Hi Diet Betters -this is my first blog post and I'd like to introduce myself and share my situation.
I am 38 years old and I live and work in the Boston area in the northeast US. I began a seriously unhealthy relationship with food and body image in high school, when I was bulimic for part of senior year. Eating for stress and boredom and anxiety, as well as for celebration and reward was my default setting for many years; coupled with constantly judging my body as somewhere between imperfect and disgusting.
More recently I found some tools to deal with these issues. In March 2010 I joined Overeaters Anonymous (OA), a 12 Step Group modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous for dependence on food. I identified as a compulsive overeater and developed my own personal definition of abstinence. I went to meetings, talked to a sponsor every day, committed my food every day, got to know my Higher Power, and started working the steps. And lost 50 pounds - from 200 to 150. It was awesome - and it was WORK.
In July of 2012 my partner and I bought a house that needed a lot of repairs - some that we could do ourselves but many more that needed professional contractors. My priorites shifted and I decided my OA program was not the most important thing in my life. The most important thing was the house and our relationship. We also started going to a new church together, and that felt more fulfilling to have a spiritual practice that we both could join. I had no regular routine, beyond working a full day at work and then working a few hours at night on the house. We did not have a kitchen for six months, and lived in his parents house from October to December that year.
The house was "first-round" finished in July 2013 (there's still lots more to do....in the next few dozen years...) and it took us a looooooong time to get into a comfortable household routine with shopping, cleaning, cooking, gardening etc. It's a beautiful life we have have together and I am so grateful for him and our domestic bliss.
But. In these past 2 1/2 years I have gained back 30 of my 50 pound weight loss. I really do miss the accountability of OA and I am hoping to get some of that here in this DietBet challenge. I recognize the benefit of committing my food and activity every morning, as well as checking in before bed to see how the day went. Generally I have the willingness and ability to do the morning planning; but not so much the end-of-day check-in. so this is my outward plea to my better self, my higher power, the universe, and the community to help me fulfill this task at the end of every day.
I also identify as a compulsive over/under worker and a compulsive spender. therefore I add commitments relating to time, work, and money to my daily food plan. It's my goal to do well in all areas of my life...without sacrificing sanity in any other arena. I am focusing on progress, not perfection.
Here is a list of books that have helped me along the way. I am a big reader and I highly recommend these resources:
The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Women Food and God by Geneen Roth
The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler
Changing for Good by James O. Prochaska, John C. Norcross, and Carlos C. DiClemente
Alcoholics Anonymous and The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous
xoxoxoxoxo thanks for listening!