#5 The goal of this blog & what are you craving????

Why Yo-Yo Eating No More blog?  I must admit, I came up with this blog selfishly -- thinking of myself and what I needed to do to eliminate the ups and downs of my weight. I try to do very well watching what I eat and exercising to top it all off but for whatever reason, I get these urges for certain foods.  This is a normal thing in life and I believe there is nothing wrong with it if kept in check.  But if you are a person who has different size clothes in your wardrobe (just in case) -- it may be time to make a change.  Everyone has a number of the size they want to maintain.  I never want to be a stick figure -- but like I said, everyone has a number they want to be and it's possible to maintain that once we reach it.  That is my goal, to maintain my weight by staying consistent with my eating.

I needed to give this over to the Lord for Him to help me and that is how this blog came about. When I write my thoughts out, it helps just by having it written out for me to see. By doing that, I then began to see the Lord giving me things that I would not have thought of on my own. As I'm sleeping, sometimes there are so many things that come to my mind, I have to stop myself from hopping out the bed to write (in fear that I will loose what's on my mind at the time).  So this blog is two-fold -- it helps me as a diary of my thoughts and I thought at the same time perhaps it would help someone else.  Those are the goals of this blog.

While in Las Vegas, we ran across this Statue of Liberty made of candy.  I began to think for most of us it's all about the sugar!!!

Your watching what you eat and you are doing very well.  Some weight is shedding and you are looking good or as some people say "HOT!"  Now all of a sudden you have this craving for _______________?????  That's right, you fill in the blank.  We ALL have them from time to time.  It could either make us or break our efforts and make us feel as if we are sabotaging all that we worked so hard for.

Like I mentioned in my 2nd post, my foods of choice has been primarily corn tortilla chips and Ragu cheddar cheese, cheese popcorn and occasionally chocolate.  My husband, which I call Mr. Sweet Head, loves the pastries and breads.  We were in Las Vegas over the summer and while in the New York, NY hotel we came across this New York Pretzel shop.  We were all drooling over the eye candy (I was drooling so much I took pictures so I wouldn't forget it LOL).  It was enough to make you loose all will power.  Well of course you know which one I choose from my very first blog post, the red candy apple and oh was it ever so good!

For this weeks blog -- this is what I am doing and you can join me if you like.  Write down the foods that you crave that take you off track.  Then write down what you want to replace that food with.  I will be placing this list on my refrigerator.  It will look like this (except it will be filled in completely).  I will place on the group home page my completed Eat This Not That form when it's complete:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/chickie.sweet.  But you know what your foods are and your list will be different:

Just a document I made on Microsoft Word

Like I said, for me organization is the key to me being successful.  If I'm prepared and ready, I will most likely stay on the right path.  If I'm not, I won't.  Now there will be planned outings were I will allow myself to indulge in something that I have a craving for (like this vacation and the red candy apple) but it will be PLANNED.  It won't just be willy-nilly anymore and just because it's in my face. 

So this week, really think about it and fill out your own food reminder and place it on a place like your refrigerator.  It will be a constant reminder and will help you in this yo-yo battle.

Until next time...

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#4 Water...

My Hummingbird Friend Tony

I was told by someone very close to me that my breath had an unusual smell.  I was told that it didn't smell bad like a skunk or anything but it was peculiar.  Now you know I'm telling all (LOL).  I respect this person and knew they loved me to tell me this.  I truly could not tell that I had a "peculiar" smell -- so I took note to find out what the problem could be. 

You may ask, what does this have to do with yo-yo eating???  Well, it ties in because of my lack of organization with my food.  In my last post I mentioned how I started becoming organized with my food by using a free software called Pepperplate. (www.pepperplate.com).  It has changed my way of eating.  Lack of binging.  I had to get organized.  So the same with drinking -- I had to incorporate drinking water in the equation as well.  When I drink more water I am less likely to binge on unnecessary food.

Back to the peculiar smell...

When I visited my dentist, the hygienist said she did not smell anything peculiar but I wondered if it was a tooth in the back of my mouth that had chipped that may have been the cause of what my friend was noticing.  I had the tooth fixed and the hygienist asked me a question that changed me.  The question was -- "How much water do you drink?"  She mentioned, because of lack of water, deep down in your belly the remains of food that is not being flushed out regularly could be a cause of your mouth/breath smelling "peculiar."

Well she didn't have to tell me twice.  I have always been one that despises drinking water.  Yeah, I will have the occasional glass here and there throughout the day but 8 to 10 glasses per day was just not happening (and I exercise practically everyday so I need even more of it).  Even my flying hummingbird friend "Tony" and his buddies have a habit of drinking all day long.  They are constantly at my window sipping watered-down nectar all throughout the day. 

I began to look around in my garden and I saw amazing things that flourished just because of, you guessed it, water.  It is August and everyday I make it my business to go outside and water my plants, without fail.  I had enough sense to know that they need the water to stay healthy and grow beautifully, but I didn't give my body that attention.  I had to make a change....

Showing off my beautiful flowers still flourishing in August

Hey it's my blog, I'll show off if I want to!  LOL

I am now getting my water in.  I'm making sure that I keep a bottle close wherever I am.  Sipping throughout the day like my good friend Tony (the hummingbird).  Not only is my breath no longer peculiar, but my skin has cleared up, my nails look better and I'm sure a host of other good things are churning on the inside.  Just the other day a young lady was telling her mother-in-law that she couldn't believe I was 46.  She said "You need no air-brushing, your skin is so clear."  It was great to get the compliment and it made me think of how important it is to get my water in.  Have you had your 8 to 10 cups of water today?

Until next time...

Now that school is in, and I homeschool, I will be posting every Friday only.  Enjoy your weekend!

Until next time...

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#3 First Things First...

Writing a blog is pretty frightening.  You are putting yourself out there for the world to read.  It's not all that bad if you are talking about something or perhaps someone else.  But when the spot light is on you -- then it's easy to hesitate and think twice about what you really want to come out.

I'm thankful that the Lord is on my side and where He leads I try to always follow.  This yo-yo addiction is now in His hands.  He told me to cast all my care on Him because He cares for me.  (1 Peter 5:7)  So I put it in His hands.  That doesn't mean I don't have a part to play.  He is leading me, I believe, with every key that I press on this keyboard.  He is giving me the words to say and the information that I need to be successful.


I wanted to start sharing information that I believe has helped me and I believe can help you as well.

Absolutely Love This App

I have found this GREAT app that is helping me to become organized with my meal planning.  Remember in my last blog I mentioned that if I'm not organized I tend to eat willy-nilly.  Well folks, this app has been very, very helpful.  I own a Kindle Fire, but if you have a computer, IPAD or any android device you can get this.  And get this -- it's absolutely FREE.  You heard it right -- FREE.  The app is called Pepperplate.  Here's a demo of it -- check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4D33BMuSII

This app is so easy to use.  I pretty much do everything on my desktop and it syncs to my Kindle (or whatever device you want it synced to, like your phone).  Allowing me to take it to the grocery store.  NO MORE PAPER AND PENCIL.  Like the lady said you can enter recipes that are not listed (Weight Watchers for example) and it's so easy to do with the Pepperplate Bookmarklet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lkwSTnzbJk

Check out these videos on Pepperplate and let me know if it's something that you believe will help you get organized to eat better.  Now come on guys, it may take a little work entering in the data -- but like the old saying goes --

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Thomas Edison

“We forget that every good that is worth possessing must be paid for in strokes of daily effort. We postpone and postpone, until those smiling possibilities are dead.”

William James

“Effort is only effort when it begins to hurt.”

Gasset

Until next time...

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#2 What's causing you to eat....???

While speaking with a dear friend, she read my blog and asked me these questions:

Chickie Sweet -- Here are some questions to consider!!!!

1.  Have you sat with a journal or tried to step back from yourself and observe what triggers a binge for you? 

2.  How is this binging serving you?

3.  I’ll ask the same question my choir director asked me, “Why won’t you let go?”

She said some other things that were very encouraging but she left me thinking....wow, she didn't know this about me and she was sad that I was going through this.  Well this isn't something that you talk about everyday.  It's practically something you keep to yourself.  Nevertheless, it made me think about her questions.

This was my response:

Let me begin by saying, the reason why I binge eat is because of lack of organization and the lust of the eye.  Unlike a lot of people, I don't have some deep need in my life. In all honesty, because I see something lying around I will have it. Hungry or not. Now that's not all the time -- there are days when I'm really disciplined and I just say no - but then there are days when I say, "What the heck -- all in moderation." and I will have it.

I find when I get organized, with the proper snacks, instead of standing in front of the pantry wondering what should I eat, and opting for the chips, I find I do a lot better.
I always work better by being organized. Writing stuff down, being accountable. Over the summer, after vacation, I got lazy and my made up mind went "kaplook -- or should I say, down the drain." My exercise has not been intensive enough to makeup for the added weight. So that has to improve as well. I always blame it on vacation. I do so well, then I go out of town and I eat differently -- I exercise too but I always come back heavier then I left. But the good thing was I started off really small. Had I started off at a big weight it would be really bad, in my mind, coming home EXTRA LARGE.

So there it is in black and white. I know what my problem is -- it's just a matter of doing something about it. I know what to do, because I've read all the books, been there done that with the weight loss, it's just a matter of doing it.

Jelly beans and candy are not my yo-yo food of choice.  I binge on corn tortilla chips and cheese popcorn. Tortilla chips are always in the house because my family loves them. Me and my husband can sit and down them with Ragu cheddar cheese. I can eat an entire bag if not careful. Popcorn is just another one of my favorite grab snacks. I can down a microwave bag all by myself. Sooooo there you have it. Self-contol and the lack of discipline.

Yes, thanks for your prayers. I will overcome this. I believe I can and I will. Just starting to write this all out is helping me already.

Until next time...

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#1 Just Getting Started...

While on vacation I eat things I don't get a chance to at home

Hello, I go by, Chickie Sweet, and I am a yo-yo eater. I have learned that admitting any addiction is the first step to recovery.

This diary is a compilation of my thoughts and what I plan to do about the matter at hand. It may help someone "Think" before shoveling big helpings of food down your throat.  It is helping me just by getting it out and down on paper. I thought about starting a group -- Binge Anonymous. Then I thought, what would happen is people would relate, join and then like "we" have a tendency of doing, burn-out and skip town. So instead, I decided to just do a blog diary, for me, and perhaps it will be a help to someone else. Not requiring you to do a thing, if you don't want to, or join me if you do -- because everyone has to come to a realization for yourself about your eating habits. No amount of gimmicks or incentives are gonna do it. You just gotta be sick and tired...

I have journals after journals of me loosing weight, feeling good about myself to slowly putting the weight back on again and feeling miserable. What is it about starting off good but never continuing with whatever it is was we started off with.

I think it's a new hobby of mine to snag every weight loss book on the market -- just in hopes somebody out there somewhere has found the magic diet, has the right words to snap me out of my yo-yo madness. Lets face it guys and gals -- there will always be a market for people who make money selling weight-loss books, Weight-Watchers, Jenny-Craig and the list goes on and on....

Fortunately, or should I say unfortunately, I am not alone. Just look around. Look at the TV shows today -- one in particular, The Biggest Loser. We feel fortunate that we were picked out of all the other thousands of fat folks to be on the show to be whipped (literally) into shape. We finally stand before our family, friends and the entire TV viewing audience weighing a ridiculously amount of weight that we never thought we could get down to and yeah we are totally siked. Leaving the ranch with a made up mind and will power to boot -- we set off on our lifelong journey without Bob and Jilian. What happens? We get home and life happens all over again. Binge, binge and more binging -- the next time you see that person on TV we are shocked that they are fat all over again.....to be continued.

I will be posting often.  I know that our time is valuable, but so is our healh.  If you are new to blogging, please subscribe to my blog in order to not miss a thing.  It will be informative with things that I'm doing to stay at a consistent weight with the Lords help and also things you can try as well.  I will include lots of information you will not want to miss.  So subscribe today at the bottom where it says Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) and LET'S get on the right track and curb that binging forever!!!

Until next time...

Please leave a comment on the left.  Thanks for visiting.