atmos - WOW that's cold!! Where do you live? Good luck "resetting" this week!\

xriotgirl - Glad to hear you're feeling great!! I always love reading those words from people. (:

lacey - Well done for day 4 and staying OP!

abcunnin - Welcome back! I can really relate to what you wrote here:
These boards are great, I hope you'll stay in touch here! Good luck to you.

-----------------------------

Good news!! I totally completed another HW assignment ahead of time this weekend! It was stressing me out so bad, but I just got it done. School-related stress is very much something I've used binging to cope with, so this is a great progress.

Also, still very much binge-free. Holiday today so no school. Still planning on my regular refeed tomorrow if I want to take it and and committed to feeling no binge-guilt over it. Still don't know if this is a lifelong sustainable practice, but it sure is working well for me now!

Happy Monday, everyone!!! Let's do our best this week. (:

^^ Ditto, that's the WORST! I toss and turn all night, sweating my butt off and frankly, the gas could kill a horse! Thats how I know it was a REALLY bad one. Ugh.
I call that the 'sugar sweats'.

The next day I'm always super bloated, sluggish, tired, and craving sweets like mad.

Good morning, everyone. I'm glad to be back. I have to say, I woke up feeling energized and ready to be my old new self (since my "new" self was really only the last 2 years prior). I measured my breakfast this morning, drank a full glass of water, and am dressed and ready to go to the gym. I know it's going to be painful, but I'm just going to try to take one day at a time.

I remember when I was fit, people would ask me, "How do you do it?" I would just shrug and say, "I eat healthy and I exercise. And then I do it again tomorrow." It's really quite simple.

When I want to binge, I'm going to try to wait at least an hour. If I still want it, re-consider (and hopefully get myself to wait another hour, or distract myself, again).

mottainai- Thank you for your support. I need it. You are an inspiration.
danzingurl - The hangover is usually an immediate for me. Within an hour or so, I am easily going to nap it off. It's the worst. Not only did I eat a ton, but I wasted a big part of my day doing it. Those are the moments where I really know I have a problem--that I am willing to put up with that to eat that quantity of food.

Have a great day!

Oh my Lord! I wouldn't go outside to walk the other day when it was around 45 I think, too cold for me. I am fat but am always cold. I can't imagine running in that temp.

Binge free so far this month.
Binge hangovers were immediate for me as well, as soon as I finished it was time for a nap. I could never fall all the way asleep but just a fitful doze with bad dreams.

mottainai - And that's coming from a Canadian! I live in Colorado, just a bit north of Denver. It's really dry here, so the temperature tends to fluctuate a lot each day. And congratulations on how well you're doing, I'm super super happy for you and you're a huge inspiration!

abcunnin - Glad your day has started out positive. Hope the rest of the day was just as great!

tubolard - You've got an awesome no-binge streak going. Amazing and inspiring. Normally 20 deg is my running cutoff, so 12 was definitely not happening.

I worked from home today. Managed not to binge, and I also did get out around the noon hour for a run as the temp had increased to 30 (-1 C). But...running always makes me feel SO hungry. After dinner it was all I could do not to just lay into my pantry and go on a full out binge. But I sat with it, let it pass, and now I just have to get through a few more hours. I'm feeling fairly positive about life right now, so I'm hoping that lasts.

I had a great day yesterday--the best healthy day I can remember having in months. I ate well and went to the gym. I also did all of the healthy habits that I know add up to success for me (stayed within calories, drank lots of water, cooked my own food, staggered my meals/snacks, tracked my food). I went to bed feeling proud of myself and woke up feeling energized and ready for today.

I just have to keep my mind on those feelings rather than rationalize myself into the short-term cravings.

My DH and I were talking last night about how I'm good at losing weight or gaining weight--but not stabilizing. I hope that when I get close to my goal this time around, I figure out how to maintain--really what that means is that I don't convince myself that now that I've "got there," I can be like my image of the 'lucky women who don't have to try' and become complacent.

I will try my very best to have an equally good day, today!

Best of luck, everyone!

Do you actually know any such women? I don't, unless you discount the very few who don't like food much. Among adult women with healthy appetites and a desire to stay slim, every single one I know has to watch her food intake. I think we sometimes forget this when wishing we could be like "those people."

F.

^^ that's true, most girls i know and my friends who are skinny watch what they eat a lot, but those who don't watch and eat whatever they want, work it out in gym later. that's all the equation there is.

i think i developed a habit...i binge almost every day, i spend around 1000 cal for binging on sweets and around 1000 cal for eating breakfast and lunch and dinner. i know it's not ok but i'm working on this. as long as i'm not gaining i'm ok.

I do think I'm jaded in my perspective on other women. When I started on my most successful healthy lifestyle journey a couple of years ago, all of a sudden I realized the 'lucky ones' I was around actually ate quite healthy and I just didn't care to acknowledge it when I was in denial about where I needed to go.

However, I do know a handful of women who are just lucky (but the number is getting smaller as I get older). I try to remember that they aren't truly in good health if they eat poorly and don't exercise. Well, that, and trying to stop comparing myself to begin with!

I get this as well. I also get a puffy face in the morning and dark circles under my eyes.

I ended up bingeing today. I managed to go a week without bingeing, and I'm kinda annoyed at myself for it. I'm trying really hard not to beat myself up over, since it was only a small binge. I made the mistake of baking scones, which lead to to eating half the dough, then eating way too many scones with jam. Because I haven't binged for a week, I felt really sick. I still got my *** to the gym, so at least there's that.

I'm going to give myself a new goal since the no bingeing for a week goal seemed to help. This time I'm going to try and go two weeks without bingeing.

To everyone!!! I don't know if that is a hug for each of you on this thread but it will work, just share with someone else, lol.
If, no, WHEN I make it through today it will be 6 weeks of no binges.
I keep thinking today is the day I give in and binge, today is when I fail and revert back to old patterns and yet every day I have managed to hold on and not give in. I keep thinking I am over the bingeing and can relax and not worry but I know I will have to be vigilant every day.
For those of you struggling: you can do it!
For those of you doing great: Good job!

Tubolard, congrats on six weeks binge free! I think you're right to stay aware. Once I think I've finally gotten out of the pattern and stopped making a conscious effort to recognize my triggers, I end up binge eating again Keep on trucking! Well I've made it through day 5 and am on day 6. I've worked out 4 times this week and intend to work out today. I'm nervous as my friend will be in town tomorrow and we're going to treat ourselves to a nice dinner and a brunch the next day. Luckily I will have the next day off so I will work out when she leaves (fingers crossed) but will not be working out tomorrow. I really really do not want to binge! Wish me luck all!

AmyAmy - I think continuing to set goals for yourself is a great idea! Do you think that you binged after 7 days because you had sort of planned on it?

Tubolard - Congratulations on 6 weeks! That is pretty impressive!

Laceyj - I too have a lot of traveling/social events coming up, and it can be difficult to stay within those healthy boundaries. My periods of struggling with binge eating come and go, and are directly related to my stress levels at the time. Right now? Through the roof! Adding on all the holiday events makes it all the more difficult but I find that it also provides me the perfect rationale so maybe it will work for you as well; EVERYONE understands how much extra eating can take place during the holidays, so telling friends and family that you are trying to cut out extra indulgences due to upcoming events (Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, Christmas, New Year's Eve, etc.) is totally understandable.

Most of the time people won't push, but a "C'mon, you can have XYZ..." can be met with a simple "Oh I know, but I have a party next week to attend..." and doesn't require much more explaination.

Basically, you don't HAVE to deviate from your plan if you don't want to. Good luck!

abcunnin - I think it's just human nature to always look at the grass on the other side of the fence and see it as greener. What we may not see is that the grass looks great but is meticulously watered, fertilized and manicured. I sometimes get a bit jealous that my husband can seemingly eat whatever he wants to and not gain an ounce, but I have come to learn that he often goes long stretches of time (sometimes all day) without eating because he is so busy. At the end of the day it's all about calories in versus calories out. Sure, he may eat a whole pizza, but that also might be ALL he ate.
My point is, we don't often see the whole picture when it comes to those 'lucky'ones.