I was following the program exactly as outlined...that is, until week 5 came along. I live on sugar, coffee, don't exercise, etc. I felt so overwhelmed that after a week of listening to the tapes I began gradually stopping the relaxation tape and eventually stopped all of it. I think I should be on week 8 or 9 at this point. The thing is, my husband said he noticed a big difference in me when I was working this program, now I have no interest whatsoever simply due to the week 5 lesson. I just can't seem to get motivated now that I've been away from it. Any advice?

Why don't you just continue the program and forget lesson 5 for awhile?If it's helping continue and come back to lesson 5 some other time.I am just starting to eat the way they say and I've listened to all the tapes and they have helped me a lot.Now I'm thinking maybe the way I eat will help me even more.

Hi Brie!

Lesson 5 is a hard one for those that have been living on a diet such as yours. You don't have to quit cold turkey. Without caffeine and sugar though you will feel SO much better!!! Your anxiety and/or depression will practically go away just by elimating those foods. They are stimulants and feed our anxiety. You won't completely recover unless you change your diet. Do it gradually. Your body will get to the point where it doesn't want or crave sweets and even salty foods.

It's up to you how you want to work this program. How bad do you really want to be free and live life to it's fullest?

Good luck! You can do it!
Diane

Brie,

Why don't you try doing small steps toward the goals of Lesson Five while you continue the program? Like, start exercising five minutes a day, then the next week work out for ten minutes, and then fifteen the week after, until you build up to thirty minutes a day?

Likewise, with food, why don't you try to first cut out caffeine--maybe have half as much per day as you usually do. Then work on eliminating some of the sugar.

You don't have to do things perfectly, but, IMHO, this lesson is probably one of the most important. Once you give up caffeine and cut back on sugar, you will notice a difference. If you reduce the amount you consume for a while, and then have a cup of coffee, or go overboard with the sugar one day, you will be *amazed* at how much it affects your body. And, exercising is part of the cure, IMHO. It will help enormously, both in terms of your self-esteem and in terms of working off stress chemicals.

Just don't feel like you have to do it all at once!

Be well,
Lori

Hi Brie,

EAT MORE!

A common characteristic we all share with anxiety-panic-depression is a knee jerk reaction to deprive our selves. I also know from experience how deprivation fuels cravings, while abundance fuels a manageable balance. How does this all work with eating? Well, by making the commitment to more frequently add nourishing foods today, there simply is less room for junk, and less and less cravings to fill. I may still seemingly eat some junk, but it will not be as much or as often as before. Remember: The goal is improvement, not perfection!

Basically, I�ve learned balanced eating means dividing total calories for a day into eating at least every two to three hours a nourishing meal of 60%Carbs/20%Protein/20%Fat. That�s generally three to four nourishing snacks plus the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. A nourishing snack might simply be a cup of nonfat milk and an apple, or four crackers with two tablespoons of low-fat peanut butter. It may not seem like much of a �snack,� but it�s just enough to gain more control over our appetite and help maintain balanced body chemistry and energy. The BIG payoff is I feel better, better and better!

I found the key was to just stop beating my self up about �junk� and start focusing on committing to eating more by adding nourishing foods!

My own successes with the Program came directly from my own willingness to take responsibility and begin seeing this whole thing differently from what the licensed drug-pushers had been trying to sell me on. While going through the structure of the Program, I found the tapes to be the �icing� on the workbook �cake.� It worked best to daily practice one lesson a week in the workbook and move on to the next even if I didn't do a lesson perfectly. If I only got so far as to read a lesson, then I got what I was ready for at the time and picked up the rest when I was ready. Most of the time the next lessons helped to better understand and practice previous lessons. So, I liked the idea of keeping strictly to a week per lesson.

Understandably, people may find themselves on a different path of the journey, and I trust their own desires will guide them to what's the best timetable or activities. So, although it may be okay to hear other people's timetables and thoughts on things, I'd trust what you feel works best for you. As the Program suggests, become less affected by what you feel other's think you should be doing, and become more effective at what you want to do. I�ve found I have much control over the flow of most everything. I think of a water faucet, and I control the flow. I may at times turn it up to gushing, or turn it down to a trickle. It�s one way I more consciously determine the amount of change, clarity or honesty I�m willing to deal with at any moment, and find a better daily balance between feeling better and worse. It seems from what you've written here, you may have just decided to turn the faucet off for a while.

I�ve come to understand the Program is not a cure that is taken; it is a cure that is achieved through practice. Without practicing what the Program introduces I�d never have become freer of anxiety-panic-depression. Amazing things happen with practice! I've found I grow as much from dropping a ball as I do from picking it up and running with it.

Be patient and compassionate with your self: We cannot expect to read or simply talk about the tools and techniques of the Program, snap our fingers, and suddenly be cured overnight of whatever bothers us. As lesson fifteen suggests, you may go through the Program in fifteen weeks, however, it may be more realistic to expect on becoming more enlightened, and feeling better and better while practicing throughout a lifetime what the Program introduces. I�ve learned I have no right to expect continually feeling better if I never venture to remain focused on the journey. I encourage you to remain focused on the journey well after �completing� the Program.

May you give your self the gift of letting in your own compassion, love, patience and acceptance for your self no matter where you may find your self in the journey.

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 12-28-2001).]

Brie,
I understand how you feel. I have had anxiety my entire life. I am 37 and don't know what it is like to feel any different. This program is like a godsend to me. I drank
coffee, coke, ate junk food and smoked, but I
am willing to give all this up to feel calm
and relaxed. I went out tonight with my daughter and bought fruit and yogurt. I am trying to make a challenge out of it. I feel
like climbing the walls right now for a cigarette, but I am determined to change my
life. I want to get more out of life. I am sick of hiding myself from others because of
fear of them thinking I am crazy! Please give
the program another try!! I have weaned myself off of caffeine and can attest to the fact that I feel better already! I will be here to help you if need be because Lord knows I need all the help I can get! What do you have to lose! You can always go back to your old ways if this doesn't work for you!
Leanne

LOL! I felt the same way. All I have to say is if you want to really alleviate a lot of anxiety symptoms you got to modify your diet. Just try giving up one thing at a time & replace it with something healthier. I think you'll be surprised at how much better you will feel. Take care!

I used to be a diet pepsi freak. Now all I drink is caffeine free drinks, no alcohol(haven't had alcohol is over 15 years), and I exercise regularly. All I can say is, don't knock it until you try it. It really is all about taking control of what you put in your body. Like everyone else suggested, take it slowly. You'll be fine.

I did the same thing. I had all but quit the program because of this lesson!LOL I didn't want to give this part of me up yet. I started ANOTHER diet once again today and didn't walk today, but... so what! I even went on to lesson 6 without "perfecting" lesson 5. I'm still doing and feeling better than I did before the program. My husband can tell when I've been working on myself and when I haven't also. Hang in there! Guess what--I also smoke(about 1/2 pk/day) and I refuse to give them up-- right now. LOL hope u cont. the program.

I know, I was there.
I gave up caffeine and sugar (for the most part, but have cravings for sugar sometimes).
I started exercising a year ago, aerobics and weights and wow, I feel good about myself. I've not only gone down sizes, I've gained self confidence and a way to release the stress and anxiety.
It's tough to do, I KNOW.
I don't know what I would do now without it.
I look in the mirror and still have some reshaping to do before I'm happy, but I'm feeling better and better about who I am.
Hang in there, ONE thing at a time.
Lisa

I feel the same way! I started lesson 5 on Monday and it is just not working for me. I think if I followed the example of a good diet in this lesson I would probably end up losing too much weight. Does anyone else worry about losing to much weight. I have a very hard time gaining weight and when I look at this diet I just don't know if I can do it. I mean salad for lunch and a diet pop!, fat free this and that and no sugar. I'm worried!
Kimberlee

I think the diet is very hard to change.
After our son became critically ill my diet went to the dogs. It was already pretty poor but understandably got worse. I have been taking care of him, tube feedings,reflux (vomiting) and all. I was lucky to go the bathroom. Anyway, poor excuses and all it is hard. One book that I look toward is Prescription for Healing. This book is fabulous and also talks about depression being related to a poor diet.
It also gives alternative solutions to help with anxiety and or depression. I am new to this discussion and cannot afford the tapes currently but appreciate the support.
Mary

I normally chat about this in the IBS topic, but it might fit here too. Anyone have trouble off and on with diarrhea? I know many do, but I mean I have to stop ALL solids and go clear liquids for some weeks or even months. I'm in one of those episodes right now. I use Ross's Enlive, IsoPure, Pedialyte with a taste of fruit juice, and water. When I add back any foods I go right back into diarrhea. I may be somewhat irritated by the whey in these supplements, but so long as I leave out solids I get all the great nutrients (even have fingernails for the first time in eons). I'm frustrated. I tried some "baby bananas" last night, and I'm in trouble again. So I will return to clear liquids. Oh, I also do broths and clear vege/fruit (Vruit) juice. Not sure if that is an irritant or not. I'll keep a record.

Anyway, if anyone has had to deal with long bouts of IBS (and it's functional without any disease to it), I'd love to chat if just to be encouraged. I have had this for eons, but it would go away within a couple three weeks for many years. In 2000 I had four months, and it suddenly stopped and righted itself. Did it again exactly the same for a month the same year after a colonoscopy then again for four months in 2001 and now again this year only this one began in January rather than April. I was eating a LOT more fiber after finding L. glutamine which had seemingly "healed" me up, but it was just a fluke. If the gut is not inflamed, no need I guess to push L. glutamine. Last fall I may have had a little infection thus the great help from that powder in juices. But this came while using it (2800 mg/day). I remember I got somewhat distressed off and on in my colon a little while after 9-11, and I gradually went into this by the first of the year after some tough holiday stuff I experienced. I come from a family of people with colitis or Chron's so I may be "habituated" to it and have some self-talk going on unwittingly, but this is so real. I think I'm all better, try a little bit of "safe" food only to revert right back into Diarrheaville. It's not necessarily brought on by stress, at least in the past, but I think since 2000 it may have that at play because there were some major events that occurred just prior to the 2000 episode (two more accidents and not being able to see my only grandchild plus living alone and too isolated--my disability keeps me fairly close to home in that I cannot sit much anywhere unless the chair is "just so").

Anyway, my two cents on this lesson you are all talking about is that it can be done. I eliminated MANY things from my diet years ago when I discovered intolerances to foods and substances, but I think I need to do the elimination diet again. I went sugar, wheat, egg, and milk free (maybe some others too) for ten years. I can do cane sugars. I am wondering about fructose now (all fruits have it). Corn should be looked at also (sweet corn, that is, not the stuff of cornmeal or cereals). If I have a fructose intolerance I'm down to less foods, but I can still get a good diet IF I can get past the IBS attack. One doctor told me to dilute concentrated juices 6:1 rather than 3:1, and I do it even more so now. I can't take it full strength anymore. I gave up coffee as it upsets my gut. Also all sodas (I was not allowed this stuff as a kid and young person anyway). I never have smoked. I'm almost a vegetarian again, but I do use fish and sometimes white meat from chicken. I cut the red meat for several reasons--one is my fear of mad cow creeping over here accidentally plus I just think red meat is not so hot for us anyway!

I have had to make up my own foods without wheat which meant creating breads out of barley, rice, cornmeal, soy, potato flours. So long as I used applesauce or bananas these were lovely. Now there are some nice egg substitutes out (not that powder stuff). I may have to go back to that. SO many foods have whey, casein, lactose et al., in them that I go cross-eyed reading the labels. I think casein may be the worst for me. But as I stated I am getting whey-derived protein in Enlive and IsoPure. Each box of Enlive is 300 calories so you don't lose much weight. I did lose needed weight (now about 40 pounds lower, but overall I probably lost 60 pounds with little gains in between when I would get back on real food).

So who can help me solve my problem? Help!!!!

Lindsay