OMG! I'm a counter, too! It started, as far as I can remember, when I was in my early teens (junior high). I find myself counting things when I'm underwhelmed (like while watching TV or being driven somewhere). While I don't count stairs, but I count sides of things. And the goal is to come up even. 40 being the best final number, although 80 is good, too. What's weird, though, my favorite numbers are 17 and 37.

Allison, I am so glad to hear there is another counter .

This video is about Janine Shepherd. It's a TED talk, and the theme is "You Are Not Your Body."

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=3576

It's under 20 minutes long.

CherryPie99, being injured is the absolute worst binge/"pfff you may as well give up" trigger for me. I was out for a bit because of my back (ok, a week, but still) and after ONE workout I felt like a human again. There is an end to this! And even if something terrible were to happen, you could still maintain your loss. You have control over it!

Maybe it's age and my individual metabolism, but I notice I am really laissez-faire when it comes to maintenance. I have my "regular" foods and my "sometimes/not all the time" foods and I try to keep it balanced. I'm a daily weigher and regular exerciser/lifter and I don't count things...except in instances like the potluck party last night. I had 0 mini hot dogs so that I could fit in 4 1/2 cookies. :P

JayEll, thank you so much for introducing me to this inspiring message. What a fantastic story.

Another counter raises her hand!

I also have to put the eggs back in the carton in the same pattern. I used four today for something so had six left and placed three at one end and three at the other end of the carton the same way. A couple of months ago, my DH noticed I did this and asked me if I wanted him to arrange the eggs, too. I was so embarassed that I snapped at him and then tried not to arrange the eggs for a while. But it's a compulsive behavior so I went back to it. And decided not to be embarassed about it anymore.

Allison, Sheila, it's almost like a secret vice, nobody knows I am doing it and this is one of the rare times I have even mentioned that I do it. PS, Sheila , my eggs are all in a certain way after I open the carton and take one or two out, are you telling me that some people think this is odd ?

I'm a counter and egg arranger, too. When I'm swimming laps or running on a treadmill I also do math in my head. Is this odd?

I do something similar with eggs--only I take them from one end and then the other end, so when we're down to two, they are in the middle--kitty corner to one another. I do it, though, so that the carton isn't heavy on just one side (prevents accidental spills).

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with idiosyncrasies.

Oh my - doesn't it feel good to at least have other people that "get" it?? I was trying to explain to my never been heavy co-worker today about my fears and that if 1 bad thing happens - like if I were to gain 5 pounds - that EVERYTHING would go wrong and it would be a disaster and she just couldn't get it at all even though she was trying. Saef your reverse Cinderella analogy describes me to a T! I actually teared up reading your post!

I didn't take a piece of cake at the retirement party today, but helped pick up and wiped my finger across the knife used to cut the cake and licked off what was there and then instantly felt guilty. If the scale is up at all tomorrow, I will blame it on that crazy as that is!

Shannon - I have been doing that stretch a couple times per day. That is supposedly the best one for stretching out the band. I'm doing a Rodney Yee Yoga DVD when I get home, too and then will have DH foam roll me (hehe! that sounds dirty).

Krampus, I read your posts and I actually get envious at times how you are able to go off plan, say "oh well!" and get right back on track! That's what I strive to have in my life!

Jen

Jen - I snickered when I read about you having Dh foam roll you, it does sound dirty.

Allison, Bargoo, Sheila, Ward, I'm a counter, too! Stairs, cars on the road, skittles in a bowl on the counter. I also put things back into cartons and packs in patterns, and I have to have an even number of food items on my plate or in my bowl. Unless it is a soup or stew or something like diced tomatoes which I can let go. I also have to keep my food items separate from each other on my plate and in the fridge in storage. And I cut everything up on my plate into pieces before I eat, (even numbers) which I then count over and over during the meal, not in a tracking progress way but in a mindless way. I also do the math in my head on the treadmill and elliptical, often the miles and progress or pace or something, but sometimes just random balancing my checkbook, adding some things up, counting the dots on the wall or tiles on the ceiling.

And I sound all kinds of insane when I say it all out loud.

Saef-- I also loved your Cinderella analogy and can relate to it well.

Counters-- I didn't know it was so common! I do have some OCD tendencies but I'm not a counter. My younger dd is though. I don't think she realizes that other people do it so I'll have to tell her. She counts light poles and things when driving. She definitely counts food and wants things to be even-- I've often been the recipient of one cracker or one skittle if the numbers don't line up correctly. She has favorite numbers (multiples of 4) so she will attempt to make things be the correct number.

I want all you compulsives to sit down while I tell you this: Some people actually take eggs out of the carton randomly. That's right--one from the end, another closer to the middle, two from the same row but assymetrically, etc. (Take deep breaths!... It will be OK!)

I take eggs from one end so that I can put the carton in the fridge with the heavier end pointed outward. I'm less likely to drop the carton that way. But I don't really... care...

I didn't know there were so many counters in the world. I never talked about it so didn't know there were others. it is a harmless compulsion, doesn't interfere with my normal routine.
I was once dating this guy and we were making sandwiches, I lined up the bread , as you counters can probably guess in a certain way. OMG ! he took one out of order ! Ididn't freak out but did mention it, he couldn't see why that should matter, you make a sandwich, you eat it, who cares, was his attitude. Nothing ever came of that relationship and it is probably a good thing as he was a hypochondriac. Imagine a hypochondriac and a counter together. Disaster in the making.

For me there are still all sorts of roses. But I'm usually bleeding from the thorns when I stop to smell them. But the roses are no less beautiful, nor would I give them up to not have the thorns.

Dagmar