This article was in the LA Times today. Here's the intro:

"For obese binge eaters, good news and bad news

Binge eaters who get a specialized form of talk therapy aimed at reducing their bingeing behavior are more likely than those who participate in a weight-loss program to shed their eating disorder two years after treatment, a new study finds. But among binge eaters who are obese, no treatments led to long-term weight loss."

Personally, I plan on proving this wrong. Who's with me?!

I'm down. I plan on defying all kinds of statistics

I'm with you! We may not be in the majority, but there are those of us who are succeeding in this fight! Although I lost my weight and have been maintaining for 17 months, I never think of myself as "cured" of my binge eating disorder or obesity. I just think that I am managing and controlling them day by day.

I do agree that Binge Eating Disorder should have it's own separate category in 2013 though.

I know you will reach your goal C.C.!

I wonder if the part about the obese participants was statistically significant - that detail is not mentioned in the study abstract.

I agree with BED being acknowledged separately too. And thank you for believing in me! I'm so proud of you for keeping your weight off for 17 months and counting. That's such a major accomplishment!

You know, the odds are stacked against ANY obese person -- however they got to be obese, and whatever eating issues they're dealing with -- losing weight and keeping it off. I've heard anything from two to five percent being the standard percentage of people who lose weight and manage to keep it off.

And...so what? We've got plenty of people around here beating those odds. If you look at just how MANY people are obese or overweight, and then you calculate what two to five percent of those numbers are, that's still a **** of a lot of people who are managing their weight successfully. We can aim to be among their number. We absolutely do not have to give up.

This is horrible! I have to put it out there, since it's crossed my mind about 12 times since I read the inital post about 30 seconds ago--This cannot be used as an excuse to give up! Because basically, what this article is saying is that I, as an obese binger, may as well give up my efforts and head to the grocery store to buy my favorite binge foods (as there are none in the house right now, of course!). But I won't listen to the article, because we are all going to beat the odds. We have this great support system here!

I think that what Tai said about never considering oneself "cured" is really important. A few months ago, I had gone binge free for about 30 days, started feeling overconfident, and fell off the wagon hard. So now, even though I'm almost at 60 days, I still go to the binge-free thread, and I'm still very aware of what situations trigger my binges and how to deal with them (for me, Sunday nights seem to trigger something--so I'm extra mindful on those days). I'll never be cured though--just like all other kinds of addicts are never considered cured.

Absolutely right!

I'm formerly obese binge eater who lost all my excess weight and have kept it off for more than seven years. But according to that article, I don't exist. Let me run and look in the mirror -- what do you know? I'm here! Quite solidly present and still wearing size 4 pants. Hmm. Could they be wrong??

When it comes to weight loss and maintenance, we all need to put blinders on. What other people do and don't do has absolutely nothing to do with our results. Our choices determine our destiny. Only one person made me fat, only one person made me fit and healthy, and only one person can make me fat again. Me and the choices I make every day.

It doesn't matter if 95% of people who lose weight regain it all. We knew this job was tough before we started. All that matters is what we do, every day for the rest of our lives. The power to live a fit, healthy life is completely within our control. Even if every other person in the world fails at long term weight loss, I still know that I can do it.

But knowing that most people fail underscores the seriousness of what we're doing. When you're told -- oh, go on, have a piece of cake or you need to learn to eat (XXX unhealthy food) in moderation -- well, for some of us, we can't. This is too important to mess up. For some of us, this is life and death.

And I know I'm preaching to the choir here (what an awesome group of losers!) but every sacrifice and every bit of hard work has been totally, totally worth it!

Meg, you have said SO many wise things throughout the years I've been fortunate enough to spend time with you, but I think this one is right up there with one of the wise-est of all time. That statement is SO true. ESPECIALLY in regards to keeping the weight OFF. These *studies* are down right IRRITATING and I think they hold a lot of people back from even attempting weight loss.

I feel this same way.

I'm not so sure that the message in the data is that anyone should give up. It's that the methods studied are not the ones that are most effective (assuming the study was truly strong and well-done enough to make that conclusion, which is a big assumption). Of course, that won't stop many from taking it that way. Perhaps it just belongs in the Edison file - one more thing that doesn't work leads you to what does work.

Only 10% of the population is left-handed... I'm left-handed. I was the only person at my high school of 2,300 people to study abroad in the year of 2006... I was at the top 5% of my graduating class... I was the only person from my graduating class to go to college in Hawaii...
2-5%? Pft. I've been in tons of statistics MUCH lower than that. It's all about how you look at it.