The last year has been so crazy for me....Open Heart Surgery last June, My father passed away a month before my surgery....This July my baby brother died in a car accident he was about to turn 34...he also died on the day that my son died on 10 years ago....Im an emotional eater like most of us and Im just trying to get it together...Im like a yo-yo with going up and down with the exact same 30 pounds...I do good and then I say "forget it" and eat like a fool for weeks...horrid cycle...

Im asking for thoughts and prayers for strength to get myself together and do this....thanks so much in advance.

I will keep you in my prayers.

Oh that's rough. I'm sorry to hear life is being so tough with you. All the best!

I was in a very low and unhealthy place when I got started 9 months ago. This way of eating actually helped pull me out of it. A little success goes a long way in turning things around. What helped me get started was to focus on one thing and one thing only... sticking to low carb, on plan food. Don't worry about weight loss. Don't worry about calorie count, carb count, or eating too much or too little fat, protein, or what ever. Turn your emotional eating on to some on-plan foods that you like to eat. It won't offer the same comfort -- but it will provide some comfort and it will help you get by. Don't worry if you eat too much. Just stay away from your go-to high carb comfort foods. Make them not an option. Do it today. Then tomorrow, do it again. When I started, I was eating a lot of food. I did not weigh myself. If I felt like eating, I did -- but only low carb on plan foods -- no exceptions. Worry about what you eat and do what ever it takes to get by. Doing this pulled me out of my depression and misery and I started to feel better. Eventually the ship started to right itself and the amount I ate started to diminish without any effort. Within a few months, a new me started to emerge and life became much, much better. The desire to eat the unhealthy, carb loaded junk started to fade away and sticking to plan food became easier with each passing day. Having some success and eating healthy helped me start to find joy and happiness with life. As I said, I started at a low point in my life. There was not much reason to expect good things to happen. But good things did happen. And it was focusing on one thing - eating only the right kinds of food - that got the ball rolling in the right direction.

I hope you can find a way. What I did may work for you -- or it may not. But it is surely worth a shot. Keep trying. It really is nice to get off the roller coaster and move in one direction for a while.

^^I agree 100%. I still struggle with my diet, and have had life challenges, but nothing approaching what you are going through. Lots of prayers coming through for you.

My advice is similar. Take it one hour, one meal, one day at a time. That is the only way I can cope somedays too. Thinking about what I'm doing long term and the weight loss (or not) is the furthest from my mind most days, instead, I'm just worrying about what I'm putting in my mouth AT THAT MOMENT or not putting in my mouth (of course on plan food at your fingertips helps).

Best of luck to you.

Life sure can bring us to our knees and you've certainly had more than your fair share of that. Praying for you, of course. The fact that you came here, posted your story, and asked for help shows your inner strength and determination, even in the face of all you are going through. Focusing your energy on doing one good thing for yourself, like eating low carb without cheats and yo-yoing, will help you get back up on your emotional feet again.

Once upon a time, when life had knocked me down to my lowest emotional state, I had developed a 4-pack-a-day smoking habit. One day I simply had an angry, light-bulb moment and said "Dammit, I am not going to let this fear and sadness kill me. First off, I quit smoking - today!" That was 27 years ago and I've never picked up a cigarette since. It wasn't magically easy, I had to turn to Smokers' Anonymous for support and advice, but I stuck with it until one day the craving was gone. Low carb works like that too.

When life has kicked you in the teeth you can show it who's the boss if you get angry enough to do something positive for yourself.

Don't punish yourself for things that aren't your fault. Think of this WOE as a reward for yourself and keep your eyes on the prize that you deserve.

Thank you everyone sooooooooooooo very much!

You are in my thoughts and prayers. Please message me if you need someone to talk to or let me know if there is anything I can do. I completely agree with khrussva. You can do this. Make up your mind to eat on plan and you will feel better. There is study after study proving that sugar actualy increases stress and depression. Carbs are not your friend, even though they act like they are for a minute or two. I am so sorry you are going through all this but it will get better and you deserve to be healthy. You will continue to be in my prayers.

Hang in there, LeAnn

Low carb has a few advantages, among them is that the transition period, while challenging, is over soon and usually hunger drops considerably afterwards, as do cravings - so if you can find the strength to get through the first 5 or so days it should start to get a lot easier.

Another advantage, quite a lot of the "allowed" foods are really delicious. I love that I can eat avocado & bacon, snack on nuts, make some really delicious stews, etc. Are there any of the low carb foods that you really enjoy that you can put on a 'I'm so lucky I can eat this!" list? That kind of thinking really helped me at first, to focus on the kinds of foods I had restricted in the past that were now allowed.

There is a lot of collective wisdom among the members of this site - I recommend journaling as much as you need, so you know you have a place to vent and complain and be as emotional as you need to be.

My thoughts are with you.

Thank yall and thanks for the advice as well.

Sending you love and hugs! You've been through a lot. That had to be one horrible year. I think if anyone deserves to succeed it's you. To reach all your goals. You have a team of people rooting for you that want you to keep going.

Eat good for your heart. Live a long and caring life for your family on earth and in heaven. I don't know if your religious but if you are maybe try and get involved, find a support group for your loss...do what ever it takes to come through those emotions in a different way. You deserve it.

Hugs and happy healthy eating!

Oh my dear! I would be happy to buddy up with you as you progress through this next phase of your life. Tragedy has a way of knocking you out for the count on so many levels. I know some of the pain you feel - I lost my big brother the same way

Thank you so much everyone...and thank you Jacki...id love that...