So... I haven't been on this site in over a month (I made another attempt at losing weight, and I failed). I'm only 18, I've been overweight for as long as I can remember. Since I was 12 or 13 I started trying to figure out what to do about it. On the outside I seem to be a very happy person, but on the inside it's as though my weight is slowly killing me emotionally. I keep feeling as though I'm trapped in someone else's body. I've voiced my problems to my family, especially my mother, but no one is really there to push me through this. I eat compulsively. Once in a while I can stop myself from doing it, but it's a problem that I have. I don't know if it's time for me to really consult my doctor or what. I wasn't sure where on this forum to post this, but I figured some of you ladies might have had a similar experience or feelings and could give me some pointers. I keep trying, I get on track eating healthy, I exercise, I plan ahead... and then it fails and I just become a more unhappy person. I don't write this to attempt to get any pity or whatever... but if any of you have any pointers, I'd really, really appreciate them. Thanks!

You aren't the only one who feels this way. Compulsive eating has nothing to do with will power or lack of it. It's an illness of the mind and body. I've learned that many compulsive eaters have certain foods that trigger a reaction in us that instead of feeling satisfied, we are driven to eat more. It's not something that makes sense logically. I had to come to accept it for what it is. I'm finding a lot of help through OA Overeaters Anonymous. It's a safe place with other folks who are recovering from the same illness.

I understand what you mean about no one understanding or being able to help you. If they don't have the illness, they can't understand. You might want to try an OA meeting and see if it's for you. You will at the very least meet people who do understand what you're going through.

Marny

Pink, Marny makes some great points.
You know, I'd talk to your doctor about it. If you can get a handle on your eating now while you're still young, you won't have the struggles and health problems that many of us here have encountered.
Nothing against your family, but if they haven't had the strength in the past to help you with your weight loss, it's likely not going to be there for you now.

Another thing I've learned... remove the word "failure" from your vocabulary. It's a real downer. I know, because until only a few weeks ago, I used it on myself pretty much every day.
Now, I compliment myself on my successes. And if I do have a slip-up, I mentally give myself a hug, and think, "It's okay, Ellis. You're human. Let's move on."
I'm finding that the more I pay attention to my successes, the less I experience slip-ups.

It's hard to do this alone, and we're here for you, hon.

Hey!! I see you're from Minnesota. Where are you at? I'm in Waseca, which is near Mankato, sixty miles south of the Twin Cities. If you're not too far from me, maybe we could hang out sometime Losing weight when you're young and still in school is hard. Teens usually thrive on pizza, pop, and donuts, so cutting yourself off from these foods can be difficult! It's so hard to say no sometimes. Keep working hard, though, because once you start to lose the weight you'll feel so much better. If you slip up and binge for a day, tell yourself it's okay and you'll start back again tomorrow. Dieting isn't all black and white - it's more like an ugly grey-ish color If you make a mistake it doesn't mean your diet is destroyed.

Good luck <333

Hey there, I'm right north of St. Paul! Well, right now shouldn't be that difficult for me... I'm not in school or anything (I lived on campus... was miserable... and came home) right now but I will be returning in the Fall so I do have some time to sort things out. Thanks for the support though!

I think I'll do that... thanks... a lot

No problem! Where are you going to school? I'm going to the U of M Twin Cities next fall. I'm really excited - small town life is beyond boring!! <3

Pinklilkat - From my own experience, I used eating as a replacement for dealing with my feelings. Whether I was angry or hurt or needed comfort, I turned to food instead of finding other ways to deal with what I was going through. Also, as I got larger, my size became the main issue I was unhappy about, so I would eat to comfort myself about being fat, which of course only added to the problem. It is a horrible cycle! It may be difficult, but you might want to start to try and look inside yourself to find out what is bothering you that is making you want to eat and find some other solution for it. Personally, I recommend Geneen Roth's books, but there are all kinds of books out there that would help you look at your situation and start to understand and heal yourself.

Consulting a doctor is probably a good idea. Finding a support network is another one. This site it great for that and/or you can try and find some in person support locally. Hang in there. You also don't need to change everything all at once. You can try one thing at a time, have a success at that and move onto the next. It is also OK if you fail or fall of the wagon, as long as you pick yourself up and move on. No one is perfect.