The Forgotten Rose

I am severely allergic to aspartame, and nowadays, it can be found in (by my estimates) 65% of stuff you get in the grocery store. I constantly have to read labels because foods that I use to eat now contain aspartame.

Example, chewing gum.
I love gum. It helps with food cravings. It gives me mouth something to chew on beside pizza! But it is next to impossible to find a gum that does not have aspartame. Gum I bought just last month now has aspartame. The products change that quickly and without people ever realizing it.

Anyway, for those curious about aspartame, I found this article that I want to share with you.
(The link is - http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-aspartame-allergy.htm)

Chances are high that you have several foods or beverages in your pantry and refrigerator that contain the sweetener aspartame. Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981, aspartame can be found in approximately 6,000 foods as an artificial sweetener. Unfortunately, a lot of controversy surrounds the additive, leaving many medical professionals and health food experts alike claiming that aspartame allergy or aspartame toxicity truly exists.

Most of the controversy surrounds the chemicals that aspartame breaks down into when digested, which includes methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Methanol, a free radical breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde and is a carcinogen and some claim, is “neurotoxic.” Aspartic acid has been shown in some studies to cause hormonal disorders, headaches, nausea and anxiety disorders. Those who have PKU, or Phenylketonuria, cannot metabolize the phenylalanine, which may result in toxic levels in the body.

Many of those who believe in an aspartame allergy claim that the additive should have never been approved by the FDA, and have claimed that conflicts of interest interfered with a process that should’ve been based on science, and not profits. FDA officials, after completing an internal investigation, claim that the process was handled correctly, and that there are currently no conclusive scientific studies that prove that aspartame is dangerous to humans.

Although the FDA stands by the safety of aspartame, in 1995, Thomas Wilcox, Epidemiology Branch Chief of the FDA issued a report that 75% of reports of reactions to ingredients in food were due to aspartame from 1981 to 1995. In 1992, the US Air Force recommended against drinking beverages containing aspartame before flying to their pilots.

To date, there are 92 reported symptoms of aspartame allergy, from a variety of sources. While many of these claims are anecdotal, many medical doctors and health professionals have seen cases of aspartame allergy that have been resolved after removing it from the diet.

The difficult aspect of aspartame allergy is that it is not universally accepted by the medical community as even truly existing. Couple this with the fact that people who suffer from aspartame allergy may have dramatically different symptoms, diagnosing the sensitivity may be nearly impossible and more of a process of elimination than any other thing.

The following are common symptoms of aspartame allergy:

Headaches and Migraines
Dizziness
Menstrual disorders
Nausea
Infertility
Weight Gain
Anxiety attacks
The following are diseases that are often mimicked or triggered by aspartame allergy:

Epstein Barr
Multiple Sclerosis
Lyme Disease
Epilepsy
Lupus
Graves’ Disease
Restless Leg Syndrome
Bladder Cancer
Parkinson’s Disease

It is not known if aspartame allergy is caused by long term use, or can cause reactions with short term use. A person’s sensitivity to aspartame is difficult to determine, and can vary from person to person. Even if you suspect that any medical symptoms you are having are related to an aspartame allergy, you should consult a doctor to rule out illness caused by other disease or factors.

Food Log

Exercise Log

I just watched last weeks episode of the Biggest Loser, and I find myself wondering about this one woman named Joelle. She stops short of Bob’s countdowns everytime….and I am guilty of the same thing.

From all appearances, she has alot of fears about losing weight - like me. I am terrified, and I tend to stop short of the countdown. I don’t press in. I don’t go beyond the distance.

I am not sure of her story, but from what I see on the TV, I see myself in her. I don’t believe that she doesn’t want to be there, but I do see alot of fear in her eyes. I know that all too well.

Since my last post, I have been planning. Planning my goals, my strategy for changing my life so that I can lose the weight, and maintain the weight loss. I’m tired of giving up and notgoing beyond the distance.

This is what makes me grateful for BuddySlim. I have found encouragement and support that I don’t have here at home. It has also helped me to focus, and make the plans I need to make.

My greatest need right now is to learn to eat better, healthier. I am a pizza junkie. I ate way too much of it this past week, and my body feels every bite!

I don’t want to”diet”. I want to learn better eating habits that I can maintain for the rest of my life, and I want to change my thoughts and attitudes toward food. As I said before, losing weight opens an emotional can of worms, but with God’s guidance and the strength He gives, I can do this.

1 Corinthians 6:12 “I am free to do all things; but not all things are wise. I amfree to do all things; but I will not let myself come under the power of any.”

God bless you,

Rita

I was just over in the forums and I got to thinkin’ about something.

Why do fat people love watching exercise videos?

Not all do, but there are some of us that really love watching them! I do. I can sit on the couch all day watching Cathe, Chalene, the Firm or even good ole Richard Simmons with a slice of pizza in one hand and a Coca-Cola in the other! My eyes get a good workout but the rest of me….well, the rest of me likes to rest a little too much!

I make all of the excuses why I can’t actually do the workouts….”I’m too fat”, “I’ll do it tomorrow, I’m just reviewing first”, “my MS is acting up” or my personal favorite, “I’m scared”.

Truth of the matter is…I am scared.

I am scared to lose weight. I’m scared of the attention losing weight brings…especially from those of the opposite sex. You see, I began gaining weight as a means of protection against abuse, and I have all those emotional hang-ups from that running through my brain.

People tend to forget that losing weight opens up an emotional bag of worms. It brings to the forefront all those things that are buried inside of you that keeps you fat…and now you have to deal with them.  But, alot of us tend to run away - fast!

I’m tired of running. I am tired of having all of these “ghosts in the closest” that want out, and they want out so they can be healed.  Tonight, as I was reading through the forums, I made a commitment to myself.

A commitment to stop watching and start doing - regardless of the fear.

What is the meaning of fear?

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

These fears in my brain are from 18 years ago, and it is time to let go.So I made a commitment to myself to let go and let God heal all those damaged places.

So the next time you find yourself sitting on the couch or in front of the computer watching an exercise video - stop.

Stop and ask yourself why are you just watching and not doing. It may just change your perception.

God bless you!

Over the past couple of weeks I have been praying for guidance. I want to lose weight but can’t seem to “get up and go”. I know what I have to do but doing it is a problem. I wasn’t sure why until I began to seek God’s guidance about the matter.

I discovered there is a HUGE difference between being “interested” and being “committed”.

To be “interested” is having the desire to lose weight, and knowing what I should do about it. But then I find excuses, or I get bored, or a get depressed, or I give up, or whatever….and I forget all about wanting to lose weight. Being “interested” in losing weight is like being fickle.

Mr. Webster says being fickle is: marked by lack of steadfastness, constancy, or stability : given to erratic changeableness. 

On the other hand, being “committed” means that I am taking definate actions to make the lifestyle changes necessary to getting healthy and losing weight. I don’t lose focus…even if I have a bad day! I don’t look to the left or the right but look straight toward my goal.

So where does that leave me?

I’m fickle.

The realization was like a slap in the face. I talk a good talk but don’t walk the walk. God held a mirror up to my face in response  to my prayer and I don’t like what I saw.  Change must come or I am going to die a very early death. I can’t escape that fact any longer. My body hate me and the abuse I put it through. I’m scared. I’m terrified but change must come.

I don’t want to die before my time.

One thing I like about the internet is all these wonderful online tools for support and motivation. Today, I am choosing to commit. I am choosing to change. I am choosing health.

Food Log

Exercise Log

What do you do when you know what you need to do but have absolutely no motivation?!

That is me. I know what I need to do to lose the weight but I am having major problems with doing it. I am doing good on changing my eating, that is not the problem, but I know my body. If I don’t start moving the dieting will be in vain. I tend to lose little to nothing with just diet alone, but if I add exercise, the pounds melt off.

This is weird. I really deseperately want to move but I can’t seem to make my body actually move. everyone says walk, walk, walk. I am sick of walking! I can’t drive because of vision problems, so I have to walk everwhere I go…very rarely so I ever get a ride. I am tired of walking!

I have quite a few DVD’s and I love Turbo Jam but why can’t I just get up and start moving?

Any thoughts or suggests?

It is an new year, and I am once again taking the weight-loss plunge. I joined a local weight loss challenge today. I need support - badly. My family has this “who cares just eat” attitude, and my friends…they are pretty much the same. This is my main reason for failure - no support, encouragement or a littel push every now and then.

 I am 38 years old, 294.2 pounds and I have developed high blood - along with an ever growing list of health problems. I am so tired of being sick and tired! I am so tired of being fat! I want to shop at a regular clothing store….and I deseperately want to not hurt in my body any more! I am so tired of going to the doctor and hearing that something else has broken down inside of me!

 So here I am…writing a blog about this journey I am on to gain health and well being.

I am looking for ways to motivate and encourage myself, and writing a blog seems to be on the top of the list of suggested motivators. Any qestions so far???

 If you are like me and are deseperate for encouragement and support, contact me, maybe we can encourage each other.

 Until next time….