It's Meg ( eg w/an M) here, just checking in to say hello and how great it is there are more people posting on this page than from a year ago . I was wanting to check in on some of the "old tiimers" Fullhouse, Wendy, Kimberly etc...

Remember we can bring back some of our old posts to help the "newbies" with their questions, book and website referrals, and our experiences of what did and what did not work for us.

As for me, I am 90 days clean and sober and life is so much better. I am handling things as they come,but now have to go back and deal with this binging issue that has never gone away. My AA sponsor has never had to deal with compulsive overeating and binge/purging ( one of the lucky few) so she suggested I come back here to this site to work on that * if I feel ready enough to face it!

Well, I don't know if I don't try, right? I can't do the OA thing because the parameters are too black and white for me.. it works for the abstinence from alcohol, but abusing food is so different. What do you think?

Newbies feel free to throw in your 2 cents, I am going to take time since school is out to get to know your stories so we can help each other too.

It is good to come back! eg/with an M ( Meg)

Dear eg with an M:
Thanks for the supportive reply to my post about compulsive overeating. It feels good to know that others are working on the same things I am!
Congratulations on your sobriety!!
I understand how you may feel that OA may be too "black or white" for you. I have never attended an OA meeting, but have visited websites where OA members talk about the program. Don't get me wrong--if it works for others , GREAT!!! But my experience with MYSELF is that I need to learn to eat all foods in moderation. I don't have food allergies, or problems with particular foods, (sugar, white flour, processed foods). In short, I want to become a NORMAL eater-- someone who does not write down every morsel that goes into my body. I want to be the kind of eater who stops when I am satisifed. I want to develop the ability to face ANY knd of food without compulsive thought and actions. I want to be able to face my emotions without using food to express anger, sadness, depression, happiness, etc .
Well, I could babble on and on, but just wanted to say thanks again for the kind words, and great job with your sobriety!!! Take care, and post again!
Butterflytwo

Hi Meg, I remember when you started this Forum, I thought what a great idea and what need there is for it. Although this is not where I regularly posted at that time, I did come here and browse all the time. At that time I thought I had things under control and that I was winning the battle. Well as they say I may have won the battle but not the war, so here I am again and I believe this will be my main site for now.
I am thrilled to hear that you are sober, 90+ days now. You should be very proud of yourself, I am proud of you. I know how hard it is to handle one addiction at a time but to try to take on two at a time must be a real challenge. My husband is an alcoholic, he does not get drunk everyday, but he drinks everyday. He will not go for help, but I have sought help for myself, to deal with things. You must be a strong and capable person to have beat your alcohol addiction and I know you can do the same with your eating/binging/purging.
I will be coming here as often as I can, so I will be glad to help with any support I can give to you. I hope some of your oldie buddies are around to give you some of that ole time encouragement, but I am sure all the new members here will be helpful too. It took alot of insight for you to start this forum, I believe alot of people have benefited from it so far, so if we can help you at all, please let us.

Thanks all, I don't get to post as often as I'd like and as much as I used to. Your caring and acknowledgement helps me remember I am not alone in my feelings, issues, and battles with food.

At this point I am still experiencing extermes, I have not done the non purging bullimic behavior in a long time and strangely enough haven't wanted or felt I "needed "to . I have noticed the times when I want to binge and carry through with it are the times when I "eat my feelings" because they still are too uncomforable to deal with and resolve. I find removing myself from those people and situations usually alleviates it.

It cycles back and forth. I think of going to Weight Watchers, but I remember all the false starts I have had the last 3 times I walked through their doors. I have been taking care of myself by exercising fairly regularly and returning to lifting wieghts as I had done over a year ago. I guess I want to be strong in all areas of my life and although I may be larger than the ideal 35 year old, I think I am a helluva lot healthier.
I am am using exercise as a means of releasing stress and a lot of anger I have had pent up over the years that came hand in hand with my drinking. As a friend told me "a drunk village idiot can stop drinking, but he is still the village idiot". So this tells me to change slowly and have a sense of humor.
I was so hoping that sobriety would melt the pounds off and it hasn't. I figure better to be a large healthy recovered woman thatn a sick drunk thinner one that has a possibility of earlier death.
Anyway, I am rambling but not dieting, HA! Love and hope to all posting and lurking here. - Meg

Meg, you sound like a very strong and positive 35 year old women. I wish you the best in all you choose to do. You sound like you have a good start in the right direction. Like you said, you are not alone. We all are fighting our own demons, and we are all fighting them in our own ways. I think the one thing we are all striving for is to be healthy, mentally and physically. How we achieve this is going to be different for all of us, but if we can help each other along the way, why not do it. Just reading your post makes me feel a little stronger about myself. If you are helping yourself and sticking to it, then that gives me some strength and hope that I can stick to my program as well, once I really get a program established. I am still in that getting back on track stage. Anyways I hope you come here as often as you can. I can't get here all the time either, but I plan on posting when I can. Take Care.

MEG!!!!

You sound like you are totally kicking a$$!!!! I'm so proud of you and all you have accomplished. Remember ONE DAY AT A TIME and one addiction at a time!!!!!! (I still haven't quit smoking)...

I am doing quite well actually. I left my son's abusive father and now I can finally be FREE!! It just took finding my wings...... hopefully I'll find an apartment soon and really be free!!!! My son is doing good too....and my ex didn't try to kill me (LOL - I can laugh now but I thought he was going to)..... He's actually taking it OK. Although, when I do eventually get a boyfriend, he'll probably flip out!!! (that's another thing I'm doing... dating nice handsome boys )

In the meantime, I am working out, eating healthy and pretty much binge free - not 100% but not even close to how I used to be!!!!!!!!! And I know when I'm doing it and how to deal with it. ****, sometimes I just let myself because that is what it takes at the time!!!

I'm glad to hear from you. I haven't been around too much lately either. I've been insanely busy.... got into a car accident, got laid off from my job (which I loved), then got a new, better job... then left my ex!!!! Damn, I have been busy... LOL.

Take Care and keep us posted!!!! Even if I am not here I am always thinking about my sisters on 3FC!!!!!

Keep Smilin'
Kymber

Hey, Meg!! Long time no hear....
I actually left this site about 3 months ago. I was discouraged with the number of new folks that seemed to be focusing a lot on dieting, etc and rather than get tangled in a "heated discussion" I chose to leave. But, I haven't forgotten all the oldtimers...
I would like to hear from all of you, if you're there hanging out. What's the latest news??
Good to hear from you Kymber....

You have worked hard Meg...congrats on the 90 days(+) sobriety.

Hi all,

Meg, congratulations to you on the 90 days of sobriety. That is a major accomplishment.

I have lurked on this list for awhile and not posted. I am a compuslive overeater and have suffered with this addiction since 1985 (I am now 43). In recovery, I focus on being abstinent from binging and I have done well with that.. but have had some relapses. While my focus is on NOT abusing food... it is also important to me to maintain a normal body weight. Being overweight is not ok with me.

I don't diet. I strive to eat normal, healthy meals. I don't snack. I do exercise. You cannot seperate the emotional aspect of eating. And being a "normal" eater does not mean that there will never be an emotional component to eating. Being a normal eater just simply means that you don't isolate yourself in your apartment for an entire weekend and eat enough food in one sitting that would be a meal for an entire family.

These are just some of my thoughts. I don't have all the answers, or even a fraction of them.. but I read posts on here sometimes that really aren't very realistic. I don't know, just my thoughts.

Elaine

Elaine,

I totally agree with your perspective re: compulsive overeating. I too have been at an eating disorders clinic and have rec'd much of the same information. I started out really well with the behavior mod stuff, but the weight loss slowed and now I have maintained for about a year - but I am aware that I still emotionally eat and have a lot of work to do still. I'm curious about your last statement about some of the opinions being unrealistic.....what do you mean??

Hello Chics and chicadees! I thought I'd check in since it has been almost a whole season since I've written.

Things are going great in spite of lots of stress ( my sister has dissapeared on a cocaine binge and I was diagnosed with endometriosis).

Life is wonderful. I celebrate 6 months of sobriety and my home group has been supportive in all apsects of my life. At first when I got sober I was told that I was to not go on any form of diet or smoking cessation program for at least one year. At first I thought it was a license to eat because I still wasn't dealing with life very well and my cravings for alcohol ( as directed) had to be substituted with something sweet in the short term until they stopped. Well after the 4th month I went on antidepressants and things somehow clicked .

I wasn't running for comfort foods and eating emotionally AND THAT WAS REALLY NEW AND SURPRISING. I've been paying attention to my nutrition without dieting and I am returing to demand eating. The eating what you want when you want has been working out and I have noticed my clothes feeling looser. I have only seen my weight once at the Dr.'s office and I was surprised that 6 months without alcohol of any kind has reduced my weight by 10 pounds.

Anyway I am pleased to see many newcomers to the site and that the forum keeps on growing. Thanks for being there !I hope I can help someone out there who is struggling with their body image and possibly other addictions.

God Bless! - Meg

Meg, a BIG congradulations on your 6 month sobriety. You must be very happy with your success. I wish you the best. I am still trying to deal with my issues. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever feel like a "normal" eater. But, I am still working on it and that means I have not given up either. Some day it will all come together. Take care.