Hi. This is the first time I have ever posted in a weight loss forum so please bear with me.
I really need your help, suggestions, comments, etc. I have been struggling with my weight all my life (I'm 46 now). I went on my first diet at the age of 12 and lost weight by counting calories and keeping the total under 800 a day. I kept doing that during most of the 70's. During the 80's I mostly lost weight by fasting (and then bingeing and purging). I also lost weight using the Stillman Diet (all the eggs, meat, fish and chicken you can eat). Needless to say I always gained it back. Then I stopped dieting and applied the principles where you eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full (I was reading most of Geneen Roth's books at the time). I actually never was able to do this very often but the up side of it was that the problems with binging and purging went away when I just stayed away from dieting. But I never lost weight and I never resolved the compulsive eating.
Last summer I managed to stay on a diet for about 4 months and lost about 25 lbs. This was the longest I have been able to stick to a diet in years. I counted calories and kept them under 1500 a day but then 2 days a week I would eat what I wanted. This was working pretty well at the time; In fact this was a plan that I thought I could work with for the long term. But, then I couldn't do it any more. I get so incredibly angry at the thought of tracking calories yet again.
The trouble is I don't know what to do now. How do you force yourself to do something that you don't really want to do? (like restrict your eating). I have got to lose some weight. My health is pretty good but I need to resolve this problem. I exercise 3 days a week right now doing 30-40 minutes of cardio and then lifting weights. I don't mind exercise too much. At least you can do it and it is over with for the day; I don't stress about it every minute of my life like I do with dieting
The main reasons I want to be thinner are 1) health 2) vanity 3) to resolve this issue once and for all. I hope posting here will be helpful.
I'm sorry for the whining. Hopefully you all will overlook it and give me some feedback or suggestions or enlightment or anything to help.
Thanks you guys.
Height: 5'6"
Current weight: 210
First goal: 195