Posts by baandito

Hi Mia,

What restaurant is it? I find that very upsetting. Never happened to me, at least that I'm aware, but I understand how cheated you must feel. It's outrageous.

As a consolation, if you've been controlling the rest of the meals in your days I'm sure you've been fine, and will be fine. And never go back to that place. As a protest. :)

Good luck.

OK, just read the whole thread, and saw it's EAT and Itsu. Well, EAT is a bit like Pret, in that they pretend to be healthy, fresh ingredients, blah blah blah, but the calorie content is shockingly high. Didn't know about Itsu, actually I thought it was very light, but come to think of it, it could be a bit Wagamama, very high in calories as well. Oh well, nothing beats the safety of homemade lunch.

Hi all,

Story. Lost over 60lbs last year, been maintaining since summer 07. Then I gave up smoking 1.5 month ago. I lost weight!!! The thing is I was hungrier all the time (not anxiety, just real physical hunger), so I ate more, and decided to do a bit more exercise to compensate.

I am now at my healthiest ever, having lost the weight and not smoking. I used to eat like 5000 cals daily, and smoke over a pack and a half. My willpower is nothing extraordinary, trust me, you just need to want to do it. I would say you should wait a bit before you quit though, because as easy as it can be, choosing a stressful time is not a good idea. Focus on your diet, get back to work, enjoy meeting new people, get used to it again after 5 years at home, then tackle the cigarettes. Yes, they are killing you, but you need to really be ready to quit, so the easiest the time, the easiest it is to succeed.

I strongly recommend EASYWAY TO STOP SMOKING, by Allen Carr. Amazing book, really helps you stop smoking without using willpower, honestly.

Don't be afraid if you put a bit of weight after quitting, you'll still be way healthier, and don't be afraid of failling. When we learn to walk, we fall, then get up, try again, fall again, etc, until we finally manage to do it properly (and still, as adults, sometimes we fall again). Well, same goes for healthy eating patterns, exercise, cigarettes, alcohol... That doesn't mean you can use this as an excuse to actually fail, but if it does happen, and it will, remember it's just a natural part of the process.

Good luck, and keep us posted. :)

I would change activity level to sedentary and then log all the activities you do. It might have worked with a more active level up until now, but since you are closer to your goal weight it will be a bit slower and more difficult.

Also, have you changed your weight in CC? Make sure you update that from time to time so the totals you get are accurate.

And don't worry, keep working on it, and eventually there's only one way your weight can go, and that my friend, is DOWN!!!! :):):)

Good luck.

Original Post by bjben:

Well, I discovered yesterday (Easter - a big day of celebration for our family) that cake with frosting is still a binge trigger for me. It happened to be my brother's birthday so I volunteered to bring cake to the family get-together (my first mistake!) Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting - oh my! I did OK, until clearing the plates after lunch and realized I was eating pieces of cake from the cake pan as I cleaned up. Then when we got home, there was more cake - some eaten with my fingers, some with a fork and with ice cream. It was that old, and very familiar, "I've got to get as much of this as I can!" feeling. One of my kids and my husband both noticed how much I was eating and I was so ashamed. I asked them if they wanted some, gave them their pieces and quickly threw the rest away and brought the bag out to the garbage. I guess I'm still learning . . .

The other interesting thing is that as soon as the binge was over, the thoughts of how to counteract it were filling my head. "I must diet harder this week. . . I need to work out more this week . . . maybe the low-carb route is the way to go . . ." When I realized this, I also realized that those types of thoughts/actions keep the binging cycle going. So, I decided last night to let it go and move on. It's not life threatening and it's not catastrophic. I was able to hang out with my family and eat "normally" later in the evening. My usual post-binge routine would have been to continue eating like a madwoman the rest of the night.

I write this partially as a confession (it cleanses the soul, don't ya know!) but also to encourage others to move on after a binge. Don't let it tangle you in it's web for too long, let it go and begin again. The shame, and mine was heavy because I haven't binged in quite a while, is hard to deal with, but it does pass if we can forgive ourselves and just move on.

I bought the book yesterday, almost finishing. It looks so interesting, and some of the things make you feel like someone has been watching you and written all about it!!!! :):)

Some of the steps in part II don't apply to me, as he says, but I am definitely going to give it a try. I do so well most of the time, although I think I am a bit too strict, and a victim of the all or nothing way of thinking. I am glad you were able to have a normal dinner the other day. I know at this point, I would have still written the whole day off and eaten a lot. Trying to get back on track, but on a more relaxed track. Understanding now that strict dieting is the main cause for my binges (they consist exactly of all those foods I wouldn't normally allow myself, so that HAS to mean something).

Thank you for the recommendation, I will report back. And good luck. As you said, don't worry about the cake, and keep going, you are doing great. Any time you need someone to get over bad feelings or cleanse the soul, :), here I am (well, and everyone in CC).

I'd always been chubby, then during college got really big. Now I've lost all the weight (10 months or so ago), and decided to give up smoking 3 weeks ago. I've compensated the fact that I'm eating a bit more and not so healthy with more exercise, and I've lost a bit more weight!!!

Been working out really hard, but I'd rather do that and be able to have something naughty in the evening (white chocolate is dangerously becoming the trend ), when the  anxiety hits, than putting on any of the weight back, or not being able to eat more. Also, it's not just anxiety, I really am more hungry, and because of a recovering sense of smell food tastes better than ever!!!!!! But I am so happy I quit my 30-a-day nasty habit... Well done to all of you too, we are probably doing two of the most difficult things one can do, aren't we?

Hey, I live in SW too... Where's that market? Sounds so cheap... I know markets are cheaper than places like Tesco or M&S, but wow, 5 quid is really cheap, and it sounds lovely as well

Original Post by loislain:

Overweight people have the same problem. If people see you eating fatty food or high calorie food they automatically think no wonder she's so fat, if they see you eating healthy low fat, low cal food they think "it's a bit late for that"

Believe me I'd rather be thin and have people thinking what they think than overweight and have them think what they think.

Overweight people think people are thinking those things. Skinny people are TOLD the things Istein is talking about. They are not just thinking about it, they are telling her it's OK to eat a treat from time to time, don't worry so much... AKA, you seem to be a bit obsessed with your weight, you should eat more.

I agree, when I was big I couldn't eat in public (either a burger or a salad) for those reasons, but let's be honest, that's in other people's minds. Now I am thin, people keep telling me to eat more, to have some sweets at work, etc etc... They say it's OK, now than I am skinny... Well, ahem, I am skinny because I stopped doing those things...

Original Post by pgeorgian:

wow, baandito. is this a pyramid scheme?

Hmm, no.

Simply it really blew my mind when I came across it three years ago. I'm on CC now though, so not following that anymore. But it's worth a try, and very interesting.

PS. You shouldn't eat until you are full, but satisfied. To all of you giving it a try, I'd suggest you stop eating whenever you have the slightest feeling that you've had enough. If 5 mins later turns out you were wrong and feel a bit hungry again you can always eat more.

Hi bugmenot,

Very simmilar here. 5'8, 143lbs, I'm a 30 waist, sometimes 29, and sometimes 31, depends on the shop I guess. And it also depends on the jeans (low cut, etc etc).

It's great when you don't need those 34 anymore... :):):)

Original Post by bjben:

As a recovered (maybe, as with alcoholics, I should say recover-ING) binge eater, I would tell you that this mind set of "never again" is part of the binging cycle. It's that black and white, all or nothing thinking that will get us every time. For me it worked like this: If I ate too much in the morning (easily 1500 calories by noon) I would say, "That's it, I've ruined the day, I might as well keep eating the rest of the day away." So, in typical all or nothing fashion, I believed the whole day was shot instead of just letting it go and moving on. Now if I overeat (I haven't actually binged in several months) I say, "Oh well." I let it go and I move on - I don't let it dictate the rest of my day and how I feel about myself (i.e. that guilt you talked about.)

Also, it's a misconception for us bingers that binging is inevitable. The urge to binge, like the urge to do anything else, can and will pass if we give it time. But time is also an issue for us. We tend to be impulsive by nature and once we feel we've hit that point of no return, we believe there's no sense in trying to stop it. Having said that, there is also wisdom in knowing your triggers and staying clear of them for a time, learning how to deal with your emotions/stresses in a more effective way, and getting support - like you are now!

I support you in your quest for no binging, but please, if you "mess up" don't throw in the towel. Forgive yourself, let it go, and MOVE ON! Hope this helps.

I agree 150% with your post, bjben. Saying 'never again' will only make you feel guilty when (and this will happen) you overeat one day, or even have a binge (mini binge, big binge, doesn't matter). It's like saying I will never eat French fries or ice cream again... You're setting yourself up for failure.

I think your approach is fantastic, bjben, I find it very helpful indeed. We have to remember not to write off a whole day just because, let's say, by 5pm you have already gone over your daily allowance. If you stop it there then it'll be a normal maintenance day. If you decide the whole day is wasted diet wise, then you WILL make it a waste diet wise. I am a very extremist person, and I'm working on that, because many times it's either fruit and lettuce, or pizza and sweets. If we find the balance, guys, there will be no need to binge. I also find that if one day I didn't have time for a proper lunch, or worked out too much and didn't eat enough during the day I will have a binge in the evening, even if I'm not feeling particularly hungry. There's also the psychological part of course... but not eating properly can be a trigger.

Good luck too all, and bjben, thank you for your post. I think I might print it out and stick it on my fridge!!!

I hear ya fyrnymph...

Murder it, if you haven't done so yet. I didn't see any change in the numbers for a long time, then started gym, and the numbers went up... but guess what, trousers were too big and I went down 1 waist size in like a month, with no change in numbers. So I've decided not to weigh myself anymore. Not sure if I'm ready to murder it though (it's one of those digital expensive mean things I bought in a body fat percentage control attack), but I've let it lying there, untouched, for a long time... I know it's very angry, and calling my name every morning, but to avoid temptation (and the subsequent disappointment) I drink a tall glass of water as soon as I get up, so I wouldn't get an accurate number even if I did weigh myself.

Well done in overcoming compulsive eating. I think I flirted a bit with it in the past, and very rarely now the occasional massive binge still freak me out, but they are happening less and less often, and I'm now maintaining my weight.

Good luck to you all, murderers!!!!!!! :):):):)

Hey!!

One more here.... :):) 

Totally agree with Kae, that was not a treat at all, or an unhealthy dinner. The problem is, ands this happens to me as well, that we are so used to extreme diets and going hungry on traditional very restrictive diets that we think something is wrong when we enjoy food (no matter how healthy it is).

I used to feel guilty if a salad was too tasty, or too big, and maybe the calories were well under 300... We have to remember we can eat and enjoy our food, and it can still be healthy at the same time. I'd say that was a fantastic option, with good fat and nutrients.  

I think that the earlier the better, since that way your body will understand there's no food shortage and that will boost up your metabolism. I do have a coffee before breakfast too, but always have food within 1.5 hours after getting up (I read somewhere that you shouldn't wait longer than that). You suggest you have an apple or something very light before you leave your house, and then your normal breakfast at work.

Good luck!!!!!!