[howie6267]

I'm so depressed this morning. I went to a friends house last night to play a game and sat there and ate 2 bags of chips. My wife was with me and when I told her we both ended up binging. We went to Taco bell and McDonalds afterward. How can I stop this? It drives me crazy. I know all the sayings get right back at it. It's only one night etc... I am going to get right back at it but I want it to stop. I'm tired of living this way. Food is such an addiction. Well thanks for listening. I just wanted someone to talk to I guess.

[irishwings]

Hi Howie!

Man, I know what you mean! For the past year I have been strong, (only by God's grace) and have lost a good bit of weight. But for the past 4 weeks, I have been dismayed to discover that my old habits are alive and well down inside, no matter how well I may have done this past year. And I've packed at least 4 pounds on just like that.

I've been cheating, eating at night, fast food late night drive thru's, you name it. And once you let yourself get off for a while, it seems like it's even more difficult to get back "on" again. I don't have any really good advice, I just wanted to tell ya you're not alone, and somehow hang in there! I can sympathize.

What you said is right. . .forget about it and go on. We have to accumulate day after day of being OP. Those good days add up to weight loss over time. So, do pick yourself up and try again. . .like one of my favorite Sting songs says, "Just keep walking, like I've been walking for a thousand years. . ."

[Jillegal]

Holly took the words right out of my mouth (wish she'd taken out that cheeseburger too).

It's tough, isn't it? You start out with the best of intentions and then bingo one slip turns into a binge. At least you recognize it and know to put it behind you and start over rather than giving up and giving in. As our wise Apryl says "you can't uneat it" - it's over and done with and now it's all about damage control. Just concern yourself with getting through the rest of the day and then do the same tomorrow. You probably remember from your previous successes that it gets easier (and helps motivation) if you can string a few good days together.

We're rooting for you Howie!

[howie6267]

Thank guys, my stomach is upset which just makes it all the worse because for the moment I can't not think about what I did. I am feeling better mind wise and as the day goes on I'm sure I will get back in the swing of it. Thanks for you kind words and help to pick me up.

[dowsx4]

Howie, I wished I knew the secret to stop binge eating. I would be a rich woman! Its just taking one minute at a time and being the best you can. I am still having issues with eating at times too. The best I can do is to have healthy things to snack on and try to never take that "just one bite". If I have a planned day off I have no trouble getting back OP its those days that are not planned that get the better of me. For me food is like being an alcoholic, some foods if I even have just one bite it triggers the desire to binge. I just have to learn to avoid those foods like an alcoholic avoids alcohol. You can do it just keep trying!

[howie6267]

I agree with you Julie. However with me it's more social gatherings. I can stop at McDonalds if it's planed and be good. Or have pizza if it's planed. However if I go somewhere and there is just food siting out that is where I struggle and then it's gloves off for the whole night and I just binge. I don''t know what to do in those cases. I have to get a plan and stick to it. We have a party coming up at a friends house on the 15th. They are all skinny people and I so want to eat like them.

[howie6267]

Ok this is bad. They put the scales back into the back room again at work. So now all I have to do is walk around the corner to weigh instead of clear though the plant in front of everyone. So now I am checking to much. I wanted to see what damage I had done with my binge and I actually lost 5 more lbs. I know since I just started I'm still losing water but it sure was nice to see the numbers. I also know that last night will not show up until 2 to 3 days later so I'm hoping I can just stay where I'm at tonight for my official weigh in on Thursday. I will not post to the weekly weight loss thread until Thursday but this sure has picked up my spirits.

[howie6267]

I also think part of last nights problem was having a few beers. I don't drink often but I do have a couple every now and again. After I had 3 last night is when my diet went out the window. So I think I will limit the beer intake to two tops. That way it's only two hundred calories and I don't lose my good judgement.

[Jen]

I started this dr.phil plan and I think it has really helped me with my snacking. I've never been much of a binger but I do graze a lot on whatever is handy. I've found that if I plan out what I'm supposed to eat that day it really helps to stop myself when I'm thinking about snacking on food that is definately not on the plan. I'll want some cookies but then I'll think to myself that cookies aren't on the plan and that is usually enough to get me thinking about why do I really want the cookies and is it worth how crummy I will feel afterwards. Then I definately won't eat them because I hate that feeling when you've eaten a lot of crap food you really didn't need and probably weren't really hungry for in the first place.

[howie6267]

With the plan I'm on I can eat anything and not feel guilty I just have to have the calories left. So if I would have just had the two normal servings I started out having I would have been filne. I just need to learn to stop. Plus I think if I start bringing some low cal stuff to mix in with the other stuff maybe I will have a better time of it.

You are right though. Planing out your days meals is a good way to stay on you diet no matter what plan you are using.

[Monkeybabies]

Howie...
I know where you are coming from,, because I have been there...and hope and pray NEVER to go back. I have not read any of the other responses yet, so bear with me if I repeat the others.


Let's just say, for me...it was something way more deeper than the "FOOD". And I am still trying to find out excatly what that something is! I know this sounds so cliche, but it is true. I got the diagnosis of a compulsive over eater and with a binge eating disorder...and what that meant for me was kind of a release, or sort of a freedom that gave me the "OK" to know, that I don't have complete control over this...hmmm maybe that is why no how many times I begged myself to stop stuffing my face, I really could not stop!!

So, with this diagnosis also meant...that I had to work super hard to loose the weight...because it had to do with so muc more than FOOD. I had to work on me psychologically which was and still is...scarey!!! So, to make a long story short, I broke down and I am starting to see a therapist to help me break my addiction with food, that transferred from a food addiction to a shopping addiction...that is being stopped, or helpe so it will never turn into a drug/alcohol addiction. See where I am going with this? Please take Care...and don't hesitate to PM me if you want or need more info on how I am dealing with this daily!!!!!

P.S...just for the record...all my adult life, I have been over weight and clinically depressed...coincidence? I think not!!!

[howie6267]

Thanks Gina, I have known for a while that my problem goes deeper than just the food. I'm just using eating to deal with life. If I'm happy I eat and if I'm depressed I eat. My mom says she can remember me sitting at the table crying because of something my Dad did or said and I would still be shoveling in the food. My dad was an alcoholic. So I know the addiction tendency runs in my veins. I still need to figure out how to stop it.

[Jen]

Howie, my dad was also an alcoholic so I know exactly what you are talking about. It was hard growing up thinking that alcohol meant more to him than any of his family did. I don't believe that it actually did but he had so many problems and alcohol was his way of dealing with things. I have a lot of emotional issues too and I use food sometimes as a way of coping.

I just wanted to take issue with what you were saying about eating anything you want as long as you had the calories and not feeling guilty. Okay I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but there seems to be a lot of studies that show that eating a lot of processed foods with a lot of flour and sugar just cause you to eat more and more. So even though you are limiting yourself to a certain number of calories you are finding it difficult to not eat more. I don't know what you are eating so maybe I am way out of line here but if you are eating a lot of carbs even if you aren't going over your calories you are still going to want more carbs and maybe this is leading in some way to your binging.

Gosh darn it!!! I hate like I am quoting dr. phil every second because I'm not really a big fan but this is in his food guide book and one of the reasons that with his plan he really, really limits carbs to break the addiction.

Also I don't know if you have heard of this guy named Fred who was here oh ages and ages ago who was probably your weight and pretty much stopped cold turkey eating crap food and lost all the weight in about a year? He has a book out, don't know if you have heard of it, From Chunk to Hunk Diary of a Fat Man. He wasn't here a lot, just popped in once in awhile, has his own web site. The one he had going while he was losing the weight was awesome, he has a different site now, not devoted to weight loss (but it is also awesome). I think he still has a bit of a site at www.onephatman.com Just seems like some of his insights might be of interest to you.

[howie6267]

I know where your coming from Jen. I appreciate the input. I am trying to eat healthy and stay away from the junk food. Chips burgers pizza ect... But I also know that if I don't have these things once in a while I will feel deprived. Like I said above I had a few beers that night also so that kind of hindered my judgement. All though that is rareley a factor for the most part. It's just everyone I seen on the low carb diets as soon as they go off that type of diet the weight comes right back. I know this is the case for most diets and that's why I feel we need to know how to limit the quanity so it does not come back. I need to learn to eat healthy all the time so when I do have a junkfood meal it is just that one meal.

Don't be sorry for you input either. That's what makes this site great, is all the different ideas. Thanks for your help and I will keep all you said in mind.

[Jen]

Well I don't disagree with you that people gain weight back when they stop low carb diets. Personally I plan to continue eating low carb, not super low carb as on some of these diets but really I know I eat too many carbs. When you think about how many calories we need a day and how many we actually eat to support the weight we are at, for me that is a bell ringer that I am eating too much and eating crap food. I'm not saying that I won't eat chips, pizza etc, I won't be that sanctimonious!!! I had some chips at a party on Sunday and even a piece of birthday cake and ice cream. From now on though eating like that will be the exception rather than the rule.