You sound really good. One thing that has helped me in other areas of my life (like trying to keep the house clean) is to use the baby step principle in those areas too. I tend to try and take on too much, burn out and quit.
As far as teaching an old dog new tricks...I think it is definitely possible, but it's hard to change behavior patterns for sure. You are already so good at recognizing the pattern starting. It's the stopping it that seems the toughest sometimes. One thing that helped me was to come up with an image in my mind to use when I see myself going down a cheeseless tunnel. The times I'm able to recognize that it's happening, I pull that image up and use it to destract myself long enough to change course and do something different. Taking slow, deep breaths, saying a prayer and counting to ten have also helped, although it takes work every day.
Congratulations on the diet success and your fitness goals. You should be proud of yourself. I'm proud of you!
Your ideas for greeting your H and showing him someone upbeat sound terrific. I think I remember in one of your posts you or someone mentioning trying to make home a safe and comforting place for your H. This sounds good too.
Keep up the good work. This is a hard road, but you are doing a great job. Thanks again for your posts on my thread. I appreciate them very much.
Mockers2
"Somehow we survive, and tenderness frustrated does not wither." Dennis Brutus, South African poet
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
Friedrich Nietzsche
