[LoopyLou]

Hi there, my names Linda, I live in scotland, 42 years old, a mother to twin girls and have been married to my soul mate for 23 years.
Finding this all a bit daunting. I've accepted for a while that I have an issue with food but to accept that I am an overeater or compulsive eater was a little harder to do.
I haven't always been overweight, in fact all through my childhood and young adult life I was slim (size 10) and quite active (horseriding). After having twins at age 20 I quickly lost all the weight I had gained however life as a stay at home mum got stressful and gradually over time my eating got more and more out of control. Although I was slim as a child I have always had a negative relationship with food and quite remember feeling starving as a child even though we had regular meals. I guess I had a feeling of no control as we had to eat when meals were cooked not necessarily when we were hungry.
I'm now 70lbs over weight and cannot remember what it is like to feel hungry as I never allow myself to get to that stage.
I am determined to finally beat this food addiction as it's stolen the past 20 years of my life. I pretty much have meals under control with regards to portion size and healthy ingredients however the bingeing on sweet things to the point of feeling sick is somewhat harder. I know it's emotional eating and maybe even simply just habit and I'm hoping this site will help me to understand both and get them under control by recognising when it's going to happen.
Exercise wise I'm in the 6th week of Insanity, did regular 10ks last year and will be doing more this year.
My aim is to be able to look in the mirror and not be repulsed by what is looking back at me. My biggest fear is excess skin.

[Pattience]

About the binging on sugar. Yes you will find lots of company here. Its one of my problems too. I started binging on sweets, chocolate etc when i gave up cigarette smoking in my early 30s. But the signs were always there beforehand. Its just that when i smoked overeating wasn't an issue.

So to deal with my sugar issues, a few years ago i came to the conclusion that i should give up sweets. I did that successfully on one diet for about six months. But for various reasons, my new found skinny me didn't last and i went back to my old ways.

I am now doing it again. Though as i do every time, with more refinements to my overall diet strategies. I started this diet about two months and only in the last week i think i've begun to feel ready to quit sweets for life. It used to be a daunting concept and i think for anyone who considers this approach, it is something that each person has to work through in their own way and time. The people on the south beach diet forum talk about how its dealt with in their program which sounds like what i do though without a program.

I do have a few situations when i permit myself to eat sweets but i am still uncertain whether that is safe or risking everything. I will play it by ear. So far i haven't had and refined sweets since i started and i don't plan to for a while. Keeping away from sugar (not fruit) makes life so much easier for me and nearly every night i watch my father sit next to me with his big thing of ice-cream. Yes i want it but my feelings of not wanting it are stronger.

The main exception is that i can eat sweets when i am out with others and if someone offers them to me. But that wouldn't be things like lollies or chocolate. It would only be something homemade or dessert in a restaurant, something special. Manufactured sweets of any kind are off my list forever. Cakes from cafes are also off my list. I simply do not trust myself.

The best thing you could probably do for the health of your skin is probably to eat enough protein in your diet. It should be about 55%. 65% carbs and 15 % fats. Protein is used for tissue repair. That's not to say you won't have loose skin. I've got loose skin though it only shows when i run on my legs. It shows around my face too but i'm 50 and its to be expected.

We just have to learn to live with who we are and try not to dwell on things like this because they can make us feel worse. Feeling bad is a good way to ruin a diet as well.

Anyway if i was you, i'd leave that problem for when it arrives. Surgery can achieve some positive if results if its a major concern. If you think its very very likely, you could perhaps start saving now.

good luck on your journey.

[ediesbeads]

Hi!

I'm a newby to this forum as well, but not to weight loss. I just wanted to say, don't worry too much about loose skin. When I was 35 I did Weight Watchers and dropped from 220 to 160. I was so happy with my slenderness, that loose skin wasn't really an issue. I had some around my middle which is not unusual for any mother of two. But the rest of me was really ok! You can build muscle in your arms with strength training that will help with the look of things. But truely, if you succeed in loosing the weight you will be very happy with your appearance!

Unfortunately, I gained all that weight back with my next pregnancy.... but that's another story.

It sounds like you know what needs to happen. I don't know if you are using any programs, but if you just want to do this on your own I would suggest tracking your food in some free program (I use fit day) and you will really see where your calories are coming in. It will be easy to see what needs to change when you analyze what you are actually eating.

I won't deny myself sweets completely. It would make me sad. So I work in a little sweet at the end of each day which keeps me happy. I have anything from Sugar free pudding, a low fat ice cream sandwich, a popcicle, or something else relatively low cal.

Good luck! Keep us updated on your progress!

Edie

[_Dana_]

Hi Linda - I've no great advice, except to say I completely understand. I've got about 50 pounds to lose, and getting started is the hardest part. We can - and WILL - take back our health!