Clean Plate Club here! I truly think that it programmed me from the time I was a small child to not pay attention to when I was full, but when I was finished with my plate. That and lack of physical activities....

Oh yes, and genetics...wonderful genetics....

Carrie

I am addicted to food. If I could eat all the food in the world, I'd finish it all in a day. My addiction started when my father molested me. The ******* refuses to take responsibility for it. I still have nightmates.

I was overweight because I ate too much and sat too much

But the real reason I stopped by this thread was about the BMR. Through trial and error and years of practice .... I've come to know that mine is between 1250 and 1300 cals. Now keep in mind that I'm short, fine boned and have no hips. But 1500 cals is a perfectly workable number. A 1500 cal food plan, a little walking and 20 minutes of weights a couple times a week should lead you to a very nice tidy weightloss. In fact if you worked out some everyday, you could afford a higher calorie food plan.

Genetics
Over eating
And stress


My family is predisposed to heaviness in the female side. I tend to binge eat a lot on sugars and carbs, especially when I am stressed out or worse, bored, or depressed. I don't excersise right now either and shame on me. Working out is hard because I can't do anything truly aerobic because my left hip is ruined. I'm doing belly dance because it's very low impact and I will start walking at least 20 minutes a day.

later Chicks,

-Ally

Sure, I could say it's because of my addiction to Taco Bell... but I can't blame it on that. And I could say it's because I was taught to clean my plate, but I really dont remember that. And I could say that it's because I was/am inactive.. but I know that's not it either.

I don't know why I'm overweight. I've always been active and I'm a huge fruit and vegetables fan, as well as the whole grains and such. Not a big meat eater, not really into the junk foods and snacks and things. I just don't get it.

I played tennis and soccer in high school, along with tap dancing for musicals and just in general running around craziness, but still the weight holds. I'm trying though, really trying to be more active and to watch what I eat, but I don't want to become obsessed again... I went that route before: binge/purge or starve/exercise a lot or counting calories/journal of what I ate. It's all bad for me. I just have to stay busy or something... but I really, really wish I knew why I'm this heavy. *sigh*

College happened!
It started in 2001 when I started school...all of the late nights, snacking, calorie dense cafeteria food (buffet style), and the emotional stress of being 6 hours away from home all by myself was enough to do it. So really, the college environment, stress, loneliness, and not knowing about how to eat well did it for me.

In my house growing up, we were all 'bigger' but not necessarily obese or majorly overweight. Double chins and 'padding' were the norm. In fact, when I first met my would-be husband, he was terribly skinny (6 ft tall and only 130 lbs) and I joked when I hugged him that I felt I could break him in half, he felt so thin to me. I had never hugged someone so thin. Well, he fattened up just like me, sadly. He doesn't care, but I am hoping that if I get svelte and hot, he will want to do the same.

In my house, my father would spank us with a belt (or at least threaten to) if we didn't eat our veggies. There were many nights I would still be at the table staring at cold peas-n-carrots at 10 at night, trying to force my self to eat them and to avoid the belt. It rarely worked. Because of that, I cannot PHYSICALLY bring myself to eat any veggie other than taters or tomato sauce. I will be physically ill if I put anything else in my mouth. That's one big reason I don't eat right.

Another is like many have said above--
Food = Love. Food = Belonging. Food = Reward.

Growing up, and as a grown up, if I was sad, mad, lonely, bored, food was there. If I did good at school, if I did something great at work, I would reward myself with ice cream or cupcakes.

When I was sitting down a week or so ago to take a good hard look at myself and set positive, mini-goals and the Ultimate Goal Weight, I was thinking, 'how can I reward myself for making each mini-goal?' and my first thought was always FOOD. I had to sit for a good 5 minutes to think of 3 NON-FOOD-RELATED rewards for myself, for each goal, that in no way,shape or form, included food. I have promised myself a new bathing suit, a new pair of shoes, and a slinky dress for the goals (1 for each goal, of course). Now granted, the new bathing suit is for a company BBQ Picnic at a local springs, but still...

Lastly, I will admit it flat out. I love to eat and I don't like to MOVE. I could be content to sit on the couch all weekend with a book, the TV and a pile of junk food. It's as simple as that.

In FL, it is too hot to go outside for probably 8 months out of the year. It's humid, it's nasty, and I don't like it. I have to force myself to go out when my daughter (8) wants to go to the park. Inside, there is comfy couches and air conditioning. I'm lazy and I need to change my ways.

Okay, there I said it. I don't think I've ever said ALL of this out loud before (and I guess I'm really not now either!) and it feels good to admit all of this stuff.

My first goal is to be under 190 to get that bathing suit! Cross your fingers!

Simple.....i don't eat the way I should. Once I learn how to correct that problem, the weight will come off.....

or why haven't I lost the weight even though I have known for years I am overweight?

Prob this is the easiest thing in my life to be lazy about because it is the easiest thing to overlook - what goes in your mouth - you may think - but we think about it - but how hard is it to really think about all the cals/fat/carbs we eat in a day and add it up - its tough - and strict and well. I guess i'm lazy. doesn't seem to matter enough that it affects other aspects of my life - but hopefully now I am realizing that. I am becoming more strict - more disiplined and more aware - but it is still a challenge.

I like food - I just have to remember that food will always be there - no mater where I am.

oh yeah - but I'm afraid of being hungry I realize - I don't quite know why - but I think it has something to do with when I was a kid (back down the path) my parents used to leave me at a babysitters 5 days a week, and usually didn't come home till late - so I would have dinner with the babysitter and her husband and family and then dinner with my parents. I may not have eaten so much - but it def added on the calories. I guess it was my way of fitting in to two families? I didn't want to be lonely - so I guess maybe feeling hungry is in a sense a real feeling of lonliness? I don't know - this is something I have been thinking about lately - seem feasable? or just psyco-bable? haha!

ok time for bed - too much work these past 4 days! seems like my life has gone by in 4 days - so much work!

B

oh yeah - and my mom is big too

I eat when I'm happy, I eat when I'm upset, I eat when I'm bored. I'm an emotional eater. I suppose it gives me some sort of control in my life...I get to control how, where, what and when I eat. Growing up too my dad always had sweets and there my sweet tooth was born In middle school and part of high school I walked everywhere. To and from school and then to friends houses, which from there we'd walk somewhere else. And then people got their licenses and I never had to walk again. It caught up with me, but my eating habits didn't change. One of my earliest memories of over eating was when I was maybe 9 or so and things were kinda of rough and stressful around my house. I made myself a pb&j sandwhich and when I finished I made another, and then another, I honestly am not sure how many I made. I notice when something is bothering me I head for the kitchen. But yeah, now I'm walking 5 days a week and that's a start

Hi

This seemed like a great place to put a first post.

I never really developed the good habits necessary to be thin. Most of my growing up years I was just a little chubby. I was active enough as a 17 year old to get down to what is now my goal weight- 135. I kept that for about a year and a half.

But after that I just kept on eating. And eating loads of crap. I am so addicted to the really high calorie, high fat foods. Fast food was my friend for way too long, and I still have to work on that one. And the liquid calories killed me... I LOVE Coke. Cherry Coke.

So, to combat those things, I am trying really hard to actually eat fruits and veggies. And the only Coke I have these days is Diet.

I have never consistently drunk enough water. So I am working on that.

Finally, I tend to be lazy. I don't have active hobbies that I enjoy. So I am trying to find things, and making myself go biking because I do like that once I get going.

me it was a combination of things.

I was definitely an emotional eater. Especially with my bad anxiety, I would shove anything down that was around. .. I have pcos too which can make it harder to stay at a healthier weight if your not really working at it.
I lost 50 lbs when I was here at this site... but again I let my anxiety get the best of me & ended gaining it all back.
I need to quit using food as my support or distraction.

So Im finally trying again.

I think I'm really overweight cause I at for pleasure, then it turned to eating for comfort, and then it became about eating for comfort and a little about rebellion. At that time this was my way. Now, I rebel in much more productive ways and only if its to my benefit. AS for the comfort part, I find that just facing the reality esp. the health risk are enough to make me ask why do I want to eat this to comfort myself. I have really not had those times, now, where I have an huge urge to eat something that I know may make me want to quit my plan anymore, like in my past attempts because of this reality. I stop myself from reaching this point in the first place by not eating that trigger food. I know I will probably eat it though, but I am kinda setting my mind in check now so I am prepared, but not to the point of setting myself up to actually undertake that road. It can get hard to explain at times I guess, but I see it as putting up roadblocks that can't be broken through with some things and alternate roads that could be taken but that I must decide not to take with other things. Heck I'm also building new roads too, and these things are turning into awesome freeways!

Great responses here. I could relate with many of the comments. Food has always been a control issue for me. Use to NOT eat due to a "difficult" home environment. It seemed the one thing I could control. Then I worked through those issues and food was pleasure, stress relief... fun. Had two kids, metabolism changed and food effected me differently. Now I'm learning that food can still be fun and pleasurable in moderation.