and having a hard time regaining it. I stopped counting a few days ago, I knew I was going over my limits but just couldn't seem to stop it. I was eating junk, over eating, even the healthy stuff. I at least, was exercising but I know there is no way I was working off what I was eating. Today Im trying to count every bite, but food is all I am thinking about(its not even TOM) so far today it has been a 240cal breakfast, 205cal snack, 350 cal lunch.The dinner plan tonight should be about 350. That leaves me about 355 for snacks. It just seems like for a while there I was doing pretty good with keeping my appetite level down but now I have started right back. Also no matter how hungry, or not, I am at dinner, I am still eating past the point of fullness. How do I stop looking forward to the stuffed feeling at dinner? Thats the only time I do that, well at dinner and anytime at a restaurant. Which is why I don't eat out.

I have found that I really had to change my thinking about food. I try to listen to my body and eat when it tells me Im hungry. It is really hard not to pig out when it's a food I really like. I think weight loss has a lot to do with the mind.

Eat to live, not live to eat!

I try to remember that saying...

Two possibilities, Willow650.

First idea: make your snacks smaller so that you can eat more at dinner for now. If you have a 150 cal snack in the morning, and have 255 calories for other snacks, you could eat a 450 cal dinner.

Another idea: Eat more lower-calorie foods at dinner. Have twice as much salad vegetables, but do not double the dressing. For instance, you know those bag salads? Well, a whole bag has only 30 calories. Have 4 ounces of cooked vegetables instead of 3. Add in other vegetables as well. This may help you to feel as full as you'd like, without overeating high-calorie foods.

Whichever way you approach it, you can then work toward lowering the amount you eat at dinner again. As time goes on, you may find that you feel OK after dinner without having to feel stuffed. But to do that, you have to eat smaller amounts for awhile. It does happen!

Good luck! Get yourself in hand!
Jay

I might also check the fiber/protein of the foods and snacks that you're eating. It always makes me feel more full. And 250 cals of oatmeal will definitely keep you full longer than 250 cals of potato chips. I'm sure you know that already. Sometimes I have to read back in my food journal to see what I ate those days that I was full to prove it to myself though.

Willow..last Friday I ate 2700 calories in one day! GOOD GRIEF. I was supposed to stay under 1500! I had medical tests done last week (full battery of blood work for EVERYTHING and CT Scan) and was just so overcome by it all I acted out by eating. My weight was up on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Tuesday it returned after three strict days of doing what I know I should be. This is part of the journey--I told myself anyway. I am ashamed that I did it because it's been a really long time for me but I am also proud I overcame.

Eating lots of veggies at dinner helps me too. Tonight I had 2 servings of broccoli which is only 60 calories along with a serving of green peas at 70 calories. It's filling and doesn't blow my calorie count. Along with two pieces of tilapia, my dinner had 330 calories yet was very filling. Most of the time, I do two servings of a green veggie (broccoli, green beans, etc.) since I know they don't have a lot of calories but can be very filling along with a starch and some kind of protein (fish, poultry, etc.)

TBG, congrats for getting back on track. Someone has a quote in their signature that said "it's not about perfection but about consistency". Some days we'll be off but as long as we get back on track we should be ok for the long haul. As you said, it's part of the journey.

I have found my self in this same boat for the last 4 days! I just seem ravenous! I want to eat eat eat! I'm not due for TOM either it's about 2 weeks away- I've heard you can get hungry while ovulating too... so in essence it could be PMS even if it's a few weeks away too

It might be PMS. I read the PMS can come as early as two weeks before a TOM.

I have gotten off track during this ice storm and losing power for 6 days and water for 4 days. I cooked and cooked trying to help feed neighbors who had no means of cooking and also trying to save some of the food i had on hand. Now we have power back and i cant seem to get back on track. Scales are showing it now!! I am having a really hard time trying to focus on me!! Today i will get my water in and plan my meals...I also have fell off the exercise wagon.

Good luck, dgramie! You can get back on track!

Jay

Since Sunday night was the Super Bowl, my Sunday school class got together at my house for a party. I had resolved to enjoy myself and not freak out over the food or cals or anything just nibble and enjoy myself and get back on track the next day. The problem came when I started having a panic attack because of all the people here(I sometimes panic when a lot of people are moving around me). I thought I could handle it but I didn't do so well and while everyone was fixing their plates I had to run out side and breath, A LOT. Once I came back in and everyone was out of the dinning room, I sat at the table and just ate, and ate, and ate ect. It didn't dawn on me till just now that the panic attack set off my binge. Well once I binged, I wanted to again, all I could think about is food, when I was going to eat, what I was going to eat ect. I as doing good during the day but at dinner, when I am cooking a lot for 5 people, I would stuff myself again. I wanted that over full feeling again. Last night I made hotdogs with mashed potatoes(split the wiener open,put left over mashed potaotes on top, back then add cheese) I use Chicken hotdogs, 1/4 cup real potatoes with Earth Balance butter and skim milk, and 1/2 sliced cheese. I told myself all day I was going to only eat 2 but I ate 3. I knew the whole time I was going to eat 3. I made veggies for the kids but it was some I cant stand so I didnt eat veggies. Today I do feel more in control. I did have a higher cal breakfast, about 450cals or so and felt no need for my morning snack. its about lunch time now and it will be about 350 or so then I need to plan an afternoon snack. For dinner, its going to be awesome. cabbage soup with tomato sauce, lean hamburger bell pepper, onion, beef broth, and I am thinking adding zucchini and squash.

Willow, what you're doing is self-medicating with food. I'd suggest that you find a counselor--perhaps your doctor can give you some names or a referral--someone who understands food issues as well as anxiety attacks. Clinical psychologists are often good practitioners for these things. And more and more therapists specialize in food issues.

I encourage you to get some help with this. The help is out there...

Also, you might want to check with the Chicks in Control forum, if you haven't found it already:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=64



Jay