| Forum | Topic | Date | Replies |
 |
|
|
|
| Health & Support | Moderation??? Whats that??? | Aug 03 2008 22:27 (UTC) |
|
When I talked about structured eating and planning, I didn't mean to give you the impression that you have to be so severely structured that you feel oppressed by it. I guess the bottom line, and what worked for me, is to be sure you eat every 3-4 hours. If a binge occurs, don't exercise, but instead do something - anything else - and in 3-4 hours (if you're not sleeping) eat again. The idea is to help your mind/body recover by feeding it on a regular basis - regardless of any bingeing. Choose a time to exercise that works for you - if it's first thing in the morning, great, if it's after dinner, wonderful, but then that's your exercise time for the day. Hope that helps clear up any misunderstanding. |
|||
| Health & Support | Moderation??? Whats that??? | Aug 01 2008 18:01 (UTC) |
5 |
Original Post by ivyrose: Good question! This is one of those gray areas in recovering from binge eating. Two things: First of all, we have to know our binge triggers. (For me it's any cake with frosting or M&Ms. Almost always, binge triggers are high-fat, high sugar foods.) With that in mind, if donuts are a trigger for you, you may need to stay away from them until you get your eating structured and are feeling a little more calm about food/etc. Secondly, if donuts are not a proven binge trigger for you - have a donut!! It's allowing ourselves to have those forbidden foods in moderation when we're faced with them that helps to break this cycle. If you can't use moderation, then they're a binge trigger food and there's a need to keep your environment free of them for a time to allow you to feel calm and safe. lilminime: your post breaks my heart. I so remember being where you're at. Please get some help. There are professionals who specialize in treating this. It's also good to assess if there is any depression going on and get that treated if need be. There is hope for binge eaters - I'm proof!! I'm 44 and have been a binge eater since I was 16. I finally got help and have been binge-free (please don't translate that into "have eaten perfectly") for about 6 months. It can get better!! |
|||
| Health & Support | Moderation??? Whats that??? | Aug 01 2008 14:17 (UTC) |
10 |
The best thing you can do to break this cycle, challengeme, is to put a structured game plan in place and stick to it without allowing yourself to do more exercise than it says and without breaking from the eating plan as well. Here's what I mean. If you can structure your eating to include B., snack, L., snack, D. and stick to it, it will go a long way in helping you break the diet/binge cycle. Here's how it works. You have the days of exercise and the amounts planned out. (i.e. Mon: 30 minutes cardio Tues: 20 minutes cardio and 20 minutes weights, etc.) You can only exercise during these predetermined times. You only eat during the predetermined times. (This is not "intuitive eating", but provides the structure we bingers need.) Notice I haven't said "what" you must eat, just that you MUST eat every 3-4 hours at these predetermined times regardless of what you've eaten earlier in the day. The key - and please hear this - is that when there is a binge (and it happens to all of us, especially at first) you LET IT GO and move on. You eat the next meal or snack that's coming (despite that vow you make to NOT eat for the rest of the day or whatever goes through your mind) and you don't exercise until your predetermined time comes around. After time, your body discovers that you WILL feed it on a regular basis, even after a binge. Then the bingeing slows down. Your body also recognizes that you're getting regular, appropriate exercise and not demanding more than you should from it, so that also helps lower the bingeing need. There's also a huge emotional component to bingeing. Do you know when or why you binge? That information/insight can be very helpful in breaking the cycle as well. We all need help dealing with our negative emotions and some of us have learned to deal with them by bingeing. Take a look at this, see a therapist if necessary, but help yourself heal from this. Hope this helps and best of luck to you! |
|||
| Fitness | ARGH! Will someone point me in the right direction, please?! | Aug 01 2008 14:00 (UTC) |
1 |
Thanks, melkor, for the good information. I kind of picked up here and there in the book that it was meant for those with fewer crow's feet than me, but I enjoyed it anyway. :) I appreciate the advice - from yet another wise source - to adapt the diet to meet my body's needs. Thanks! |
|||
| Fitness | ARGH! Will someone point me in the right direction, please?! | Jul 31 2008 13:35 (UTC) |
3 |
Thanks again, goddess. Very encouraging and just what I needed right now - some common sense to balance all the "stuff" I'm reading. |
|||
| Weight Loss | Stress Eating | Jul 31 2008 03:47 (UTC) |
4 |
I try to remind myself that eating will only make me feel worse, it won't make the problems go away. It sounds like one issue for you is time - do you have time to make meals and snacks? I know that feeling of needing to eat NOW and the fear that if I don't eat now I won't get any later, and the best solution for that is prevention. Try to think ahead as much as is reasonable and not put yourself in that situation by having food available. Maybe you could plan a couple simple, portable meals and snacks to grab and go or have in the car to prevent some of the drive-thrus. |
|||
| Fitness | ARGH! Will someone point me in the right direction, please?! | Jul 31 2008 03:29 (UTC) |
5 |
Thanks for that goddess9. You must be right that I need to tailor my diet to my body and what works for me - 'cuz this ain't workin' going by what the "super dude" (love that!) is telling me in his book. I like your perspective and common sense approach. I'll try lowering my calories by about 500 a day and see what happens. (I'm about 150 now and would like to get down to 135 BTW. Should have included that in the first post, but was too busy throwing a hissy fit evidently. Thanks again and best of luck to you!
|
|||
| Fitness | how should i schedual weight/strength training? | Jul 30 2008 20:19 (UTC) |
2 |
I have tried many different schedules, but have come to like the one I'm on now. I'm far from being a fitness expert, but I am seeing results and have stayed injury free despite being in my 40's. Here's what has been working for me right now: Mon: 20 mins. varied intensity cardio, upper body (including abs, back), stretching Tues: 20 mins. varied intensity cardio, lower body, stretching Wed: off Thurs: same as Mon. (cardio, upper) Fri: same as Tues. (cardio, lower) Sat: It varies, depending on time available, etc. I usually do the same cardio, and continue the pattern where I left off, in this scenario I'd do upper body/abs again, then on Monday do lower body, etc. Sometimes I'll do a lighter, but complete total-body workout (going easy on the legs since I just worked them the day before.) Sun: off
P.S. If any of you fitness gurus see a problem with the above schedule, please chime in - I don't want to lead anyone astray!!
|
|||
| Health & Support | Recovering Bulimic - Still wanting to lose weight (20 lbs) | Jul 30 2008 14:20 (UTC) |
|
Hi, I can relate to your struggle and still deal with it on some level often, although I am considered a recovered or recovering bulimic. Let me just give you some tough-love kind of advice from someone who's been there. Recovery from Bulimia while, at the same time, dieting to lose weight is not possible. Recovery from Bulimia means eating on a regular basis, eating foods that taste good and are satisfying, balancing wants with needs nutritionally, but never saying never when it comes to certain foods (i.e. forbidden foods.) Recovery from Bulimia also means not restricting. Control is such a huge issue for us when it comes to our weight and body shape, etc. But I have found that if I can let go of that need for control and eat in a structured way and in a way that's respectful to my body, continue exercising (in moderation) and let go of mistakes when they happen (and they do!) my weight evens out to what's right for my body. I hope this helps. There is lots of information out there on this. One classic is, "Overcoming Binge Eating" by Fairburn. Please don't let any of what I've said discourage you. It is possible to overcome this, you've done great so far and can, with the right combination of understanding and willingness to be good to your body, be a healthier you! |
|||
| Motivation | Calling lifetime yo-yo'ers who've broken the no-loss/slow metabolism barrier... | Jul 25 2008 13:58 (UTC) |
1 |
I think breaking the dieting cycle has been one of the biggest challenges any of us (especially women) face. It can be scary to not be on a diet - what if I gain weight?? And then comes those feelings of shame and despair after we throw in the towel and binge until we hurt. My thinking is starting to shift in the direction of eating how I want to eat for the rest of my life and allowing my body to be where it's at. (A confession: most days I still want to "diet" and fight that urge.) One thing I would highly recommend to you given your body's lowered metabolism is weight training or strength training. It is a great way to boost metabolism and help your body get back to it's more natural baseline, metabolically. It's also a great way to stave off osteoporosis! There's loads of information out there about starting strength training (I believe there's a new book out titled, "The New Rules Of Weight Training For Women" or something similar that's been recommended on this site.) They don't need to be Incredible Hulk type work-outs either - moderate free weight lifting can help boost that metabolism. If you can, think of the long term picture. Do I want to learn to live and eat as a lean, healthy person or do I want to continue this cycle. I'm choosing to do the first and some of my goals are: (as a former bulimic I have to do some of these) structure my eating throughout the day, Breakfast, snack, Lunch, snack, Dinner, ?snack. Also, I try to eat a protein, a carb, and fruit or veggies at each meal using my fist as a portion size. I also have something sweet everyday - dark chocolate, or a cookie or two. One goal that may not make sense to anyone who hasn't struggled with bulimia, is that every time I'm around birthday or wedding cake, I eat one piece. It is a huge binge trigger for me and I'm trying to learn that it's OK to eat it, I don't have to sneak it and binge on it after depriving myself of it. This is my perspective based on my experience, but I hope it can help you. Don't be discouraged, it can change!! There is hope!! |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | May 02 2008 13:43 (UTC) |
58 |
Thanks, home4ed, for the saving/spending analogy. As I thought about it, I realized you were right on - I have never regretted (later) passing on an extra serving of something, but I, too, have often regretted eating things I didn't need - they just looked good at the time. So, thanks for that piece of wisdom. Every little bit helps! :) |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 28 2008 02:16 (UTC) |
63 |
Yeah, it made me sad and really irritable. I've been doing some reading on it in the past couple of days and I think I was using waaaay too much!! Maybe it was a bad brand, or maybe my chiropractor didn't know what she was talking about, but I was using 1/2 tsp. every day and from what I'm reading, one is supposed to use 1/16 of a tsp. every day!! Yikes! I'll have to try it again. Does it do anything for weight loss? :) Also, does anyone else struggle with eating too much on the weekends? I try and stick to my three meals and snacks, but it's very difficult. I think because the structure isn't there that exists on work days I end up nibbling and snacking more than I should. Any ideas or suggestions? |
|||
| Weight Loss | Weight loss...muscle build...carbs...protein....AAARGH! | Apr 26 2008 19:20 (UTC) |
8 |
If you're getting around 3 servings of lean protein a day and exercising moderately, you shouldn't have to take protein supplements. It sounds like you're wanting to keep this in moderation, which is a good idea since few people can maintain a severe and rigorous workout schedule as a way of life. So, I think it would be in your best interest to do both cardio and moderate weight work, whether it's nautilus or free weights. The cardio will help you burn the fat over the muscle and the weight work (and ab work) will tone and build muscle; and muscle mass helps with weight loss and weight maintenance. Can you try to think of ways of improving your diet that you can live with - I'm not a big Slim-Fast fan because, unless you actually like it, it's a band-aid fix. Try and find ways to feed yourself that help with your goal of losing weight AND satisfy you. The more severe your diet, the more likely you are to binge or rebel against it. Moderation really is the key. |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 26 2008 13:57 (UTC) |
65 |
deamarie, I hear your frustration over doing all the right things and not getting to enjoy more satisfying results - but I would chime in with the others and encourage to keep going. It can be a long and painful process, but your body will respond with time and you'll be glad you stuck with it. Is there something kind you can do for yourself today as a reward for your hard work? Regarding the progesterone cream advice, Thanks for letting me know your experiences with this. I have tried it before, several years ago and ended up so irritable and sad I had to stop. I'm wondering if it was too early. I may give it another go now. Where can one buy natural progesterone cream? Thanks, too, for the info about its effect on bone density - didn't know that. |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 23 2008 02:54 (UTC) |
81 |
deamarie, when you say it feels like this is who you are now, are you wondering if this is your body's baseline now at age 41? Going by your history that most of your adult life you've been around a size 8-10, I'd rather doubt a size 16 is your body's new baseline, unless there is hypothyroidism or some other physical issue going on. (Have you had all that checked out?) Now that I've reread your post, are you saying you are currently a size 12 or were a 12 and now are a 16? I better quit babbling until you clarify that! :) |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 22 2008 20:25 (UTC) |
83 |
deamarie, Welcome to the group and I think a lot of us can relate to your angst over slow weight loss. Just remember, the slower it comes off the more likely it is to stay off - even in your 40s! edieglass, I have a question for you and any others who'd like to chime in. Did your MD put you on HRT while you were still having regular periods? I'm terrified of ending up like my grandmother and mother. My mom is nearly bent in two from such severe osteoporosis (she's only 75) and my grandma was the same. I'm seriously thinking I'm going to want HRT to fend off the outcome. I'm only 44, but the months that I don't ovulate I have crazy night sweats, etc. The months I do, I have the familiar symptoms of irritability, tender breasts, etc. When does one usually start HRT - after menopause or before? Also, has anyone tried black cohosh for perimenopause symptoms? |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 19 2008 13:54 (UTC) |
94 |
Original Post by cindyr63: Hey cindyr63, I can so relate to your struggle. My weight is also coming off excruciatingly slowly! I think our age (44 for me) does play a factor, but I'm also a firm believer that if we eat less (not starve) and move more, our bodies will do what they do naturally, burn extra energy (i.e. fat.) Are you exercising? If you're not exercising, then maybe 1200-1400 calories a day is right for you to lose weight (although current weight and height need to also be taken into account.) If you're exercising, I'd say up it a little. Hope this helps. Hang in there. For me this has been a period of trial and error. What worked in the past doesn't work now and I have to be more patient than I've ever had to be with weight loss. Ugh!
|
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 09 2008 13:41 (UTC) |
135 |
Welcome ladytrekki, It's good to hear you've found encouragement here at CC and I think all of us in this forum can relate to it being more difficult to lose weight now than when we were 20! Alas, it does come off if we do the hard work. :) I just wanted to add, too, that according to your picture, it does NOT look like you've "let yourself go"! Welcome! |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 08 2008 15:07 (UTC) |
138 |
I love to walk at a good clip, especially with my dogs, but I also walk/run on a treadmill. By walk/run I mean I walk the majority of the time at an incline and add in several 3 minute bursts of jogging at a lower incline but faster pace. I also enjoy lifting weights whether its weight machines or free weights. I've discovered that it's something that helps keep female's bones strong and I'm all for that as I've watched my mom deteriorate (literally) from osteoporosis. I also LOVE to garden, but won't be able to get out in the dirt for a few more weeks. |
|||
| Weight Loss | is this crazy or reality...or both! | Apr 07 2008 13:53 (UTC) |
1 |
I hear you on the reality check! I think one of the hardest things for me about losing weight has been dealing with the harsh reality of how little I can eat compared to what I'm used to. But, I would hasten to add that now that I've been at it for a while, it doesn't seem so bad and I actually get fuller more quickly than I used to. This weekend I had a meal that I would have normally eaten on regular basis and found myself uncomfortably full - so, it does get easier with time! It makes me sad to hear how demoralized you've felt over the years for being overweight. We live in a sick culture - we worship "skinny-ness" and look down on fat AND are bombarded by fast food advertising and places to eat. That's reality and craziness right there!! One last thing, I do much better exercising if I think about the overall benefits like raising my metabolism, giving me toned muscles, doing my heart a favor, etc. rather than thinking, "OK, this 30 minutes on the treadmill will only have worked off my morning cereal and toast." That's too discouraging. And the truth is, the effects of exercise last long after you're out of the gym both in terms of physical health and metabolism. Best of luck to you and I'm glad you found CC - it's a great site with lots of information and support. |
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 05 2008 22:25 (UTC) |
145 |
Welcome tubbybubba! It sounds like there are a few reasons for the weight gain. You mentioned illness, so I assume that translates to less exercise, and medications - another culprit, and your husbands job change - stress! I would look at all these factors and decide which of them you can control or change. (i.e. Are you healthy now and able to exercise? Are you still on the same medications? Can you find other ways of handling stress than eating?) I think we're all in learning mode when trying to lose weight and part of that learning is WHY we eat. I have learned to really tune in to what I'm thinking when I'm stressed and get the facts straight in my head rather than allowing myself to dwell on the exaggerated, emotional scenarios I come up with. I hope this makes sense. I'm a firm believer that what we think really affects our behavior - and that includes our eating. I hope you find the support you need right now to get over this slump. There are lots of us here who are willing to give it! |
|||
| Health & Support | seeing a counsellor isn't working | Apr 03 2008 14:53 (UTC) |
8 |
I would highly recommend you find a counselor who is directive in his/her approach and has experience treating bulimia. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the therapy proven to be most effective with this disorder, so find a therapist trained in this type of therapy - not just "talk therapy." By now (after three sessions) you should be keeping eating/binging/purging records and discussing those each week. As you can tell, I feel very strongly about this. I've been there and know what worked for me and know what research says about the effectiveness of different forms of therapy for this disorder. Please let your counselor know your feelings and what you're looking for. |
|||
| Health & Support | Has Anyone Actually RECOVERED From Binge-Eating Disorder/Bulimia? MOTIVATION PLEASE | Apr 03 2008 00:44 (UTC) |
4 |
I am a recovering bulimic/binge eater so I can really relate to your feelings of being out of control, frustrated, depressed, etc. . . I would switch now from the nutritionist - it sounds like you know how to eat healthfully when not binging - and start seeing a therapist who has experience treating binge eating, or you can try and deal with it on your own using Christopher Fairburne's book, "Overcoming Binge Eating." It can be a "messy" process and I would really encourage you to find someone who can help you. Now to answer your question: Has anyone actually recovered from binge eating? I would say I am still recovering, but have a whole new way of thinking about food and my body. I am no longer obsessed with thoughts of food all day every day. I eat in a more structured way now - and when I slip up, I just let it go and move on. No more black and white thinking, which it sounds like you're dealing with. (Most of us bingers are pros at it!!) I would be very interested in knowing what your internal dialogue is preceding and during a binge. So, the answer is, YES - people do recover and so can YOU!! Either get help or at the very least get the book I mentioned. There are too many components in recovering to mention here, but if you have specific questions, let me know.
|
|||
| Motivation | 40ish and Losing It! | Apr 02 2008 14:37 (UTC) |
171 |
Hello Everyone, I'm 44, have two teenagers, and have just this past year noticed the weight around my middle building up. I've always had a fairly slender waist - and always been heavier in the bum and thighs - so this has been an eye opener for me. I never wanted to acknowledge that age could affect my weight, but the reality is that hormones do affect weight and how weight is distributed on the body. I don't want to scare any younger readers, but for me it's been healthy to acknowledge this and not expect my body to look at 44 how it looked at 24!!! I am working on losing some of my "middle" now (I've accepted that I probably won't lose much of the bum and thigh weight) and adopting some new eating habits that hopefully will get me into my 50's without too much more weight gain. I've had life long weight/food and body image issues, and I'm doing this - for once - in a healthy and balanced way. Thanks for starting this thread. It feels good to be in the company of similar-aged women who can relate to some of my struggles and life experiences. |
|||
| Weight Loss | question about nuts | Mar 28 2008 13:57 (UTC) |
1 |
I would assume it's by weight. I think if it were volume they would say ".25 cup" or something similar. |
|||
| Weight Loss | Eating dinner at someone's house. How do you handle it? | Mar 28 2008 13:55 (UTC) |
16 |
I see your dilemma and it can be tricky when you don't have any say over what foods you eat. You do, however, have control over how much you eat, so I would try to enjoy what they offer, but in smaller than normal portions. Also, remember that it's the exceptions to "dieting" that can actually help us along the way - the dinners out, etc. give us opportunities to practice the new eating habits we're learning and sometimes that involves just this scenario. Best of luck and enjoy! |
|||
| Weight Loss | Mind and body make over | Mar 25 2008 16:11 (UTC) |
4 |
Great reminder that weight loss and maintenance are 90% state of mind and 10% eating right and exercising. If we aren't thinking correctly, our behavior shows it. Good for you for realizing the importance of your mindset along with the rest of it. The combination is a good one. For me, the most effective state of mind changes have been getting rid of the all-or-nothing thinking and when I have a set back, just picking up and starting over, not falling into that trap of, "Well, I guess this means I really can't lose weight. I might as well give up." I've also had some light bulb moments of realizing this time around that these eating habits need to be for life - not just diet mode. For some reason I've been a really slow learner in that area. :) Best of luck to you, lynn! |
|||
| Weight Loss | I really need help! | Mar 25 2008 15:56 (UTC) |
7 |
Please give serious consideration to what gi-jane has said. It's the truth. You will need to up your calories to at least 1800 to stabilize what's going on. I know it feels like your body is betraying you, but it is only doing what it does naturally - trying to protect you from starvation and death. If you will give it what it needs, it will respond normally again and begin to burn calories at a normal rate, but right now it's still trying to hold on to any extra energy should the famine strike again. Did you ever seek help when you first developed the ED? Maybe now is the time to do that. You have a long life ahead of you - learn why weight and body image are so tied into your identity and how to gain a better, more balanced, way of viewing this.
|
|||
| Weight Loss | Newbie, going thru menopause | Mar 24 2008 15:21 (UTC) |
6 |
Hey canarygirl3 - Welcome! My understanding is that menopause does not make you gain weight anymore than the normal slowing of metabolism as we age, but that we do tend to put the weight on more around the middle. Do you get enough calcium? You'll need to start supplementing right now in order to save bone mass - that does take a sharp dive with menopause. As far as low cal snacks here are some of my favorites: String cheese with an apple, 3 oz. no fat yogurt (peach or banana) mixed with 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese (sounds weird, but I love it!) Peak protein granola (1/4 cup) mixed in no fat yogurt. (If you have a Super Target near you, their Archer Farms Fat Free yogurts are so yummy!) Baby carrots and sugar snap peas, Almonds (about half of a listed serving) Fiber One bar (several varieties for about 140 cals.) If these don't float your boat, I'm sure others will have more ideas. Good luck! |
|||
| Weight Loss | Post Easter Blues | Mar 24 2008 15:09 (UTC) |
1 |
tracyjn hit the nail on the head. Yesterday was a day of celebration and there will be those days. Today is new day and there are a lot of us needing to crawl back up on that wagon together. I didn't even log my calories yesterday - was that avoidance or just letting it be a holiday? Not sure, but either way I'm leaving it in the past and not beating myself up over it today. Let's leave yesterday behind and look ahead to a new week. |
|||
 |
New forum message How Many Calories? by veggie_head 20:13 |
 |
New journal post 72nd 5K...what a great day by diane4394 20:11 |
|
New forum message new type of word association game by chrissy1988 20:06 |
|
New journal post Saturday by cellotlhicks 20:06 |
 |
eediee added tessa1223 as a friend |