The year I gained the most weight was when my special needs son was born. Can anyone say stress???? I made it thru the days of hospital visits, doctors galore, and many fears that he might not even make it. I would tell myself -- I deserved it, after all look at what im going thru.

It would start with one candy bar, and then another and another. Pretty soon, Id buy two at one shot. Or two bags of mini candy bars and eat them all. Im simply couldnt think about weight, too many other thigns crowding my brain.

It wasnt until after Gideon was more stable and I had my last baby -- that I began thinking bout me. I thought along the way I learned how to eat. Times like this, where Ive gained back 10 lbs, show me that I have a ways to go in that journey.

Gideon was sick this past week, 103 temps and coughing and all kinds of ick. It doesnt take much to take me back into the realm of the first year. My triggered response is to eat -- I cannot tell you how many girl scout cookies I consumed. I need to rewrite that schema in my brain that tells me to eat.

Is the hormones or body chemicals secreted during stress that cause us to reach for the food? How do we combat that?

Another trigger for me is lack of sleep. My willpower goes out the window when im tired. Again is the bodys natural response to try and stay awake by eating? Im not really sure. When all is well , I can do the right things, when things are stressful it becomes much more difficult to make those choices.

Keep on running
Mrs. F