"I Have Zero Cravings" — Donna's Food and Mood Story

"I have zero cravings for any of it — which to me is very strange. I can go grocery shopping, I don't even look at the bakery aisle."

My name is Donna. I'm 65 years old. When I came to Chandra, I was in a years-long cycle around food I couldn't seem to break — not because I didn't know better, but because something underneath kept driving me back.

Day 36 — The Cravings Stopped

I'm in my third month working with Chandra, on Day 26 of the Food and Mood program's food reset, with one pound to go to reach my goal. These last two weeks have been enlightening. It's taken my body about two weeks to adjust to no sugar, no alcohol, and no flour — and I basically have zero cravings for any of it.

I can go grocery shopping. I don't even look at the bakery aisle. I don't have to buy fast food. Nothing. I don't have the cravings.

I'm generally accomplishing more. I have more energy. I'm keeping promises to myself — little things like going to the gym, or sitting outside in my yard in the evenings. The most exciting thing is happening at work: I'm now working remotely two days a week, I got fuel reimbursement, and I got a raise. I attribute all of these wonderful things to working with Chandra — learning how to set my own boundaries and be clear about what I want. Instead of wasting time beating myself up with negative thoughts, things are just going more smoothly. I'm certainly not taking it out on food.

"Her program of 30 days of mood and then moving into the food reset — I don't know what to say. It's working."

I listen to her videos as I'm getting ready for work and on my commute. Every single day I use her journal — every piece of food that goes in my mouth, every drop of liquid. It's been an incredible motivator.

Months Later — What Stayed

I started the four-month program and got a lot of what I was looking for, then extended — relationship issues hadn't resolved, and as I learned, the food and the mood are all tied in to your overall state of being and decision-making and how you feel about yourself.

The structure of the app worked for me — I'm a video listener, so I used it on my 45-minute commute. That's how I came to really understand the system. Each of the mood categories was valuable to me and still is. I'll go back and listen if I want an update on a relationship piece.

I was doing a kind of self-sabotage. It was all emotional eating. I also found out how much stress I was under — work, family, personal life. Moving into the food reset was powerful. Lightbulbs started going off. Even now I'm cleaner in everything I eat. I never go beyond five pounds in either direction, and I know I have the ability to bounce back quickly when I do.

After all my years of restricting food, I really find that never saying never and having exceptions relieves a lot of the tension and pressure and self-sabotage.

The Tools I Still Use Every Day

"Life is 50/50 — 50% good, 50% hard. I've passed that on to a bunch of people."

Of all the tools I'm left with, there are a few I use every day:

• 50/50 — Life is 50/50. It puts in perspective how many challenges we really have. And when it's good, it's good.
• Home base — Chandra's idea of having a baseline you return to. Like in tennis — you go back to home position on the court. I haven't achieved that yet, but it's completely in my mind, and that's where I want to be.
• "What if I don't have this rule?" — Chandra played devil's advocate with all my unconscious rules. I had so many — some set in childhood. Taking that other perspective relieves so much emotional stress.
• "Choose to" — I catch myself saying I have to or I should, and I change it to I choose to. Incredibly powerful.
• "Being the person I want to be with" — When I feel anxious now, I ask what I would expect or need from that person, and I come up with a new way.
• "Do I have your permission to…" — I've used this with my son, who is mentally ill. He responds to it immediately. It's almost like there's a pause and silence whenever I say it. I never would have said that to him before — and it's still impacting our relationship positively.

I'm also more tuned in to tension in my body. Before, I would notice it. Now I notice it quicker, and I know I have to listen. It's not a magic pill. It's a lifestyle shift — and the work is to keep using the tools.

*"The overriding wonderfulness of Chandra's program is her. I would encourage anyone to work with her. Anyone."*

— Donna, 65