[PreciousCharlie]

Hello Ladies,

I've been a member of 3fatchicks for a while now, but I just found this board. I will hopefully be posting mor often...

I am looking for support from those that have "been there, done that".

Okay, here's my situation:
I've lost a total of 45 pounds over 9 months. It was a slow and steady process, but the results were amazing! Then I hit a plateau and got discouraged (you know, those last 10 pounds?)...I started slacking on my exercise around halloween, then I started binge eating again. I eat and eat [WHATEVER and WHENever] and it feel so good going down, but then I feel like crap immediately after! I don't work out AT ALL anymore and I binge eat about 3 or 4 times a week...this has even affected my pockets because I often find myself at the McDonald's drive through spending $10 + on just ME! Or taking late-night trips to the grocery store to buy ice cream...and eating almost an entire half-gallon in one sitting! RRGGGGHHH!

Luckily in the past 2 months, I've only put on 6 pounds, but that's affected my confidence. I mean, I felt so good w/ 45pounds lost (I stopped trying to lose more because I became content with the size I was). I was maintaing! Doing great! Now, my jeans are fitting tighter and I am so afraid that all my hard work is going to waste! I don't know why I can't keep it together! I really need to turn this thing around!

When i'm shoving all that crap into my mouth, I figure "well, what's done is done"...then I keep saying, next week... or after thanksgiving...and now, after Christmas or just after the holidays...I will start over. but I don't know if I have it in me! Maintaing is so hard! There was a point where it came naturally, but that is long gone. I have "fat pictures" all around as a reminder that I don't want to look like that again...but I am slowly putting it back on!

How do I get out of this downward spiral?? I was doing so good and then it's like I just gave up! Nothing drastic happend in my life (I'm up and down emotianally all the time). I don't know why I'm doing this to myself. And I can FEEL it. All the junkfood is like toxins going through my bloodstream! I'm making myself sick!

Like any addict, I guess I will forever be in recovery, but how do I get back on track??

If you've gotten this far, thanks so much for reading and I'm sorry this is so long. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!
~Charlie:

[HeatherAngel]

Okay, you've taken the first, difficult step and that is to recognize that you want to change this binge behaviour - we're here for you.

You know - I think it can be easy to eat, and somewhere buried deep in the back of our subconscious is that little note to self: 'Hey! You lost a lot of weight, and it was GOOD... you can do it again... right after you EAT THIS...' Or maybe that's just me But maintaining IS hard.

So - for now, accept that you are not maintaining, but WORKING AT IT again, and make those same, small, baby step commitments to yourself that you did when you started this journey - it'll all come back to you!

You CAN do this - you already know you can

Stick with us, and we'll help you stick with it!

[PreciousCharlie]

Heather-Thanks for the kind words. I think I do have that thought in the back of my mind to an extent.
...
Meanwhile I just went to visit Ronnie (Ronald McDonald) again on my lunch break. This comes after I'd JUST eaten a huge half of a cheesteak (equal to the size of a regular sub) given to me by a co-worker. It was like eating a potato chip! I didn't feel full and I still craved chicken nuggets...so I went and got some (another $6 down the toilet).

On the drive there and back, I felt low and realized that though nothing "drastic" has happend, I am just in a transitional phase in my life. And it sucks! That's what led me to this board. The twenties are filled with so many questions and twists and turns. And that's where I am right now.
I am a lost twenty-something turning to food for comfort. But it doesn't work! Why do I keep going back??

I am so disgusted with myself right now. I'm starting over TONIGHT...no, NOW!

[SunshineRunner]

Charlie - just a thought that works for me - I turn to exercise for comfort. I know it pretty much sounds ridiculous, but I get addicted to it. 5-6 days/week at the gym for me because I just can't say no to it anymore. I feel so much better and healthier and adrenaline filled afterwards. Stop spending the $$$ @ McD's and hit the gym...then you won't have the $$$ for McD's....not sure if that will work for you - but JUST DO IT!!!!!

[Cats tongue]

It sounds like you've turned to some emotional eating. You say you're going through a transition period. What's changing? What emotions are causing you to go and eat? Nothing drastic might be happening, and maybe that's what's bothering you....

That said, you're catching this early on and that's awesome! You've only (using that word lightly here) gained back 6 of those 45lbs you lost, not all of them. Half of maintaining is noticing when you're starting to fall back into bad habits.

As to what you can do about it... I think by coming on here you've made the first step. The second step is about getting that eating under control and then getting in some exercise.
Some strategies for not going out and getting food.
a) don't bring money anywhere with. When those five bucks aren't in your pocket you can't go to McD's and grab those cheap meals.
b) pack healthy food the day before, or keep a supply at work/where ever you are going to be.
c) record what you are eating. Sometimes knowing you'll have to write down those foods later on is a great deterant.

Other than that, I don't really know. But you know you can do this! It's only 6lbs which is nothing compared to what you've lost already! Good job on coming here ane being accountable to yourself and to others.

[Eves]

Here are a couple of more tips:

* Take out all of the junk food from you house, don't just ut it in the trash, go to the dumpster, pour cat poop over it, just get it well out.

*TONIGHT - make a list of healthy stuff to buy. Think about lunch, breakfast, snacks, whatever. Go to the store and stick to the list.

*Promise yourself not to go to McDonalds or any other drive through TONIGHT. Just tonight. You can do it! Tomorrow is another day. Maybe tomorrow, you can make yourself the same promise.

* Put away those $5 or $10 dollars every day you were going to spend on fast food. At the end of the week, or two weeks, or a month buy yourself something nice.

*When you get out of work, or go to lunch put your purse in the trunk. See, no drive-thu.

*DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP!!!! This is a process, it isn't perfection. Take it a day, half a day, an hour at a time. Remember, you have done it before. You can definitely do it again.

GOOD LUCK!

[Amberelise]

Archy - those are great tips. IF ONLY I had put my purse in the trunk back in college I would have saved myself all of the work I'm doing now.

Charlie - I think you just need a little self confidence. If you felt like you were doing something right healthwise right now I think you'd continue doing something right. So, as someone pointed out before, you're doing something right by recognizing that you're gaining back some weight. You know how hard it is for people to face their fears and actually go weigh themselves when they know they've been "bad?" But, not you. You faced the facts and even came here and posted about it. You're going in the right direction now!!! So, now you're taking control of the situation. You're not longer out of control. Right now, at this moment you're in control. Keep it up.

[yesitsmeagain]

You should be PROUD of yourself for catching your weight gain this early! Maintaining is so hard

I totally agree with everyone's comments, especially not taking money with you to work & always bringing your own lunch (for me, if I don't leave my purse at work when I go to the lunchroom I will DEFINETELY buy either some sort of dessert or a can of coke. If I DON'T bring it, I will never go all the way there later for these things).

Get rid of anything that can trigger you to binge in your house. You're at least less likely to do it if it's not there in front of you. Then go shopping for some healthy things (only when you're in a good mood and not hungry, or you might end up buying some unhealthy things!).

*hugs* you can do this!