[pinkplatypus]

I have been binge free for 10 days. This is the longest I've been binge free for about 4 months. I am sooo proud of myself and feel good. I finally came to terms with some things and realized that 1200 calories is just not enough for someone who runs 6 miles 5 times a week and is very active at work. I did it for about 7 months and then it backfired and I started binging VERY badly at least 3 times a week. In about the last year, I've lost 35 pounds putting me at about 145 pounds, but because of the binging, I've put on about 10 pounds. Thank goodness I have kept running, because the damage would have been much worse. I decided I HAD to start eating more. So I've started a plan to get an average of 1700 calories a day during the week. I vary my daily intake so I'm getting 1500-2000 a day. That way, I can have high days and average days. On the other hand, I still have the urge to totally stuff myself until I feel sick. I don't know if that will ever go away? Im sure it will with time, but it's a battle every day. Today, I'm having a particularly hard time. It's only 10am and I've already had 1300 calories. I've been on the verge of going off into a binge, but I've forced myself to keep everything journaled. I'm sitting at Starbucks now, just getting my mind off of food. It's working for now. I have a lot planned for the day, so I think I'll be ok today. I'm at the point where the binging just doesn't seem worth the instant gratification. I don't want to gain anymore weight. I don't want to feel gross, sick, sluggish. But the urge is still there. If you have any words of encouragement, please share. I keep telling myself that tomorrow is my high day of 2000 calories and I can make it just one more day. One day at a time. That's all I can do at this point. The food isn't worth it!! I have to keep telling myself that. Thanks for listening.

[Su-Bee]

Oh sweetie. Of COURSE we support you! And you're absolutely right - with your level of exercise, you DO need to start eating more, which is exactly what your body's been telling you with the binging urges. You may even find that you lose quicker at the higher caloric level than you were at 1200.

As far as today goes - it seems like it'll be kind of hard to get through the rest of the day with just 200 more calories. Could you maybe switch today & tomorrow around, so that today, when you are so hungry, you can have the 2000 calories, & then tomorrow you can be extra careful to choose particularly filling foods so that you can stick with the 1500? I mean, part of the benefit of calorie shifting is being able to eat more on days you're hungrier, & less on days you're not - it shouldn't be about, "Today is Friday, so I only get 1500 even though I'm famished, and tomorrow is Saturday, so I'll put away 2000 even if I feel full."

[harrismm]

I just wanted to say congratulations on the weight loss and also on the exercise.I am amazed by runners.You have lost a lot of weight and should be proud of yourself.I am also a binge eater so I understand what you are feeling.Its very hard.But I do agree with increasing your calories.I think this will help decrease your binge days.Hang in there.

[pinkplatypus]

Today is an 1800 calorie day, but I am thinking of making it my 2000 calorie day and making tomorrow my 1800 calorie day. That is more do-able, I think. That would give me 700 more calories today, and I'm truly not hungry right now, just wanting to eat...you know the feeling. So 700 calories for dinner is adequate. I just need to stay strong until dinner. Thanks for your support. Just 4 more days and I will be 2 weeks binge free. I WANT TO DO THIS!!!!