Weight a Minute! Tristi Takes the Plunge

by Tristi Pinkston | More from this Blogger

I haven't been posting in Weight Loss for the last several weeks, and there's a reason for that. I haven't felt as though I had anything of use to say. The last two months have been very emotionally stressful for me, and I haven't done so well in the whole weight loss area. I'm still chocolate free - in fact, I'm five months, one week and one day chocolate free, and if that's not totally impressive, then I don't know what is.

There's a problem, though. Yes, I'm very proud of myself for staying off of chocolate for so long. I never, ever thought I'd be able to do such a thing. I get looks of adoration from people when I tell them - really, it's quite flattering. But I've been kidding myself for too long. See, I've gone off chocolate, but I've been replacing it with other sugars, and then justifying it to myself. "Sure, I can eat this. It's not chocolate, after all. No big deal."

Well, it is a big deal. Last month, I got down to 255.6, the least I have weighed in years, but then when the emotional stress really kicked in, all my healthy plans went out the window and I have gained nine pounds since then.

What's a Tristi to do?

Well, the first thing I'm going to do is get really honest. I'm not doing myself any favors by justifying the sugar. I'm pleased as punch that I'm off chocolate, but that can't be the only change I make. I am a food addict, and until I can kick this emotional dependency and learn to rely on God for my comfort and to trust myself, I will be stuck in this rut forever. And you know, the fatter you get, the harder it is to get out of the rut, and you might eventually get stuck in there. How embarrassing.

So, in front of you, 372,774 of my closest friends, I hereby make a statement. I'm probably going to shoot myself for this, but you know what, in the long run, I'll thank myself . . .

I'm going sugar-free.

Yeah, that's what I said.

And I'm cringing. See, I like sugar. I really, really like it. It's delicious. It makes me happy. I enjoy eating it. But it doesn't love me in return. It's a one-way street, a dead-end road. There is no mutual affection taking place here.

I realize I can't go totally cold turkey straight off. I'm not going to be ultra-careful about checking for hidden sugar in bread and the like - I'm going to start out by eliminating the obvious sugars like donuts, candy bars, ice cream, and candy. That will be a project in and of itself.

I'll keep you updated as I go. I'm really going to need your support here, guys - I'm throwing away the safety net. When I craved chocolate, I could console myself with a cinnamon bear. Now when I crave sugar, I guess I'll be consoling myself with a carrot.

Related Blogs:

Accentuate the Positive

Making Friends with Food

Dress for Success at the Gym

Learn more about Tristi Pinkston

I am a stay-at-home mom, author of eight published books, a freelance editor, and the mother of four incredible children. I enjoy scrapbooking, watching good movies, and taking naps.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger