Last night following a church service, hubs and I stopped by a restaurant for dinner. While waiting to be seated I saw an acquaintance of mine. She commented on my weight loss and wanted to know what I was doing. The pained look on her face suggested she really wanted to know and she wasn’t just making small talk or being polite. She had the unmistakable expression of one who struggles.
I outlined the things I do: eat clean, exercise (a lot), and work on emotional “stuff.” She wanted to know more about eating clean so I explained that 90% of the time the food I eat is unprocessed and is in line with the South Beach Diet plan. I told her I don’t touch sugar and in fact, I treat it as if it were a line of cocaine (and I don’t use cocaine!). The thought of giving up sugar was scary to her. I explained that in my experience withdrawal was no picnic. The first three days were he11 and the next 30 days weren’t very fun. I told her that when I decided to withdraw from sugar I picked a weekend with not much going on and I rested for most of it. I told her that I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me sugar is an addictive substance. One day at a time, I choose to stay away from it. For me eating one M&M leads to polishing off the entire two-pound bag. And I’m not willing to do that today. We ended the conversation by my telling her she can call me any time and what she shares with me will remain confidential.
One of the added benefits of losing a significant amount of weight (currently 81 pounds for me) is that people notice. A benefit of people noticing is that those who struggle with food issues often feel free to ask for help. Lately quite a few people who struggle are private messaging me on Facebook or email to ask for help. It is a huge honor for me to share my experience, strength and hope with them. They are a reminder of where I’ve been and they keep me grounded. I hope I provide them with the understanding that “if I can do it they can do it.”
The opportunity to help others who struggle with this issue is something I believe my Higher Power has placed before me. I don’t take it lightly. I am humbled and honored.
482gr8 