I have been off IP since about a week before Thanksgiving. I thought after six months on IP my eating habits would change. Oh no...
In less than six weeks time I am back to the compulsive eating and binge eating. I won't even go into the details, but I will say I am ashamed. I was so proud of my accomplishments with IP that I was sure I had changed.
I am going back on the protocol tomorrow. I was hoping we could start a discussion for people like myself that are truly addicted to food. I feel like a junky with no self control. As I am sitting here typing, I am eating out of a bag of chocolate chips. No idea why! I am not even hungry. Somehow I just feel like it is justified because I will be back on plan tomorrow.
That is how I got over 200 pounds in the first place. I was always eating my last meal or my last snack before the next diet started. Unfortunately the diets never stuck and the eating continued.
I was really just wondering if there are any other confessed overeaters out there that just need a place to talk. If so, I will be here. I will get back on track and I will get to my goal weight. I just pray that I can find the strength to beat this addiction and keep it off this time.
I have a bad habit of overeating... I can't help myself sometimes and it seams like when I get mad at myself for eating too much or for eating something bad, I eat more. I will even sit and watch the Biggest Loser (trying to get motivated) and I will eat a whole bag of chips and dip during or afterwards! I tell myself, I will never be able to loose it so I may as well be happy and eat what I want! Then, about an hour later, I will feel like crap and will be mad at myself all over again! I love food!! Some people eat to live... I live to eat!!
I start IP tomorrow so I am really hoping I change my attitude about food!! This site has already helped me so much and I have learned so much!!
I know exactly how you feel. I call my eating habits "grazing". I love to sit and read a book or watch tv and just eat and eat and eat. It doesn't matter if I am hungry or not, I just like to put food in my mouth. And I always justified it too! Many times in my life I have lost 40,50,75 and even 150 lbs. only to go back to my regular eating habits and gain all the weight back plus more.
This time will be different. I am learning to cook, trying new things, and really enjoying how good I feel. I know that this isn't a diet that I will quit when I lose the weight. I will forever eat this way and just like drug addicts or alcoholics, I will forever be working the program.
Good luck to you and let's make 2011 our best year ever!!!
I am so glad to hear from you both. My fear is that I kept telling myself that I knew I was changing. I felt better, looked better and loved my new way of eating. Unfortunatley, within weeks, I was right back to my old habits! I was hating myself. Instead of starting the New Year proud of myself for losing 40 pounds, I was disappointed in myself for gaining back 7! I just need to find a support group that I can talk to about my addiction.
IP is a wonderful plan and it works. I feel sure I can get back on track and get to goal, I am just scared that the food addict will return when I am off IP. Anyway, here's to finding strength to overcome the food demons in the New Year!
Thanks for your honesty...... I have been on this program since July 12, and lost steadily for the first 3 months. After that first 50 lbs, I'm not sure exactly what snag I hit, but it took me another 2 months to lose the next 20. Anyway, I've right now down 74 lbs officially, although I went completely off-protocol 12/24 and will be starting back to phase 1 tomorrow. However... while I have slidden a bit since early November (thus the slow loss after my rapid start), I have gone overboard this week! Seriously. It's scary. In fact, until you posted this, I don't know that I ever would have admitted it... but I'm right back to where I was! A candy bar while checking out (only once, though, which is an improvement!), sitting down with a bowl full of fresh puppy chow, as in the whole batch... eek.
Tomorrow will be really hard on me to detox on phase 1 again! I've gained about 7 lbs as well... this week alone. Yikes. I have that faith that - who said this? - "if I don't fail the diet, it won't fail me," but I feel like I will sabotage myself again tomorrow!
Anyway, all that to say --- would love to join you in admitting that although some habits have changed in that I know I'm overall making better decisions, this whole "anything-goes" week has really taken me right back to where I was before. Yikes. Thought I'd changed!
The really sad part is I've felt like crap. Yuck. Gross. Not good at all... but I've kept going with the junk this week. Looking forward to feeling better again. Keep us posted--- we can walk this journey together, and we don't have to be perfect while doing it!
I have been off IP since about a week before Thanksgiving. I thought after six months on IP my eating habits would change. Oh no...
In less than six weeks time I am back to the compulsive eating and binge eating. I won't even go into the details, but I will say I am ashamed. I was so proud of my accomplishments with IP that I was sure I had changed.
I am going back on the protocol tomorrow. I was hoping we could start a discussion for people like myself that are truly addicted to food. I feel like a junky with no self control. As I am sitting here typing, I am eating out of a bag of chocolate chips. No idea why! I am not even hungry. Somehow I just feel like it is justified because I will be back on plan tomorrow.
That is how I got over 200 pounds in the first place. I was always eating my last meal or my last snack before the next diet started. Unfortunately the diets never stuck and the eating continued.
I was really just wondering if there are any other confessed overeaters out there that just need a place to talk. If so, I will be here. I will get back on track and I will get to my goal weight. I just pray that I can find the strength to beat this addiction and keep it off this time.
Doxi Sorry you're having a rough time. It's incredibly brave of you to post truthfully about how you're eating.
I've found that it's much easier to say no to sweets if I don't eat wheat products and if I have enough fat. In fact when I'm consistently avoiding wheat and eating enough fat, resisting sweet stuff and chocolate isn't an issue. I can have 1 piece of chocolate and put the bar away!!!! It's quite shocking.
Good luck with your revisit to Phase 1. You've been successful with it before, you will be again. And, you've learned something important about you and your body on maintenance. Hooray!
Several of you have mentioned feeling bad. I was just saying to my husband the other day that I felt bad. I am irritable and tired. I feel sluggish all day. I look in the mirror and I look tired. The healthy, energetic glow is gone. My hair even looks dull. It is amazing all the physical and emotional changes your body goes through based on your daily diet.
Svelting - Thanks for the vote of confidence. You are absolutely right. When I stay on protocol, I do not have the sweet cravings. I feel like a different person. I love it.
I just really want to focus more on the addiction during this next phase. I know now that I cannot assume that I will be so happy with my new self that I will miraculously overcome my eating disorders. I need to face them and learn to deal with them. I truly do categorize myself as an addict. I have a disease. I hope this journey will allow me to have a relationship with other people that will help me and others learn to deal with this terrible addiction.
Tomorrow is a new day! Good luck and great success to all!
I just really want to focus more on the addiction during this next phase. I know now that I cannot assume that I will be so happy with my new self that I will miraculously overcome my eating disorders. I need to face them and learn to deal with them. I truly do categorize myself as an addict. I have a disease. I hope this journey will allow me to have a relationship with other people that will help me and others learn to deal with this terrible addiction.
Tomorrow is a new day! Good luck and great success to all!
Have you thought about seeing a counselor to help deal with the addictive behaviors?
Have you thought about seeing a counselor to help deal with the addictive behaviors?
I have, but I never follow through. I actually found a local AA type group a couple years ago. I think it was actually overeaters anonymous. I went to a couple meetings and quit. I thought this type of forum might be easier. It is definitely more convenient.
I have, but I never follow through. I actually found a local AA type group a couple years ago. I think it was actually overeaters anonymous. I went to a couple meetings and quit. I thought this type of forum might be easier. It is definitely more convenient.
Good to know that I am not the only one with this problem. Thanks for posting. I plan to attend the local Over-eaters Anonymous group or go to counseling to see what I can do about me sabotaging myself.
Have you thought about seeing a counselor to help deal with the addictive behaviors?
Eating Disorders and addictive behaviors are quite different to those of us that have it, compared to people who choose the wrong way to eat and gain weight. I am a counselor and have had experience working in eating disorder clinics (long term ones), substance abuse counseling, and substance abuse treatment centers. I have lost and gained hundreds of pounds. I know today if I were to eat one cookie, I would eat a dozen. There is no shut off switch and I can't make a good decision at that point. It is not something I want to do, but once I make a personal decision to eat something, I lose control. I have to follow protocol perfectly, as I will have to do with all of the phases. Someday, when I am in Phase 4, I hope to be able to eat a potatoe without consequences. I know that if I have a day that I eat a dessert that I order at a restaurant (I won't be able to bring anything home), I can do Phase one the next day or two and be okay. Addiction does not go away. Once an addict, always an addict. We have to do what is best for us and change it to fit into what we want for ourselves and what works for us. Everyone is different - I may never be able to eat sugar again. I don't know at this point. But I do know that I can do it if I need to. I have free will and free choice. I make the decision to take that first forbidden bite and I lose that ability after that point. We can do this together - We may not get another chance.
I can really relate to these posts because this is what I worry about the most. I am a sugar addict and it's been a great source of pain in my life. I know that as long as I'm in phase 1 at least the cravings are lessened but I worry about what's after this. I agree Rosemary... once an addict always an addict. I think we have to find ways to deal with our addictions which could be easier said than done. For me the first step was to get some medication to treat my depression which makes it even more difficult to lose wgt. As for the physical part of the addiction, I think I will need to be on a reduced carb diet for the rest of my life if I want to be successful at losing and keeping this wgt off for good.
So, Doxi you are defiantely in good company here! The only thing you can do is fight every day to stay on track... some days you will win the battle and some days you will lose... I try to live by the motto "You only fail when you quit trying"
I have, but I never follow through. I actually found a local AA type group a couple years ago. I think it was actually overeaters anonymous. I went to a couple meetings and quit. I thought this type of forum might be easier. It is definitely more convenient.
Doxi, there's a fairly active forum on 3fatchicks for Beck Diet Solution, described as "A step-by-step program to learn specific techniques to stay on our diet, lose weight, and maintain our weight loss for life." As best as I can tell, there's no specific diet to follow. I think it's based on a book or series of books. Since web-based community support works for you, it might be worth checking out.
There's also a forum Chicks in Control with a good level of activity on both the main forum threads and the Overeaters Anonymous sub-forum.
Compulsive overeating and/or binge eating
Doxi 
Good to know...
