I agree with the others to some degree. It's important to refrain from thinking, "I can never have what I like again," but rather, "I can have my favorites in moderate amounts occasionally, as long as they won't trigger a binge." The idea of guilt playing a part in wanting more is valid. Also, I think that you are likely a compulsive overeater. Not only do you look to food in reaction to most situations, but once you start it's hard to stop.
So many people who use food in an emotional way don't understand that you can't simply take the food away without dealing with all of the related issues. You had a huge surge of momentum when you started that carried you through three months, but once the novelty wears off, you are left with the same issues without the drive to "just say no." So, the answer is two-fold -- first, go beyond saying, "I'm an emotional eater" and dig deeper. What, specifically, makes you want to eat? Why has food become so important suddenly? What's going on in your life now as opposed to 3 or 4 months ago? What can you do to deal with THOSE underlying issues. Second, when the underlying issue can't be solved, what can you substitute for the food as a response? For example, if you eat because of stress from overwork, then the obvious thing to look at is how can you reduce the overwork? If that's not possible, or the reduction isn't enough to remove the stress, then what non-food things can you do to soothe and comfort that don't involve food?
This takes some experimentation, and some serious self-observation and awareness, but it CAN be done. The food is just a symptom, hon -- it's not the problem. We can't just "go on a diet" and assume iron will will carry us through. I guarantee you that the thought patterns that made you overweight also affect other parts of your life. The compulsiveness that makes me overeat also drives most other parts of my personality. THere is another thread on the Maintainers' Forum asking "How has your life changed since you've lost weight?" My answer was that for me, it was the reverse concept -- I changed my life, and that enabled me to lose weight (155 pounds so far).
I highly recommend a book on compulsive overeating called
The Thin Books. When I read it I thought someone had crawled into my brain -- I couldn't believe that other people thought the same way I did, that it was that thinking that made me overweight, and that it was possible to overcome it.
I'm going to paste in a quote from a post on another weight loss bulletin board I participate in -- I thought this person had had an enormous insight that contains a good lesson:
Quote:
...the past couple of months i have been binging nonstop...i have not behaved like this in quite a while & it came on the tail of finding a doc to treat my depression successfully & a surrender to endure a marraige i tended to complain too much about.anyway...everyday was a last meal syndrome ... my relapse into depression was preventing me from losing & my pressure to diet was causing me to gain... yesterdAY I SEE MY DOC & tell him whats going on & that very afternoon i got a very telling call from my marraige counselor that my husband had cancelled our appointment b/c i was too sick to come....i went on my own & this woman who has met us both & who i beleived sided w/ my h in the fact that all our problems were of my own making suddenly what i was hearing was the affirmation that i am emotionally controlled & abused by a man who truly beleives he is the only only person in the world who loves & supports me...WELL....emerging from this freaking mind ****ing night mare that all this time was something i thought i created....to be acknowledged & understood...well...after these appts. i still had a busy night ahead of me but when i got home i suddenly had ZERO desire to stuff myself into despair...i din't want that "last meal"...
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