Am I setting myself up by trying to "diet"? I'm sure I could get the answer in a book but I would love to hear from the posters here in "Chicks in Control". I'm trying to decide should I be doing WW or just eat more healthy without counting anything.

This may be controversial...but I do not believe I am powerless over food. I believe God has given me the tools I need to cope with binge eating I just make the wrong choices every time. All that to say I don't think OA is the program for me. Is anyone else doing this w/o OA, on their own, some other type of support group, counseling, etc?

Thanks.

It all depends on what you mean by diet. Personally, I'd call eating less calories than you use a diet, whether it's a specific plan like WW or not.

At the end of the day (wow I've just realised I type that a lot ), any plan that means taking in less calories than you use is going to result in weight loss, so long as you stick to it. Those are the key words. If you want to choose a specific plan, ask yourself the following:
- is it healthy and balanced
- is it practical
- can I do it forever.

If the answer to these is no (which it would be for me, for any specific plan) then I suggest you try the healthy lifestyle approach first. If, however, you find a plan that is flexible, cheap and practical enough to maintain consistently, and think you would benefit from the structure of following one, I don't see why you'd be setting yourself up to fail.

I jumped in thinking "diet diet diet" when I decided to finally take the plunge into losing weight and fighting my binge and compulsive overeating. Going cold turkey worked for me (only in the weight loss sense because I still struggle with overeating). I started off strictly counting calories and then I educated myself about healthy eating. I also read a lot of books about overcoming eating disorders. I didn't go through any therapy or anything professional (hence my in tact struggle), but I did find this place, and a lot of girls going through the same thing that I was, and it did help immensely.

Thank you both for your thoughtful feedback.

Me23--I think I read on here somewhere that WW was a particular individual's go to diet and it is the same for me. It has been the most successful for me so I keep going back. Sometimes I wonder if figuring out all of the points and all of the planning is too much stress and trying not to binge. I know how to eat healthy. I like to eat healthy. I know what choices to make. I just don't do it. I think I may try an experiment. Today is Sunday. I think for the next two weeks I will just try to eat healthy choices and see where that gets me.

HarpoChicoGroucho--You answered my question. You can do this--and of course there will be ups & downs--that's life isn't it--with being self aware, developing some coping skills (ie,visiting this forum), and educating yourself. At some point I may seek counseling but I'm not ready. Can you recommend some books or maybe the sticky at the top of the forum has what I need for reading material?

Thanks.

I really have negative feelings about the word "diet" although I try to tell myself "diet" is shorthand for what we eat- not necessarily a weight reduction plan. I feel better with the terms food plan or nutritional plan. These are health related life long changes I am making. There are so many support networks out there and so much good info here. What we see as our problems with food are more like a common denominator of many many women (men too- but this seems to be such a female thing).