Re: Crashing & Burning Here

[Guest guest]

Janice,

I would recommend you doing what you mentioned, chicken, fish,

veggies.....start to evolve into the SB dieter. Don't worry about

phases, meal plans...just try to eat some GOOD food. Even fruit.

You probably won't lose weight, although I wouldn't rule it out.

Your purpose for now isn't to lose weight, but rather to move away

from sweets and START to cleanse your body and mind. Phase One would

be too much of a shock on you.

Personally I was more of a " chip " man rather than a " sweets " man, so

I have trouble comprehending craving sugar like craving alcohol.

I understand that alcohol dependency is a disease, is it fair to say

sugar dependency is too.

I was raised by an alcohol. I understand how it ruins careers and

lives. I grew up drinking my share, also smoking my share, but I'll

be damned if this body is gonna be dependent on that crap...I'm

better than that. I deserve better. My wife deserves better. Through

my will power, I will determine what is good for me, which brings me

back to chicken, fish, and veggies, and fruit.

Steve

215/192/175 8/04

> HELP!!

>

> I have been doing SBD successfully for 4 months, but I went through

some

> birthdays, weddings and religious holidays recently, and got back

into my

> HIGH-SUGAR bingeing. I can't seem to get off the downhill plunge

here.........it's

> exactly like swearing off of drinking when you're an

alcoholic.......I should

> know.

>

> I got in this diet MAINLY to prevent diabetes, plus with

Hashimoto's Disease

> (thyroid/autoimmune disorder) and menopause, I had put on 12+

pounds that I

> was very uncomfortable with. I easily dropped about 15 pounds as

it turns out,

> and all this sugar bingeing has only added back 1 of those pounds,

but I feel

> AWFUL...........migraines, feeling sick after bingeing (I NEVER

throw up

> though), guilty, etc. I feel all the insanity of losing control,

and hating myself

> for blowing it, etc.............you know what I'm saying.

>

> I don't have the guts to go back to TWO FULL WEEKS of Phase

I.............but

> I have read that a few days of it can help get one back on track.

Have any

> of you found this to be true? I'm careening out of control and

need to take

> immediate action before I destroy my health. I have been a sugar

addict my

> whole life.......even to the point of alcoholism, for which I have

been in

> recovery for 17.5 years now. I ended up hypoglycemic for the past

20 years, and then

> began having symptoms of diabetes, which I had been warned could

occur if I

> exhausted my pancreas/insulin. I also have problems with adrenal

gland

> exhaustion from fight or flight syndrome from emotional and

economic stress and

> survival mode as a single woman (who also feels ALONE with the

empty nest and no

> hubby). I DO take thyroid supplement and hormone replacement

therapy, etc, but

> had lapsed in the HRT for a few months, (due to finances) and it

threw me into

> having menstrual periods every 2 weeks for several months. That

has caused

> EXTREME cravings in an almost constant state of PMS.

>

> The point of writing all of the above is to say that I need help

and

> encouragement, because I'm in such a mess, that I'm not sure where

to start. My

> entire system is now out of whack, and no amount of self-

determination is

> preventing me from caving into the cookies and candy, etc. It is

hideous. Just like

> alcoholism was. Trying and failing, around and around. I feel

like I need to

> check myself in for treatment, and for SURE wish we had MEETINGS

for this like

> AA!!!! The one thing I haven't given into is sodas, thank G-

d..........I

> drank them daily all my life.

>

> Could I just go back on chicken, fish and veggies for a few days,

or will I

> have to do an entire 2 weeks of Phase I? I had an AWFUL time with

that, and

> was in ketosis for 10 days, even though I was following the SBD to

the

> letter...........I had every book and printout available! I dread

ever going through

> that again.

>

> As I said.............HELP!! (I'm so glad you're

here................please

> don't yell at me..........I already feel like a loser, in the BAD

way.)

>

> Thanks,

> Janice in Denver

[Guest guest]

The sugar cravings are getting to me too. Maybe it's the

seasons? I like the analogy to alcohol, it feels exactly like

that. I know if I have " just 1 " cookie, I'll eat a whole handful!

I say go ahead and try P1 again, it will get you back in the

healthy mindset afain. Just don't let yourself get hungry. make

sure you have plenty of cheese sticks, SF jello, fruit etc. to keep

the cravings at bay.

I try to keep my motivation in mind(looking better for a

Hawaiian vacation!) and look forward to my nightly ricotta dessert.

-Sharon, NY

180/168/145

[Guest guest]

--- In South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right ,

Your analogy to alcoholism is right on. There are 12 step groups

available to compulsive overeaters if you want to go that route. If

you've been involved in 12 step groups,you know the drill already.

Some of those old sayings about letting go, one day at a time, etc,

etc. can be helpful to you emotionally.

I also dread the idea of going back to Phase I for 2 weeks but have

used Phase I for a few days to rid myself of any things that were

not exactly on my food plan. The beauty of this program is that it

is flexible;when you stray-you modify and just don't give up. Hope

you are able to feel better soon.

[Guest guest]

Shush, shush, Janice. You feel bad enough. Relax. Take a deep breath, hold

it, hold it, hold it, now let it out slowly.

If you feel you can't handle a full 2 weeks of Phase 1, then start with the

notion of doing just three days. When you get to the third day, ask yourself

if you could do just one more day. If you can, do it. Keep on asking

yourself this every day, and see how long you can do Phase 1. Because you

know already that the longer you do Phase 1, all the way to 2 weeks, the

better off you will be.

Start small, just a few days at first, then one day at a time.

And get all the cookies and sweets out of your house immediately or you will

be sorely tempted to eat them all yourself!

--

Ann

You spend your life fighting dirt, and when you die they bury you in it.

hayakawa@...

North Bend, Oregon, USA

> HELP!!

> Could I just go back on chicken, fish and veggies for a few days, or will I

> have to do an entire 2 weeks of Phase I?

>

> As I said.............HELP!! (I'm so glad you're here................please

> don't yell at me..........I already feel like a loser, in the BAD way.)

> Janice in Denver

[Guest guest]

Be sure and drink LOTS of water and something like acetaminophen for

the aches. And remember that degree of feeling " flu-y " varies

greatly. Some have almost no symptoms! Also - I've always loved

reading how so many people complained of feeling lousy on Day 3 or 4

and then reported that the next day they felt WONDERFUL!

> Shush, shush, Janice. You feel bad enough. Relax. Take a deep

breath, hold

> it, hold it, hold it, now let it out slowly.

>

> If you feel you can't handle a full 2 weeks of Phase 1, then start

with the

> notion of doing just three days. When you get to the third day, ask

yourself

> if you could do just one more day. If you can, do it. Keep on asking

> yourself this every day, and see how long you can do Phase 1.

Because you

> know already that the longer you do Phase 1, all the way to 2

weeks, the

> better off you will be.

>

> Start small, just a few days at first, then one day at a time.

>

> And get all the cookies and sweets out of your house immediately or

you will

> be sorely tempted to eat them all yourself!

> --

> Ann

> You spend your life fighting dirt, and when you die they bury you

in it.