I have been going to an osteopathic doctor to help me recover from some injuries caused by a c-section. My injuries have prevented me from being physically active and have caused some weight gain. Of course the biggest culprit is my poor diet and binge eating, but in the past my exercise has always kept me at a stable weight. Without exercise I've ballooned.
During my treatment yesterday she addressed my diet, which is the first time any medical doctor has ever spoken to me about my diet. It went something like this: "stay away from carbohydrates. Eat mostly fruits and vegetables and some legumes like hummus or lentils. Cut out the pasta and breads and eat lean proteins. For breakfast have a hard boiled egg. For lunch have a salad. For dinner have a grilled piece of chicken with some broccoli."
I played dumb as if I didn't know any of this, but of course as most long time binge eaters I know more about dieting than normal skinnies. Of course that is the diet I would love to have but it is nearly impossible for me. All I crave is junk food. I asked her if this is an easy diet for her and she said oh yes, she finds it very easy to eat like that and she feels great, and to try it for a week and I'd feel great too.
I don't know why that depressed me, it just made me feel like a complete alien. I didn't tell her about my ED, I didn't want to open up a can of worms. But I'm swimming in worms.
Hi... I debated about posting here because I am not part of this thread group; however, your comments really caught my eye because I understand! But six months ago I changed my way of eating and got rid of most of the "junk" and now eat lots of fruits and veggies, along with smaller portions of other natural foods.
IMO it takes far longer than a week... perhaps a couple of months... before the cravings DO go away or at least become manageable. The other day I was out of fresh veggies and could not STAND it and had to run to the store to get something "good" to eat.
While I eat differently than your doctor said... I eat almost all organic, and I do eat some breads, etc., (watch the portions) and I seldom eat meat... the "catch" is to cut out the fake sugars and processed foods, which contains TONS of chemicals and other unhealthful and highly addictive substances. It is my opinion that a lot of this stuff is in there intentionally to keep us coming back for more.
In any case, I am amazed that now that I am getting my nutrition from my food, I seldom have cravings and when I do, they are manageable. I was the world's WORST binge and night eater!!! Now no night eating at all.
Suggestion: When I started this I would always keep a bowl of chopped veggies or fresh fruit on my kitchen counter -- it was my "free" bowl and I could grab some of it at any time and eat it. It helped me break the habit of snacking... I made it "okay" to eat stuff from that bowl. Now I don't snack much but I do keep a bag of veggies or fruit at my desk.
You can do this!! Hang in there!! It is not as easy to break the habit as your doctor says, but it can be done!!!
Thanks for posting Misti. Of course I know all this I know that the foods I eat cause me to eat more of those foods. I am now reading The End of Overeating by Dr. Kessler and although it's a bit of a boring bit about studies on mice the issues resonate. I've also watched Sugarhe Bitter Truth video and it was life changing. I know these foods are highly addictive but any time I try to diet it spurs on binging and I go back to square one only a little fatter.
I would call it withdrawl. It's like being a drug addict. The only time I feel at piece is when I'm eating. It's the only thing I can do to get my mind off the jittery compulsions. It's a terrible cycle and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
then you need to stop and just DO IT. I know, I know. I said the same thing. But do things that will make it easier. Get out of the house. Do things to distract yourself and take it ONE DAY or ONE HOUR at a time. You just need to get rid of the sugars. It's going to be more than just extra pounds very soon. Soon it will be diabetes and then the sugars will KILL YOU.
If I can do it, a true carb QUEEN, anyone can do it.
For me though it meant relying quite heavily (at first) on fake sugars. I needed the sweet. Start there and then the cravings will diminish and then gradually reduce the fake sugars too. Baby steps.... It's OK to find ways to ease into better eating. FIrst step is to DETOX.
You're right berry, I just have to do it!! Detox!!! I mean those sugars and extra unecessary carbs are going to be the end of me one day. I want to start looking at food for what it can do FOR me rather than what it can do TO me. The foods I eat now cause weight gain, sore joints, diabetes, high blood pressure, possibly cancer. They're not doing anything for me, eating them doesn't truly bring me pleasure, it brings on remorse and depression if anything. My self esteem has suffered.
Regarding the artificial sweeteners - no! It took me a long time to end my addiction to those and thankfully they have no pull for me anymore. I wouldn't suggest anyone replace sugar with artificial sweeteners. I did it but it was very difficult and for 2 months every time I sipped my sweetless coffee I said "'bleh!!" until one day it wasn't bleh anymore.
I would be horrified if a doctor said all that to me -- because it is just so far from my reality. I wonder if it's really true that "normal people" can eat like that and feel good and satisfied and not like they're counting down the minutes until they get the next reasonable serving of what, hummus, ugh. I do like hummus, but it has to be eaten with really yummy bread or crackers, no crappy store bought cardboardy pita or, god forbid, vegetables.
I have now had 25 days of success. I have done this before, though, and then face planted and ended up right back where I started. So, I'm not coming from some high and mighty place. In fact, I'm getting a cold, which makes me feel weak and my husband has got some *&^% doritos in the other room, and I may be done for (hope not!). But I would never, never, never get this far on a diet like that.
I have to say, I'm actually surprised that there're doctors out there who still think it's all about low fat.
I would be horrified if a doctor said all that to me -- because it is just so far from my reality. I wonder if it's really true that "normal people" can eat like that and feel good and satisfied and not like they're counting down the minutes until they get the next reasonable serving of what, hummus, ugh. I do like hummus, but it has to be eaten with really yummy bread or crackers, no crappy store bought cardboardy pita or, god forbid, vegetables.
I have now had 25 days of success. I have done this before, though, and then face planted and ended up right back where I started. So, I'm not coming from some high and mighty place. In fact, I'm getting a cold, which makes me feel weak and my husband has got some *&^% doritos in the other room, and I may be done for (hope not!). But I would never, never, never get this far on a diet like that.
I have to say, I'm actually surprised that there're doctors out there who still think it's all about low fat.
Actually I love hummus with fresh veggies, especially raw carrots and raw cauliflower. When I'm eating that I love it, but I never crave it. I only crave junk food.
And the doctor did not say low fat, she said low carb. That's a big difference. I believe her when she says that she feels great eating this way. There are many people who eat normally. It's hard to imagine changing my diet because I'm so addicted to food. But my husband for example who has a totally natural relationship to food cut out eating lots of stuff when his doctor told him to and felt very little discomfort. He doesn't miss potato chips or beer or high salt foods. It's not quite as easy for me.
I have been going to an osteopathic doctor to help me recover from some injuries caused by a c-section. My injuries have prevented me from being physically active and have caused some weight gain. Of course the biggest culprit is my poor diet and binge eating, but in the past my exercise has always kept me at a stable weight. Without exercise I've ballooned.
During my treatment yesterday she addressed my diet, which is the first time any medical doctor has ever spoken to me about my diet. It went something like this: "stay away from carbohydrates. Eat mostly fruits and vegetables and some legumes like hummus or lentils. Cut out the pasta and breads and eat lean proteins. For breakfast have a hard boiled egg. For lunch have a salad. For dinner have a grilled piece of chicken with some brocco
I played dumb as if I didn't know any of this, but of course as most long time binge eaters I know more about dieting than normal skinnies. Of course that is the diet I would love to have but it is nearly impossible for me. All I crave is junk food. I asked her if this is an easy diet for her and she said oh yes, she finds it very easy to eat like that and she feels great, and to try it for a week and I'd feel great too.
I don't know why that depressed me, it just made me feel like a complete alien. I didn't tell her about my ED, I didn't want to open up a can of worms. But I'm swimming in worms.
Ugh. I feel for you. I've avoided the Dr. since putting on so much weight for that exact reason; I don't want to hear it. Most overweight people really do know just as much about health/nutrition as thin people, it's just that many of us have (or have had) a distorted relationship with food that makes losing weight and dieting a lot more complex than just doing A, B, and C. If I had to guess, your Dr. is probably someone who hasn't struggled with her weight all that much; she's maybe never had a food addiction issue, so in her case it *is* as easy as just making the changes to her diet and feeling good. We all have it in us to make the changes we need to make and lose the weight, but it's not quite as simplistic as some people seem to think.
Have you figured out what your triggers are? It finally dawned on me in one of my too frequent duh moments that certain events will almost always trigger a binge. Yesterday, I did my volunteer work which was scheduled to last 3 hours and ended up lasting 7. I was tired, grumpy, irritated, feeling abused, mad at myself......you get the drift. So, instead of coming home and having the salad with 3 oz of steak and walnuts and gorgonzola crumbles that was on the menu, I had a baked potato......with butter.......and sour cream followed by about 10 gum balls for dessert.
I know what my triggers are, but I'm just not to the point yet where I can totally manage them. However, in spite of eating this way, I consider it somewhat of a success. In the past, I would have swung by the grocery store on the way home and purchased a bag of chips, a bag of Hershey kisses and a pint of ice cream and eaten most of it by the time I went to bed. So, while the loaded baked potato and gum balls weren't a good idea, it's still progress. Baby steps. lots and lots and lots of baby steps. Eventually, we will all be able to run away from our binges.
Have you figured out what your triggers are? It finally dawned on me in one of my too frequent duh moments that certain events will almost always trigger a binge. Yesterday, I did my volunteer work which was scheduled to last 3 hours and ended up lasting 7. I was tired, grumpy, irritated, feeling abused, mad at myself......you get the drift. So, instead of coming home and having the salad with 3 oz of steak and walnuts and gorgonzola crumbles that was on the menu, I had a baked potato......with butter.......and sour cream followed by about 10 gum balls for dessert.
I know what my triggers are, but I'm just not to the point yet where I can totally manage them. However, in spite of eating this way, I consider it somewhat of a success. In the past, I would have swung by the grocery store on the way home and purchased a bag of chips, a bag of Hershey kisses and a pint of ice cream and eaten most of it by the time I went to bed. So, while the loaded baked potato and gum balls weren't a good idea, it's still progress. Baby steps. lots and lots and lots of baby steps. Eventually, we will all be able to run away from our binges.
Learning triggers are so crucial!
My triggers are 1. lack of sleep and being tired. 2. Lack of exercise.
If I keep these two things in check, I can do almost anything. if these are out of whack - oh boy am I a mess!
It went something like this: "stay away from carbohydrates. Eat mostly fruits and vegetables and some legumes like hummus or lentils. Cut out the pasta and breads and eat lean proteins. For breakfast have a hard boiled egg. For lunch have a salad. For dinner have a grilled piece of chicken with some broccoli."
I know that she didn't say low fat, but I don't see any fat here. Low carb is great, but I would find it impossible to stick to if I was also not eating fat. And given the food addiction thing, which I have to, I think it would be a disaster.
I know that she didn't say low fat, but I don't see any fat here. Low carb is great, but I would find it impossible to stick to if I was also not eating fat. And given the food addiction thing, which I have to, I think it would be a disaster.
I use olive oil in my cooking. I put it on salads, I put it in my lentil soups, my grilled chicken and broccoli would have olive oil on them too. I eat avocados, I even use butter and I eat plenty of cheese. Like I said, she didn't say low-fat. I don't believe in low fat diets.
Hi again. You have obviously done your homework and studied up on all this! You said "of course I know all this" but it is amazing how many people don't!!! Good for you!
One other comment... personally I think it not necessary to eat the tiny amount of food your doctor recommended! A hard boiled egg for breakfast is insufficient IMO... no reason you can't add some veggies to that or fruit or something. You don't have to go around hungry in order to lose weight and be healthy.
You know, I have been very much against eating carbs and processed foods, but lately I have been changing my thinking a bit now that I have begun to have success with breaking the binge cycle.
The philosophy of the nutritionists and therapists where I go have a different attitude toward carbs. Not saying it's right, it's just an alternative point of view. They argue that if you deny yourself the foods you crave, you will continue to be frustrated, start focusing on that food and end up binging after pent-up denial. Food is there for nutrition but it is also there for satisfaction and emotional comfort.
I found this view to be personally true. I totally cut processed carbs and sugars out of my diet and instead of feeling better, my obsessions became unbearable. I wasn't able to get pastries, donuts, etc. off my mind and soon would end up binging.
With this new philosophy, if I want a carb-laden food, I can have it. But just one. I am encouraged to eat starches and whole grains (in reasonable portions) so I will be less inclined to binge later. Rather than denying a craving and being miserable, have a small portion that satisfies you.
I am just about to finish Week 10 binge-free so this new philosophy seems to be working for me. I lost all my binge weight, about 15 net pounds after water retention weight America off, and am stable which is what I'm aiming for as I go thru therapy. Now I'm not running around eating donuts and pastries - in fact, I don't even crave them now . But I am eating brown rice, some bread, even an occasional small dessert. Not a lot; I still primarily eat fish and chicken with fruits and veggies, but I am thrilled that my attitude towards food has been changing.
The doctor said...
I know that the foods I eat cause me to eat more of those foods. I am now reading The End of Overeating by Dr. Kessler and although it's a bit of a boring bit about studies on mice the issues resonate. I've also watched Sugar
he Bitter Truth video and it was life changing. I know these foods are highly addictive but any time I try to diet it spurs on binging and I go back to square one only a little fatter. 
