I had a better week this week than last week, but I struggle with “entitlement.” I am the kind of person that will make progress. Then my thinking tells me that progress deserves a reward and that reward is usually food. This has been an issue for a long time. When I make progress I feel that I am “entitled” to a reward, but all it does is put me right back where I started. I have wasted so much time taking one step forward, just to take that same step backwards a week later. I don’t really think there is anything wrong with rewarding yourself for accomplishments, but it has to be something that is not destructive to your forward steps. I have wasted too much time moving forward just to counteract those forward moves.

Yesterday I had a horrible day. I lived in the sugar bowl. Last evening I went to a meeting and came away with some great experience, strength and hope. We were discussing free food and someone said “there is no such thing as free food.” And when you think about it, this is true for many things. Just because you did not pay cash for it, does not mean it does not come with a price. For me certain foods come with a high price and I have to figure which ones have a price that is higher than I am willing to pay. Today went well. I was actually able to stay away from most of the food at work and actually am starting feel like I have a chance at abstinance. My sponsor says I should make a list of things I am willing to give up. She says accomplishing these small steps will make me feel like I have accomplished something and give me the courage to keep moving forward. Here again, this concept can be applied to many things. Not just food.

The past 2 days I have come about as close to abstinence as I have ever been recently. It was not too hard over the weekend. Today however, I am back at work (the land of candy and excess food). The other day they bought about 10 bags of candy and it is impossible for them to hold a meeting here without food. So, I am prepared for a challenge. I have not had to much luck with being able to avoid their food and candy in the past. I am hoping that today I will find the strength to change that .

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Today is supposed to be the first day of the rest of my life. I am supposed to be starting a new way of life by abstaining from products that have a high sugar content. The past week has been nothing but a sugarfest, but most addicts do go out with a bang. This morning I walked up to the receptionist for a label and she had several bags of candy sitting on her desk. It was really hard to walk away, but I did. The worst part is I have to get through the rest of the day knowing it is there.

OA talks about abstinence and I have struggled with that for about the last 3 to 4 weeks as I attend meetings. I have been looking for where I fit in and how I want this program to work for me and I think I am getting closer to knowing how I want this to work for me. I think I am finally to the point where I am ready to give abstinence, as I perceive it, a chance. I got half way through the day and actually felt much better than I have felt in several weeks. I have pretty much been on a sugar binge for about the past month. It is time to make some changes and I know feel like I am ready to handle the challenge.

Foods high in enriched wheat flour are also high in carbohydrates. Being sensitive to carbs anything that contains a high percentage of enriched wheat flour causes me to shake and to want clim into the refrigerator and begin eating about two hours after consumption. Here is what the experts say about white flour:

Contrary to what its name suggests, Dr. Oz says enriched flour is actually poor in nutrition because most of the grain’s nutrients are destroyed in the refining process. “The reason they enrich it is because they already stripped out anything that was worth a darn in it, and they add a little bit back so it doesn’t look so bad,” says Dr. Oz.

Instead, he says to look for whole grains and whole grain flours. “It has its kernels, it has its B vitamins—all the things you want to be in there,” says Dr. Oz.

While not as bad for you as sugar or fats, you can do without it and there are healthier foods that can be eaten.

Picking a food plan has been a real struggle for me, but I think I have known for along time what I need to do. But knowing and putting into action are two different things. Low-carb is what works best for me. I love sugar, but it makes me feel irritable and shaky. However, having the addictive personality that I have, it is easy for me to talk myself into eating sweets regardless of the consequences. I am hoping that I will soon find the willingness to get past the urge to want to eat sugar and foods high in processed carbs.

Nobody likes to diet. But what if you could make tasty meals yourself that would speed up the process of losing weight? By combining ‘negative calorie’ fruits and vegetables into salads and other dishes at mealtime, you can accelerate your weight loss in a delicious way.

Negative calorie foods are not new and have been discussed in weight loss circles for years. They are essentially fruits and vegetables that make your body use more calories (units of heat) to digest than they contain themselves. When you eat them as part of your diet, the net result is a negative calorie balance. This will help you lose weight faster.

Here is a short list of popular negative calorie fat burning foods:

* Asparagus
* Apples
* Beets
* Broccoli
* Cabbage
* Carrots
* Cauliflower
* Celery
* Cucumbers
* Garlic
* Grapefruit
* Lettuce
* Oranges
* Papaya
* Pineapples
* Raspberries
* Spinach
* Strawberries
* Turnips
* Zucchini

As you can see there are many fat burning foods to choose from. The way to achieve faster weight loss with these foods is to eat more of them more often. Let’s explore your options for the many ways to include them in your diet. First pick out the vegetables from the list that you like to eat. Write them down on a piece of paper. Then list your favorite fruits below them on the same piece of paper.

Your objective is to use as many of your favorite fat burning foods incorporated with the other foods you prepare. For example, when you eat your daily salad incorporate as many fat burning foods as you can to make a tasty salad for yourself. You can start with lettuce, add shredded carrots, a few cucumber slices, sliced or diced apples and maybe a little pineapple. On the side you might add a few strawberries and a couple pieces of celery.

For a snack you can make sugarless Jell-O with shredded carrots included. Another good snack is your own special fruit salad prepared ahead of time. You can top it with a sugarless whipped cream. Be creative. Find ways to use garlic in your cooking instead of salt. Use fat burning vegetables as the complementary ingredients when you cook your meals. You will soon become accustomed to using these foods first in your meals.

By their very nature, you can eat as many of them in your diet as you wish. The more of these foods you eat on a daily basis, the more weight you can lose and keep off. Remember to also eat other sensible low fat foods and protein to stay healthy. Never go on a crash negative food diet only. The idea is to increase your use of these foods, not to replace your total diet with them.

A well-rounded lifestyle that includes the right foods and exercise will result in you reaching your goal weight faster. Fat burning foods can be your secret weapon in the battle of the bulge. It’s a tasty way to lose those unwanted pounds.