@bananapancakes: Yesterday was fabulous. I didn't binge! My calorie goal is about 1,300, but I burned about 450 calories working out so I ate about 1,750 calories yesterday. I can't stick to such a low goal and work out without eating a few hundred extra calories to compensate

Honestly, the biggest thing that stopped me from binging was writing that post. I interrupted my normal routine of get home, eat a bowl of cereal, eat three more bowls, by stopping to check in and ask myself what I really wanted. Turns out I want to lose weight more than I want to binge and feel terrible the next day (shocking, I know).

How has your week been going? Are you staying on track?

Hi everyone,

letsgorunning, as you've seen, you're definitely not alone.

I was at my dream weight a few months ago and have binged myself back up almost to where I started. I've struggled with binging on and off for many years but my recent experiences have been more severe and frequent than any I can ever recall.

This is a great place for support and learning. Welcome -- hopefully we can all help each other through this challenge!

thesame7lbs, I was wondering how you were doing. There has got to be something about these depressive winter months that lead to binging, as many of us (myself included) have gotten caught up in vicious and scary cycles. I am altering my plan to simply "allow" myself more calorie wiggle room. Something about always shooting for 1200 and then never making it that low was setting off the "you fail" alarm in my mind and leading to chocolate binges.

letsgorunning- So glad to hear that you had a good day and that you have found comfort and support to help you along the way! I'm doing fantastic, I haven't actually had a binge since the 16th of Jan and I've only been tempted to binge really badly once and that was the night recently that I mentioned previously. In general I'm usually very strict and do great for long periods of time, then I'll just fall off the wagon after a couple of months of being good and binge anywhere from one to two days right up to a week. Although I'm not binging I had this thought the other day that if I get about 3lbs under my target goal I can binge from time to time and have those few pounds as a safety net, what a silly way of thinking and it just goes to show that binging is still a big part of my thinking- I'm wondering, have any of you guys had a similar thought? I know it's not right, I know that even although I can be thin that binging is not good for my health.

krampus- I find that I binge more in winter too, especially when I lived in Michigan and the winters were so harsh and the daylight hours were few. Then of course we have Christmas and all the get togethers and comfort foods that come with it.

@specialk85 - I think it's that black and white thinking. Either we're being good, or we're being very, very bad about what we eat.

@thesame7lbs - I'm so sorry to hear about your recent experiences. It is truly an AWFUL feeling to know that you've given up your goal weight in favor of binging. That's EXACTLY what I did these past few months. It's not logical! I hate binging and I love myself when I'm at my goal weight. Clearly I'm getting some subconscious reward from binging otherwise the cost/benefit just wouldn't add up! I hope that you are doing better this week

The good news is that by checking in on this board and keeping my goal in mind, I haven't binged since Saturday AND I've lost 1.5 lbs. Woot woot! I'm particularly proud of myself because this has been an immensely stressful week (law school is like a dump truck that keeps dumping work on my head...make it stop...).

I find that just trying to mentally talk myself out of a binge usually doesn't work, but stopping to actually WRITE how I feel helps a lot. So I plan to keep stopping by these boards to check in with you all.

Today was my roommate's birthday. We drank wine & ate cake to celebrate at midnight... I hadn't eaten enough during the day, apparently -- not quite 900 calories -- so I was starving.

I ended up eating a tiny 1/2-inch slice without the buttercream topping, but it was probably still terrible. And now I am staring at the rest of the cake, feeling a temptation to binge... I shouldn't have come to this party.

I'm still here, and posting to keep myself accountable / distract myself. I hate that I get these feelings when I'm around pastries. I hate that I kept eating after 8 pm. Binges are awful.

Awwww Lackadaisy!!! The simple fact that you got yourself to sign on to here while you were at the party is impressive enough! YOu are truly trying to hold yourself accountable. Good job! I really hope it worked out for you and you were able to resist tempation. Parties are the WORST. No matter how much self talk you do before, they always have the hardest temptations!! Just keep your goal in mind and remember that when you are in maintainence, you can enjoy those treats occasionally!!

Thanks Dianne!!

I don't know how much calorie damage I did, but in the end, I only ate that thin slice of cake + a random other cookie bar I know was 180 calories -- I logged the two together as 300, but maybe they were less. I'm starting to be super aware of every high-calorie bite I eat so that's it's SO much easier to restrict myself around ridiculous foods -- like this brownie I'm staring at right now and refusing to eat. It's just not worth the 100 calories per bite.

lackadaisy, you did absolutely great! You were a chick in control. You had a little treat on a special occasion and it was in moderation. Plus, you really hadn't eaten very may calories so it won't do any real damage at all. I really think you did great.

letsgorunning- just checkin' in on ya, how have things been going?