TealSister

@@cslove AMEN! <3

Following. I'm active in church activities, but feel I'm missing something in my faith life. I have joined a bible study group that starts next month. I'm hopeful that will be a bridge.

We all deal with "head hunger," that insistent little voice that tells us we really need a bacon double cheeseburger, even though we had a full lunch two hours ago. Coping with head hunger is a fact of life, even for those of us who have had weight loss surgery.


We all deal with "head hunger," that insistent little voice in our mind that tells us we really need a bacon double cheeseburger, even though we had a full lunch two hours ago. Sometimes, it tells us it's all right to keep eating after we've reached our fill line because the cookie bag is not yet empty. Other times, it tells us that mint chocolate chip ice cream really will relieve our emotional pain.
Anyone hungry now?
Head hunger happens all the time, often with the slightest provocation. It has little to do with our body's immediate need for fuel. It has everything to do with our sense of smell and the abundance of savory and sweet foods in our environment. It's a habit we've reinforced over the years. For some of us, it contributes to obesity and other health issues. For others, it complicates mental health conditions. Head hunger promises to make us feel better, but it often delivers misery instead.
Coping with head hunger is a fact of life, even for those of us who have had weight loss surgery. Our surgery has given us a physical tool for our weight loss journey, but we need to supplement it with mental tools. I didn't fully understand this need before my vertical sleeve gastrectomy. Yes, I believed my head hunger would magically disappear with the majority of my stomach. It didn't. The voice still comes and goes, usually reaching top volume on stressful days. It lies to me, insisting that I want food I could not possibly digest at this point in my journey.
How do I cope with my head hunger? How do I keep it from derailing my weight loss or jeopardizing my health?
I'm going to answer with a cliche: I take it one day at a time. This is not intuitive for me because I am not a "one day at a time" kind of girl. I've learned, though, that the harder I fight head hunger, the harder it fights back. Brute force won't stop the intrusive thoughts of food. This is why I must take it one day at a time, with compassionate self-care.
When head hunger hits, I have many options for taking care of myself without reaching into the refrigerator. I can exercise for half an hour to see if the cravings pass. I can spend time with my kids. I can lose myself in a good book or movie. I can learn a new crochet stitch. I can start a new art or writing project. The actual activity isn't important, though. The important thing is to understand when hunger is mental hunger and not a physical need for food.
Understanding what head hunger means to you and what triggers it is the first step in coping with it. After you know this, you can create a personal plan for the day-to-day activities that will help you avoid overeating or eating when your body doesn't need fuel.
Keeping a journal can help you sort out the different physical and emotional feelings associated with head hunger. Talking to other people who understand these feelings can help, too. Giving yourself time and space to deal with the feelings instead of beating yourself up for them is crucial. Above all, showing yourself kindness every day is the most effective way to minimize the influence head hunger has over you.

My husband Roger and I are celebrating 37 years of marriage! My, how time flies. This year we have attended many receptions for newly marrieds and have admired all of the great gifts they receive. We often joke about


My husband Roger and I are celebrating 37 years of marriage! My, how time flies. This year we have attended many receptions for newly marrieds and have admired all of the great gifts they receive. We often joke about how great it would be to have a reception and invite all of our friends so we could get new stuff to replace our old worn out stuff. You know, like the toaster that only does one slice, the dull knives, and the old, “lost their fluff” towels.
Somehow after 37 years, we feel that we have earned it! Then I realized that we do have “good” knives and “good” towels and “good” china, but I have been saving them for years in the dining room and in my mother’s cedar chest.
You know, the ones I have been saving for…??? Well, that’s the thing I realized; that I didn’t really know exactly what or who I have been saving them for?? So I did it! Just the other day, I used the good towels! The good towels are bigger, softer, and even smell better than the everyday towels I have been using.
Such a silly thing, but using the good towels made me feel better about myself, and proud that I felt worthy of such a luxury. Since then, I have identified a few other little things that simply help me feel better; like keeping my car windows spot free, replacing my gunked up make up bag, getting my hair cut more often.
I don’t know about you, but I am quite convinced that my self-esteem is deeply connected to my eating and health habits. Hmm, seems that when I use the good towels, I feel better about myself and when I feel better about myself I eat less. Makes me wonder what other simple changes I might make. How about you? May I leave you with a challenge to do something special for yourself today? Something small and simple, yet something that will make you feel well and cared for. Then, see if it makes a difference in your eating habits. Come on; get out the good towels!

Following. I'm active in church activities, but feel I'm missing something in my faith life. I have joined a bible study group that starts next month. I'm hopeful that will be a bridge.

Following. I'm active in church activities, but feel I'm missing something in my faith life. I have joined a bible study group that starts next month. I'm hopeful that will be a bridge.

Lord, i pray for each person in this group today. My prayer is that we will put all of our trust in you. I pray that we will begin to look to you and not food for everything that we need. ie love, comfort, support companionship etc... Give us the strength to get through the rough days and fill our minds with positivity and joy. We thank you and praise you. Amen

Thank God for this thread. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. We are making the necessary steps to preserve the temples( our bodies) that he has blessed us with.

Um, I shop at thrift stores and wear really nice clothes that fit me very well no matter what stage of weight loss I'm in... and I spend pennies on the dollar for good condition, name brand clothes and accessories. Thrift shops are the BEST for finding inexpensive clothing for losing (or gaining) weight, since most people donate clothes if they still look good.
The trick is to find thrift stores in the ritzy or upper middle class sections of town. I'll still check out any shop I see if I have some time and am looking for something, but I've found designer stuff for cheap at those places, or at the very least, really pretty tops and jeans for much less than I'd pay at even Target or Walmart.
Husband has been losing weight with me and we just had to buy him new dress shirts and a sport coat... found two Calvin Klein dress shirts for $5, and a beautiful Joseph A. Banks wool sport coat for $15. I bought a really pretty ruby red off the shoulder top that matches perfectly a skirt I wanted to wear... $3.

She's selling her services. She made all these mistakes now she wants us to pay her so we don't.
I don't care, I've always been a quirky, gothy, weird, punk rock girl, and going to remain that girl. Fat or thin.
Plus I would never spend that much money on clothing. That money could be used so much more wisely. To help others, comes to mind. Just my opinion, doesn't have to be your truth.

BTW, here are some definitions of cheating....
"Cheating is the getting of a reward for ability by dishonest means or finding an easy way out of an unpleasant situation. It is generally used for the breaking of rules to gain unfair advantage in a competitive situation.".
: to break a rule or law usually to gain an advantage at something
: to take something from (someone) by lying or breaking a rule
: to prevent (someone) from having something that he or she deserves or was expecting to get
So although you may be "breaking the rules" by eating off plan, you certainly aren't gaining an unfair advantage or getting a reward for it!

"Be curious, not judgmental"
--Walt Whitman
Please be kind to each other on this site - aren't all of us trying to stay positive about perhaps the hardest things we have ever done? I know I am. I come to this site for inspiration and answers - not to read others being negative about others' choices. Be respectful please. You don't have to agree with what others do, but no need to hate. This is hard enough.