What if you heat up your shake? I use the choc drink with some mint stevia liquid and heat it up. Mint hot chocolate. yummmm!

I myself am self-confessed Glutton. That's really the truth of it when it comes down to it. I indulged heavily in food and alcohol for a good deal of my life. Fortunately I have 9 years sobriety, and it was through the 12-Step program that I can maintain my sobriety. I have no obsession or compulsion to drink alcohol, depending on my spiritual condition. I believe food is the same way.

I turned to a 12-step program for food as well and joined OA HOW in January 31, 2007. I hated going to the meetings but did and committed myself to work with a very generous sponsor over the course of six months. I ate on a food plan, much like this one. I had to commit my food to him every night over the phone. I was given a question about compulsive overeating and had to write about it and read him my answer when I called in my food. This may of been the most effective aspect of the program, because I had to get honest and open myself up to another human being. I attended meetings twice a week and went through the first 4 steps of the program. I lost 100lbs and lived happily in a new body for a good year.

That program worked, and my sponsor gave me great insights into my overeating issue. So, why did I gain the weight back? Well, I never completed the steps like I had for the alcohol problem. I quit going to meetings. I started justifying and rewarding myself by re-introducing old bad foods into my diet. My quantities slowly went up. I didn't develop an exercise habit. I also, took on new responsibilities at work and became extremely unorganized in how I managed my food. I basically decided, I could do it myself and lost my way. Or, maybe I'm just an over eater?

I believe a thread in which someone was appointed to post one question each day surrounding compulsive overeating and those who wished could write about it maybe effective. Now, you may choose to do things with your profile to protect your anonymity, so you can really open up.

You can also attend OA meetings over the phone.

OAPP - OAPP 712 432-3903 access ID is 390009# then put in 0# when prompted

Go to http://www.OA.org and find the telephone meeting schedule. It was advised to me to attend 90 day meetings. Which was focused on solution instead of whining.

Also , http://www.ceahow.org and review the phone schedule. You can call in at 712 432-1680 and then 152077# and you will be muted. If you want to share you'll have to un mute yourself

I hope that helps. But yes, you are not alone. I can only speak for myself, but I suspect there are a few here with a food problem.

I've spent most of my adult life working with really smart people, a lot of them a lot smarter than I am. What fun! The one thing I'm just about 100% certain about in this life is that the smarter you are the easier it is to rationalize. I hope this isn't too personal, but your strike me as a really smart, articulate, thoughtful, and sensitive person. Maybe?, just maybe you will come to believe that this is your last "diet" or first real life change? I wish you the greatest success and satisfaction. Bon voyage.

Dear Doxigirl,
Thank you very much for starting this thread. As I was reading your thread, I was eating cookies, ice cream and tortilla chips with tons of cheese melted on them. I got to goal Dec 3rd and have not been able to string together normal eating days at all. I've gained 5 pounds but am able to get back down to goal weight by going on Phase 1 for a few days. Basically, I binge go on Phase 1 and then binge again. It is totally whacked and crazy especially since I feel so much better when I am on program.

I have posted quite a few times in Life After Phase 1 and Shout Out of Phase 4'ers asking for help to stay on Phase 4. It is so frustrating because I did not cheat one iota during Phase 1-3, but Phase 4 really throws me into a downspin. I am beginning to think that I can never have carbs because of my addiction, but I would love to be able to control my intake and not binge. My seesawing from bingeing to Phase 1 cannot be good for my body, but I still am doing it.

Today I started Phase 1 and feel committed to doing it, again, but would love to hear from other Phase 4 people who are compulsive overeaters. I like Douger63's idea about having a thread in which a question is asked relating to the compulsive overeating. Can you start it Douger63? I am not sure what type of questions you were thinking of posing. I have tried OA quite a few times without much success. The only program which has really worked for me is IP and Weight Watchers, but I gained my weight back on WW over 3times and was not able to lose on it now that I am 57 years old.

I do not want to gain my 37 pounds back and realize that this is more of a pyschological issue rather than a program issue. It would be wonderful if all of the compulsive overeaters who are successful IP'ers can help each other embrace IP as the Last Diet Ever. I am very frustrated and unhappy with myself despite making it to goal because I know that the path I am on is doomed unless I make some permanent changes.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in this thread. Please let's keep in going and let's help each other help ourselves!

I am thinking that the answer for me personally might need to be that I have to make a conscious effort to limit my carb and sugar intake forever! I am thinking that is why I love IP. While I am on protocol everything in life seems easier to handle. I am thinking being addicted to food must truly be similar to being an alcoholic. The only way to control alcoholism is stop drinking. Since I have to eat, I simply have to control what I eat.
Well, sounds easy. Now it is that "rest of my life" idea that I have to digest....

Whoops, only "Doug" was supposed to be bolded. Sorry guys, wasn't trying to overemphasize or be all "read my post!!!" I'm important, yes. But no more than the rest of you!

I wish I had read this before I posted over at the "real cost of cheating". I had thought I was completely "over" food...but one slip brought me right back into it. For the past 2 months I have eaten so much food it's amazing I have maintained my weight loss. I've restarted once again today and have been successful. But tomorrow will be the true test. Im so glad this thread was started and i'm so grateful that you all share with such honesty and openness...

Geez, isn't that the truth. It's amazing how being on protocol and getting through the first few days, how much manageable things are. I don't realize it, until I start eating right, how much time I spent thinking about needing to do something about the weight and food. I'll have to agree life seems way easier.

I'm also grateful that I'm not walking around feeling full and uncomfortable all the time.

Too funny, I've done the same thing in the past. Fessin' up is humbling LOL! I'm kind of feeling like I need to get into the groove of just what I'm doing now for about 30 days on the Protocol. I feel confident of sticking with it, but there is a history of going "gung ho" for about two weeks and then finding myself frustrated. I'd be more than willing to keep communicate off-line, my skype address is in my profile.

Wow! I think i've found my home here. Thank you all for your honesty. I can certainly relate to your struggles. Most diets focus so much on alleviating hunger, but actual stomach hunger has never been my problem. It's the crazy psychological NEED for food. Then when I give in to it, the anger and disappointment in myself for sabotaging myself and being "weak" set in. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in that.

Deb, Welcome to IP! I hope you will find, as I have, that while you are on protocol you will feel both mentally and physically different. All those little voices that entice me to indulge, obsess and overeat seem to stay under control. IP works for me and I will always be one of its biggest cheerleaders. I hope this discussion will help me understand how to live life after IP.

Good luck and welcome.

The Chocolate Drink is actually hot chocolate... but I do it on half power so it doesn't explode in the microwave. It's wonderful to have in the evenings before bed, especially!


I'm proud that I've followed the protocol this week like I intended to, and have lost the 7.5 lbs I gained the week after Christmas. So, 7.5 on one week, and gone the next. I'm not down any from my official weigh in before Christmas, but that's a lot to put on my body already. Hopefully I'm back on the ball, now, but goodness... each chance I have to put food in my mouth is back to a new challenge!

Good luck to you all still! The weekends are toughest for me, because I get in my old WW mentality... weigh in Saturday morning, so I tend to stray a little on the weekends and settle back down on Monday... needing to change that pattern!

I am not hungry, but I want a sandwich. I need to go back to work. This I much harder for me staying home with kids and having to feed them all day. Bah.

Oh gosh, I can really relate to what you are saying. I started IP in Jan. 2010 and lost 80 pounds--swore I would never go back. I should have know because I am the one who lives to eat not eats to live in six short months I put half the 80 back on. I have been kinda lurking around this web site to see if there was anybody else that had this kind of problem after doing IP. Thanks for posting--I wish I had caught myself at 10 pounds like you did and not 40. I went back on IP 12-29 and each day I find me beating myself up about what I have done (like it was going to make any kind of difference now---lol).