Good morning!  I have missed being on here between migraines and uncooperative internet, more time has passed than I wanted.

My last blog was all about identifying my biggest obstacle.  This entry is all about answers!  Yeah!  After seeing my PCP and Fibromyalgia specialist, it was determined that I originally was doing/eating what was recommended.    My PCP wants to back off of starchy carbs such as breads, corn, potatoes and pasta.  If I insist on having any of those in one of my meals, it needs to be a minimal serving only.  During my visit to him, he gave me two different perspectives that gave me "aha!" moments.  Before I went, I was feeling very frustrated because I couldn't keep my blood sugars from dropping dangerously low, I felt like all I was doing was eating and thus gaining weight and around the mulberry bush I kept going.

I have heard for most of my life the idea of grazing all day.  However, it was always presented to me as grazing little snacks and then you still had your three main meals.  The way my PCP presented to me was to get rid of the concept of three big meals and just have tiny meals or snacks all day and if I have to eat every 1.5 hours instead of every 2 or 3, that is ok too.  He wants me to view the three main meals as just snacks or slightly larger snacks.  You know what?  I don't know what happened, but that clicked in my head!!!  In one of my other blogs I think I mentioned struggling to stay under my calorie intake and not continually go over.  Well the next idea my PCP gave me was to take my total calorie intake for the day and then divide it between how many times I will eat all day and that is the number of calories per snack/meal I should have.  This has really helped!!!  For the first time in a long time I have felt in control of my "diet"/eating and not the other way around!  Isn't it funny how new perspectives can suddenly make you feel like you have the missing pieces and are free???

The last set of answers are actually goals set by me.  I have gone one week without emotionally eating.  So, as soon as I can, I am going to purchase a New King James Bible for my computer Bible.  (Right now with my eye problems due to some medication I have been on, the computer Bible is the only Bible I can read because I can enlarge it ridiculously large.)  That purchase is $5.  If I can go a second week, I will buy myself some music on iTunes.  For the third consecutive week, I will get myself a watch set from Cracker Barrel Restaurant.  They have a really cool interchangeable watch set.  I would buy one watch face and two bands.  If I can go five weeks in a row without any emotional eating or binging, then I will buy myself the computer edition of the New King James Study Bible for my Computer.  You see, I have found out that us humans are like our pets.  We need rewards, especially if we are changing habits.  I don't want to use food as reward, but these are all things I want/need and working towards them will make them all the sweeter.  (no pun intended)

I am encouraged and excited.  I feel like I can finally make some real progress on this journey finally!