CAR! Food belongs in the kitchen or the dining room.  When you want a snack, get up, go to the kitchen, sit down and enjoy it.  Then get up and walk away.

Check my site for more about how I did this and even a food 'plan' - it's just an outline - NOT a diet.

 www.GetTheReal.info  and let me know how you do!