Binge-Free in September.
 

I know this is a little late, but I thought a September thread is what's needed here. Anyone is welcome to join at anytime. Let's make September a binge-free month. :)

This is day one for me! I feel excited and powerful already. :)

I'm there with you.

Welcome, vintagecat! I'm so happy you could join me!

Before I started this thread this morning, I was spiraling out of control. After I decided to post this, I stopped and took control of myself. We can totally make the rest of September a binge-free month! :hug: And congrats on your weight loss! :congrat:

I'm with you! Let's make September awesome!

Hi Mrs. Snark! I'm so glad you could join us, because you are already my inspiration! Maybe some of your spark can rub off on me. :hug:

(Check out Mrs. Snark's before and now pictures on her blog!)

:carrot:
Tyla I am sooo with you-- no-binging for this gal- September....BRING IT! (I just won't eat it!) :lol:

:hug:MrsKevin


http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt...PZL/weight.png

------------------
Long Term Goal: 82# to lose
My Mini Goals:
Under 200#
Under 180#
Weight at 156# (50# lost and out of obsese BMI range at 164#)
Goal 142#
Target date for Goal Weight- Feb 7, '14 (my 50th bday)

:lol: , MrsKevin! You're too funny. So glad you could join us. Let's make this happen! :)

Today is day 2 under my belt! I feel renewed already. I've decided to research more about health and the mind, and report any tips that I've learned.

In the meantime, have a great day!

Thanks for the nice words, Tyla!

I had a great on-plan day yesterday, and I stayed strong while my dh ate chikfila french fries and what not (I tried not to look!)!

Hope everyone has another great day today!

Tyla, thanks for starting this thread! I have been away from 3FC for a long time and looked for this when I cam back. Glad to see it.

Day 15 for me!

I definately need to join this as motivation to stop sabotaging myself. My problem is that temptation is always staring at me in the face as I work at a mining village and they make awesome pastries and deserts, and then there's also a mini store at the reception I work where's there's chocolates chips and ice-cream galore. I started off good in the morning by having porridge and fruit for snacks, I even packed myself a nice healthy lunch. Then I completely ruined it by having three small chocolate bars and a bag of chips :(:( So frustrated with my binge eating habbits

Happy Wednesday everyone! I went out to eat with my family last night and I stuck with my plan at the restaurant (I looked at the menu ahead of time).

And, even better, I stayed on plan AFTER dinner when I was alone (in the past, just going out to eat with people could be a trigger and I would be very strictly on-plan during the meal and then secret binge later). I was on guard for that behavior and fortunately I didn't feel the urge to do that. :)

It is so hard to get binging under control when you are surrounded by trigger foods. Try and stay out of that mini store at all costs! Be prepared that in the afternoon you will start thinking of going in, and whip out a big apple, or a notebook and write you feelings down, or a book, or music. Anything to distract you and break the pattern.

Good Morning, Everyone!!

Mrs Snark, congratulations on eating out and staying within your calorie range! And kudos to you for staying strong when you came home! Habits are hard to die, but you did it. :)

Welcome, thesame7lbs.! So good to see you again! It's been months since I've been here, too. Guess we're on the same time frame. :lol: Let's make September a great month. :cheer2:

Welcome, Mzshaunna! Glad you could join us. Hopefully we can come up with ideas to help you with your situation. We're here to support each other. Sugar temptations are hard sometimes, unless you start looking at them differently. This is what I've learned so far about sugar:

I've been researching why we overeat at times. One of the main reasons is having a sugary treat. I've learned that sugar makes you crave more sugar. It's addictive like a drug. Researchers have done studies with rats, giving them sugar, and they wanted to eat more and more sugar.

Sugar not only leads to obesity, but inflames joints, is not metabolized well by the liver and causes a myriad of illnesses--like cancer. Also high fructose make us want more food. (Food at McDonald's is loaded with high fructose.)

I'll continue to research the reasons why sugar is so bad for us. We need to look at sugar as a killer, not a treat.

Today is my 3rd day of healthy eating. I feel so much better for it. I'm starting to think clearly again. Got my menu and exercise planned for today.

Let's continue to do our best! :goodluck:



__________________

After reading medical studies, this is what I found:

Here some of the dangers of consuming sugar:

1.Feeds candida (yeast infections)
2.Promotes wrinkling and aging skin
3.Makes your blood acidic
4.Can lead to osteoporosis
5.Rots your teeth
6.Raises your blood sugar level
7.Contributes to obesity
8.Is addictive (almost as much as drugs)
9.Creates the urge to binge
10.Provides 'empty calories' with no nutritional value
11.Contributes to diabetes
12.Robs your body of minerals
13.Robs you of energy
14.Contributes to heart problems
15.Causes cancer
16.Contributes to ulcers
17.Causes gallstones
18.Contributes to adrenal fatigue
19.Suppress your immune system (Overweight people have more colds, flu)
20.Raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin
21.Weakens eyesight
22.Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).
23.Causes aging
24.Contributes to eczema
25.Causes arthritis
26.Causes depression

Nice, Tyla, thanks for sharing that. I make a major effort to stay away from sugar and I can see right there how much it is benefiting me to do so!

Sugary, sweet-tasting, and even artificially sweetened food is definitely a trigger for me -- I used to binge eat jelly of all things. For some reason fruit doesn't cause me the same problems thank goodness.

Yesterday afternoon I started to feel snackish and weak-willed so I ate my dinner early and delayed a trip to the grocery store so I wouldn't be tempted to buy anything off plan. I feel much more normal and in control this morning, so glad I put off shopping until today when I can do it in a good frame of mind!

Have a great Thursday everyone!

I have been doing fairly well lately, but I did binge a bit last night. I ate half a bag of goldfish crackers in one sitting. I don't even know why I was eating them. I wasn't hungry, I wasn't upset, I just felt the need to eat. I suppose I do that from time to time with no real reason.

My triggers are salty foods like potato chips, cheezits, cheese, etc.

Good Morning, Everyone!

Day 4 here of in range calorie eating and exercising. I feel really great about that. :)

Mrs.Snark, excellent job on eating dinner a little early rather than overeating! Kudos to you for staying strong. :woohoo:

Psychic, I'm not sure why we crave different things sometimes, maybe because they're different. In any event, you stopped! That's a huge deal in my book. :yay:

Psychic, Re: cravings, I just read an article in Psychology Today. Besides emotional issues, one of the reasons for craving certain foods is that we associate the certain food with comfort and love; another reason is that we've been dieting too long and need to change things up. There are also biological reasons. This article suggests:

· "Allowing yourself a small portion of the craving culprit will give you the feeling of accomplishment and you’ll likely be satisfied without overindulge as may be the case if you try ignoring it for too long."

· "Combing the less healthy food with something of nutritional value will make the snack less troublesome on your body and your mind. Adding a few M&M’s to your yogurt for example will cater to your craving in a less regretful manner."

Hope this helped somewhat. :) You know this is all well said and done, but for me, in the past, if I start eating junk food I have more trouble (unless I count my calories and plan it). Just my two cents. :lol:

Oh, Mrs. Snark, this is FANTASTIC! That situation is a challenge for me as well. Next time I go out and get successfully through an event or meal, I will keep this post in mind -- I will be on guard!!!

Day 17 for me. :)

Good Morning, Everyone!

TGIF!!!! :carrot:

This is my 5th day of healthy eating and exercising, and I can tell a difference in my waist, thank God. :yay:

The same7lbs., day 17! :woohoo: Congratulations for doing so well!

Let's make September a great month! :dust:

thesame7lbs - Congrats on Day 17! That's awesome!

Tyla -- I'm glad you're feeling so good, it is always such a relief when you can start seeing and actually feeling the changes that result from the hard work! :carrot:


This is a tough weekend for me as we have big celebrations both last night and tonight that are super food/drinks-oriented. I'm planning for big-ish dinners and a drink or 2 both nights, so I have to work extra hard to:

1. stay on plan throughout the day leading up to the dinners (stressing!).
2. stay on plan DURING the event (alcohol can mean bad judgment and I'll be surrounded by trigger foods!).
3. try to still enjoy myself without going overboard or sucking the fun from the event for myself.

I've been binge free since mid-April and I'm working hard to maintain that. I've made it through lots of indulgent celebrations so far, I'm learning not to freak out under the pressure, but it is STILL HARD and takes focus and planning.

Thank you so much ladies for the support :) Love the advice on these forums, definately helps to make things easier

MrsSnark, please hang in there. Know that we're all thinking of you and rooting you on! You can make it through! :cheer2:

MzShaunna, Glad to see you here. I hope things are going a little better for you. Sometimes you have to make a game out of your day. I used to work in a bakery, and I would give myself a star after each half hour would pass and I didn't pick on anything. I would leave from work with a sheet full of stars. Believe me, it was hard sometimes, when everyone else would eat and I would refrain.

Today is day 6 for me of being on plan with my calories. Weekends are harder for me than weekdays, but I made it through today! :D :yay:

Thanks for the support Tyla! :hug:

I am glad to have that behind me.

Truth is, I didn't even enjoy the treat food I had planned very much and I feel awful today -- like having a food flu. Looking forward to nice, normal, stress-free, healthy meals now. Never thought I'd say *that*, lol.

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday was Day 20 for me... I might stop counting and just focus on going binge-free in September. I remember when I couldn't go more than 2 days, though, so it's nice to see the 20.

I'm going to a get-together this afternoon. I know there will be wine and I'm sure there will be snacky food. I am optimistic that I can get through it without going overboard, and I will be on guard for the post-party binge! I think I need to plan a yummy, healthy dinner to ward that off.

Tyla, great job making it through a weekend day. I agree -- they are harder! Less structure.

Mrs. Snark, I hear you on the food flu. Makes you realize how bad those foods are for our bodies.

It's been a week of healthy eating for me, and you're right, thesame7lbs, enough with the counting and more with the healthy eating. :)

MrsSnark, I'm so glad you got through the weekend. :carrot: I feel like you...even when I plan unhealthy eating, I feel kinda sick afterward.

Thesame7lbs., best of luck with your gathering this afternoon. You can do it! :goodluck:

Hugs to both of you! :hug: :hug: And here's to another great week!
:dust:

Happy Monday, another beautiful week in front of us, another week to treat ourselves like the healthy goddesses we are! :)

Tyla - congrats on a full week, such an accomplishment! Weekends are always harder for me, but eventually I do find a groove and they get a teeny bit more easy to handle.

7lbs - hang tough at your get together -- it sounds like you have an excellent attitude and plan, you can do it!

mzshaunna -- How are you today, how was your weekend?

I feel much better today, happy to be putting food in my body that doesn't make me feel cruddy! I pretty much have my meals all planned out for the full week (once less thing to worry over) and I'm feeling good.

Hugs to all!

Happy Monday, Everyone!
I just noticed there's only 2 more weeks until October! Are you kidding me?! Wow, this year is going fast. So all of us being here together, rooting each other on, should help us get through those next few weeks.

MrsSnark, I agree with you, planning my meals makes it so much easier to stay on track. It also makes me more structured, which is what I need.

If anyone else is struggling and wants to get back on track, please join us. Everyone is welcome. It takes one day at a time. :)

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Wow, it can hit you like a ton of bricks, can't it?! I was stressed over a class I have to teach on Thursday, and couldn't find part of my notes. Suddenly, I wanted to eat everything in sight. I tried to distract myself a million ways, but still was a nervous wreck. I vented like a nut to my poor husband at work, and he calmed me down. I haven't found my notes yet, but I went from an uptight crazy person to finally becoming somewhat normal. I can't believe all of this happened and I didn't eat! :) I'm here to report it can be done. :yay: Now I have to call my husband back and thank him.

GOOD JOB!!! And yes, it really can sneak up on you when you are least prepared!

Hang in there and I hope the Notes Fairy returns your teaching materials to you pronto!

I wanted to chime in to check in. Last night was rough but not terrible. I am trying to be gentle with myself. I don't have to judge myself over my behavior, this just creates more self-hate. I am working on self sabotaging behavior.

One more thing...I am going out for dinner tonight with a colleague. This sometimes presents problems for me. I am committing to sticking to my food plan and not sabotaging myself.

Hello everyone!

Tyla, AWESOME JOB! :cheer: I think learning to pull back from the "edge of the abyss" is probably the most useful skill we can learn to overcome binge behavior. And you did it today! And every time you flex that "pull back" muscle, it gets stronger. Nice!

MrsSnark, planning for a whole week -- that's great! I try to plan for the day each morning, or the night before. It would be good for me in so many ways to plan on, say, Sunday, for the whole week ahead.

Mzshaunna, hope you had a good weekend!

NoNoNOJ, you are so right -- don't judge yourself. We are not [insert the negative words here] -- we are fighting and struggling and learning to overcome something. Everyone has a "thing" (I said this to a friend once, and she said, "A thing? I have a hundred things!"). Right now, this is yours thing (and mine). And we're fighting it every step of the way.

I did well at my party yesterday and, even better, did well after -- no post-party-relief-binge. I treated myself to a diet coke afterwards (I used to drink one a day, but now I'm cutting back, so it really was a treat!). Sushi for dinner, a couple hundred calories over goal for the day but that was OK. I'm in a deficit and I ran 6 miles so 200 calories for wine is something I'm comfortable with!

tyla - thank you for the words of encouragement :) I applaud you for being able to do it in a bakery, one of my first jobs was working in a bakery inside a supermarket and man that was hard especially when the baker was tempting us with freshly made donuts (one of my weaknesses)

Mrs Snark - hope you feel better soon :) I am feeling better and my weekend went well in terms of exercise but still need to watch what I am eating. Definately improving though, even if it is only in baby steps

NoNoNOJ - hope everything went well with the dinner. I find them hard as well as I am always tempted by hot chips



I am still slipping up every now and then but if I compare heck even to a week ago and several weeks before then, I am slowly progressing. I think I am going through a detox at the moment as I am feeling pretty crummy :(

Great job 7lbs! :carrot: It sounds like it was a good day!

NoJ - I hope everything went well last night!

MzShaunna - Progress is what is important, not perfection! I'm sorry you are feeling crummy, detox is rough. I just had a mini-detox after having planned junk food over the weekend, and bleeeerg, it felt awful!


I had a great day yesterday -- everything I ate tasted good and was emotionally satisfying as well; I never felt overly hungry or snacky; my run was blissful; and my mind was peaceful and quiet. I love those kinds of days!

It's been a hectic day today with lots to do, but in spite of that, I'm actually doing much better than yesterday. I've decided to practice without my notes and do the best I can with what I've got. And it will all turn out ok. Thanks, everyone, for your support and encouragement! :thanks:

Welcome, NoNoNoJ! What a great idea to be kind and gentle to yourself! I love that idea. I must work on that, too. I seem to be kind and gentle to others, before I do so with myself. In my eyes, I must be perfect. :dizzy: Congrats to you for learning a new behavior!! I hope all worked out with your dinner.

7lbs, you have a great attitude! I love the fact that you can go over a couple of hundred cals and put it behind you. Then drinking a diet coke after the dinner. Excellent! Plus you ran 6 miles!!! That's fantastic!!

MzShaunna, That is wonderful, that you are doing much better than last week. It's all about baby steps and progressing forward! Best of luck to you!!

MrsSnark, I love your attitude, too! As I was running around getting my errands done, I thought of you! I was trying to be more peaceful and quiet. It helped me a lot!

Lots of hugs to all of you, and let's continue to make this a great day!! :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

For the first time yesterday I had a junk food-free binge day :) :) no chips or chocolate. I did snack on some chilli flavoured peanuts which probably isn't too great as it's not healthy because of the flavouring. I have made some diet jelly so today have something a bit better to snack on


Mrs Snark - I definately agree, detox is rough lol! I guess it was my body's way of telling me off haha thankfully I am feeling much better today.

tyla - thanks for that tyla :) best of luck to you too, I am sure we can all get through this together

What is diet jelly? Not something I'm familiar with!