Feeding Times....Do They Exist?

A few years ago, someone told me their mom had lost quite a bit of weight by changing a few things.

1. Ate cereal for breakfast
2. Had a large salad for Lunch.
3. Ate anything she wanted for dinner with these exceptions:
1. She could not eat after 6 p.m.

I thought this was crazy!!! But thought I would give it a try.  After only a couple of weeks my friend said, "Laura you have lost weight."  That made me smile.  But of course when I told them what I was doing they didn't believe me.  I am not a cereal eater either, but I realized I did like some cereal.

One of the side affects of this I saw real fast, was that I would wake up in the middle of the night starving.  My tummy would grumble like it had not eaten in a week.  I learned that water could quiet my stomach down enough until I could eat in the morning.  I stuck to my guns about not eating after 6 p.m.  On a few occasions I had to politely turned down someone's offer to eat after my dead line.  Some understood but many more let me know how ridiculous it was and tried to guilt me into eating. 

So again, my point here is changing another habit.  Maybe you cannot set a 6 p.m. deadline, maybe it is a 6:30 or 7 deadline.  But just like everything else we need to do in our lives, it needs to be budgeted.  When you don't budget the times, like everything else it can spin out of control faster than chocolate disappears from a chocoholic's hand to their mouth.  In other words, DON'T BLINK.

Find times that work for you and your family.  It may be difficult at first to get everyone together for dinner, but keep trying till you work out the quirks.  It will come.

I am interested to hear if anyone else has set feeding times?

Who Are We To Blame?

 DAY 30!!!

It seems hard for me believe we have all been on this journey for 30 days!!!  The first time I ever did this, I never thought I could make it past a day or two.  This is the fourth time I have done the No Sugar, No Soda thing.  This time I have learned more than all the three times combined.

I have learned we have all had good days and a few bad days thrown in for good measure.  Somehow we manage to get through the day, whether good or bad, because we know there is another day coming. 

I have learned just because I have a bad day, it does not constitute having a bad week.  If I have a bad week, it was my choice.  I heard someone say today that the English language is one of the few languages that has the word "blame" in it. We are so quick to blame our actions or reactions on something or someone else.  The young man went on to give the example, "The egg fell off the counter and dropped" not "Laura dropped the egg".  Now we all know I didn't do it on purpose but do you see how easy it is to put the blame on a person?  Mainly ourselves?

So I got to thinking about all this "stuff" we need work through to keep us on our path and journey.  I am realizing more and more how much I beat myself up and blame myself for EVERYTHING.  I know it is from years and years of abuse, and blame, but that abuse and blame has stopped years ago and yet I continue to do it to myself. 

I truly believe that to figure out who you are, you have to know where you came from.  I understand more now about my parents because of their backgrounds they came from. I have come to have more passion, to forgive them and even come to love them.  With that said, then why do I struggle so much?  I know it is my self confidence and self image I struggle with the most.  I try, but one little thing can set it off and I go for a nose dive without even blinking.

So today as I heard the young man talk about the word "blame" he added we need to write the good things down, whatever they may be to keep us on our journey and to remind us of those better times to help boost us through the bad.

As we near the finish line of 45 days with No Sugar, No Soda, I want you to take a minute and think back through this month and write down 10 GOOD THINGS in your life this month.  Keep that list with you at all times.  When the temptation becomes hard and you want to reach for the M&M or Snickers or whatever it may be, reach for your list.  Remind yourself of the good things of you!!!

We have 15 more days and I must say this has been so much fun for me!!!  I am very proud of all of you!!!  GROUP HUG!!!  ((((((((HUG))))))))) 

I have also seen, even though we all have our challenges, I know the No Sugar, No Soda is the one thing I can control in my life.  Each day I have hope because I remember the good times I have had.  I have hope by my walking where a year ago I was on a cane, by the new friends I have made, by encouraging words from people I do not even know, by my perseverance of sticking to it, by my pants starting to fall off, by being able to interact more with people, by sharing my story that help strengthens me, by finding ways to give back to others, by learning to love myself is a process that takes time, and for this blog where you all listen to my rants and babbles.  Those are small things I am grateful for that will help get me through the next 15 days!!!  Bring it on!!!!

What are your TEN GOOD THINGS?