: Hello everyone,

: I'm on step one, which means I'm no
: longer getting the BE high from
: waiting too long to eat
: breakfast--something I only do
: when I'm not dieting, which I'm
: not at the moment because I burned
: out on it recently.

: I'm also not exercising in the
: morning any more--in part because
: I feel bad about myself and am in
: a bad cycle; in part because I
: find I get achy when I exercise;
: and in part because that was the
: main reason I didn't eat breakfast
: on time when I was dieting. It's
: difficult for me to get it all in
: in the morning. I'm not a morning
: person, so doing breakfast and
: getting myself out the door is
: about the most I can manage at the
: moment.

: I have been riding my exercise bike
: for 10-20 minutes in the evening,
: but it's nothing like when it was
: doing an intense workout. I have
: lots more excuses about why I
: haven't been working out lately.
: All of them are lame, but I'm
: trying to be patient and gentle
: with myself (when I'm not bashing
: myself about it).

: After that long preamble, here's my
: question: Are there things I can
: do to increase my beta-endorphins
: while I'm on step one? Or should I
: not be worrying about this at all?
: Am I getting ahead of myself?

: I'm pretty sure that low
: beta-endorphins are a bigger
: problem for me than blood sugar
: and serotonin. I find that the
: littlest thing are painful to
: me--a scratchy scarf or pants that
: are a the tiniest bit too tight.
: Plus, I've been very low
: lately--not responding well to the
: pressure and the stress in my
: life.

: If there is something I can do, I'd
: like to do it. If I shouldn't
: worry about it, and should just be
: focusing on breakfast, I can do
: that too. I guess I just would
: like some strategies for dealing
: with my emotions AFTER breakfast.
: Haha. Any comments or suggestions
: are most welcome.

: Thank you in advance for your wisdom,
: support, and generosity.

: All best,
: Lisa Ann
Hi Lisa Ann, I am on step one too and an habitual dieter since the age of sixteen(20 years) I am also having a hard time worrying about all the other steps.
Everytime I think of the next step I keep reminding myself just do the breakfast.
It is really difficult when you have spent a lifetime doing all or nothing but I am going with it as I know that it will eventually work.
I also suffer from low moods and beat myself up about not following some crazy work out regieme that I had promised myself I would do and of course don't manage it so feel even worse.
I try to think of depression as a circle, you will go back around the circle to the top and feel better soon so just hang in there.
Jo x