My worst struggle so far...

[ubergirl]

Oh you guys are THE BEST!!!!! I really really do appreciate each and every insight offered here.

1. It is not as bad as I thought last night. The late night mini-binge is not something I've been doing on a regular basis. It has happened maybe 2-3 x over the course of the last 18 months. I've never suffered what I would call a full-out binge--but it still scares the @#$%^ out of me. Today is a new day, and I've been on plan so far. Why? Because the habits that got me to lose 105+ lbs are still there and they work for me most of the time.

2. What I've found is that the "NO" food concept (or what Beverly is calling the Red Light foods) really does work for me. Almonds are going to have to go on the permanent no list for me. I've always had them in my house and I never ate them, then all of a sudden I did, and they've become a problem. I'm going to have to put them on my "no" list which includes most other salty snacks.

But regarding the ever insightful Saef's question about paralysis setting in-- I'm not really sure. I think paralysis, along with stress-eating, is one of my long-term coping mechanisms when I have too much on my plate (I mean, not food-wise, LOL). I get so stressed that I don't know where to start and so I do nothing. But in this case "doing nothing" means getting all indecisive about what time I should exercise, and ending up not exercising at all.

I DO have a lot of stress right now-- move to a new city with my family and a new job, and also finishing up a big two year project I've been working on.

But what got to me, food-related was that my weight loss plateau'd during August, right before I moved, and my weight loss had slowed to less than one pound per week....and also, here, nobody knows that I used to weigh almost 300 lbs, and so I don't get the constant reinforcement from people who knew me fat. Now, I'm just another lady-- not fat, not thin, but kind of in the middle. I'm pretty slim, but I'm sure I don't look to others like a person who obsessively watches her weight.... it's a change for me. In some ways I enjoy being "incognito" and not being always "the fat lady who lost all the weight." But on the other hand, it's incredibly hard for me to remember how recently I was morbidly obese.

Anyway, I'm soldiering on. NO more skipping workouts. They are KEY to managing my stress. And NO MORE ALMONDS. Life is too short.

[DollyR]

Everybody has some kind of slip. But you have shown the ability to recognize it and stop it. I was in such a deep dark depression last year that I gained 15 pounds. It was all stress and the lack of being able to get out in the winter to go do something good for myself like exercise. I know you will get through this and keep moving down the scale. Keep your chin up!

[Eliana]

Originally Posted by Lyn2007

Just don't stop weighing. For me, anyway, once I stay off the scale for a week or two I am in deep trouble. It's my "sticking my head in the sand" mechanism and can lead to rapid weight gain. Stay aware. Just the fact that you put it out there and recognized what is going on is HUGE.

No other advice, just hugs. You are a success already.

I agree with this! Above all else this one thing right here would mean the difference between sliding all the way down that slope and hanging onto the edge. As long as I weigh every day, I will be ok.

Almonds became my go-to food too. Weird huh? Stranger, mine are unsalted. I put them on my "no" list as well a few weeks ago. I love crunchy things to nibble on. I'm trying to make snow-peas my munching food now. It's not the same.

Come around more often! I noticed that your slop began with your move and you come by less and less frequently. Just saying...