Hello everyone,
I'm not new to 3FC but am new to this forum. I think I may have posted here once or twice in the past, can't remember. Anyway, I too am an out of control binge eater. I have been doing it for hmm at least 5 years now (since high school) but lately it's been really bad. 2 summers ago I weighed 125 lbs. and had a pretty rough summer and gained about 20 lbs in 3 months. Since then I had been maintaining, but lately it's really been creeping up. Last time I weighed myself (a few weeks ago) I had gained another 7 lbs. and haven't gotten back on the scale. I just can't seem to stop binge eating.

I have made the decision to stop dieting. I have found that for me, it just leads me to binge more and I can't seem to stay on a plan for more than a week at this point anyway. I think I've really just blown everything up in my head and need to calm down and regain control. I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys as this seems like a really supportive group. My focus now is going to be to focus on healthy eating and eating more regularly (3 meals and 1 snack instead of eating all day, even when I'm not hungry). I hope I can lend plenty of support along the way too.

This seems like a very very sensible thing to do for you. And kudos for knowing that much about yourself. I really don't think that alot of people have that kind of insight. So, I think that you have alot of knowlege and strength coming from within so I wish you all the best.
Oh, yeah, and WELCOME!

I had a very similar experience with weight gain. I gained about 18lbs in an eight month period. Then over the next year due to horrible binge/diet eating cycles I gained another 8-9lbs.

I think you've made a great choice to end dieting. And this is an awesome place for support. I love it here, and honestly since I've joined my binge-dieting cycles have reduced.

So welcome to the boards. I hope you enjoy them as I have.

Hi Snowbunny, and welcome

Your story could be mine, though I'm further along it than you, as I'm older. I have become an anti-diet crusader. I, like you, finally realized that I would never get my weight under control until I conquered bingeing. Right now, I'm doing exactly what you describe - 3 meals plus a snack. No off-limits foods, though I try to make healthy choices, and plan ahead for a weekly treat (these little spontaneous, impulsive decisions are much more likely to lead to a binge). And guess what? I'm eating like a normal person again. Sure, it's still a very cognitive process - I'd love to munch in front of the TV, and have to fight the urge, but it's getting easier. And bonus? My weight is coming down. Slowly, but that's OK. I didn't put it on overnight. I think you've made a good decision.

Thanks everyone for the support. Janie it looks like we have similar goals. I'm at day 1 for no bingeing, and I'm hoping that by coming on here I can go a few in a row or maybe more than a few Glad to meet you all.

Hey Snowbunny...

I was around 120 and have always been there but after graduating college, a bad breakup, etc. I found myself binging all of the sudden, I really think it was a result of trying to control things going on around me via diet and then chronic dieting, rather than emotions, led to my binges. 3 weeks ago I decided to stop dieting, etc....I do about 3 meals and 1-2 snacks a day and something that may help you, to get your mind off of food/thinking about it all, is automate what you eat. I pretty much have the same thing for breakfast and lunch each day and I vary my dinner. I also have no "bad foods." For example, I had homemade apple pie last week-something i'd normally avoid then binge bc I didn't eat what I wanted. I had the pie still lost 2 lbs...its not the little splurges, its the all-or-nothing mentality from dieting that does this to us. There is a wealth of info on here, I'm pretty new but have found this so helpful. Give yourself time to see what works for you personally and honor your feelings and what will work best for you. Congrats on the decision to no longer diet, its super hard and took me a few weeks to really get it down pact, but i'm starting to feel semi-normal again and haven't binged in almost 2 weeks! Good luck to you!

You know, it sounds a bit incongruous on a forum about dieting, but there are enough of us "anti-dieters" around... it would be nice to have a separate thread. There's a thread for just about every formal diet you can shake a stick at, but nothing specific for those of us aiming to lose weight by NOT dieting.

Thats a great point...perhaps we should be pioneers in the non-dieting world!

Do you know how to ask if it's possible to have a forum for the "non-dieting losers"?

ok, so this just inspired me, I LOVE the anti-dieting idea!

Yeah that's a great idea, I'm in.
Linz, thanks for your advice. I've always found it helpful to stick to eating the same things like cereal in the am and a veggie burger for lunch. You're right it makes it easier to go on without thinking about food too much, which is ultimately my goal, to eat normally and not have it be something that takes over my life. This conversation could probably continue in the "non-dieting losers" forum, haha.

I don't know how to ask about a "non-dieting" losers forum as i'm new here, but someone has to know around here! Hope everyone has a good day...

Wow, I was just thinking about this exact thing today! Like you, I've decided to take a break from the diet-go-round and not even think at all about actual weight loss. I'm just going to like myself the way I am and be happy at this body weight. My new goal is just to increase my overall health by eating right and exercising. Those things will make me FEEL better (and look thinner) even if I don't lose a pound... and since changing my weight isn't my goal anymore anyway, it's impossible to "fail". I feel a sense of relief now that the pressure is off (and incidentally, I've also had no desire to binge today).

And Lilith, the beauty of it is, once you are eating "normally" again, and making healthy choices, your weight will probably gradually come down and stabilize at a healthy number.