#8 - 100 Day Goal - Abstinance from Obvious Sweets - Want to Join? Please Do!

[Nina Kay]

I am still OS free so far. Thanks Jack for the Congrats.

[smiling jack]

I like how I feel when I get up...log on to this site...read what's been posted...and try to think of something true...that can benefit me and you. This process energizes me before I go out and exercise.

I'm here because I cannot stay sober alone. Whatever sobriety I have had is only because I believe this process works for me.

I believe this kind of selfishness is ok.

Nina - 3/8/2009 - 26 Days
Pony 3/13/2009 - 21 Days
Fubarcdn - 3/22/2009 - 12 Days
Cali - 3/26/2009 - 8 Days
Roxie-3/27/09 - 7 Days
Mike -3/28/2009 - 6 Days
Dave - 3/29/2009 - 5 Days
Jack-3/31/2009 - 3 Days

[Fubarcdn]

Good morning all.
Still going strong but tomorrow is a big test for me. Dinner at my sons place.
Jack, I think between the two of us one of Cali's post (#272) got missed. She wanted to be reset to April 1.

Stay strong and hungry.

[dave47]

Congrats Nina from me too, you are putting a good run together and long may it last.
Welcome back Jack, always good to read your words and I hope all went well while you were away.
Thank's for doing the honours Fub, and for all the witty remarks-good to have you here.
And everyone else I hope you are all okay as well.
Just in from work, and today Saturday I am working on three.
I slipped up on Wednesday evening, but apart from that have behaved myself since Monday;just need now to get a few more days.
I got out on the bike yesterday, and will be up early for a run tomorrow morning, but my immediate priority will be to get a couple of hours sleep.
Have a good weekend all.

[smiling jack]

Glad you're keeping up with the bike/run, Dave,...throw in some swimming sometime and a triathalon may be in the works for you...Woo-Woo

I am being rational today...and that is good...my emotional sobriety always needs work...and probably effects the strength of my OS abstinance. I am grateful to come here. I hope you all do well today. Take care.

Nina - 3/8/2009 - 27 Days
Pony 3/13/2009 - 22 Days
Fubarcdn - 3/22/2009 - 13 Days
Roxie-3/27/09 - 8 Days
Mike -3/28/2009 - 7 Days
Jack-3/31/2009 - 4 Days
Cali - 4/1/2009 - 3 Days
Dave - 4/2/2009 - 2 Days

[Fubarcdn]

Happy birthday to the Fub. I am not ready to admit defeat yet today but I may have a teeny weeny weeny bit of tonight's dinner celebration desert.
I think birthdays and Christmas should be OS exempt but I am new here so I don't think it is my place to push for a referendum.

[Cathy31]

Hi Everyone!
I'd like to join please! I am 1 day OS free and I am going to aim for 100! Just like with my alcoholism those years ago it seems IMPOSSBILE, but I know it's possible! I will check in daily! Tomorrow we have a bbq but I've learnt that if I eat enough protein breakfast, lunch and supper AND don't starve self it's a lot more manageable! My fiancee's birthday was yesterday and I had various sweet things and practically passed out last night Not good...too much like my active alcoholism of the past. I'm ready to get some abstinence under my belt! I also went to gym for the first time in ages this morning and it felt good.
Cathy31
x

[californiapoppy]

Hi,
I've been wondering about this OS abstinence. Where can I find out why and how it works. I've been off alcohol for about 5 weeks now and have gained about 5 lbs, eating lots and lots of sweets. I'm slowing down some but even so, when I binge it's bad !
Thanks

[smiling jack]

Welcome Cathy and the California kid...this thread is a support group for me and those who want to be accountable in trying to manage obvious sweets...in my case...cookies...donuts...candy bars...really anything where sugar is the first, second or third ingredient in the packaged product...and really apparent in home-made stuff.

I'm a recovering alcoholic and go to AA meetings. In AA, I have binged on tubs of frozen macadamia nut cookie dough, etc...felt bad about myself...and through sharing ES&H...I don't pigout like I used to. I feel better about myself...and I keep coming back here.

Obvous sweets are up to the individual...as is self-honesty. I hope you both stick around...find what you...and post your experiences, strengths and hopes. Thanks.

[dave47]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Fub, hope you have a good one.
Good to see you Cathy, long time and hope all is well. Well done with the gym, exercise gives me a great boost and feelgood factor.
Welcome Californiapoppy, I always thought my drinking was responsible for my poor eating habits but it wasn't as straightforward as that. This thread has been very beneficial to me as I now know that certain foods make me eat in an alcoholic way.
Eating poorly doesn't affect me as badly as drinking did, but when I eat and then overeat on some foods( mostly chocolate, ice cream and cookies) then I am very lethargic and negative and get stuck in a rut.
Just play it as it suits you, and congrats on the five weeks.

[Nina Kay]

Thanks Dave for the Congrats and the encouragement. I hope you got some sleep and made it successfully through your 3rd day today, OS abstinent. I need to start getting some exercises again.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Fub !!! I hope that it was a wonderful celebration and an all-around blessed day for you.

I'm so glad that you've joined the thread Cathy & Californiapoppy.

[Nina Kay]

I forgot to add that I am still OS abstinent, although sweets have been popping into my thinking alot today. Not sure why. I'm just feeling more urges to snack and of course I think sweets when I think snack. I went to Chuck E Cheese's for my granddaughter's birthday party with girlfriends today and afterward they all got ice cream which is my biggest weakness where sweets are concerned. But I didn't have any, so that was good. So far, so good, anyway. Hang in there, everyone. We can do this. I know we can.

[californiapoppy]

Thanks for the welcome and enlightenment. But I need to be a little more enlightened, What's ES and H?

[smiling jack]

I apologize for not being clear, Californiapoppy, that ES&H stands for Experience, Strength and Hope. I cannot stay sober...AA sober, Obvious Sweets sober, or any of my other compulsive addictions... by myself. There is a saying "We are only as sick as the secrets we keep." So I try to share what my experiences, strengths and hopes are...and I learn from others what their's are. It helps. We are like passengers on the life boat after the Titanic has gone down.

I would be happy to add you if you would like to be on the list.

Congratulations to you on your 5 weeks, Cathy. That is so great!

Nina - 3/8/2009 - 28 Days
Pony 3/13/2009 - 23 Days
Fubarcdn - 3/22/2009 - 14 Days
Roxie-3/27/09 - 9 Days
Mike -3/28/2009 - 8 Days
Jack-3/31/2009 - 5 Days
Cali - 4/1/2009 - 4 Days
Dave - 4/2/2009 - 3 Days
Cathy 4/4/2009 - 1 Day

[californiapoppy]

Well if the goal is 100 days, it will have to be after Easter. I'm not sure I'd like to go 100 days without obvious sweets, what I'd like to do is not binge. I was told once, a long time ago, by my doctor, not to cut out sweets immediately when I stop drinking, however I have no idea how long after stopping it would be ok to do so. I think it would be a good idea for a while. I'm hoping I won't develope the same sort of behavior I had with alcohol...

[Fubarcdn]

Well I made it through my birthday without drinking BUT I had creme brule for dessert. It was delicious and worth starting over at day 1 today so reset me. I am going to shoot for the 100 days this time. Trust me.

[Nina Kay]

Hi Californiapoppy. I really think that your Dr. would be very right about only taking on the abstinence of one of your major vices at a time. It seems smart to find out first if sweets are even a problem for you or is it just part of recovering from your addiction or the replacement for your addiction. At first it would be hard to tell, I would think. You are welcome to join us any time you decide or just to come and read here.

For most of us here, it is alot like alcohol. We binge on sweets because we take our first bite and we are addicted to sweets. We can't seem to ever eat sweets in a normal way. One bite is too many and a thousand is never enough. Also, even though this is a 100 day thread, we are really each just trying to take our abstinence from obvious sweets just one day at a time and hopefully we will be able to one day string together 100 days. We are each gradually getting better and better at this, meaning that we are each having slips less often and our binges are seeming to get less drastic with time. We are each growing toward our recovery. Our recovery seems to be progressive, just as our addictions were progressive. Of course, all that I have said here is just my own personal opinion of what I have witnessed and experienced. I hope that you'll keep coming back.

[Nina Kay]

Well Fub, I think that it was wonderfully important that you were able to make it through your birthday celebration without a drink. That seems like a pretty big hurdle to me. I hope that you will progressively be able to turn away from obvious sweets the same way someday, if that is what you want or need to do.

Jack, thanks so much for explaining our mission here to our newcomers.

I am still OS free, as of today, thanks to my God and you all here to share my journey with.

[californiapoppy]

Thank you Nina Kay for explaining some. I have often over-indulged with sweets, but I do my best to control it. I think the problem I have now comes from my new-found sobriety. I definitely didn't try to curb any urges to eat sweets until 2 days ago. Now I'm beginning to worry that I might pick up an addiction to sweets to replace alcohol. So I plan to slow down a lot! I'm going to try and stay away from sweets until Easter, when of course the whole family shows up and we will have dessert for 3 days in a row and all kinds of chocolat eggs hiding around. After Easter I'll see how I feel and I may continue with the abstinence from obvious sweets for a while longer, but 100 days, I'll never make ! (that may sound like I'm starting out with a bad attitude, that's not really what I mean. I just plan to slow my consumption down)

[Cathy31]

Hi Guys
I am back to day 1 today and I am aiming for 100! I am fully prepared to go through easter chocolate free as I am now at a time in my recovery where this is appropriate. I LOVED the posts here evyerone particularly dave and nina the way you were able to articulate EXACTLY how my bingeing on sugar affects me and it's relation to alcohol abuse/alcoholism.
So my date is :

Cathy31 6th April 2009 - 1 day.

I feel confident, and hopeful.

Thanks guys
Cathy31
x

PS For interests' sake - I slipped yesterday after a great start to day 2 by getting into a stressful situation - driving to airport - giong for too long without food and of coruse by the time i stopped for petrol chocolate was the answer. Lesson : have healthy food on hand, keep eating (healthy stuff) don't elt yourself go hungry. Going for a healthy snack now!

[smiling jack]

Good Morning All -

A lot of great posts over the last few days. I am grateful for the thoughtful infusions that Cathy and California bring...and the ES&H of others.

I woke up this AM with addictive thoughts. I do not have to stay in those thoughts. Sharing my load with others helps...realizing I don't have to stay on the addictive playground helps...I believe I am lovable today. Take care. Today one day at a time.

Nina - 3/8/2009 - 29 Days
Pony 3/13/2009 - 24 Days
Fubarcdn - 3/22/2009 - 15 Days
Roxie-3/27/09 - 10 Days
Mike -3/28/2009 - 9 Days
Jack-3/31/2009 - 6 Days
Cali - 4/1/2009 - 5 Days
Dave - 4/2/2009 - 4 Days
Cathy 4/6/2009 - 1 Day

[Cathy31]

Thanks for sharing Jack! What helps me sometimes - as I approach the close of another day 1 - is that if I dont do this now - address my eating, detox frmo sugar, etc then WHEN! I am going to have to do it EVENTUALLY so why not go through the discomfort once and for all and be done with it! I do remember how good it felt to be non toxic!
Cathy31
x

[Fubarcdn]

Jack you forgot to reset me yesterday where I confidentally announced that I was going to make it 100 days. Well I was only 99 short as I went on a mini binge yesterday, 2 chocolate bars and 2 slabs of brownie.
So restart me again and this time I promise I will do better. I guess I made that first 30 days on a yellow easter peep cloud.

[dave47]

Hello all, just checking in and pleased to say I survived the weekend.
Just in from work and the house is empty so my bed is calling.
Thanks for all the posts, best wishes.

[roxiestone]

Happy Monday morning, all.

Welcome to the new folks - Cathy and Poppy! Thank you for joining us and sharing with us. I am looking forward to getting to know you both better.

Cathy - I see you are from Ireland. I just made my first trip there last Christmas. Amazing, wonderful place. Good to hear from you.

A little background on me for the newbies. I come from an eating disordered/codependent background, no alcohol or drug issues. But I do struggle with eating in a healthy manner and not using food as a crutch. I'm struggling to maintain a 100 pound weight loss right now and not let my disordered eating get the best of me.

My Thursday and Friday were almost as bad as I thought. Emotionally devastating, but I did not binge over it. As a matter of fact, didn't feel much like eating at all. I do fear there will be a backlash, however, so I am trying to take extra good care of myself.

May will all live in peace.