I have tried tried and tried again to stay on a diet, I have tried and tried again to change my eating habits slowly and permanently (obviously not permanently... argh!)...

but it seems like every time i allow myself a "healthy" meal, it either seems like such a small amount that I am still hungry, and end up bingeing, or feel like because i've eaten, i am now in "eating mode" and nothing will satisfy me until i've eaten the contents of the entire kitchen!

and then, i get surprised when the scale doesn't budge ...

this seems like such a simple question, but what actually is a normal amount for someone to eat? and how can i avoid the *two day crash diet four day binge* trap?

you need to EAT! I'm the same way... if I let myself get hungry I get out of control and it's not pretty so I used to get in these ruts where I'd eat like a bird for 3 days and then lose it and binge for 3 days... and of course I'd end up gaining. Now I have set times throughout the day where I have to EAT. 7,10,12,3,6,8 I'm full all day and I don't feel the urge to binge as much. The trick is to eat HEALTHY things... I try to keep my "meals" between 200-300 calories of unprocessed foods. If i'm still hungry I'll eat some low cal veggies until I'm full. Good luck to you!! it's hard...

Okay, that was my experience dieting for 20 years. Restrict/binge/restrict/binge.

I finally was able to break the cycle when I quit eating processed diet foods and started eating healthy, whole foods.

I had to think what was my REAL goal. You know that old saying "couldn't see the forest because of the trees?" That was me - health was the forest, weight loss was the trees. I was so desperate to lose weight, I didn't really think WHY are you losing weight. Well, of course I wanted to be thin and look good! It was only at age 35 that I realized, I need to eat better so I can be HEALTHY.

Once I changed my mind set from "lose weight as quickly as possible, whatever it takes" to "how can I eat every day to stay healthy, lower my cholesterol, lower my risk of cancer, heart disease, etc) it was incredibly easy and I STOPPED BINGING.

I used to think a diet meant tasteless diet food I didn't like instead of the foods I really wanted. I used to think a diet meant being hungry. I used to think dieting meant being "perfect."

Now, I eat healthy foods I love. Whole foods, not fake foods with chemicals and high fructose corn syrup. I lost weight eating foods I would never have allowed myself on my "perfect diet" - peanut butter, olive oil, avocado! The food I eat really satisfies me and my body doesn't need to binge anymore in a desperate attempt to find whatever nutrient it was craving.

Took me 20 years of misery to figure this out, wish I had known much earlier!

I'm in the same boat.

I've tried all sorts of weight loss methods..... but I guess in the end....it isn't the method but the mentality??
and I've still yet to sort out my mentality towards weight loss and my attitude towards food.

as for now
food = comfort = love
weight loss- as quick as possible. I am so impatient that when I just lose a little bit i get discourage because it seems like my goal is impossible to reach.
diet = being hungry
stomach capacity--> either hungry or way too full
reason for losing weight = to look good and feel good.

so I really ought to be working on changing these thoughts.

good luck to you!! I hope today will turn out fine!

lots of and support!

DietCokeAddict: I know exactly how you feel!!! I've been that way for ages. BTW I also have a serious Diet Coke addiction. Like serious!!! I practically went nuts when I was prego and only let myself have 2 a day.

ValRock: I've been eatting on the same schedule for the last 2 weeks and I've already lost 7 pounds and I'm not hungry! I just make sure to stay under about 2000 calories.

I think the fact that I've come to peace with the fact that I'll not be in a sexy bikini by the end of summer has helped me. Heck with the stretchmarks I got when I was prego I probably never will. LOL This is gonna take a long time and I'm okay with that! I already feel sooo much better just by eatting good whole foods.

One more thing that has helped is not denying myself the things I really love! I won't mention my major food love here as I don't wanna trigger anyone but I just keep repeating to myself that I can have it again tommorrow or later if I'm desperate and then I don't gorge myself on it.

All my questions were answered when I started counting calories. When I first started keeping track, I was eating 4,000 a day. I was also gaining a lb or more a week. I tried a couple of times to eat less than 2,000 but it was just too hard and I ended up bingeing at night. So, instead, I just tried to cut it down gradually. First, I brought it down to 3500, then to 3000. Then for a long time, I tried to hit 2800. Now, I shoot for around 2200 and hit 2500 pretty often.

Perfect is great if it works, but good is a lot better than bad. And bad is better than awful. :-) Don't be "all or nothing."

Glory is SO right! Thank you, Glory, for sharing your incredible insight!
I just wanted to say how very much I enjoy reading your posts and how helpful your fitday has been!

I agree with jman1 about counting calories, though quantifying your intake some other way would also work. I'm 16 months into my diet and continue to record my food and count calories every day. This gives me an objective stopping point. I've reached my goal but still need to do this to maintain.

You've got to find something that works for you. Counting calories is easy and worth a try!

jemmama

Exactly!!!

thanks for the advice guys!.

I'm going to try this. =)

take care everyone

Wow, thanks I'm so talky about it because I just struggled so long, I really hated myself for awhile in my early 30s, hated myself for my lack of "will power." Understanding that restriction/binge wasn't really about a lack of will power for me made a difference in so many ways. I got healthy, I lost weight, I like myself so much better - I just want to share it.

met my quota for the day today guys.
Feel like eating..but coming back to this thread and reading all your advice and experiences is helping me curb my usual late night 'snack'.

Hanging in there

Wow, what great posts!
I hope you found some inspiration here, Dietcokeaddict. I sure did!

That's been my latest mantra. In the past, I've always tried the "all or nothing" method, but it doesn't work! We're only human, and we're going to screw up. So any little better choice I can make is one BIG deal.