[Chelsea36080]

It seems like the past 5 years have been such a battle. I have gained and lost the same 15 lbs I don't know how many times. It's always the same story: I lose the weight, cheat a little bit, and then the cheating becomes binging. I am definitly aware of the binging and of the feelings behind it, yet sometimes I feel as though I don't care. I am sick and tired of taking the easy way out. I want to start truly feeling my life. We only live once. Each emotion, no matter what it is, is worth feeling. Why should we push them to the side with food? We can't grow, we can't learn if we just resort to the easy way out all of the time. Though overcoming a binge may be one of the hardest things we go though (on certain days), is it not worth it? What are the driving forces that push you to not binge? What keeps you strong and motivated? For me, it is my boyfriend. He joined the Army Reserves recently. I think of what he's going through and try to use his strength to make it through. If he can endure that, why can I not endure this? I can beat it. I am certain that we all can. By the way, I am Chelsea. I have written on this site a few times, but never consistently. Hopefully no one will mind if that changes. Thanks for listening to my thoughts...

[Scarlett]

in my experiences with binge eating, keeping a journal (blog/writing here etc) really helps. Before I started doing this I had no idea what issues were contributing to my binge eating. I thought I just had a ravonous appetite. If I write something down I become compleatly aware of it, which makes it harder to semi-unconsiously eat your feelings. I used to just get hungry and crave food like noones buisness when dealing with difficult things (I often didn't even know I was stressed). Now I feel intense anxiety and the cravings have practically gone. In the past I would crave food and be VERY hungry when dieting, now I just feel the anxiety. The anxiety in my opinion is easier to deal with because, it makes me more aware of my problems. I feel like I am getting better by feeling it. Everyone is diffrent though, I think that I have an acute case of general anxiety disorder and food has helped me to deal with that.

[mdl]

wow i really liked this post...i agree. so what if it hurts to feel whatever painful emotions i am feeling [very often as of late]

every emotion and feeling is worth it...i am also sick of just givin up and saying, i am sick of feeling and thinking so much and using food to escape...there are so many better escapes i enjoy in life so much more..music, a book, movies, watching the paint peel !