Here I am finishing Day#14! That means I have made it two weeks without having a binge and for the most part following a very strict meal plan and staying with in a 1300-1600 calorie range. I also have excercised 2 days in a row! I feel like I am actually making some real progress with managing my food issues and feel so grateful for everyday that goes by that I go to bed knowing I didn't use food to comfort myself. I have hurt myself a lot with my binging and punishment cycles over the years, so it feels like such a relief to not be trapped in that cycle anymore. With every day that goes by I feel a little bit lighter literally and figuratively! Sort of like this weight is being lifted just a little at a time everyday,but enough so I can get through each day. And that's all I need is to just get through each day one day at a time. I know that I am never going to magically wake up one morning and not food issues anymore, but what I do know is that I have gotten a lot stronger and smarter about the way I manage them!

tyla, I do use the Walk Away the Pounds DVDs! I love Leslie Sansone. :-)

Mak, I'm so happy that you have now made it to day 15!!!! That's over 2 weeks! That's so amazing! I like your calorie range. Mine is very similar. I think that's very doable, especially being able to go to the higher end of the range on weekends. Good going on the exercise, too. This morning, so far, I did 35 minutes of my Zumba DVD, and later today I'll walk. Did some weights, too.

Thank you for keeping this up. It also encourages me to keep going. I've learned a lot about myself also. Overeating or bingeing to me is always about some negative emotion, so I try to hang around more positive people. (Although it's not always easy to do.) :lol:

Here's to a great day! :dust:

I'm a long time lurker and very new poster. Do you have room for another? I'm a closet binger and it has become worse now than ever before. I have been binging daily for some time now....I honestly don't remember my last day without a binge. And unfortunately they start in the morning and last all day. I'm in a very dark place and really need your help. I would like to start counting days without a binge. I look forward to getting to know each of you on this journey.

I weighed myself today ,and I only lost 1/2 a pound over the past seven days. I was a little disappointed , but I am trying to still see it as a success because at least it's a lost even though it's just a tiny one. I am not sure what led to such a small loss except that I may not have estimated my weekend calorie intake correctly or I was not careful enough with measuring my portion sizes during the week. I try to measure everything because in the past I would not be honest with myself about how much food I was actually putting on my plate and measuring it helps me to actually be conscious of everything I am putting in my mouth.

In the past having such a tiny loss would have crushed me. I would have wanted to go home and eat everything in sight. Today has been different so far. I have stayed on my food plan and used some different coping skills to deal with the feelings of disappointment. This has helped me to avoid having lowered feelings about myself which always leads to binging. I really want to make it through the whole day without overeating because it will be a big win for me to handle this situation without sabotaging my progress by having a binge! Hopefully I come back later to post that I made it through!

Liveagain, I'm new here to ,and I have been in a really dark place with my food issues at several points in my life, so just know that you are not alone. Reaching out for support was really difficult for me to do, but I am so glad that I finally did. One of the things that really helped me to begin with was reading the post and blog from Mrs.Snark. I believe some of her post are referenced in this thread during the earlier part of the month. Reading her words describing how she has come to a greater understanding of what it means to manage her eating and live a binge free normal life was so inspiring. They gave me hope that I could find a way out of the darkness. And slowly every day I have.

I made it! It's the end of my 15th day ,and I am on my way to bed without overeating! Despite finding out that I only lost 1/2 a pound over the last week, I stayed on plan today! I'm really proud of myself because in the past the disappointment from not having a big loss would have gotten the best of me ,and I would have started to feel bad about myself. So today I am for the first time able to truly appreciate a non-scale victory! I didn't turn to food to deal with a difficult emotion and that's a major accomplishment for me!

Good Morning, Everyone!
Today is day 48 for me! I'm pretty proud of myself, especially because yesterday I got some pretty devastating news. 48 days ago, I would have run to the refrigerator. But somehow I got through it. I stayed within my calorie range, exercised and kept busy. I want my new habit of self-control to stick. I'm going to the dentist this morning, so I don't have a lot of time to post today. I hope everyone has a strong, healthy weekend! We're all in this together! :hug:

Welcome, LiveAgain! I'm so happy that you decided to join us! I know you can do it. Just take it one minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time. Read all the posts on this thread. There's a lot of important information from everyone here. We want you to succeed! :) Make this your day one. Good luck to you!! :goodluck: :hug:

Mak, congrats on making it to day 15 and now on 16. Your body is adjusting to your new weight. That's why you're not losing more. Next week will be better! !/2 lb is excellent! Keep up the great work! :congrat:

Have a great weekend, everyone! :dust:

Good morning girls!

I know it's late in the game, but is there room for one more?

Finding this thread/forum makes me very happy, but I wish to he$% none of us had to be here in the first place!:hug:

Congrats to everyone for having the courage and strength to post their struggles and I hope I can help anyone who needs it. Granted, I was going to join last night, but I was too busy eating a bowl of spicy ramen, had no intention of putting it down and I don't type well with one hand.;)

Hi Momwithdogs! Welcome! I'm so happy you decided to join us! You made me laugh with your spicy ramen and not being able to type with one hand. :lol: I love people with a sense of humor! You'll fit right in. Let this be your day one.

So what kind of dogs do you have? I love dogs.

Let's do this thing. :hug: :dust:

Hello everyone!

Tyla, I am so sorry you received bad news yesterday. :hug: Give yourself a hug and a high-five for finding non-food ways to cope with your grief/stress. And I'll give you another hug, too. :hug:

Mak78, :carrot: way to go! You are an inspiration. I love reading your posts, it's like I can see you getting stronger in each one. Bad weigh-ins are a HUGE trigger for me. I bet your next weigh-in will be better. For me, it seems to take a couple weeks on plan before my body grudgingly agrees to the math and starts shedding lbs.

Welcome, Momwithdogs, Liveagain,and Chaselove! Momwithdogs, I totally agree with you -- I wish none of us had to be here, but since we have this challenge in our lives, I'm glad we can face it together, support each other, and learn from each other.

Mainecyn, I am thinking about you and I hope you're still reading. :hug:

I have had an OK week. I was away for a long weekend in New Orleans and we ate a lot, and this week I am finding it hard to get back to clean eating. Today I feel a bit better, though, and I will ride this wave of positivity into the weekend.

Good morning all! I am back from vacation and happy to report NO BINGES. Yippee!

I am totally in love with Maine and the cool weather -- it was a humid slap in the face returning to Florida, that's for sure!

I need to catch up on the thread, but I just wanted to quick say Happy Friday to everyone, I hope we all have a great, binge-free weekend on tap!

Welcome back, Mrs. Snark. Awesome job with the no bingeing :)

I overate a bit today at dinner. I'm starting to get annoyed with myself because I'm slipping up too often. When there's normal food, I have no problem staying within a reasonable limit, but if there's some really good food for lunch or dinner, or if we order something nice from outside, I can't seem to help myself. The first few times I thought it's ok, I just have to let it go and get back on the wagon, but I'm starting to feel like it's a problem. I've already slipped up twice this week.

I was pretty excited yesterday because I lost my first 10 lbs, but after I ate today it promptly went up to make it just 0.5 lbs short of 10 lost :(

Thank you for the warm welcome!:hug:

Tyla-I find the only way to survive this weight lark is with a sense of humor! Otherwise, I'll spend my evenings crying in my cupcake...and then bawling bc I ate the stupid cupcake or 12.;)

Thesame7-You are spot on! If we have to be here, might as well be here together.:D

Mrs Snark-Big congrats!:D

ILoveVegetables-Great job with your loss! I think, well I know, we are our harshest critics, but you haven't done anything that will affect you in the long-term. You've acknowledged that a mistake and that's a huge hurdle!:hug:

So called 'accountability' as been my biggest challenge. To me, it's a misnomer bc it suggests I'm not aware of what I am doing to myself; I am fully aware of my issues. I always tell my DD, mistakes are a part of life and never be afraid to make them. Each one leads to a learning experience and that's the best lesson ever.

Need to take my own advice.:dizzy:

(Sorry for the long post, I tend to be long-winded.:lol:)

I made it through day #16. And I can't believe how close I am to getting to the 30 day mark! I don't think I ever gone that long with out a binge in my entire adult life. I still have moments were I question myself and my ability to stay on track, but I try really hard not to focus on those thoughts. I am slowly making progress one day at a time.

Thank you so much for the warm welcome....you don't even know how much that warms my heart!!! I have a home full of people but have felt so alone at times the last few years. That is not a good place to be....when you are an overeater.

Looks like I made it past day 1. I'm ashamed to say that, I planned a middle of the night ice cream binge and for whatever reason...I slept the whole time. Anyways, I still made it for a day.... First time in months.

I look forward to getting to know each of you and being on this journey and not being alone anymore. Again, thanks for the welcome!!!

LiveAgain, congratulations!! :congrat: I know how hard it is to just start with day 1, but you did it!!! And Kudos to you for not getting up in the middle of the night. It's hard to break a long time habit, when it makes you feel good. (Although it's really damaging physically and mentally.) But you stopped yourself!!!!! :bravo:

I'm so happy you're here with us! We understand what you're going through. A lot of us have gone through similar situations. Please make this day 2 by planning your menu, keeping busy and coming here to post whenever you need to. Good luck to you today!!! :hug: :dust:

Mak, you're reaching that 30 day mark soon! Looking forward to seeing that! :carrot:

MomwithDogs, how was yesterday? Glad you found us! :)

Ilovevegetables, congrats on losing your first 10! :congrat:

Mrs.Snark I'm so happy you're back, and with no binges! :bravo:

7lbs, thanks for the hugs. I needed those. My sweet hubby brought home yellow roses yesterday. He knows how much I love them. Have a wonderful weekend. :hug:

Let's all have a great weekend. Mine will be busy. We have gardening to do and lots of chores to get done. Let's stay strong! :grouphug: :dust:

LiveAgain-Congrats on making it through the night! I kind of did the same thing; allowed myself a few M&Ms on the couch last night and it was just enough to keep me completely satisfied.

I have noticed over the years that I don't really have trigger foods- the problems start as soon as restriction begins. For me, it's going to have to be a new mind set.

Good luck for the weekend girls! :hug::D

Happy Sunday!
Here's looking forward to a another great weekend day. Yesterday because of going to the dentist on Friday, I ended up eating only soft foods. It was a little tricky, but I still ate in range. Ended up eating oatmeal, a couple of yogurts and soup. Because I didn't have any fiber I was starving all day, so I rewarded myself with a frozen yogurt (175 cals.) Today is day 50 for me without binge-eating. :) This is a huge deal. I'm soooooo proud of myself! :dancer:

Best of luck to everyone today. I know you can do it!! :grouphug:

Sending you positive thoughts, Mainecyn.

Don't let yourself be defined by one bad day or even by 10 bad days (or several years of bad days, I've had those, too!).

You can do this, just put the binge behind you and make your very next choice a healthy one. Come back to us! :)

You are all so sweet and It amazes me that I really feel the love and care already. I work night shift....usually twice per week and that can be tough. Somehow, junk food and carbs can be associated with "I need it to keep me awake." I worked last night and I was not prepared. I went to work with nothing but a bottle of water. Of course I was starving and attacked my bag for change and then the vending machine. Then my shift ended horribly (don't want to go into details). I'm too upset too sleep and I have to work all night again tonight.

I'm trying to pick up the pieces and say what's done is done. I will be prepared with healthy snacks for my shift tonight. Now....deep breaths.....clear my mind of worries and to sleep I go.

I hope to bête to know each of you and start giving you support also. Together we can do this!!!

@LiveAgain. Yeah, the night is a difficult time when it comes to bingeing. I still have such huge problems not eating at night (my sleep cycle is really bad, I stay awake almost the whole night and sleep right til the afternoon at times). One step at a time, though :)

Good day today. I woke up late (around 2 pm), didn't have anything to eat, and went out for dinner with friends at around 7. I didn't overeat as I normally would have, though. Stuck to a plate of prawns (god, I love seafood) and shared a small mushroom starter with my friend (let her have most of it while I chewed on the cabbage on the side) and didn't have a drink.

I'm probably not going to sleep until really late tonight as well, but I have almonds and some tomatoes that I'll eat, so I'm happy with today in general. Also gone below 210 lbs today so yay, hopefully that first 10 lbs is permanently gone :)

Sounds like everyone is right on target this weekend! Love to hear it!

Right now my only goal is not to binge/overeat- I really don't want to get into calorie counting, as that seems to be what throws me over the edge.:dizzy:

LiveAgain-A very good friend of mine is a nurse and she works 7p-7a on the weekends. She too has struggled with weight most of her life and she says the only way to make it through the shifts is to pack her food bag and be prepared for anything. :hug:

Tyla-:carrot:

Well it hasn't been the worst weekend food wise ,but I have struggled. I didn't eat nearly as much as I usually can, but I didn't really eat any meals I have just sort of grazed on snacks over the weekend. It's been a stressful weekend ,and I have been trying so hard to avoid a binge. I think that is why I have been avoiding eating meals. I want to be as disciplined during weekend as I am during the week, it just feels so much better to follow a strict food plan at this point in my journey. I am feeling a little discourage because since it has been a stressful time it has been very difficult for me to stay with my calories range. I'm just going to keep trying today and try to get through the day staying within my calorie range or as close as possible. I guess my best just needs to be good enough because if not negativite feelings will definitely lead to sabotaging all of my efforts.

Mak, stay strong. I wanted so much for you to see Day 30. Please keep going. You can do it! :strong: :hug:

Momwithdogs, Thanks. Here's wishing you meet your goal today of not to binge or overeat. :dust: :hug:

Mak -- your best *IS* good enough. Hang in there, some days are just harder than others. I always tell myself that tomorrow will be SO MUCH easier, and I'm usually right!

You can do it.

Hugs to all!

Sorry my last post was a bit unintelligible. My proof reading was interrupted by my beautiful but noisy child. :-)

I have dealt with a lot of mental struggle and temptation this weekend. I am proud to say though that I resisted pizza, fried foods and a bunch of other foods that are super hard for me to say no to and that I usually binge on! And I don't think that I could have done it without the support of this community. Thank you Mrs. Snarks for your words of encouragement! They were the words in my mind as I was preparing my on plan dinner and dealing with the temptation to eat the meal I prepared for my family.

So I made it through day 17&18 despite the challenges. And I am believing that tomorrow will be easier. I hope everyone had a great weekend and stays strong this week!

Do you mind if I ask, do most of you follow some sort of weight management plan, as well as working to live binge free?

What's key to your success?:)

For the first time in months, I made it thru a weekend without binge eating. I also didn't over eat, or anything "bad" for me in general, flour, sugar, processed food etc. I made it thru 7 full days. :D

mainecyn, I knew you could do it! :congrat: As I said, take one hour at a time, one day at a time. That's how I started, and it worked for me! I'm so happy to see you here. We missed you!

Mom, we all have different plans. Some count calories with a 1200-1600 range, some go to Weight Watchers, some just stop eating when full, some go on very strict, same meals everyday plan and others do different plans. Do whatever you like. Find a plan that works for you. But whatever it is, do your best to not overeat or binge. Like I said before, overeating is merely a bad habit. It was taught to us. We learned it calms us down for a minute. Then later we feel bad physically and mentally about doing it.

Some people do drugs, some people smoke, some gamble when stressed. We eat. Some people do all of the above. :lol: These are all bad habits that can be broken. It takes 30 days to make a habit stick, then things get a lot easier. But we must be ever vigilant. And it all depends how bad you want it! If you're not that committed to not overeat, you'll continue to overeat. It's all up to you. But I'm rooting for you! :cheer3:

I had an early meeting today. Am quite busy. Hope everyone does well today. It's day 51 for me. Counting helps me stay focused. :) (I see it works for AA, so it should work for me.) :lol:

I dropped pretty much all junk food. While we all know that total calories is what "counts" for weight loss (people love to point out that your body can lose weight on 1500 calories of Twinkies if you so choose), 1500 calories of whole(ish) foods makes me act very differently than 1500 calories of potato chips and bagels. I think that has been pretty key for me to both lose weight and get a better handle on binging. I stopped trying to eat my trigger foods like a "normal" person, and just admitted to myself that I can't eat that stuff AND be fit and stop binging. That's just me.

The past two days were good, but today was awful.
Doesn't help that both of my housemates are in their rooms sleeping with really nice people, and I'm all alone, with banana bread, peanut butter, and pasta.
Tomorrow will be another Day 1 though.
I really hope this week goes well for all of us

Hi everyone! :wave:

I feel like I've been MIA the past week or so. Super busy with kids' school/family stuff. Today my DH took an unexpected (and most unusual) personal day from work, and we took the dog to the beach and then to a cafe w/dog-friendly patio for lunch. A very nice surprise to spend a relaxed day with just him (and the dog). :)

Since I got back from NOLA last week I've been eating "like a normal person" -- neither restricting nor overeating. Just... eating. It's so strange. ;) I've been a little stressed because I hurt my knee and I've only run twice (totaling less than 9 miles) in the past 10 days. Normally I'd have put in about 35 miles in that time. Yesterday I came close to drowning my sorrows in the pantry, but I was able to put the food down and walk away before I started. Super proud of myself for that!

Megan, I'm sorry today was bad, but you had two good days before that. Next time you will string together three good days, four good days, and more, and more! Build on the success of those two days. You know you can do it. Loneliness is a big trigger for me, too. :hug:

Mrs. Snark, welcome back and way-to-go on your vacation! (Forgive me if I said that already in a previous post). I really enjoy your blog -- you're both funny and a good writer -- wonderful combination!

Tyla, 51 days -- woohoooO! :carrot: You have persevered through stress and bad news and all the other ups and downs of daily living. Give yourself a pat on the back!

Mainecyn, so good to see you back and way to go on the 7 days! :cb:

Momwithdogs, in response to your question, when I'm trying to lose I count calories, usually between 1600 and 2000.

Mak78, I love reading about your continued success! :cheer:

Vegetables, congrats on the 10 lbs lost -- don't milestones feel awesome? :bravo:

Liveagain, I've read that working night shifts is incredibly challenging for maintaining a healthy weight. Preparation is certainly key to success with healthy eating -- it is much harder to stay on plan when we're caught empty-handed. Easier said than done, I know. I'm sorry you had a bad night at work -- crossing my fingers that tonight is better!

Sorry for all the smilies today -- I'm tired and sometimes they seem easier than trying to put everything into words. And I just love this one in particular! :dance:

Thank you....quick post here before dropping little one off for PS and errands for me.

Hope everyone has a wonderful, on plan day today!!!! My plan for today is to not binge or overeat! No counting carbs or calories....I just want to eat only what I would not be ashamed of eating if anyone watched me all day.

And I personally love the smilies!!!

LiveAgain, this one's just for you!

:scooter:

(that's a little dude running errands, just like you!)

:woohoo::devil:

LA...here are my two favorite smilies, just for you!:hug:

Thank you for answering my question. I think until I get a better grip on this eating thing, trying to incorporate any type of plan might be too much.

You know though, for me, it's so hard to say if I really feel this way or if I am making another excuse for myself.:dizzy:

Mom, none of this is a "must do." Just do the best you can. Like MrsSnark, says, "Try to give up junk food." Or if that's too much, just do better than before. We're not perfect. We don't have all the answers. We're just trying our best. We like you here, so stick with us. :) :hug:

LiveAgain, I like your plan for today! Can you tell I like smilies, too? :D

7lbs, I'm so glad you're back! I missed you! :hug: You and your smilies bring us so much joy! Thank you! Your day with you DH sounded wonderful! :cool: So sorry about your knee. :(

Megan, good luck today with Day 1! I'm rooting for you!! :cheer3: Here's a hug for you today. I'm not a boyfriend, like your housemates have, but any hug is a good thing. ;) :hug:

MrsSnark, thank you for your advice of giving up junk food. That's the most important piece of advice. I'm so glad you're back from vacation, too! :hug:

Today I'm going out to lunch with a friend. I'm probably going to have a salad. I'm going to check out the menu right after I get off this thread.

Here's wishing everyone a great day! :dust:

I am doing just that. I have found it easier to look at it that way. I have started day 8 clean eating and no binging. Which, is a first for me.

Oh my goodness....I popped on here to check in with all of you & now I have a big smile across my face to get me through the afternoon of laundry and housework. I generally only work 2 shifts a week (nights). However, I'm working someone's vacation....so I will work this coming Wed-Sun night. I now have a plan to get everything bought and prepared tomorrow and bring healthy snacks with me every night. Have a great afternoon/evening!!!

Woo Hoo for LiveAgain!! :woohoo:

cyn, great attitude! :bravo: