[RJ 1980]

I went on a 6-week-long food binge and gained back 10 pounds. I am SO mad at myself! I was a 'slow loser' (mainly b/c I can't go more than a few days without binging), so 10 pounds is two to three months of work for me. And considering it's the holidays, it may take even longer to get back to where I was. WTH is wrong with me? I had so much motivation and all of the sudden it disappeared. I would try to start fresh every day and every day for six weeks I failed. Finally on Monday it 'stuck', so I'm on my fourth day on plan. But man is it depressing seeing a number on the scale I saw last July! Oh and I refuse to change my ticker, that's just too disheartening.



Why does it have to be sooo much easier to gain than lose? lol

[sacha]

It sounds like you need to address your binging issues to help with long-term success Why can't you go more than a few days? Is it boredom? Unrealistic plan? Obsession with a certain kind of food, etc??

[ShanIAm]

Hello my twin! I have virtually the same stats as you and I have gained 10 pounds since September. It started out with going out to eat more and choosing badly and then recently I had a couple all out binges. I was at the cusp of crossing over into the 120's when it all went to h***! I loved losing the weight, albeit slowly, but I detest having to re-lose the same weight.

Why?!? Why do we do this to ourselves? I have no clue. But the answer to the "why" needs to come a close second to our "how". How are we going to get back on plan? How are we going to stay on plan this time? How do we stop beating ourselves up and just move on?

But you know, we should be proud of ourselves for stopping the madness NOW before it gets even worse. Instead of 10 it easily could have been 20, or 30, or more. Gasp! So let's just pat ourselves on the back, forgive ourselves and move forward.

WE CAN DO THIS! So today let's promise ourselves not to gain another pound!!

[Beach Patrol]

Originally Posted by RJ 1980

I went on a 6-week-long food binge and gained back 10 pounds. I am SO mad at myself! I was a 'slow loser' (mainly b/c I can't go more than a few days without binging), so 10 pounds is two to three months of work for me. And considering it's the holidays, it may take even longer to get back to where I was. WTH is wrong with me? I had so much motivation and all of the sudden it disappeared. I would try to start fresh every day and every day for six weeks I failed. Finally on Monday it 'stuck', so I'm on my fourth day on plan. But man is it depressing seeing a number on the scale I saw last July! Oh and I refuse to change my ticker, that's just too disheartening.



Why does it have to be sooo much easier to gain than lose? lol

First of all, I agree with Sacha

It sounds like you need to address your binging issues to help with long-term success

You need to figure out WHY you can't "go more than a few days without binging" because even if/when you do meet your goal weight, if you don't get this under control, you will undo all your hard work.

And I understand the refusal to change your ticker because "that's just too disheartening" but I see that as a form of denial. NEVER DENY THE TRUTH.

Simple facts:
* 10 pounds up is a warning sign to yourself.
* Binging is a disorder.
* Continue to binge every few days & you will most likely gain back all you've lost PLUS more
* Stop the binging to lose the weight
* Keep the binging under control & you can keep the weight off

While that extra 10 you've gained is very disheartening, (nobody likes to see the scale go up!) I'd be more concerned with the fact that you have not gained control over your binging. YOU HAVE PROVEN TO YOURSELF THAT YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT! - now prove to yourself that you can control your binging. I know I'd not have been this successful this far had I not addressed that issue within myself.

Good luck! - you can do this!!!

[RJ 1980]

Thanks for the responses

Binging is something I've done... forever. But, I was always thin or average until about 4 years ago. The way I managed my weight was basically having more 'diet' days then 'binge' days. Then, when I became a SAHM 4 years ago, the binge days starting outnumbering the diet days and... that's how I got fat. Not healthy, I know. I've never ever had a 'normal' relationship with food.

After having my second baby in April I really had motivation and commitment and I lost weight, even though the amount I had to lose was daunting to say the least. I still binged, but my relationship with food DID improve. There were lots of days I chose to just accept I was eating a bit over my calories without thinking, "screw it, I'm going to stuff my face." When I binged, I started to stop binging as badly as I had before. Not always, but I was making good changes, slowly. Even in the last 6 weeks my binges weren't as epic as in the past... in the past I probably could have easily put on 20+ pounds in 6 weeks, not just 10.

I don't know why I binge. For the last few years it's been late night eating, after the kids are in bed and I finally get to decompress and relax. Wine is sometimes involved! But before that, who knows... I would overeat or binge to celebrate, or when I was sad, or scared, or bored, or mad..... pretty much any emotion.

Anyway, I am hoping to continue to improve with my binging, but it really scared me when I just lost my willpower for that long.

Thanks for the support, I am ashamed to say I've stayed away from 3FC lately, but I'm back and staying back. And BP, you are right I need to face up and change my ticker... maybe I'll just wait a few days to see if it can be a better number..

[hatgirlie]

Just chiming in to say I can relate. I was almost near goal and knew I could control food at that point. So I stopped into a new Mexican Cafe in the area, thinking just this one time...a reward...I deserve it. BIG mistake. This went on for about six months of non stop eating anything and everything I wanted. Of course, that meant nothing healthy. Gained it all back. Now I hate myself. I swear, for the last six months or so, every day and every night I told myself I am back on plan...nope. Well, finally, I got back on plan on November 6th. Doing great, but haven't weighed in yet. Please learn from my experience, ladies. None of the foods were worth gaining the weight back. I hope I've learned this lesson. I feel like I have. Best of luck to all of you.

[RHay]

Don't worry, you'll get back on track! Find your motivation again. I know it's so hard to get motivated. What I did was join a fun exercise class and start a diet plan with my friend. I joined aerobic exercise class like cycling or zumba and we motivated each other to come everyday.

[popspry]

I don't know if I'lll ever be truly binge-free, so I just take it a day at a time. I DO have a better relationship with food, I do binge less, and my binges are less severe.

I hadn't binged in monts actually, then summer hit, I suddenly felt lost in life (just graduated) and now I spend almost all my time at home. And all the old patterns returned. I gained. I avoided the scale. I tried to forget that my hip bones had been covered in a layer of fat again.

In 4 months I went from a low of 152 to 158. I didn't completely lose my will, but I lost the fight more than I didn't. I could be nearly at goal by now. I'd go a week or 2, get great results than binge, wash and repeat. This is my 4th binge-free day too (I was doing SO good until thanksgiving than I really fell apart). It helps me to write what I eat everyday here.