I was watching Oprah yesterday and she had that woman on the show who lost a lot of weight and has been on a few times. I think she had GB surgery, but now she's written a book: "Winning at losing"? or something like that.

Anyway, she said the main thing to remember is that one binge does not make you fat. Her point was that people start a diet, binge once and give up thinking they are destined to be fat, they just blew it, etc. I hear this a lot on this forum and definitely said it to myself in the past. She said you have to get over it and eat the next meal like the last episode never happened.

I felt this was really true. I haven't read her book but just wanted to remind us all and even myself, that you dont get fat on one binge! Forgive yourself and move on.

I've sort of been paying attention to how "normal" people in my life eat etc and found that they binge too. Everyone overeats sometimes, but some people dont feel that guilt after and keep going because they just blew it. that mindset will ruin you - thinking you just ruined your diet so you might as well continue. They also don't spend all day thinking about their next meal. They eat when they are hungry. there is something to be said about taking to focus off dieting and eating. My healthiest time was a time I was happy and content with my life and the last thing on my mind was what I was going to eat for dinner!

have a good day everyone.

I agree 100%.

I agree too. I really wish I could quit thinking about what im going to have to eat next...it drives me crazy!!!

Thank you for sharing that. This time my diet has been different because I now know it is ok to mess up a little. Then start over again the next day.

that was the key for me this time too.

1. not expecting QUICK results
2. accepting that this was a for life forever change
3. knowing that when i did indulge I had to get right back on and that if i KNEW i was going to indulge it did not give me permission to "pre-indulge" the whole day away.

for example in my old life knowing that yesterday was a luncheon, I would have splurged on a big bagel and some donuts for breakfast then had carry out for dinner.

yesterday my only indulgence was a couple of slices of pizza for lunch instead of my normal salad.... the rest of the day was spot on plan.

Hi i'm new to this. I looked at all your posts and weight goals and i feel enormous. I'm 24 yrs old and just had a baby 5 1/2 months ago. I went to the docs 2wks ago and was told I weigh 25stone. Oh my god I could not believe it. I want to do something about it before it sticks on me. I tried exercise videos but found I lost motivation. I go for walks for about 30mins per day in my local park and have join baby clubs so I can get out of the house. Please give me some more tips and ideas. Please help.

Congrats on taking the first step! The people here are ever so helpful, so just ask away, and I'm sure someone will have an answer to your questions.

My first advice would be to take a look at both your diet and exercise habits. I often find that people think that just changing one or the other will get the numbers on the scale to go down; unfortunately, it rarely works like that! The daily walks are a great idea, but make sure you're getting lots of fruits and veggies, good carbs and proteins, and a little bit of the good fats your body needs! Also, portion control is key; I just read in O Magazine today that most people eat WAY more calories than they think they do. If you have to, buy a scale and measure your portions.

Also, I would suggest talking to your doctor to make up a food plan. You have to make sure that you're getting the right amount of calories (not too much OR too little!), or your weight won't go anywhere. This is especially important if you're breastfeeding! Your doctor might also be able to refer you to a dietician who can help you further.

Another option is a weight loss program; I'm on LA Weight Loss, and I've seen many people who have had excellent results on Weight Watchers as well. Programs like these tell you exactly what is ok to eat and how much of it, as well as teach you how to make good choices and to break your bad habits and addictions.

Whatever method you choose to lose weight, keep at it! We rarely get it right the first time, but it's definitely worth it to keep trying; you'll find what works for you, I know it!

As for the Oprah story, thanks for sharing it, BD; it's really encouraging! I can't wait for the day when I can stop thinking constantly about food. But I think that's an essential part of the weight loss process. You have to plan and plan and plan some more, until you get to the point where the healthy choices become second nature and you can be confident that you won't lose control; its all about breaking the old habits and forming new ones! I think I'm finally getting there, which is pretty exciting!