April 16
Me: 7
B: 9
Lost one pound since my last weigh-in! 6 total in 8 days! And more importantly I FEEL better. No cravings or blood sugar spikes. More energy.

Me : 13
Binge : 3

10 days since last binge!


Won again yesterday in spite of being exhausted (a real trigger for me).

Also, trying a new mini reward system this week - there's a new album I really want on iTunes so I'm allowing myself to download one song from it each day I don't binge.

April 16

me: 14

bingemonster: 2
4/13, 4/15

April 2013

Diane: 12
Binge: 4

Angela:11
The Binge: 6

I lost this one. I tried to pull back, and the worst part is, part of me didn't want to. Something told me to just keep eating and worry about the consequences later.

I know I shouldn't "make-up" for it, but it's so hard not to plan tomorrow that way.

I'm thinking, if I can just eat 1/2 to 2/3 my normal calories, for just ONE DAY, I won't make up for it, but I might do some damage control... As long as I'm not skipping meals, or eating TOO little, this isn't terrible, right?

I know nothing can make up for it, and I just have to move forward (I used to spend WEEKS trying to right these wrongs...) but eating a little less for one is probably okay?

Ugh. I was doing so well. It was like a monster took control of me.

I am having a really hard time right now.


April 16
Karen 8
The Binge 9

Days Left 13

Binge Days
4/1 4/2 4/3 4/4
4/5 4/8 4/10 4/14
4/16


Overate calories but did not binge day
4/13

Karen, I hope this is okay, but I was curious about your weight loss journey, so I checked out your profile.

I'm sure you know this, but I just wanted to remind you that (from what I read) you've come a really long way, and you've worked so hard to get where you are. You said you're having a tough time right now, but it will pass. You're obviously such a strong and dedicated individual, and you clearly have a long history of being kind to yourself and overcoming obstacles!

You can do it!

Recently, things have been hard for me too. Tomorrow, as I struggle along, I will think about you and your victories, and your strength will help carry me through.

Angela:11
The Binge: 6

I lost this one. I tried to pull back, and the worst part is, part of me didn't want to. Something told me to just keep eating and worry about the consequences later.

I know I shouldn't "make-up" for it, but it's so hard not to plan tomorrow that way.

I'm thinking, if I can just eat 1/2 to 2/3 my normal calories, for just ONE DAY, I won't make up for it, but I might do some damage control... As long as I'm not skipping meals, or eating TOO little, this isn't terrible, right?

I know nothing can make up for it, and I just have to move forward (I used to spend WEEKS trying to right these wrongs...) but eating a little less for one is probably okay?

Ugh. I was doing so well. It was like a monster took control of me.

Honestly, I think the best thing you can do to truly move forward is to acknowledge that this is a problem for you, forgive yourself, and move forward without restricting calories the next day. Otherwise, it's more likely to become a self-reinforcing circle--restrict, binge, restrict, binge. And accompanied by the feeling of needing to punish yourself for something that's not worthy of punishment.

Also, think of it as You lost this ONE. It's not a trend, it's not going to be like this forever. It was this one time. And if it happens again, it's still that one time.

My last binge (last Monday, I remember it well) was triggered by that same voice that told me to keep eating. My voice sounded a lot like an adolescent's, so after my therapist and I discussed it, we decided that I'd take a parenting type of approach should that voice pop up again. Kind of like, "Yes, I understand you want to eat all of the things. Here's an alternative: how about we do something else for 15 minutes? If you still want to eat all of the things after 15 minutes, we'll negotiate that." And then, should I still want to eat all of the things after 15 minutes, I'll compromise with that adolescent and say, "Well, eating ALL of the things doesn't sound like a good idea. How about you have a FEW of the things [or whatever seems a more reasonable alterative] and then move on?" Because, for me at least, it just doesn't work to completely ignore that voice. That voice just gets more obnoxious and digs its heels in, so to speak.

Anyway, these are just some thoughts.

And, YES! You are making progress!

April 17

Kate: 15
Binge: 1
(4/6)

I am going to try to make it all the way to May 18 (and beyond of course) for vacation time.
I have 3 birthday parties to get through until then...

Kim: 15
Binge: 1

Me 13
The Binge 3
Today's day 6 of binge-free. Somebody brought in doughnuts to celebrate the safe return of our Boston Marathoner - I'm reminding myself that I did NOT run a marathon, and if I give in to a donut, or half a donut, or a bite of a donut, it's likely to turn into an an EATING marathon for me. No way! Not this girl! I'm determined to get to the end of a full week of no-binging, I get stronger every day!

Kim: 15
Binge: 2
(April 2, 11)

Currently in a 6-day run of good decisions, and was able to resist the last few times I've been out and able to binge. Considering how often my binges were in March and before MFP, I'm going to guess that buying less crap/things I binge on is the key. I do miss having sweets around sometimes, but then I just tell myself that if I really want to, I can buy a dessert at lunch the next day, and I rarely do. This weekend will be tough though -- I'll be on a trip to Belgium (oh hai chocolate!) and staying with a friend's family, so I'll be out of comfort zone, food-wise. *fingers crossed*

Me: 17
Binge: 0

Angela: 11
The Binge: 6

I lost this one. I tried to pull back, and the worst part is, part of me didn't want to. Something told me to just keep eating and worry about the consequences later.

I know I shouldn't "make-up" for it, but it's so hard not to plan tomorrow that way.

I'm thinking, if I can just eat 1/2 to 2/3 my normal calories, for just ONE DAY, I won't make up for it, but I might do some damage control... As long as I'm not skipping meals, or eating TOO little, this isn't terrible, right?

I know nothing can make up for it, and I just have to move forward (I used to spend WEEKS trying to right these wrongs...) but eating a little less for one is probably okay?

Ugh. I thought I was doing so well. It's like a monster took control of me!

Angela - I know exactly how you feel, the part of you that just wants to do it, even though the logical part of you knows it won't make you happy really. And I also know it's easy to try to under-eat the next day to feel like you're balancing it out; but from experience, for me, that just makes me more likely to end up bingeing again when the evening rolls round and I'm feeling a bit hungry. I'd say just go straight back to normal, forgive yourself and get on with your journey. You ARE doing so well, and tomorrow can be a better day!

Angela:11
The Binge: 6

I lost this one. I tried to pull back, and the worst part is, part of me didn't want to. Something told me to just keep eating and worry about the consequences later.

I know I shouldn't "make-up" for it, but it's so hard not to plan tomorrow that way.

I'm thinking, if I can just eat 1/2 to 2/3 my normal calories, for just ONE DAY, I won't make up for it, but I might do some damage control... As long as I'm not skipping meals, or eating TOO little, this isn't terrible, right?

I know nothing can make up for it, and I just have to move forward (I used to spend WEEKS trying to right these wrongs...) but eating a little less for one is probably okay?

Ugh. I was doing so well. It was like a monster took control of me.

Honestly, I think the best thing you can do to truly move forward is to acknowledge that this is a problem for you, forgive yourself, and move forward without restricting calories the next day. Otherwise, it's more likely to become a self-reinforcing circle--restrict, binge, restrict, binge. And accompanied by the feeling of needing to punish yourself for something that's not worthy of punishment.

Also, think of it as You lost this ONE. It's not a trend, it's not going to be like this forever. It was this one time. And if it happens again, it's still that one time.

My last binge (last Monday, I remember it well) was triggered by that same voice that told me to keep eating. My voice sounded a lot like an adolescent's, so after my therapist and I discussed it, we decided that I'd take a parenting type of approach should that voice pop up again. Kind of like, "Yes, I understand you want to eat all of the things. Here's an alternative: how about we do something else for 15 minutes? If you still want to eat all of the things after 15 minutes, we'll negotiate that." And then, should I still want to eat all of the things after 15 minutes, I'll compromise with that adolescent and say, "Well, eating ALL of the things doesn't sound like a good idea. How about you have a FEW of the things [or whatever seems a more reasonable alterative] and then move on?" Because, for me at least, it just doesn't work to completely ignore that voice. That voice just gets more obnoxious and digs its heels in, so to speak.

Anyway, these are just some thoughts.

And, YES! You are making progress!

That's wonderful advice. Thank you for the insight.

I'm notoriously terrible at taking advice, but I think I will follow yours, because it seems very reasonable! The fact is, I HAVE been stuck in a 'binge-->restrict-->binge' cycle and you're right. I must move on and treat each day as a new opportunity to be healthy.

Your plan to sort of coach or guide The Binge, as a reasonable adult would guide a youth in their care, seems like an excellent intervention. I like the idea of compromise, because it allows one to break outside of the 'all or nothing' mindset that many of us seem to adhere to.

Me: 17
Binge: 0

Angela: 11
The Binge: 6

I lost this one. I tried to pull back, and the worst part is, part of me didn't want to. Something told me to just keep eating and worry about the consequences later.

I know I shouldn't "make-up" for it, but it's so hard not to plan tomorrow that way.

I'm thinking, if I can just eat 1/2 to 2/3 my normal calories, for just ONE DAY, I won't make up for it, but I might do some damage control... As long as I'm not skipping meals, or eating TOO little, this isn't terrible, right?

I know nothing can make up for it, and I just have to move forward (I used to spend WEEKS trying to right these wrongs...) but eating a little less for one is probably okay?

Ugh. I thought I was doing so well. It's like a monster took control of me!

Angela - I know exactly how you feel, the part of you that just wants to do it, even though the logical part of you knows it won't make you happy really. And I also know it's easy to try to under-eat the next day to feel like you're balancing it out; but from experience, for me, that just makes me more likely to end up bingeing again when the evening rolls round and I'm feeling a bit hungry. I'd say just go straight back to normal, forgive yourself and get on with your journey. You ARE doing so well, and tomorrow can be a better day!

I remember well the battle. All the time I was heading to the shops, with a binge in mind, raiding the shelves of every type of food I wished I could eat daily, my mind was screaming at me to stop, but the urge to just eat and lose myself temporarily, always overwhelmed any rational thought. It is as if the sensible thoughts got pushed back to a quiet whisper, while the binge voice was screaming loudly for all the unhealthy foods. Fortunately, although it is still difficult, I do not tend to go on planned binges like that now and can just about manage to walk past the shelves.