So I went way off the rails...

[Sarah-lara]

I introduced myself here a couple of months ago, got some lovely welcoming posts, and then quickly dove headfirst into an epic food bender.

Also, we had a large snow over a week ago and the sidewalks got plowed under with 6 ft ice mounds which, going from past experience, will last until some time in 2018. It has turned my otherwise walkable community into Death Race 2000, which has made exercise more difficult. When exercise becomes more difficult, I tend not to be the guy who rises above and finds a way.

So all I can really do now is recommit. I'm off to a good start this morning, even though it's a migraine day and migraines make the brain ask for sweets in order to help boost serotonin (which is why, they now think, chocolate gets blamed for causing them.)

One thing I like doing on a morning like this is read the Amazon reviews for the No S book. They are SO inspirational! They really speak my language -- some of them say it's the feeling of control they needed, more than even the weight loss. That's me! I want that! I'm guessing a few of you even wrote those reviews, so I thank you. I am also going to re-read the book itself, probably this morning if possible.

Oh. I want to mention my husband's office Christmas party I didn't want to go to because I'd gained so much weight this year. Very lavish thing, which is not really me but okay I can pretend to fit in. Had to buy a new dress and shapewear, but okay. I thought I looked all right. It was all turning out to be pretty nice and then this one lady who saw I was eating the special dinner they had made for me (that was nice) said, "But I thought all vegetarians were skinny." Not the worst thing anybody ever said about my body but probably the worst I've heard since becoming an adult. Or maybe I just felt broadsided because it was at such a fancy place and in front of a crowd of people important to my husband's career (several partners heard). I half wanted to tell her, "and I thought 60 was the new 40" but I just sighed and thought, "she's right. Why did I even show my face here."
Ah well, what can you do.

[catservant]

Welcome back. I know how you feel. To me, the biggest disappointment of all is that I haven't honored my commitment to myself. I wouldn't dream of tossing aside a promise I had made to anyone else, so why do I feel like it's okay when the promise made was to myself? I don't know. I've not been successful YET, although I've tried many times. I have intermittently tried a few "diets", but quickly realized that they are not the answer. I know that undertaking a way of eating that I can't imagine doing for the rest of my life is just a temporary fix at best. So...I'm with you. I know that this is the way to go, and will continue trying until I succeed!

[Bullisaba]

You thought she was right???? No, she wasn't right, she was a rude and uncivilized b****. Don't deny yourself a night out with your hubby because of nasty people like that. Life is short.

Have you tried having a strong black coffee to try to stave off a migraine.

I have to laugh at your death race 2000. It does not snow where I am so I don't know what you are up against.

[Merry]

I agree, she was rude and uncivilized and of course you deserve a lovely night out (sans rude comments!) with your husband. Her comments deserve no weight or notice in your decisions.

Keep on keeping on! It's not whether you start out perfectly, but that you keep getting back up and trying again. I tried a few times years ago and gave it up for far too long. Imagine if, when I messed up back in 2008, instead of giving up I had continued trying and found a way to stick to it--instead of yo-yo dieting and GAINING another 20-30 or so pounds since then, I might actually already be at a nice respectable weight!!! I have no idea why I let it take SEVEN PLUS years to get back to NoS!!

BUT...no looking back. No regrets. We have today, and we can make changes today, and we can all do this together and support each other.

[Sarah-lara]

I'm always worse to myself than other people are; it doesn't take much to trigger that. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, she was less super rude than super drunk (open bar).

Still have giant snow mounds covering all the sidewalks and crosswalk buttons, but I did manage to make it to the shops earlier. Picture a cross between a Class 3 hike and Frogger. I'm counting it as exercise!

Yeah, I've had NDPH for about 8-9 years now following a head injury. I have tried every headache tip, but thank you for offering one.

Day two of No-S-ing. I say this every time, but it's unbelievable how my overeating can go from crazy levels sustained for years and years to something sane. If I could just REMEMBER that!

[MaggieMae]

Wow, what a rude thing to say!!! You are going to lose your excess weight.... That woman will always be a classless, ignorant witch. My husband s work had their fancy dinner thingy this past weekend and people were drinking. A lot. Perhaps she had one too many. 😊

[lpearlmom]

Welcome back! I had to quit a couple times before fully committing. Now I just think what is the point of quitting when I know I will just come right back. There is nothing quite like NoS. It is so special so definitely give it another try.

As for the drunk lady, don't worry about it. Trust me she made herself look bad, not you. You rose above it by saying nothing and therefore handled it with grace.

I think it's important to get to the point where we realize fat is not a four letter word (great book btw) and it's not morally wrong to be fat, it's just a size like being small. We give it way too much power which in turns give crass people like that woman way too much power, right? So we should own our bodies like Fat Amy in pitch perfect. Maybe next time you could have said, "So what?"

Anyway stay the course and you will get to where you want to be. Slowly but surely. You got this!

Linda

[NoelFigart]

then this one lady who saw I was eating the special dinner they had made for me (that was nice) said, "But I thought all vegetarians were skinny."

Good for you for biting your tongue. I would have been tempted to say, "And I thought everyone who worked here had good judgement and intelligence."

I wouldn't have said it. Woulda thought it...

I probably would given a tight smile, stared her right in the eye and said, "Bless your heart. How about that?"

She'd've gotten the point off of body language alone.

[Merry]

Now I just think what is the point of quitting when I know I will just come right back.

HA! Yes! Love that, Linda! (And wish I'd have realized it years ago...)

[Merry]

Yeah, I've had NDPH for about 8-9 years now following a head injury. I have tried every headache tip, but thank you for offering one.

That sounds so painful, I'm sorry.

My husband gets migraines, and my daughter occasionally does too. We found a product called Migraide by Boericke & Tafel that really helps them (which is ironic because it's homeopathic--my husband doesn't believe in the theory of homeopathy, so when he feels a migraine coming on, he always looks at me and says it shouldn't work as he takes it!) Not sure if it would work for your type of migraine, but I mention it for what it's worth.

[oolala53]

Maybe you could have said, No, vegetarians welcome every body! Isn't that great?

Or maybe she meant that vegetarians often look scrawny and you look robust and full of life!

My mother calls this thinking up a fast answer slowly.

I have actually gotten to the point at which I feel a little sorry for people who have fallen for the societal worship of thinness. It's such a false idol. But I admit it's more convenient in this culture to be in the "normal" BMI range.

Having been on the boards relatively consistently for over six years I can say, also as my mother would, I wish I had a nickel (okay, dollar in modern times) for everyone who leaves frustrated with slow changes and comes back wishing they had hung in there.

Just do whatever you can to get the habit down and then work on what's on the plate, OR gently work on the second with the first.

And keep looking for the foundational reason[s] you'd like to get overeating licked. Seeing the process as very hard is a symptom of not having clear what you think the payoff will be. It's not a crime not to know, but it does drain energy.

It's very likely NOT to look thin, as that is a notoriously failed incentive in the face of an onslaught of chances to overeat. Besides if you don't FEEL better with your new habits, they won't last. But it takes awhile to get the full benefit.