Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there. Tomorrow my daughter will be making me a meal and then we will go see the Trek movie.

I was able to start back walking this week end in my neighborhood. I took the dogs and we have been doing around 1.5 miles each outing. I got Callie a Martingale collar to help with her tugging. The collar seems to work wonderfully since not only would she pull, but she would try to back out of the collar and jump up ant twist and turn to try and get out of it on walks. I am trying to not only teach her to calmly walk beside me, but not to bark at every living creature that comes by.


Speaking of Creatures, there was a creature alert as I was walking tonight from another dog walker. There apparently was a rather large snake sunning itself in the late evening sun in the tall grass by the side walk where everyone walks their by the school. We have a creek by the school and it has just recently rained which will drive the snacks up the bank to find a dry spot to sun some time. The side walk gets really warm and sometime they will get close to it if the grass is not cut. The school district is the worse about cutting their grass after a rain, so the combination is almost expected in my opinion. I know the little creeks get creature activity after a big rain, so I don't go near them.

On my walk I bumped into a neighbor who said I was looking good still. Boy, if she only knew I had picked up a few pounds and to go to a larger size under wear ! Even my pants are getting a little tight, but I have no pants to go to because I got rid of my last size pants. This was motivation for me not to gain back my weight. Thus, back to walking and logging. I did go over on calories tonight, but at least I know by how much. I am getting back into form now. I will have to work on that late night sweet tooth.

Another thing I will just have to accept is the hunger thing. I don't like that feeling of hunger, but I know I am going to experience it when I start to really cut down. It is inevitable. I have often wondered why we go through this. Can't our bodies be satisfied with the proper amount of fuel for it ? Why do we feel we have to have an over stuffed sensation in our stomachs ? If you are insulin resistant, you can actually have this hunger because your body is having trouble processing the insulin. The same with those taking certain medications that stimulate the appetite. Getting that feeling of full and contentment sensation is hard to come by under those circumstances. Even then, I found out in my situation if I allowed myself to feel hunger I soon did not feel hungry as my body did finally adjust.

That actually was the key for me. In another case I got off Lyrica. That med just made me feel hungry all the time as did cortisone. My brain seemed to tell my digestive juices to keep working full time and the only thing that made my stomach feel better was to keep something in it at all times with those two drugs. Thus, I gained weight as well as got into a bad habit using those drugs. With the cortisone, I had a life threatening condition and had to use it for a while. I was glad to finally get rid of the drug for safer drugs. The lyric I decided to get off of even though it helps my nerve pain. I just would rather not have to deal with the side effects even at the cost of the nerve pain.

Anyway, all of us have ways to deal with hunger. I like the ideas in the Beck Solution. They have been useful to me when I actually put them to practice. Share with me what you do when you get hungry. There is no right or wrong answer. My favorite thing right now is coffee in the morning and herb tea at night or just plain water through out the day. I found constantly drinking liquids gives me something to do and fills my stomach. Besides it keeps me hydrated. Now, I finally get what people mean by drinking that water. I just have a different mental approach to it now. I use it as a distraction to my hunger and a way to keep my hands busy. Having something in my hands like a cup or a bottle of water is mentally satisfying to an over eater who is used to having something always in her mouth. Smokers might identify with this since this is part of the addiction.

Yes, did I mention that word again. Addiction ! The craving for constant food is an addiction just like craving those cigarettes and alcohol, and drugs. Talk to anyone who is trying to stop any addiction and you will find that the drying out period is when the craving period hits you the hardest. We in the diet world already know about cravings, but have you ever considered your hunger part of drying out ? It is your body getting used to new foods and a lower calorie count just like the drug addicts body getting used to no drugs. It's a period of adjustment. Time is what is needed to over come the feelings that you will go through. Endurance and a stick with attitude that all will be worth it if you hang in there and pay the price. Now, with my own advise, I begin another journey of cutting back. But, I look forward to the end result with much anticipation.

Oh, there is one final thing I must say. It really helps to have a friend take this journey with you. For me, the people here at Ck have been my friends. There are so many now I can't begin to name you. Thanks for taking this journey with me. I have another fiend who takes this journey with me every day giving me strength and insight, my husband with whom I could not do this. And finally MY Lord, whom promised to never leave me and to be there right by side if I would humble myself and seek Him and His guidence in all things. He has not let me down.