binge eating & inch loss

katcunock

Hi everybody

I'm looking for some advice please.

I lost 62lbs through a very strict regimen of calorie counting and exercise. I felt great physically, but my mental health was suffering - I became really controlling, anxious, and couldn't enjoy food because I was so scared, constantly, of going into the red. My fiancee was concerned about me, as did tutors and colleagues. I ended up on anti depressants and anti anxiety medication, and even on all that still managed to have panic attacks and at times just didn't even want to leave the house.

I took time away from dieting, and focused on my mental health - and since then things have been much better. I regained 50(ish) lbs of what I had lost, but I am off all medications, am able to go out, have fun, and am no longer controlling, anxious, or scared to leave the house.

Recently, my partner and I have sat down together and tried to work out how to tackle my binge eating. We discussed that there is not a conscious reason for me doing it - purely that if I am alone, and have the opportunity, food, and being fat, makes me feel safe. When I was younger, I wanted to be bigger, because I thought being fat would stop people wanting me in a sexual way. (whole other can of worms there). This is no longer an issue, but I am still suffering the after effects of it - food is a comfort.

I'm trying to rediscover a positive relationship with food. This, obviously, takes time, but I am somewhat under a time limit. I am getting married October 2015, and need to lose 7.5 inches from my waist and 8 from my chest. Really, i'm looking for advice (food or exercise, I don't mind) on how to achieve inch loss.

The first stage of my no more binge plan - which has been really successful, no binges in nearly a week - has been to limit myself to three meals a day. No calorie counting, and those meals can be whatever the hell I want, so long as I only eat those. The logic was that even if these were the most unhealthy meals ever, they would not total as many calories as three healthy meals, plus a binge (which often happened daily) which on its own would run into the thousands of calories. I'm trying this for two weeks, then plan to move onto my next stage.

My next stage would be to again stick to three meals, but make sure at least 50 % of that meal was non processed foods. (naturally more nutritious and lower in calorie). As an example, instead of a pizza, I might have a couple of slices of pizza and a salad.

So far, this not counting cals thing is really working for me. I feel satisfied and have no temptation to binge. But I am really curious to hear any and all advice - is losing 8 inches in a year and a bit possible? How? How to i continue to recover healthily while losing inches?

Thank you so much everyone in advance, and I hope I haven't bored you!

Edited to add: my current exercise is running three times a week, the couch to 5k program.

kitticus15

I have no idea what to suggest but would be interested to know if this works...

the way you have handled the binging and stopping it seems on the surface a very good plan, please keep us updated on how this work, would be interested in trying it

katcunock

thank you very much im ticking off al the no binge days on the calendar, 4 in a row so far

which might not sound like a lot, but for me it is

kansasgotass

Hey there! First off, if you lost 60+ pounds, you can certainly lose those 8 inches in a year. Hang a picture up of your wedding dress for motivation! Second, I understand the binge-eating. I used to nightly but have been doing a lot better lately.

Here are a couple of things that I've found help:

-Reward yourself (in a NON-food way) for days that you do not binge. I put a dollar in a jar every "morning after" that I've not binged, and those dollars are going to a new bikini

-Eat as little processed foods as possible. Make it a gradual switch if you are new to it, but I've found that I'm far more happy, satisfied, and energetic when eating things that don't come from a box, or have 5 million ingredients I can't pronounce.

-Allow yourself either a cheat day, or a cheat treat every day. Just make sure you don't have a whole box available in the house, hah. I do really long bike rides on the weekends, and yes, I drink beer and eat ice cream on those days. I've earned it. But the trick is to make it impossible to over-do (can do that by buying your treat while out, instead of taking home a whole half-gallon for ex)

-Limit (or even better, eliminate) alcohol. In my experience, it only causes me to lose control and eat whatever the hell I want.

Also, what was it about counting calories that caused you to become upset? Were you restricting too much? Did you feel hungry constantly, or unsatisfied?

Hope some of that helps..good luck to you

katcunock

Your first tip:

totally agree. This week and next week i'm not restricting at all, but after that, am making a gradual switch to less and less processed foods.

Cheat days i don't work well with, i would rather have a little naughty every day, as i find having too much in one day just makes you feel rubbish the day after. Or for me anyway

In regards to the calorie counting.....I think it was the sense that every little bit of my life was controlled. I planned my food and meals a week in advance, i didn't feel like i could have lunch with colleagues because i HAD to have lunch in a certain place because i knew the calorie allowances, etc.....I was so over controlling with my intake that i didn't feel i could relax, ever. I was told I was anal and over controlling, (though i was also being bullied at the time) and I just needed to get away from that. i was eating around 1600 a day, not too few by any amount, but constantly monitoring and judging myself by what I ate.

Now that i'm not doing that, even though it's only been a short time, I feel so much better. i guess it's all a gradual process

glitznglamour15

I struggle with binge eating quite often. Your plan sounds really great! I personally, don't think I could do that since I just need that control of counting calories but I am working on not binging anymore. For me, exercising really really helps. On the days I work out, I don't binge and I feel great. That is my best advice for you (which I know is nothing.) I am on antidepressants as well, and it has helped my mood but definitely not my binging. I wish you the best of luck with this! You are strong enough to battle this!!!

katcunock

I struggle with binge eating quite often. Your plan sounds really great! I personally, don't think I could do that since I just need that control of counting calories but I am working on not binging anymore. For me, exercising really really helps. On the days I work out, I don't binge and I feel great. That is my best advice for you (which I know is nothing.) I am on antidepressants as well, and it has helped my mood but definitely not my binging. I wish you the best of luck with this! You are strong enough to battle this!!!

working out TOTALLY helps me too! we can both do this