Friend of Julie: 1 Year of Maintenance

     This month marks one year that I have been working on maintenance, and nothing is going to take this achievement away from me. I wanted to touch on a few things that have pushed me along on this 1 year milestone.

     First of all, this is the first time in my life that the word "maintenance" has been used for longer than 5 minutes. I achieved the use of the same word when I was with Weight Watchers, but they couldn't stop the food from talking to me, and the food won over again. I now know the power of this word. Extreme power! And there is not one food out there that is going to take this word away from my vocabulary!

     If you think of food from an alcoholics point of view, and find it in yourself to tell yourself "most food is poison", and use Julie's help, then you can push these "bad" things away.

     The MOST important thing I have been working on this year? Please read on!

     Stress will be around every corner, and I use whatever the situation is as a "test". I say to myself "I am being tested" and for the first time in my life, I am pushing through and passing these "tests"! You have to somehow find your strength to be able to say "I am being tested, and I am going to win, come out on top, not give in, push it away", then the tests become fewer and farther between. It will always be around us, these "tests". It is how one accepts the "ism"  (foodaholism, how is that?!?!?!) so that you don't feel like you failed. It truly comes from within, and the more you empower yourself, the less the food will talk to you.

     The second most important thing I have learned?

     When I go on vacation, whether it be for a night, a weekend, a week, I CANNOT, WILL NOT stray from what Julie has simply given me to use every day. It isn't as if the journey has changed because I am not sleeping in my own bed. I did that my whole life. And it got me squat! Well, what it did was get me pre-diabetes and high blood pressure. And I don't want the food to start talking to me again.

     Why?  I am a food addict!  I am addicted to food! IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!! I would also not "drink a drink" while on vacation if I was an alcoholic. Do you think I would be able to stop at just one if I had a problem with alcohol? Would it be ok if the person I was on vacation with knew I was an alcoholic and said "oh come on, you can do it-Just one drink!" Is that ok? Not for me. I know people have said that Julie has told them "when you pack your bags, then get back on". Well, I have never heard that. In fact, I heard the opposite. At my refresher last September, I heard her say that she would never tell someone that, and she doesn't know where that came from! So, if it was said, then IT WASN'T FOR ME. Because I NEVER HEARD IT. This is part of my SACRIFICE AND FREE WILL. And why the heck would I want to cave in to something that makes me feel disgusted and guilty when I can eat an entire steak and a whole lobster if I want to?!?!?!

     This is why Julie's behavior modification plan is different from everyone else. She has been able to push the food talk away from us by giving us tools to use, and her talking to our cells. It can and does work. I know it is hard to look at other people and say "they can eat the fucking food (pardon me please, but I have thought it that way, so that is what I am going to write) SO why can't I?" Why do I have to have an addiction? Why was I wired this way? Whine Whine Whine!!!!!! I no longer do that. I smile, eat my pepperoni or my tuna, and say, Damn I Look Good in My Size 6 Levis!!!! I continue to follow this journey to the best of my ability. I say no thank you when I need to, and don't think another thought about it. My commitment is still 100%!!!!!

     My chains have been lifted. FOOD no longer controls ME.  I CONTROL IT!!!!!!!!

                     Happy One Year of Maintenance to Me!!!!