This is an interesting article on how dieters' brains derail their best intentions:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30312808/

Some foods really do act like addictive drugs...

Jay

I agree that «retail therapy» will make you get and stay on track, because if you see yourself in the mirror wearing your new size 4 or 6 you'll be really really happy BUT if you go and buy/try some clothes and you've gone up a size or two, you'll be yourself for not staying on track...«retail therapy» works wonders for me ...

I knew there was a good solid reason why I subscribe to "retail therapy " works for me !

I'm definitely planning some 'retail therapy' for this weekend...

How is today going, MindiV?

So far so good...just had my carefully planned day shot all to heck though. I've been conserving calories to make my husband's favorite dinner since he's had a rough day...his favorite dinner is homemade waffles, some bacon and scrambled eggs. So I was ready for it and looking forward to it. Now he's stuck at work and won't be home for supper (he's more than 5 hours from home)...and no point making waffles for one. Really not much of anything I've got is usable for one person. Crap...what to do?

Hmm... Takeout salad from somewhere? That is often my last minute option... Most of my stuff at home isn't scaleable to one person either...

ETA - I also eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly and peanut butter toast in those situations.

I considered Subway...but I'm not a huge Subway fan. I even though about a nice takeout burger, with homemade fries, since I've got the calories...just haven't been craving anything fried for weeks now...

I think I may have a single chicken patty at home I can make into a chicken sandwich...

Mindi, howya doin'??

I agree with midwife that there are times of moment to moment struggles to stay on plan and others that it seems easier and I feel in-the-groove. It is a combination of factors including those in my life, family friends and co-workers and my own long history of food issues. Also, never discount the hormone factor either. Ohhhh, being a woman can be a blessing and a curse!

I'm doing ok this week...which is odd because I'm having TOM issues that usually send me to the chocolate bars in the fridge. The only times I struggle are when I get home...I think my afternoon snacks aren't good enough to keep me going, so I'm starving when I finally get to the house and snack 'til suppertime. I did ok last night with no "leftover" eating while cleaning up after dinner, and with no snacking while cooking. All in All I'd give myself a B for this week, so far....

That's because you. are. on. it!!!! I'll give you and A+++++

Sounds like you are doing great this week, Mindi!

Mindy - I am struggling a bit with this, too. And what stinks is that I am eating too much of good for me foods! I don't want to have to ban the nuts and the yogurt and such from the house. I did have DH hide the dark chocolate. But, I can always eat a bowl of oatmeal and binge on that. How weird. Yes, it's good for me , but a binge is a binge.

It reminds me that the old me is still inside somewhere.

I'm glad I am not the only one!

Hi, everyone! I always love to come read this forum, because it renews my faith in the ability to make permanent and dramatic changes in one's life. I never fail to come away re-energized.

Mindi and others - I have had a similar experience. In the good old days of weight loss when the world was my oyster, I used to weep with gratitude that the bad, binging, self-loathing days were over. And I promised myself that they would never, ever, ever return. Nothing could ever induce me to go back. I told myself that I would rather die than go back to the binging and self-loathing of being obese.

It has been 10 years for me - hard to believe! Sept. 7, 2009 will be the 10th anniversary of the day I heard the "call" (saw the light, whatever). I have kept off 100 of the 130 pounds that I lost. However, that 30 that has crept back on over the past 4 years is killing me. I have gone back to some of the bad habits, the head-in-the-sand attitude, the "do better tomorrow" cop out, the "too tired to exercise" routine. It is easy to say "congratulations, self" for keeping off 100 pounds and then go gorge on a delicious dinner that I regret immediately afterward. How did those old ways creep back in?

I think a lot of it has to do with life changes. During the weight loss phase, for people like us who have lost so much and changed so dramatically, the process of losing weight, learning to be an athlete, learning to love healthy foods, learning to stop bingeing - those things take precedence over every other aspect of life. At least they did for me. I was excited every day about doing the things that were making me thin. I was so happy while running my marathon training runs - happy to the point of delirium (is that the runner's high?) even though I would cry for the last several miles of the long runs, in pain and frustration. I was so happy when I got up hungry in the morning. I was so happy when I bench pressed a new personal best. I felt like I could vault over the moon sometimes.

Life changes - you start shifting focus to other things. Job, partner, kids, family problems, health issues, money, whatever - other things slowly come back into focus and take away some of the urgency and importance of this whole project. At least that is what happened to me. The brain chemical high that I got from exercise and weight loss started to dissipate and I started to just go through the motions. So far I have been able to keep of most of the weight, but I fear for the future if I can't get that "high" back.

Does anyone know what I mean? How did you do it?

Diamonda
266/135 (initially); 166 (currently)