Let's see... I've lost 7.4 pounds over the past four weeks. I had TWO unplanned meals - catered Chik-fil-A for a coworker's birthday (plus a chocolate cupcake) and a burger from Litton's (delicious). I worked out (30 min. elliptical and 30 - 60 min. weight training) 15 days out of 28.

Honestly, the easiest way for me to avoid binging is to keep the tempting foods (pizza, chocolate) away from the house unless I can buy them in individual servings (60 calorie pudding cups). The only time I've binged since starting my plan was one day when I said screw it and doubled my taco portions for a big taco salad. (I get stressed and most prone to binging around test time at school. Cannot wait to graduate in December and be done with that! Luckily, I didn't do what I normally do - binge on fast food!)

10lbs a month if I am perfectly on plan, rigidly calorie cyclying, and exercising for 45 min/4-5 days a week.

Realistically,with social events, missed workouts, and overall living life, while staying on plan most of the time, it's about 6lbs.

Originally Posted by KatieC87:
. . . Honestly, the easiest way for me to avoid binging is to keep the tempting foods (pizza, chocolate) away from the house unless I can buy them in individual servings (60 calorie pudding cups). . . .

Me, too!! Last night, I had this intense craving for some Snyders honey mustard pretzel pieces (I literally haven't eaten those in YEARS!). I looked up the calories and decided that if I could find a small bag, I would buy it today. Today, in the grocery store, I couldn't find anything but the regular sized bag. I put it in my basket and . . . put it back. I visualized myself eating straight from the bag, and knowing that I might not be able to control myself (those things are addictive), I figured I just wouldn't buy them.

In order to keep from binging, do any of you think it's ok to have, say, two days a week that I could have 1800 calorie days instead of my usual 1500-1600 days? This way, on those days when I get home and I'm hungry enough to eat a horse before dinner, I can safely eat larger portions without feeling like I've "blown it."

I had a slight binge last night where this exact thing happened - I kept on track all day, but after getting home from work my dinner meal didn't satiate my hunger in the slightest, and I wound up eating about an extra 800 calories before bed (only about 2400 for the day, but in the I'm-not-going-to-lose-weight-today category). And since I was throwing caution to the wind, I didn't feel like riding my exercise bike, either. Needless to say, I felt like cr** when I got up this morning. And to make matters worse, I got on the scale (I'm a masochist) and had lost a half a pound from two days ago. Aaargh! If I had kept my diet, I probably would have seen a pound and a half loss!

Funny how a 2400 calorie day for me now is binging, whereas in the past, when I wasn't dieting and counting calories, it would have been a "lite" day. Of course, this was when I ate at places like McDonalds, Krispy Kreme, and Outback regularly, and when relaxing in front of my favorite TV show included a 2-lb. bag of M&Ms.

Originally Posted by tricon7:
In order to keep from binging, do any of you think it's ok to have, say, two days a week that I could have 1800 calorie days instead of my usual 1500-1600 days? This way, on those days when I get home and I'm hungry enough to eat a horse before dinner, I can safely eat larger portions without feeling like I've "blown it."

I had a slight binge last night where this exact thing happened - I kept on track all day, but after getting home from work my dinner meal didn't satiate my hunger in the slightest, and I wound up eating about an extra 800 calories before bed (only about 2400 for the day, but in the I'm-not-going-to-lose-weight-today category). And since I was throwing caution to the wind, I didn't feel like riding my exercise bike, either. Needless to say, I felt like cr** when I got up this morning. And to make matters worse, I got on the scale (I'm a masochist) and had lost a half a pound from two days ago. Aaargh! If I had kept my diet, I probably would have seen a pound and a half loss!

Funny how a 2400 calorie day for me now is binging, whereas in the past, when I wasn't dieting and counting calories, it would have been a "lite" day. Of course, this was when I ate at places like McDonalds, Krispy Kreme, and Outback regularly, and when relaxing in front of my favorite TV show included a 2-lb. bag of M&Ms.

I think that's a very reasonable plan. Definitely try it!

Oh, and I hear you about rethinking a binge. Yesterday I had a "binge" on chocolate, which I ended up calculating to be 390 calories. Way better than in the old days where I could EASILY eat well over 1000 calories.

Originally Posted by tricon7:
In order to keep from binging, do any of you think it's ok to have, say, two days a week that I could have 1800 calorie days instead of my usual 1500-1600 days?

The idea of going up a little in calories a day or two a wk is similar to calorie cycling. I haven't been as rigid as usual with it but it does help when you know you have "higher" days coming on. Binging and higher calorie days are two totally different things to me. I don't qualify an additional few hundred cals as a binge, in my world - maybe overeating.

Originally Posted by lin43:
Me, too!! Last night, I had this intense craving for some Snyders honey mustard pretzel pieces (I literally haven't eaten those in YEARS!). I looked up the calories and decided that if I could find a small bag, I would buy it today. Today, in the grocery store, I couldn't find anything but the regular sized bag. I put it in my basket and . . . put it back. I visualized myself eating straight from the bag, and knowing that I might not be able to control myself (those things are addictive), I figured I just wouldn't buy them.

Way to go! That takes some dedication right there, especially putting it back on the shelf! :hug:I think making those compromises - say, to allow yourself to have a treat if you can control the portion or buy in individual portions - is important to overall success. My lifestyle change is not the enemy. Hopefully one day we'll be able to buy the big bags and count out one portion for a snack, eh? :)

I have been dieting for 2 months, and have had maybe 2 or 3 days off plan. My off days werent planned & I probably went 300 over those days. Anyways, I have been losing at a lb a week. Meaning 4lbs a month, very slow. I eat 1200 calories & exercise 4 to 5 days a week, for 30 minutes at a time. I plan to up my exercise next week (pay day) when I go get a gym membership.

I think your weight loss is normal & healthy. Nothing wrong with that. The closer you get to your goal, the slower the weight will come off too.

I've been 100% on-plan for 83 days now, and I average 8-10 pounds per month.

I lose a pound a week, and I don't have days off. I build in small treats as a regular thing, and special meals occasionally, but with the exception of one day the other week when I decided that adding a bagel to my usual day's calories once in three months was not going to be the end of the world, I've always stayed nicely on plan. It's worth remembering that bingeing or food addiction were never my problem to begin with, which I realise puts me in a minority; I gained weight due to memory problems and sleep disorders, primarily, so I'm probably going to lose weight differently too.

I'm calorie cycling ! It's way more motivating and entertaining than following a straight calories plan, and this way you can trick your body to lose weight faster.

But 1000 more calories is WAY too much. If I was you, I'll move all the foods from big bags to smaller bags, and just take one at time. You'll feel like a pig if you go take 3-4 bags, so you'll end up with way less calories than just eating out of the bag.