I have been working on avoiding the foods that I tend to binge on---white flour, rice, pasta, sugar, etc.

I am feeling good about being able to avoid those foods, and realize that I have to stay strong against the urges to overeat.

I have found that I am not able to eat within my 1200 calorie limit. I have been eating around 1200-1500 calories a day. Maybe 1500 isn't so bad, but I realize that when I ate better before, i tended to eat only 1100-1200 calories, and felt full all of the time.

I feel right now that just focusing on not eating certain foods is a big accomplishment for me. Maybe at a later time I will feel comfortable with going down in calories, but right now, i worry about going too low in calories, which would leave me potentially with wanting to binge. Sigh.

Anyone else going through this?

Do you not exercise? 1,200 is pretty low. What's your height and weight? Activity level?

1,200 calorie diet would lead me straight to the fridge to binge.

Right now I am not really exercising---the weight has got me feeling so out of sorts, and I get sore so easily. Just climbing the stairs leaves me winded at times. So, for now, I am working on increasing my walking. I know that when I get below 300lbs, then my energy level will increase.

What's helping me avoid binging is cutting out all added sugar (candy, chocolate, baked goods, etc.). I think another thing is that you might need to eat way more calories. When your body isn't satisfied it can be very easy to go off track. I'm eating 1400-1600 and still losing at this weight, so don't think you need to go so low to 1200!

I'm no expert, hun, but I'd suggest if you're over 300lbs to eat around 1,800 calories and you will still lose. I'm 5'7, 22 years old, 230lbs. My Resting Metabolic Rate is 2,477 calories. That means If I stick to to anything below that I'm going to lose weight. I try for 1,800 - 2,000, but then I always exercise ALOT (weight training 3 x a week, and 5 days of 45 min cardio sessions). That will mean I lose a healthy 2lbs a week, sometimes more. When I lose more weight, I will reduce my calorie intake more most likely. Although, tbh, I don't try to count calories except to think to myself, "Is this meal 300 calories?" I try to eat 6 300 calorie meals a day. Whatever works for you of course,... my only point is that 1,200 seems really too low. Even if you don't exercise, you don't want to get in a habit of super low calories that's going to lead you to binge eating and also in the long run you won't be able to reduce your calorie intake if you hit a plateau.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calrmr.htm <---resting metabolic calculator

I agree with everyone else that 1200 calories is waaaay too low for you. I eat more than that (not sure of the exact number, somewhere around 1800) and I still lose weight.

Raising your calorie allowance will help keep you from binging, for sure--eating such a low number of calories, I would imagine, would be enough to induce a binge.

Another suggestion--cut those items that you struggle with out of your diet completly, or at least only have them when you're eating out. I only have certain foods when I'm out in public, and I don't keep that kind of food in my house. If it's in my house, I will binge on it.

When I really want to do the trick I stick to whole foods LOW on the glycemic index. As long as simple carbs--the junky ones--aren't in me, I am okay. I have trouble once I introduce crap into my body controlling myself. Also, making sure you have plenty of healthy fats (in moderation of course) will help you greatly--olive oil, avacado, nuts, etc. Same goes for super lean protein sources.

I am worried because I have tried sticking to calories over 1600 cals, and I don't lose any weight. I am not very active, and even moreso because of the weight gain. Doctors keep saying everything is fine--to be honest, I haven't seen a doc I feel really understands my food issues.

I am worried that the tools I used before (clean eating), won't work again because I tinkered with the formula before, and just omitted grains, but not sugars, didn't watch calories, etc.

I am just going to keep trying to eat clean and see if eventually it works. I will up my calories and see if I can lose weight. So far, I am have been going back and forth between 318 to 316 since I officially started a week ago. I am trying to not be discouraged.