This time just frustrated with myself

[sugarssweetpea]

I have never been able to control my sugar intake for as long as I can remember. I have always liked to eat, namely junk food. I was still always thin all the way into my early twenties I weighed between 125-135 lbs & I am 5'9". Somewhere in my early twenties, my metabolism changed & I started gaining weight. Probably due to my alcohol intake. Anyway, my twenties were pretty much of a blur between all of the drugs & alcohol abuse, still overeating when I was not using anything else. I have been sober from alcohol for 5.5 years & from cocaine & acid for a little over 6 years & pot coming up on 6 years in November. Anyway & continue to eat terribly. I gained approximately 10 lbs a year for 12-13 years. So you can do the math on that. I am very unhappy with myself. I do not like the way I look, the way I feel, not to mention the emotional rollercoaster that a poor diet with lots of sugar puts you on. BUT every time I try to quit, I get the urges to drink again. Strong ones. I have even thought of scenarios in my head of how I could sneak it & my husband & children would not know. I pray over those thoughts as soon as they come into my head, but the thing I do not understand is, what is better, to be overweight & struggle with food, or to quit and struggle with the temptation of food, alcohol & drugs. (I even go back to having dreams where I am drinking & snorting cocaine) when I am trying to quit eating the junk food. I do not understand it. I do not crave the alcohol & if I have a dream about the drugs, I do not use when I am eating junk. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do not know that I am strong enough to let all of those temptations back in again. Is it just Satan trying to keep me prisioner in this one last addiction of mine? Please pray for me as well.
Thank you.

[best]

From the things you have posted over time, I don't see the problem as being a sugar intake problem. The sugar intake seems to be an outward sign of in inward problem.

... just frustrated with myself...

Does Jesus love you> Yes
Does He love you any more or any less now then He did when you were 20> No, He loves you just as much then as He does now.
If there is an area you feel you need to improve or need help in improving... Ask and it will be given. The Lord will fill us with His strength and we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us.
We read what God says He will do.
On faith we try it and because of our faith and trust...God proves that His word always remains the truth. Ask and it will be given. Ask daily.... Lord fill me with Your strength. Daily, you will be filled as you ask.

[cmc]

sugarsweet....
Small changes that you are able to stick with...over time reducing the total calories by say, 500 less per day (and no more than that) to start and you WILL lose the weight. Slow loss is not easy because we all want to see immediate changes, but doing things in a way that is gentle to your body, plus adding even 10-15 minutes exercise consistently every day and the weight will come off and stay off.

I agree with best about the sugar, not being the issue. Sugar converts to energy just like any other food- it just converts faster. In a balanced diet, sugar won't make me fat. I believe that God gave us food to enjoy and nourish our bodies. What I do is have a treat but just have half of what I would usually _want_ and save the rest for later in the day or the next day.

From all that I have read or studied about diet- sugar is -not- an issue, unless you already have diabetes. My apologies to those on the South Beach diet or any other diet...but I raised two insulin dependent kids and know alot about nutrition and glycemic index foods. Keeping their sugar levels steady while they were active and growing was not an easy task and I had to know just what, when and how each food did in the body.

Do you remember the book I recommended by Dr. Mehmet Oz? I think the title is "You on a Diet" and the co-author is Dr Roizen. They have the most sensible and workable ideas on health that I have ever heard. "The Maker's Diet" is a good 'education' about food choices. I liked reading it for the concepts and we adapted to it in ways that felt good for us. The author, Jordan Rubin, teaches that God gave us all that we need and it's best to eat what is closest to 'real' or least processed.

Overall success for those who lose and keep it off for over a year, or five years..depends on total calories, fiber and replacing empty calories with foods that are high in vitamins and nutrients-plus exercise. Many studies prove that diet or lowfat foods are the reason for weight gain-especially diet sodas!

I'm not a nutrionist, so all of this my opinion, based on experience plus alot of time working with one plus reading the results of research from major universities in the US. The reason the diet foods don't work is that they still have the same amount of calories but people aren't satisfied and tend to eat more of the diet version. So, for example: having a small bowl of real ice cream instead of a huge bowl of the lowfat diet version turns out to be better for the body, and I think for the soul too.

I hope this helps and I know it's not easy but I believe that you can do this.

hugs and prayers,
cmc

[sugarssweetpea]

I do understand all of that stuff, but I also know that sugar affects the serotonin & beta endorphine levels as do alcohol and drugs. I guess I just answered my own question. When I over indulge on the sugar, it is replacing what the alcohol & drugs used to do to the serotonin & beta endorphin levels in my brain. When I stop sugar, my brain goes back to looking for whatever it will take to get them back where they belong. I guess I have never really relied on God to take away the addictions as I have replaced others with food. So what I really need to do, is face this head on I guess. Please pray for me. I have never been a strong one.
Thanks.

[best]

Originally Posted by sugarssweetpea

Please pray for me. I have never been a strong one.
Thanks.

For that same reason is why I pray for myself.
Some things I can do on my own, some things I don't have the strength to do of my own. When I ask the Lord for His strength...I find I can do all things.

Prayers are with you.

[rayofsunshine]

Praying for you (((Sugarsweetpea)))


This link on Dr. Charles Stanley's website has good encouragement and info on your struggle.
http://www.intouch.org/site/c.dhKHIX...asp?ct=3405979

[Grasshopper]

When i went from one addiction to another,it was to fill that void inside of me.That emptyness.It was when i did my 4-step,and really got into the root and causes,that i could see this about me.Although i was doing the do things in recovery,my relationship with God,was still small.It was when i put God,before everything else,asking only for His Will in my life,that He Graced me with changing,and that void was finally filled..I cant.He can.I let Him.
Thanks for letting me share,my experience,
my prayers are with you,
God Bless,

[sugarssweetpea]

I have been reading a book about the fruits of the Spirit. I have learned a lot about myself & what I need to do. The last chapter I read was about self control & I have come to the realization that my relationship with God has really been lacking for a long time. Have not been having a quiet time with God every morning. Not having an adequate prayer time. When I stopped I was having a quiet time of a minimum of 1 hour per day, most days more. From that to reading a devotion book a couple times a day & prayers throughout the day as I felt needed, no wonder why I struggle.

I want to thank you all for your prayers on my behalf & for all of your es&h shared with me. You all are a huge blessing to me.
Thanks.