it sounds like you're trying to revamp your life, which is probably the best way to tackle beating trich too! start with your awareness of everything, because knowledge is power 8)

i used to never drink water (was camel in a past life, i'm sure of it), so i carried a bottle of water everywhere i went for a year or so, and that got me started on that habit. now i drink water with everything. sometimes i have it when i'm a bit hungry (just a little). sometimes juices/teas help too, curbing cravings and such. protein powders too. tho water alone is great. and free!!

it is easy to get overwhelmed with things in life. that's life *sigh* take baby steps. one little thing at a time. set up tiny goals for yourself that you know you can reach. maybe day by day, maybe every 2-3 days. just so they don't scare you off! then build from there. you can probably tackle several aspects of the things you want to change in your life, if you just do one thing at a time.

maybe... start with carrying a bottle of water everywhere, have more water than you're used to for a week (don't OD, that's not good). have water whenever you eat. be liberal about it. start there, see what happens.

maybe a week after you start that, maybe consider reducing how much you eat of one thing you love (for me, it's sun chips and bacon. and chocolate). just cut down the portions a little. cold turkey is unkind, i'm not a fan... i love my food, dangit.

in terms of the trich, i always believe that heightened awareness is first, and that is a really hard one, because you really have to take the time to get to know yourself, your triggers, your stresses, etc. i am sure you have to self-explore with your eating habits as well, but unless you have actual issues with overeating, trich tends to be the more daunting disorder to deal with. so baby steps with that too!

you are really going in the right direction 8) keep posting here so we know how you are!

Pull-free
Brows: 1 day
Lashes: 1 day

Thanks Phrannie for your advice. I do enjoy drinking water and carry it around, but I just sip all day long and never seem to drink enough in quantity.

I started a goal to run a 5K. My husband is running in a race this weekend with a friend and the next time I want it to be me running beside him. I found a walk/jog program in a magazine and started it today. I am telling everyone so I can stay accountable and keep me from shamming. There are so many benefits to exercising. I know it will help me in the weight loss area and maybe with the trich in some small way. I really just want to be consistent and disciplined in these areas of my life. Life is just too short to not enjoy it to its fullest and being in a battle with these giants is not fun. I want a fun and fulfilling life. I'm tired of trich always getting in the way of fun activities like swimming, camping,etc... without being discovered. I will continue to keep everyone posted.

Congratulations for 1 day of no pulling!

Good luck on your new walk/jog regimen...........Exercise is definitely good to keep our moods up and help make us stronger!

((hugs))

It doesn't matter if you only sip. Just that you get that water inside.

How about combining. When you feel an urge to pull - take a drink.

Same with your training. An urge - do some stretching or running in place.

Just thinking of running in a 5K makes me tired. Best wishes on being able to join Hubby. ((HUGS))

Pull-free

Brows- Day 2
Lashes- Day2

One moment at a time!

Pull-free

Brows- Day 3
Lashes- Day 3

Staying motivated with the 5k training also. My husband runs his first one this Saturday.

awesome!! man, if i didn't have my 4 year old attached to my hip most of the day i'd go for a run too 8)

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to check in and let you know I completed my first week of 5k training. I found out there is a 5k walk in July. Maybe I will try that first with a few friends. My husband ran his today and completed it in 36min 12sec. He didn't even need to walk in between. I am very proud of him for trying. I completed day 4 of no pulling. However on day 5 my husband and I were not communicating well and cross with each other and that little bit of stress is what did me in. However I am learning what sets me off and what I need to do to prepare for it.
So I will start fresh. I am seeing new growth in my lashes. Most pulling has been in my brows. Happy Mother's Day! If you are not a mother, please remember you have an incredible influence on all the children in your life.

i think it is wonderful that you are learning some of your stressors 8) my husband is so totally one of my triggers too. good man sometimes, but damn if he just doesn't get that i'm the queen bee around here and he should just "yes, dear" me already and get it over with, so we can get naughty later already... or something of that sort. good for you and your man, tho, running so well!! i'm sweating just thinking about it 8)

so you're starting afresh, with stronger resolve and wiser perspective. good luck! be good to yourself! and happy mother's day 8)

LOL. I love it. I never realized just how much of a stresser my husband is to me. When things are going smoothly with him, my health and I feel like I have accomplished a lot in the day, then it all helps for me to stay calm, motivated and relaxed. I wish I could get to the point where I am not stopping and starting the pulling so much. I really need longer amounts of time in between to see the hair growth. I feel so impatient. I am back to crocheting and that helps me when I watch tv. Phrannie, I love that you create jewlery. Did you take a class or just learn by reading and through trial/error?

lol, i'm impatient too! i've done knitting too, but it takes me so long to make anything that i end up not bothering to start! i taught myself how to make wire wrapped jewelry years ago, just studying other people's creations and learning how to do it myself. always been artsy, tho, i'd make my own clothes if i knew how (but then again, i live in a world where hardly anything is good enough *sigh* i love therapy).

i'm sure you will get longer times between pulls 8) you are making quite an effort, i think it takes quite a few false starts before you can get the ball rolling! maybe you should develop some kind of specific breathing technique for when the hubby is being a butt? i try to do a little deep breathing and have some alone time (before asking him to bend over so i can kick his a**). if he really is a stressor for you (what man isn't?!?!?) HE should be freaking aware of that - i totally told my hubby too. it doesn't necessarily get him to behave, but at least he knows that when we fight, it's doing a LOT more to me than just the argument. usually right after i can't stop petting my hairs.... so he knows to help chill out our fights sometimes. you should talk to your man about that - some of them are just too dense to realise what they are doing to us! it is a wonderment that we don't have to remind them to breathe half the time.... ;)

Amen to that last statement!
Thanks for your encouragement. I am still working on Day 1. I have a haircut on Friday and am slightly stressed about it. I have been going to the same hairdresser for 4 years and she has never asked. That's why she is a keeper. However there is always that dread of her wanting to know. My eyes and brows don't look great at all so it will be more obvious. I am slowly finding the strength within me to give people a basic understanding of trich if I am asked. Maybe it's my age in which I don't feel like I have to impress so much.

trich is really a hard thing to talk about. i hope your haircut went well 8) you know, i think more hair stylists know about trich than we think. if yours doesn't know, it may benefit her to do so. of course, don't tell her if you are not comfortable! i'd never push someone in that direction if they didn't want it. from what i recall, the first 2 or 3 times you are "interviewed" about what trich is (by non-trich people) are the hardest. after that, it gets simpler. talking about this is pretty empowering. it takes away the "blame" on you, and puts things into a more holistic healthy perspective. if you ever do try to talk to someone about this, i would love to know how you feel afterwards 8)

I hope your haircut went well and you didn't find yourself in an uncomfortable discussion.
The shame is really the worst thing when we go for a cut.
I used to try to be offhand about it. Real smooth and nonchallant and just tell them in an offhand way about trich. Like it was a smoking habit.
People don't feel embarrassed about smoking even though it's a more destructive habit than trich.

I haven't posted in a while and need to get back to the group and the support it offers. I am joining the 3 day challenge. I need some small success. I have learned that I have major pulling triggers by eating too much chocolate and any peanuts. I am still learning if that includes all nuts or just these kinds. I don't drink/eat caffein except in chocolate. I know caffein effects the nervous system so I avoid it when I can. Does anyone else notice certain foods they need to avoid? I have read the John Kender diet and there is such a long list of foods. I guess I should try one thing at a time. Some on his list I don't eat often enough to know if it would be a bad trigger. Anyone else experience this? Well it is 7:45pm and I am officially starting the beginning of my first day to be pull-free. I think I will reward myself with a new OPI nail polish. They are expensive, but it is my favorite brand. I really need something to motivate me. Hurray for everyone who has already finished their 3 days. It is a wonderful beginning and I'm so proud of your accomplishment.