I love you point - too true!

I struggle with using food as a comfort. What I realized is that I was kind of cheating myself. If my loved one was sad, I wouldn't try to buy them off with a candy bar, when the right thing to do is be a shoulder to cry on. But I try that crud with myself all the time. Instead of focusing on the denial of food I've been trying to focus on the addition of other things.

Just because food works really well on me, doesn't mean that should be the only way I take care of myself. Now I'm trying to listen to my feelings more. If I need a nap, take a nap. If I need a cry, have a cry. When I dig down the things I want are peace, comfort, love, reassurance, understanding, fun, etc. So I'm trying to address those without food being the go-to.

Great point!

I love walking on the beach, too. That sounds like an awesomely good idea!

I am so guilty of the same reward ignorance ha ha ha. 

 I have decided to sack away all that extra money i would spend on my morning coffee and danishes and twice a week lunch with the girls and dinner out with hubby into a safe place and go on my very first cruise.  A friend of mine just went on a 7 day cruise with giving up several of her bad daily food buying habits and saving all her change .  It took her a year and a half but she managed to save enough to purchase the ticket.  Around $1200.00  It really adds up.    Hubby wont go with me he hates boats so I need to find a cruise buddy!!!!

I figured the best reward will be walking on the beaches in Mexico with confidence and not wearing a tent to cover my body.  LOL!

My goal is go in November 2010.

Great outlook!  I know, how many times do we say "Man I did awesome I think I deserve a candy bar" or something like that.  I like your idea of rewarding your success with something no food.  I would love to have my first ever pedicure or manicure.  I think I will make that my goal for my first 10.  That really gives me something to look forward to.  Thanks for your post!

Wish someone would have given my mom that book!!  Reprogramming is HARD!!!

There is a great book by Ellen Satter all How to get your Kids to Eat but Not Too Much.  It specifically deals with not using food as a reward and that it can lead to lifelong problems with a relationship with food.  I haven't read all of it but one thing she talks about is that the biggest way to not be overweight is to never get there in the first place.  It's sort of a hopeless view of how hard it is to maintain a healthy weight once you have become overweight.  Statistics are not good for us, we know that.  So, we have to do the reversal for ourselves, but how great it would be to teach our children good lessons to begin with.

I  LOVE it!  What a great post!  "Food is not earned."  I have never thought about it like that...but you are so right.  I also like your ideas of what "rewards" really are.  My greatest reward right now is that I am actually beginning to truly like myself.  I no longer have self-loathing issues.  I also like your idea of rewarding yourself with a bracelet for every 10 pounds.  I need to think of something I would like for every 10 pounds I lose.  Thanks for your post!  God Bless -- Hilary

Well, I wrote a message about food but lost it, so I will make it short for you all. I am trying to develope a new way of thinking about food. Food is not a reward. Icecream is not a reward for a good week of dieting. I guess that should have been ovbious on all the other diets I went on, but it wasn't. A taste of pumpkin pie is not deserved. Food is not earned. Food is never again a reward. There are a lot of rewards waiting for me, feeling healthy, seeing grandchildren grow up, buying clothes that look good, bending over to work in the garden, seeing the pride in my husbands eyes, getting the respect I deserve, a bracelet for every ten pounds lost... the rewards are numerous. They go on and on,  but food is not among them. Food is not a reward.