As 2015 comes to a close, I am pleased to write another Duffy post. This one will be short and sweet.
When I began this series in 2014, I knew it would take more than a year to lose all the weight I hoped to lose. At the time, I had full faith in a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet and didn’t think much about the obstacles I would encounter, especially psychological ones.
In my last post, I shared that I have an addiction to food and was hoping to begin a food addiction recovery counseling program in late September or early October, 2015. That did start and although its been anything but smooth sailing, I am learning so much about myself and my relationship with food and with God.
Dealing with this food addiction has given me cause to consider anew D&C 89:4 and the rest of the revelation, both the warnings and promises. I have much to ponder in my heart.
At the time of this writing I have lost almost 80 lbs total, so I lost the weight I had regained and then a little bit more. It doesn’t feel like a lot to show for two years of WFPB (on again, off again throughout this last year) but I remain committed to what I believe to be an inspired way of eating and living. And, when I look at these pictures, I know that 80 lbs has made a tremendous difference in how I look and feel. It is hard to look at the first two pictures with compassion because I hated how I looked and felt so much at the time those were taken. But I am glad to have the reference so that I can see how far I’ve come.
Thank you for sharing my journey with me. I’ll plan to check in again mid-2016.
All the best,
Duffy
Duffy: I admire your determination and courage! Despite periodic set-backs, you don’t give up. You keep moving forward, each time with a little more knowledge and wisdom. I am so proud of you! I know you’ll continue to inspire many others who are also traveling this same road. Keep up the good work. Your smile says it all!
Good for you! When food is love or even when it is punishment, wrong associations can ruin one’s life. Glad you’re getting a handle on things.
You look beautiful!
Thank you for sharing that there are ups and downs and that it isn’t all about the food.
Duffy, thank you for sharing your experiences, both good and frustrating. It’s hard not to want a quick fix, and to realize that this is a forever change and to keep going. I get discouraged, and I’m realizing just recently that I likely have a food addiction. I’m wondering if you have your support group near UT or online? I’d really be interested.
Hi Melinda,
I’m in Oregon but there is a group doing the same program in Murray, UT: http://www.lifestylenational.com/affiliate-locations
Thanks, Duffy! I’ll check with them! 🙂
Duffy, thank you! As a recovered (yes, it happens that you recover completely!) food addict, I love your posts. I also know from my own experience that you are doing the right thing to be free of your addiction. It does take time–for me it’s been about 11 years since I began going to OA and the LDS 12-Step program–but it is real, and it happens. You are so blessed to be starting so young. Thank you for sharing your recovery and your gift, so that as I maintain my recovery, I can remember the importance of what I am doing.
Duffy
I have just began my relationship with whole food plant based way of life. I have always known about the Word of Wisdom and decided to try to do a better job of eating better. I am almost 60 come may and I am tired of being in pain and hurting all the time so, I am striving to give up meat base foods. I am still sliding backwards but I have chossen to keeping moving forward in 2016 with what I have learned for Jane Birch and her amazing Book Discovering the Word of Wisdom what a blessing Jane Birch is to us all. God bless us all in our Journey to a better way of LIFE.
Bless you, Judy! I know this will be an amazing journey for you. Let me know if I can help in any way! Jane
Duffy, I’m assuming you may not have heard about the LDS Addiction Recovery Program. I’m also assuming that you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If I am correct in my assumptions, and if you might be interested in attending one of those non cost group meetings, I suggest you contact your bishop and ask him to help you locate the nearest LDS Addiction Recovery Program group leader so you can ask him or her if they can help you find one of those LDS groups which specialize in food addictions that are not too far away from where you live. The bishop may actually know of a group that specializes in that. I know that there are a number of those in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, but those groups are now located all over the world, Actually, most LDS bishops, at least in the Salt Lake City, Utah area now have a list of those groups available to them on which the specialization of the groups are listed!
Best wishes and congratulations on the great progress you’ve already made!
Duffy – I am so proud of you, my dear friend! You have made amazing progress over these last two years. It has been especially rewarding to see how your progress has carried over into other aspects of your life – social, spiritual, emotional, mental, physical. I know that 2016 will be full of even more accomplishments.
I am proud of you! My son is 60 pounds, and I wouldn’t want to carry him around all day. I think of how much space he “takes up” and then see the 60-80 extra pounds I carry around on my body each day. You have lost 80 already!!! I know the journey seems long, but congratulations on your progress! Look at a 5th grader and congratulate yourself that you are no longer packing along that size of extra baggage with you! Your commitment is so wonderful!