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Samantha Red

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When I met my now fiance I weighed approximately 126lbs, fast forward 5 years and I weigh around 180lbs. Once we got engaged I swore I would not even try wedding dresses on without having lost weight to the point where I would walk down the aisle happily. That was three months ago and I have made no progress whatsoever. My problem is that I am a secret binger - big style. I can demolish three or four bars of chocolate in one sitting, several times per day. All in secret. I have never managed to make myself vomit, but it is not for want of trying. I so desperately want to get out of this cycle and to have a normal relationship with food, but just don''t know how. I can''t stop, no matter how full I feel. I walked around a wedding dress shop today to try to motivate myself, but I went straight to the shop and bought my usual rubbish straight after and scoffed the lot.

I am intelligent and I know what to do because I have done it before, but how do I get myself off this terrible nightmare ride? I want to be healthy and eat for nutrition. I am active, walking dogs and riding my horse, it is just the food thing.

I just wondered if anyone out there had been through the same thing and had any advise.

Many thanks for listening
 
I got fat, in part, by eating secretively (that extra few ropes of licorice, ice cream alone late at night, two servings of potato chips instead of one, etc.), until about 5 years ago, the number on the scale is what did it for me.

Advice (short and sweet or I'll be late for work)....Get that food out of your house! if it's not there you can't eat it. Get active, everytime you want to eat, go for a walk instead. Get honest, about what you eat (keep a food record) and perhaps you need to seek therapy to deal with your food issues, I am not one who promotes therapy, but a therapist, overeaters anonymous or another organization might do you wonders if you need extra support from people who understand and can hold your hand.

Best of luck to you, it's sure not easy but definitely worth the effort.
 
I would definitely go see a therapist to help you with your eating issues. you need to figure out what''s going on with you emotionally/mentally that''s causing you to treat yourself this way.
 
I think therapy would be a great help for you. It would help you feel better about yourself and manage those carvings... I also agree with Kimberly, find an activity to do instead of eating, get more active.

I find that never indulging in sweets leads to big cravings, so maybe indulging once a week or so could help? Try to not pressure yourself into losing weight... It probably doesn''t help.
 
Binging, especially having to keep it secret, is a big issue. And if you say you''ve tried to throw up before? That''s another big issue. For you, it''s not just a matter of eating healthier, you really need to get the emotional eating under control first. Find a nutritionist and/or a therapist. I also second the idea of joining an Overeaters Anonymous group. They can help you get the support you need to overcome this and you''ll find out that you''re not alone. I don''t think this is something you can do alone.
 
I was the exact same as that too-I used to go to the shops and buy crisps and stuff and I could eat tons of packets in one go. It was the scales that did it for me too-I weighed myself in Jan and I was 200lbs and I nearly died when I saw the scales. Since then Ive been eating healthy and exercising lots and the weight has come off. Don''t get me wrong, once or twice Ive had a couple of packets of crisps in one sitting, but Ive seen how far Ive come since Jan so Im not going to go back to where I was. I honestly cannot give you any advice as such as to how to stop eating the way you are as for me I tried for years not to eat the way I did, but just when I saw the scales that time, I knew I just had to stop. I agree with taking all the rubbish out of the house, and just don''t go to the shops and buy rubbish. Don''t go shopping hungry either, as I used to fill the cart with junk when I went shopping hungry. Best of luck with it!
 
thanks guys, I did go to a hypnotist a couple of years ago, and she attributed the issues to my relationship with my parents, but even exploring that didn''t help - although my relationship with my parents is no better. I managed to get a grip of this problem about seven years ago when I was married to my first husband and trying, unsuccesfully for a family. I lost the weight then because I knew it would increase my chances of becoming pregnant. Unfortunately he had an affair and left before I got the chance to find out.

I have a pretty much perfect life now, so I just don''t understand.......
 
Ditto professional help and concentrate on healing from this rather than trying to lose weight. Once you start to move away from this problem, you will probably find the weight will adjust accordingly anyway. You CAN get through this - honestly. See a pro is the first thing and try not to worry about why at the moment, but concentrate on caring for yourself as best you can. There will probably be rocks in the path of healing from this, but like with any journey in life, just keep trying - you will win!! Also try to keep junk out of the house, the more difficult it is to get hold of some, the less likely it is you will eat it.
 
Date: 6/7/2007 10:08:27 AM
Author: bee*
I was the exact same as that too-I used to go to the shops and buy crisps and stuff and I could eat tons of packets in one go. It was the scales that did it for me too-I weighed myself in Jan and I was 200lbs and I nearly died when I saw the scales. Since then Ive been eating healthy and exercising lots and the weight has come off. Don''t get me wrong, once or twice Ive had a couple of packets of crisps in one sitting, but Ive seen how far Ive come since Jan so Im not going to go back to where I was. I honestly cannot give you any advice as such as to how to stop eating the way you are as for me I tried for years not to eat the way I did, but just when I saw the scales that time, I knew I just had to stop. I agree with taking all the rubbish out of the house, and just don''t go to the shops and buy rubbish. Don''t go shopping hungry either, as I used to fill the cart with junk when I went shopping hungry. Best of luck with it!
thanks Bee, I love your name because it is the same as my beautiful horse. I even feel bad for her because she has to carry me round! What do you do to overcome that desire to just fill yourself with rubbish?

Does anyone know if Overeaters Anonymous groups exist in the UK?
 
At the risk of being presumptuous and forgive me if I am wrong here, but are you having some problem(s) elsewhere in your life? I gained some weight recently from some medical treatment (that's another issue altogether) and am losing it, slowly but surely. Before this though, I did gain some weight from being unhappy and stressed out at work. Having an a*** for a boss didn't help! I quit my full time job and am working on a project basis. As soon as I quit my job, my weight just dropped, just like that! I am NOT advocating that you quit yr job or do anything drastic. I am saying that maybe you need to make a really honest assessment of what's going on in yr life and ask if there is anything that you're unhappy abt. I think that some people, particularly women, over-eat when they're unhappy. Perhaps identifying the source of your over-eating would help to understand why you're doing what you're doing; then you can focus on doing something abt it. I also agree with what others have said, try not to buy or keep fattening food around the house/ around you. You can't eat what's not there. Ditto not going shopping when you're hungry. Get a personal trainer if you can. Get someone to go to the gym with you. Join classes (yoga, pilates etc.). Stay motivated. Join the Weekly Workout Thread. I did and it's really helping. There's lots of support there. Set yourself a goal, don't be overly ambitious or you'd be disappointed. Just try and lose a bit of weight at a time and keep going. It's going to be tough but we're here for you. Most of all, aim to get healthy and stay healthy. The fact that you're here and posting abt wanting to lose weight is a good start already. Good luck.
 
Date: 6/7/2007 10:22:56 AM
Author: lienTN
At the risk of being presumptuous and forgive me if I am wrong here, but are you having some problem(s) elsewhere in your life? I gained some weight recently from some medical treatment (that''s another issue altogether) and am losing it, slowly but surely. Before this though, I did gain some weight from being unhappy and stressed out at work. Having an a*** for a boss didn''t help! I quit my full time job and am working on a project basis. As soon as I quit my job, my weight just dropped, just like that! I am NOT advocating that you quit yr job or doing anything drastic. I am saying that maybe you need to make a really honest assessment of what''s going on in yr life and ask if there is anything that you''re unhappy abt. I think that some people, particularly women, over-eat when they''re unhappy. Perhaps identifying the source of your over-eating would help to understand why you''re doing what you''re doing; then you can focus on doing something abt it. I also agree with what others have said, try not to buy or keep fattening food around the house/ around you. You can''t eat what''s not there. Ditto not going shopping when you''re hungry. Get a personal trainer if you can. Get someone to go to the gym with you. Join classes (yoga, pilates etc.). Stay motivated. Join the Weekly Workout Thread. I did and it''s really helping. There''s lots of support there. Set yourself a goal, don''t be overly ambitious or you''d be disappointed. Just try and lose a bit of weight at a time and keep going. It''s going to be tough but we''re here for you. Most of all, aim to get healthy and stay healthy. The fact that you''re here and posting abt wanting to lose weight is a good start already. Good luck.
Thanks Lien you are not being at all presumptuous and I really appreciate you taking the time to post a reply. Having evaluated it for many years, the only conclusion I have been able to draw is that it is freedom gone mad. I do it because I can, and because I wasn''t allowed to have any food freedom when I was a child. I ate what I was given and when I was given it only and I think I am rebelling against it still, and it is totally out of control and totally to my detriment. I worry about my health because some days when I am on my own I eat nothing but sweet stuff. I am convinced that I will end up a diabetic. Do you all think my GP could help?
 
this may sound wierd, but, remind yourself that food will always be there. you can have whatever you want whenever you want it however you want it. you have the control always. that's why there's no need to sneak it in. it (food) will always be there.
 
Samantha I can relate to the 'because I can' mentality. My husband says that to me all the time too.... 'just because you can doesn't mean you should' (eat that second dessert!). I LOVE food...I am a huge foodie, great food is a passion for me. I also can overeat big time if I let myself. I just love tasty things and I want to eat them. Mostly I have determined that when I do end up overeating, it's because of BOREDOM. Also I am a very FAST eater. So I can mow through two things in the time it takes someone else to eat one thing....because if I eat it quickly originally it's gone then I want more.

I have had to learn to pace myself and think about every bite that I am taking. Who knows if there is some underlying issue, I don't think that it necessarily always has to stem from some internal problem as I am pretty happy go lucky, and I have not noticed a pattern on when I eat other than 'free time on my hands and yummy things in the house or near me'...it seems simple to me (for me that is) and I think AWARENESS is a big part of it. Also when I was younger I could eat a ton of something and not gain weight so I have had to accept that my body has changed now that I am a little older and make allowances for it! Traitor body!

Now that you are AWARE of what you are doing, you can take the steps to stop it. It takes me a lot but whenever I go out to dinner or sit down with a dessert, I try to notice every bite I take...and taste the flavors inside of it. This helps me eat slower. Also, I chew more times than I used to. Since I am a fast eater, I typically don't chew as well as I should. Chewing helps your body with digestion. So now I try to really get the food more well chewed than I used to.

Sometimes when I am around something yummy and I want to eat a lot of it, I notice myself starting to eat more quickly and I'm not noticing what I am eating. That is such the way to end up overeating for me. I don't feel satisfied if I eat quickly and then I tend to move onto something else. My real downfall is desserts...I can eat those for days, literally.

Anyway, I think that just the fact that you are aware of the issue and want to fix it is huge progress. I would echo what others have said about keeping food in the house like that. DO NOT DO IT. Toss everything not healthy. Tell your fiance/hubby to get his chocolate/pizza/whatever fix when he is at work away from you during the day. When I was losing weight and kind of re-examining my lifestyle and eating, I kept nothing in the house that might derail me. Adding it back in slowly is hard, esp if you love food like me, but I have managed to find kind of a happy medium with myself. Sure sometimes I still slip up and eat 5 brownies or whatever...it is easier for me not to have any than to have 1-2 and stop there...so many times I just don't have anything that I know I might want more of. But I find that over time as I continue that it's SLOWLY becoming more a part of me and how I work than a struggle. I hope that part continues and eventually I don't have to be as aware anymore.

I know many times if I have eaten too much dessert or something, I feel like 'whatever I am already blowing it' so I just eat more! Or whatever. I have had to really reign that in as well. aka so I had 5 brownies. It doesn't mean that's license to eat 5 more. I should just stop and go lick my wounds somewhere and determine that next time I won't have any. Or whatever works for me. This has worked pretty well for me recently when we were traveling and Greg's family was putting desserts in front of me like every 10 minutes!! I ended up eating a lot of dessert while traveling, but still I was impressed at times with my restraint as well, hahaha.

The other thing that has helped me many times as jcrow says is to remind yourself that it's there. aka as you start to add things back in and test yourself, get one thing for the house and then start with portion control. If I want a 2nd scoop of ice cream, I tell myself 'you can have it tomorrow'. And that works REALLY well for me actually. If I know that I can have something tomorrow. I might not even want it tomorrow, but just knowing it's there. However, when at restaurants or something where I CANT have it tomorrow, it's harder to use this method for me because I think 'this is my only chance'. hehee.

But anyway, take some baby steps to get started on a healthier path...get the food out of the house, don't stop to pick anything up, have you tried eating fruits? Many of them are super sweet with natural sugars and so much better for you than a chocolate bar. You definitely CAN do it....just take some slow steps and find out what methods (aka mind games!) work for you. Anyhow, good luck!
 
Date: 6/7/2007 10:45:25 AM
Author: jcrow
this may sound wierd, but, remind yourself that food will always be there. you can have whatever you want whenever you want it however you want it. you have the control always. that''s why there''s no need to sneak it in. it (food) will always be there.
Thank you jcrow, I have to say looking at you in your wedding photos inspired me to address this once and for all. You looked like the quintiessential perfect bride and I want that too
 
Date: 6/7/2007 10:51:43 AM
Author: Samantha Red

Date: 6/7/2007 10:45:25 AM
Author: jcrow
this may sound wierd, but, remind yourself that food will always be there. you can have whatever you want whenever you want it however you want it. you have the control always. that''s why there''s no need to sneak it in. it (food) will always be there.
Thank you jcrow, I have to say looking at you in your wedding photos inspired me to address this once and for all. You looked like the quintiessential perfect bride and I want that too
wow, thank you. that is a huge compliment.
but make no mistake about it, i have my food hang ups too. i wish i didn''t, trust me.

another thing i wanted to add for discussion, control. do you lack it in your life? sometimes when one lacks control in an area or several areas in their life, that will manifest to controlling their food intake/body image.
 
Date: 6/7/2007 10:51:27 AM
Author: Mara
Samantha I can relate to the 'because I can' mentality. My husband says that to me all the time too.... 'just because you can doesn't mean you should' (eat that second dessert!). I LOVE food...I am a huge foodie, great food is a passion for me. I also can overeat big time if I let myself. I just love tasty things and I want to eat them. Mostly I have determined that when I do end up overeating, it's because of BOREDOM. Also I am a very FAST eater. So I can mow through two things in the time it takes someone else to eat one thing....because if I eat it quickly originally it's gone then I want more.

I have had to learn to pace myself and think about every bite that I am taking. Who knows if there is some underlying issue, I don't think that it necessarily always has to stem from some internal problem as I am pretty happy go lucky, and I have not noticed a pattern on when I eat other than 'free time on my hands and yummy things in the house or near me'...it seems simple to me (for me that is) and I think AWARENESS is a big part of it. Also when I was younger I could eat a ton of something and not gain weight so I have had to accept that my body has changed now that I am a little older and make allowances for it! Traitor body!

Now that you are AWARE of what you are doing, you can take the steps to stop it. It takes me a lot but whenever I go out to dinner or sit down with a dessert, I try to notice every bite I take...and taste the flavors inside of it. This helps me eat slower. Also, I chew more times than I used to. Since I am a fast eater, I typically don't chew as well as I should. Chewing helps your body with digestion. So now I try to really get the food more well chewed than I used to.

Sometimes when I am around something yummy and I want to eat a lot of it, I notice myself starting to eat more quickly and I'm not noticing what I am eating. That is such the way to end up overeating for me. I don't feel satisfied if I eat quickly and then I tend to move onto something else. My real downfall is desserts...I can eat those for days, literally.

Anyway, I think that just the fact that you are aware of the issue and want to fix it is huge progress. I would echo what others have said about keeping food in the house like that. DO NOT DO IT. Toss everything not healthy. Tell your fiance/hubby to get his chocolate/pizza/whatever fix when he is at work away from you during the day. When I was losing weight and kind of re-examining my lifestyle and eating, I kept nothing in the house that might derail me. Adding it back in slowly is hard, esp if you love food like me, but I have managed to find kind of a happy medium with myself. Sure sometimes I still slip up and eat 5 brownies or whatever...it is easier for me not to have any than to have 1-2 and stop there...so many times I just don't have anything that I know I might want more of. But I find that over time as I continue that it's SLOWLY becoming more a part of me and how I work than a struggle. I hope that part continues and eventually I don't have to be as aware anymore.

I know many times if I have eaten too much dessert or something, I feel like 'whatever I am already blowing it' so I just eat more! Or whatever. I have had to really reign that in as well. aka so I had 5 brownies. It doesn't mean that's license to eat 5 more. I should just stop and go lick my wounds somewhere and determine that next time I won't have any. Or whatever works for me. This has worked pretty well for me recently when we were traveling and Greg's family was putting desserts in front of me like every 10 minutes!! I ended up eating a lot of dessert while traveling, but still I was impressed at times with my restraint as well, hahaha.

The other thing that has helped me many times as jcrow says is to remind yourself that it's there. aka as you start to add things back in and test yourself, get one thing for the house and then start with portion control. If I want a 2nd scoop of ice cream, I tell myself 'you can have it tomorrow'. And that works REALLY well for me actually. If I know that I can have something tomorrow. I might not even want it tomorrow, but just knowing it's there. However, when at restaurants or something where I CANT have it tomorrow, it's harder to use this method for me because I think 'this is my only chance'. hehee.

But anyway, take some baby steps to get started on a healthier path...get the food out of the house, don't stop to pick anything up, have you tried eating fruits? Many of them are super sweet with natural sugars and so much better for you than a chocolate bar. You definitely CAN do it....just take some slow steps and find out what methods (aka mind games!) work for you. Anyhow, good luck!
Mara what a fabulous post thank you so much. The speed eating thing is so interesting. I think it is true that habitual overeaters spend lots of time thinking about food, but hardly anytime eating it. I virtually never taste anything I eat I just get it in as soon as possible.

I appreciate you taking the time to share this with me, you always seem to be the epitomy of glamour and self control - a ps icon!

I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and kindness, I feel so much stronger already
 
Date: 6/7/2007 10:51:43 AM
Author: Samantha Red

Date: 6/7/2007 10:45:25 AM
Author: jcrow
this may sound wierd, but, remind yourself that food will always be there. you can have whatever you want whenever you want it however you want it. you have the control always. that''s why there''s no need to sneak it in. it (food) will always be there.
Thank you jcrow, I have to say looking at you in your wedding photos inspired me to address this once and for all. You looked like the quintiessential perfect bride and I want that too
That is so interesting and something I have questioned myself about many many times. The odd thing is, that the time in my life when I had the least control was when my first marriage was breaking down, and I did the complete opposite and ate virtually nothing. Even though I had been losing weight in a healthy way because of my desire for children, when the end came i think I felt that not eating was the only thing I had control of. My best friend was scared I was going to become anorexic and I could see how it could have happened. Is there any happy medium?
 
Date: 6/7/2007 11:17:45 AM
Author: Samantha Red

Date: 6/7/2007 10:51:43 AM
Author: Samantha Red


Date: 6/7/2007 10:45:25 AM
Author: jcrow
this may sound wierd, but, remind yourself that food will always be there. you can have whatever you want whenever you want it however you want it. you have the control always. that''s why there''s no need to sneak it in. it (food) will always be there.
Thank you jcrow, I have to say looking at you in your wedding photos inspired me to address this once and for all. You looked like the quintiessential perfect bride and I want that too
That is so interesting and something I have questioned myself about many many times. The odd thing is, that the time in my life when I had the least control was when my first marriage was breaking down, and I did the complete opposite and ate virtually nothing. Even though I had been losing weight in a healthy way because of my desire for children, when the end came i think I felt that not eating was the only thing I had control of. My best friend was scared I was going to become anorexic and I could see how it could have happened. Is there any happy medium?
i think the overeating maybe another form of this. instead of not eating (and controlling that) you are overeating (and controlling that).
 
Samantha,
I''m no expert but the bingeing sounds like a compulsion that you might not be able to fix by yourself. Just like other addictions sometimes you need professional help, as has been suggested by others on the thread. Yes, I do think your GP (if that is General Practitioner) could be a good place to start. Do you feel like you can resist bingeing on your own with will power? Or is it simply not possible right now? That should help you determine whether you need help or if you can kick this habit on your own.
Some suggestions I have for trying to do it on your own: I second Mara''s advice about savoring every bite and being more aware. I know I can get into that trap sometimes too. Especially if I eat with the TV on or while reading, suddenly my food is gone and I didn''t really pay attention to it.
I also second Mara''s advice that sometimes it is easier to eat none of something than to eat a little. Maybe avoiding those chips and chocolate altogether will help you avoid the binge.
Also, how about putting a photo of yourself at your thinnest on your refrigerator! Then every time you go to eat, you will see motivation - and not a skinny model, but yourself.
I am really worried about the bingeing for your health, so I hope that you can get it under control soon. But please don''t beat yourself up too much about your weight. If you decide to get married before you lose the weight, (I have no idea what size you are), but there are many many beautiful brides out there that are not incredibly thin. Even on this forum you can see photos of absolutely radiant brides in beautiful dresses, in all sizes. So don''t think you can only be a beautiful bride if you are a certain size.
Good luck and let us know how it is going.
 
Date: 6/7/2007 11:30:00 AM
Author: gailrmv
Samantha,
I''m no expert but the bingeing sounds like a compulsion that you might not be able to fix by yourself. Just like other addictions sometimes you need professional help, as has been suggested by others on the thread. Yes, I do think your GP (if that is General Practitioner) could be a good place to start. Do you feel like you can resist bingeing on your own with will power? Or is it simply not possible right now? That should help you determine whether you need help or if you can kick this habit on your own.
Some suggestions I have for trying to do it on your own: I second Mara''s advice about savoring every bite and being more aware. I know I can get into that trap sometimes too. Especially if I eat with the TV on or while reading, suddenly my food is gone and I didn''t really pay attention to it.
I also second Mara''s advice that sometimes it is easier to eat none of something than to eat a little. Maybe avoiding those chips and chocolate altogether will help you avoid the binge.
Also, how about putting a photo of yourself at your thinnest on your refrigerator! Then every time you go to eat, you will see motivation - and not a skinny model, but yourself.
I am really worried about the bingeing for your health, so I hope that you can get it under control soon. But please don''t beat yourself up too much about your weight. If you decide to get married before you lose the weight, (I have no idea what size you are), but there are many many beautiful brides out there that are not incredibly thin. Even on this forum you can see photos of absolutely radiant brides in beautiful dresses, in all sizes. So don''t think you can only be a beautiful bride if you are a certain size.
Good luck and let us know how it is going.
thank you also, I am currently about 182lbs and a dress size 14 US. Not massive I know, but bigger than the size 4/6 I would like to be . I hear you about the gorgeous brides who are bigger, I have seen them and think they look great, but I know I would not be projecting an aura of confidence if it was me. My biggest issue is definitely my health. I think it is taking its toll on me physically and I am showing my age now because of the poor nutrition
 
Samantha --

Honey, you are so brave for sharing your story. Thank you for opening up like this.

A few years ago, my cousin put on about 60 pounds, which on her 5 foot frame was quite a bit. Ultimately, she did this because she was so scared of people rejecting her, of, in her words, "realizing [she] was a 'fraud'" (i.e. that she wasn't the calm, cool person she presented) that she was sort of using her extra weight as a buffer against the world. It then became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as she ultimately hid from the world and felt very alone.

Once she worked over her feelings of inadequacy and understood that she deserved all the happiness that entered her life, she dropped the weight. It was scary for her, like giving up a security blanket, but she did it.

I'm not saying this is what you are doing, but often we women will "buffer" ourselves with extra weight as a sort of protection from perceived pain (or possible pain.)

Again, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but it's something to ponder.

I do recommend getting the book Body Clutter -- it's a joyous read, very accessible.

All the best to you!
Jackie
 
I want to echo Mara''s ''slowness'' suggestion. That works wonders for me. I love sweets and will eat way too much, unless I slow down and taste every bite. I also tell myself ''Wow! This sure tastes good, but not as good as it ''tastes'' to be healthy!''

I''m on the small side, short and 105 or so lbs, but I have to be vigilant CONSTANTLY because someone as small as me burns FAR less calories per day than a normal sized person (about 1400, instead of 2000). So if I have the same size meals as others, I put on weight really fast. That means I get to eat less, but I LOVE food. So, constant exercise, constant vigilance. And I constantly think about it in terms of good health.

It does sound like you could use some support. When I''ve put on weight and had to take it off, support from others has made ALL the difference. I''m sure there''s overeaters anon in the UK. Try googling it?

My thoughts are with you! Once you decide you want to do it and get the right support, I bet there will be no stopping you!
36.gif
 
Samantha, I''m so sorry you''re going through this.
7.gif
But acknowledging the problem is the first great step towards improving your eating habits!

What helped me get on track with eating (which is by no means perfect, by the way!) was learning a couple of things:

- How many calories I should be eating to sustain/lose weight, based on my level of activity (you can find many nutrition calculators by Googling the phrase)
- How many calories I''m actually eating per day (keep a food diary and use websites such as
http://www.calorie-count.com/ to help figure this out)
- What percentages of protein, carbs, fat I should be ideally be putting into my body
- How eating too much protein, carbs, or fat could affect me healthwise

Perhaps once you''re armed with that information, you''ll be able to see how certain eating habits could affect your general health.

I would strongly suggest seeing a nutritionist to help you understand this information -- to me, understanding my body and its relationship with food helped me to really take control of my health.

Another thing is that I sometimes think that people binge because they believe it is somehow wrong or shameful to eat candy bars and junk food, etc. (the mentality that since you''re already doing something that''s "bad" for you, it shouldn''t be much worse to eat 3 more). While it''s true that these types of foods have low nutritional value, I believe in moderation, not deprivation. So, once you get a handle on your diet, I do agree with above posters that you can start adding in things you enjoy, in small portion sizes.

Good luck, and please let us know how you''re doing!
 
{{{big hug}}} I am so sorry you are fighting this. I think a qualified therapist should be your first stop. You''ve already identified the problem & are aware of it, so you''ve conquered the first hurdle (good for you!).

Also, a support group like Weight Watchers would be a grand organization for you to be a part of, since they do not advocate any crazy weight loss schemes, simply good nutritioni & balance in choices.

But since you do have the bingeing behavior, you really need to seek a therapists help first, because WW legally cannot accept members with eating disorders. Manage the first part & then you can tackle the rest.

good luck!

diver
 
Samantha, first of all GOOD FOR YOU for acknowledging this issue and deciding to do something about it!!! I have been known (on more than one occasion) to sit down and devour ten peanut butter cups, or ten whatevers, and then slink into the bathroom to put the wrappers in the garbage can so no one will see them, so I understand where you are coming from.

For me, I will hit a point or have an AH HA! moment and that will trigger some sort of action. It sounds like you''re definitely there.

My motivation becomes a domino effect. What I mean by that is when I lose a few pounds I become so motivated with the results that I want to lose a few more pounds. When I drop a pants size I want to drop ANOTHER pants size. So let me suggest moving toward an initial motivation.

You''ve gotten lots of great suggestions on hear already in terms of eating, and possibly addressing your issues on a deeper level, but what about exercise? Would you consider adding some activity in to speed the weight loss along and provide you with additional motivation? There is (as you probably know) a weekly workout thread that many of us find VERY motivating, even if only from the standpoint that you have a sounding board and a place to post your success and get congratulated for it. Or, if you are disappointed (e.g., if you''re reached a plateau or something like that) there is lots of positive encouragement to stick with it and even suggestions of how to get back on track.

Whatever you decide to do, please know that we are here for you and will provide you all the support that we can!
 
thank you all so much, I am literally overwhelmed with your kindness and support, although not surprised as I have seen it in action many times before. There are some briliant strategies to start me on the track. Divers post brought it home to me, I have an eating disorder - golly I have never said that before, that is quite shocking. I am going to start by seeing my doctor to find out what help is available to me - as well as continuing on reading and re reading the advise from you wonderful people.

I am very humbled, but full of hope

Thank you
 
Yay Samantha! We are all rooting for you.
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I hope your doctor has some good suggestions and can point you toward helpful resources!
 
Date: 6/7/2007 2:12:31 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Yay Samantha! We are all rooting for you.
1.gif
I hope your doctor has some good suggestions and can point you toward helpful resources!
Ditto, ditto, ditto!
 
Hi Samantha,

I can relate VERY well. It''s so hard, isn''t it, when you KNOW what to do, it''s just a matter of doing it. I have "ceremoniously" tossed out the chips and the ice cream and the chocolate, etc., BUT a few days later, I went back to the same old habits. I definitely know what it''s like to eat and then immediately want to get rid of it. I''ve never done anything drastic but the thoughts have been there at times. I swore I wouldn''t get married until I was thin, and believe me, I have a way to go before that happens. Then I realized that if I postponed my wedding, I wouldn''t be living my life. Things would be at a standstill. Certain things would be on hold, and as much as I want to be thin, I don''t want to put off living my life until that happens.

I don''t mean at all to focus this post on my issues. I only mention them because I think I''d be right to say that I know how you feel and you''re certainly not alone. I think it would be helpful to see a therapist and/or a registered nutritionsit/dietician, personally. This is what I''m going to do (I actually need to call them tomorrow and confirm my appt.). I''m sorry that I can''t offer you much advice, but I will be following this thread to see what others have written.

I''m sending positive thoughts your way!

Zoe
 
I work with a girl that a year ago began a transformation process that has done wonders for her. Initially she wanted to lose weight but has ended up a mentally healthier individual and several pounds trimmer.

We carpool so she's been very open about discussing her journey along the way and I'm impressed with the self awareness she now has. She began by signing up at LA Weightloss because she knew that she had to be accountable to somebody, that has really worked for her too. She does "hot" yoga 3 days a week to get in touch with her inner thoughts, balance, breathing and body awareness. I took one of the classes with her, it kicked my butt, just not my thing. Then she started going to a therapy group for eating disorders to better understand her relationship with food. I like that they actually sat down and laid out a treatment plan and timeline for her individually, all totally free through our work. The exercises they have done would apply to anyone wanting to better themselves and search out why they do what they do, it's all been very interesting.

I hope you find what works for you and best wishes to you on your journey.
 
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