Ladies’ Home Journal

The following are excerpts from an article published in the Health section of Ladies’ Home Journal…

Growing up I was naturally thin, though if there was something sweet in the house, I’d wait until no one else was around and grab as much of it as I could. During dinner my eyes would be on top of the refrigerator because that’s where we kept the dessert….Looking at it made my heart beat faster…

…That kind of eating caught up with me during my first three pregnancies, starting when I was 21. I told myself I was eating for two, but it was more like 200. I tried Weight Watchers but it felt like a job, assigning points. After my third child we moved from New York to Maryland, and my weight went through the roof. I was alone, I had these kids and I turned to food for comfort all the time. By the time I reached 205 pounds I was grasping at excuses for my weight problem…

My sister-in-law told me about a weight-loss program she was trying through our church called the Weigh Down Workshop… I never realized till then how much time I spent thinking about food. … The key was getting my heart to stop desiring food and to eat only what my body needed. I learned to pray and say God give me strength to resist whenever I was having a tough time and wanted to overeat…

What I’ve Learned…I rethink the meaning of meal-times. Sometimes I won’t be hungry when it’s time to have dinner with my family. But I’ll sit at the table and sip some water anyway. I’ve learned to appreciate spending time with my husband and kids, even when it doesn’t involve food.