This is my first post but I've been reading for a while.
A few years ago I lost 20 pounds. (from 165 to 145, and I'm 5'8) My goal at that time had been 150. Once I got to 145, I then lost 5 more, pretty much without my additional effort. I was happy about it!
(back in my early 20s I had been anorexic/bulemic, so I was mostly happy that an effort to safely lose weight didn't turn into a downward spiral.)
I kept the 20-25 pound loss of for a few years and was really happy about it, appreciated my body, etc. But, a year ago today I weighed 140 and today I'm 150. I know that I'm a healthy weight. I know I'm a healthy BMI. But I'm 10 pounds heavier and it's causing a lot of bad thinking in my head.
Basically I binged those 10 pounds right back on over the past year. I own my own company that is growing and changing and it's been an intense year at work. I do the cycle we're all so familiar with: binge for a day or two, feel the self loathing, vow to be "good", BE good for a few days, reward a pound or two loss with a binge, and on and on it goes.
My boyfriend is tired of hearing my complain and I'M tired of hearing me complain. 140 is a weight I've reach through reasonable means before. (Calories at about 1600/day + 4-5 days exercise of 45-60 minutes. No extremes on either side of that equation.)
The last few weeks have been BINGE FESTS. I hate it. I hate how it makes me feel physically and mentally. So I joined this forum officially so I can stay accountable. I think that's what I need. My boyfriend doesn't think I eat too much, but of course I only do that if he's not here. (silly boyfriend.
)
So once I make it through today (which I will - I have very filling tasty meals planned that add up to 1650), I will have completed day 5 of no binging.
I just want to add - I don't even try to go lower than 1600 for one or two days MAX because it's just not enough for me and either leads to genuine hunger that makes me over eat or it causes that reward binge stupidity. I know I can lose weight at 1600 + moderate exercise.
Anyway, thank you all for listening. I have appreciated reading your posts and will now appreciate being a part of it.