Gained 40 lbs back after losing 60 lbs after divorce

  • Hello everyone:

    I need help and support SO much right now.

    I have struggled with my weight since I was in my 30s and started binging due to stress from working for a nutjob boss. Over the next 15 years I packed on 70 lbs, found out my ex had been having an affair with a co-worker for the last 11 years (found this out in 2009), we split up then I lost 60 lbs in 5 months from the sheer grief of finding out. The only up side to this was I looked better than I had for many years.

    I met a lovely man and we are doing great - but I have packed on 40 of the 60 (my body did not like losing weight that quickly and revolted). I am also a terrible emotional eater and am in a horrible cycle of binging and dieting. I just want to stop the binging!!

    Now that I am 50 I am finding it very difficult to lose weight so that doesn't help. I would be happy with just losing 1-2 lbs a month!! At least that would be going in the right direction.

    I have read so many books, gone to therapists, talked til I'm blue in the face - nothing has helped me stop the emotional binging/overeating (same thing in my opionion, at least for me).

    Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

    Maggie
  • Welcome, Maggie. The first suggestion I would make is to peruse this site and read a lot of the threads. You'll find a lot of support, ideas, and most importantly for me, motivation. In terms of dieting and losing at our age (and I'm in my 60s), it's a matter of finding what works for you. Throw out whatever the "experts" say because most of what was tried and true dieting advice is not being refuted. And, at a rate of 1-2 pounds a month, you'll be down at the end of the year.

    Good luck on your journey. Sounds like you have hit the jackpot with your new guy!
  • Thank you Betsy - just reading about everyone else's struggle certainly lets me know we're all in this together.

    You are so right about not listening to the experts - when it comes to losing weight now, everything has changed. There is such a focus on youth out there and we seem to have been forgotten.

    Maggie