I am reading this right now. So far I'm on chapter 2.
It's a breath of fresh air. I realize yesterday that it's taken me years to see that my eating habits are not just lack of willpower, but literal lack of control over my body at certain moments. Food is definitely not just food to me, but I couldn't see that until recently.
Beyond that, I have read so many books about eating healthy that are full of stories about women who previously had no knowledge of weight loss and then, suddenly, they start eating better and moving more. Then Poof!, they're losing weight. Or else it's women who have only ever done crash diets and then, when they finally discover how to lose healthily, are also Poof!, losing weight. Then the books go on to explain calories, exercise and eating veggies....
Me? I have understood healthy eating for 3+ years now and...no Poof! Not that everyone who hasn't lost weight eating healthy has binge eating disorder...we are all different. I do believe I have disordered eating habits though. Nothing else can explain a donut literally bringing me to my knees in a horrific showdown in which ends with me eating three, one right after the other in a span of 5 minutes before bursting into tears! I feel like Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream, with the refridgerator attacking me. (But without all the speed.)
Anyways, this book recognizes disordered eating and the fact that it comes in all shapes and sizes, and binging can encompass all sorts of things(not just tons of food, but a general lack of control over what you're putting in your mouth, even if it's 1 extra cookie.)
I'm feeling better everyday, even though all my exercise has caused me to put on 1 lb(probably water weight). But exercise is certainly helping, as is meditating. Exercise without the concern of burning calories is very liberating and I am enjoying it very much.
Hi there I think it's great that you've found a book that actually recognizes binging. I think binging has a lot to do with today's 24/7 lifestyle. No one sits down to eat anymore (or it happens very rarely), and if you live on your own (which I did until recently), it's tough to have any kind of dinner conversation.
I used to have a job where I was working in the evenings, and on call 24/7. I ate when I could, and I would binge, but I would always be on-the-go. Now, I have a sedentary 9-5 job (no longer on call!), and I've noticed my binging occurs at dinner time. With the "extra" time in my evenings, I have no reason to limit my dinner intake. Weird, but I have to make some rules when it comes to dinner.
I hope the book and the meditation is helping. I also like that you're not concentrating on calories just yet. I tried that too, and calorie counting just puts me over the edge.
Oh, I think your 1-pound weight gain is from exercise, like you said. You're probably gaining muscle from the exercise. Don't let it discourage you. (I know, "easy to say, not easy to do").
Keep up the good work!
Last edited by coffeeshopgirl; 11-25-2012 at 05:41 PM.
I actually don't mind counting the calories, but what happens is I'm fine all day long and then I end up binging in the evening, so all my hard work and calorie counting from the morning is seemingly lost!
I end up with pages of half-recorded food logs that all end with "Overate/binged in evening". It's depressing, and I know I'm not binging because I'm hungry. I eat breakfast and lunch, along with a bit of a snack and I leave plenty for dinner. I eat dinner usually, and then lose control and can't stop! So I realize, before I count calories, I have to learn why I binge and overeat and then I have to learn to control it.
I am still semi-counting. Today I wrote down all my calories, even though it's the first day of TOM and I know I'll probably end it with a hearty binge.
But I am working through this book and meditating each morning and evening, and doing yoga before work. I think I am on a good path here. With or without weight loss I can't dispute the health benefits of exercise and meditation.
I have half-recorded food logs laying around (or in the garbage) too! Especially on a meal that I binge, recording it and "seeing my failure" is just too overwhelming and I beat myself up over the binge. Now, I only record the days that I've been good.
My binging mostly happens in the evenings too, so I've started a new goal of limiting my dinner portions. I'm not hungry - just bored. So, I surf this website or clean the kitchen after watching some tv, etc. Mainly, I've been concentrating on my after dinner snack - a ruby red grapefruit - to be the last thing I consume in the evening. I make sure I eat it by 8pm (usually done eating it by 8:30pm). It's amazing how much my attention is given to food.
9:30ish I brush my teeth so I'm not further tempted to eat, and then I just focus on not deviating from the calories. And I post on this site as much as I need Lately, it's been a lot, haha.
I'll be happy when this becomes a habit and no longer something I need to concentrate on so heavily. I'm seeing how long I can attain this goal (aka how many days this week), and I'm currently on Day 2. I feel fine; I'm just bored and a little sugar-deprived (guess what I was binging on, lol).
Good luck with your meditation and reading, it sounds like it's helping you focus.
What is your daily schedule like? I'm on a 9am-5pm schedule, so my evenings are completely free to do/eat/snack on whatever.
Well, I work 9-3:30 but have college classes and homework most evenings. Doesn't much stop my binging. :/ I feel I actually eat less when I have less obligations because then I can draw, read, do yoga, play cards...things that make me happy.
My binges come from a place of sadness I think, less boredom. I really think I'm sad that I'm so overweight and it causes me to overeat. A bad cycle I have to break, otherwise I'll never lose it!
Ah, I gotcha. Well, it's good to know the emotions you're feeling before and as you binge. Sounds like relaxation is helping - are you still meditating?
As for me, I'm falling asleep this week! Hopefully I'll be able to sleep soon and get up for my morning workout. I did well today, even though I ate a little more than expected. Getting back down to 1400 calories has been a challenge, and I've been feeling mentally and physically empty from not snacking all evening. Tonight, my body was craving salt, so I ate approx 20 peanuts (the ones with the shells on them which was good for fidgeting) and then 3 tortilla chips. Probably an extra 150-200 calories, but I felt better after having the salt. I don't consider it a binge, since I had a conscious control of my eating.
Hope tonight is a successful binge-free night for you!
Food:The Good Girl's Drug
