binge eating & inch loss

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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.

Replies

  • chargraves
    chargraves Posts: 65 Member
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    Congratulations on finding a plan that really seems to be working for you! If you have the resources available I would reinforce it with some counseling to work on the emotional/ mental side of dealing with food. I don't have any feedback on the loss of inches question not knowing anything about your food intake or your level of activity (running 30 minutes 3x a week/ hour?) but it sounds like you are on track to be in a lot better place physically by Oct 2015. Best of luck to you OP!
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    thank you so much :) im doing a lot of reading and reflection to focus on the emotional stuff, hoping to get there!
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
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    What is behind the specific number of inches you want to lose? Do you already have a dress and need to fit into it? If not can you ask yourself what if you reach your wedding day no thinner but in better mental health? Wouldn't that be a better situation than going off the rails emotionally in order to lose X inches?
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    What is behind the specific number of inches you want to lose? Do you already have a dress and need to fit into it? If not can you ask yourself what if you reach your wedding day no thinner but in better mental health? Wouldn't that be a better situation than going off the rails emotionally in order to lose X inches?

    i do have a specific dress that i love, but i'd rather buy a new one than go off the rails.

    Is 8 inches in a year unrealistic?
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    What is behind the specific number of inches you want to lose? Do you already have a dress and need to fit into it? If not can you ask yourself what if you reach your wedding day no thinner but in better mental health? Wouldn't that be a better situation than going off the rails emotionally in order to lose X inches?

    i do have a specific dress that i love, but i'd rather buy a new one than go off the rails.

    Is 8 inches in a year unrealistic?

    I don't think so. I lost 7 inches overall on my body in a month once (legs, waist, hips, ect) from exercise and watching what I ate. I think aiming for a little under an inch a month is doable with exercise and a healthy intake. Since you aren't counting calories, it may be a bit difficult to track that intake, but first and foremost, remember to focus on you first. I think it's great you've found a plan that works for you, and I wish you luck to meet your goals. :)
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    thanks for the support :)
  • Shalini_15
    Shalini_15 Posts: 160 Member
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    Bumping for more replies :)
  • Glaziazisaur
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    This is my fourth of fifth account on MFP because I ran into the exact same problem as you. I get insanely paranoid about the numbers and the entire process/idea of eating and food becomes very disordered!

    I don't know about the inch-loss bit, but my current method this time around is to approximate the foods (many of the foods here are not in the database and the nutrition information is not available anyway) and go by how I feel rather than the numbers, since that is not a very precise method anyway.

    Wishing you the best, and hope you can find a lifelong intuitive eating plan!
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I think you truly have to do what works best for you. If not counting calories happens to do it, then stand by what you need.
  • GeapetCore
    GeapetCore Posts: 32 Member
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    How exciting! Getting in shape for your wedding! I did it the other way around - I decided after I got married last Fall to lose weight. I wish I would have done so before.

    I would suggest tracking your calories on your binges. I track everything and at the end of the day, I review what I have eaten and see where I could have made better decisions. Yesterday I ordered some hush puppies at lunch and after I logged it, I realized that I could have had something much more delicious for the same amount of calories...either part of a dessert or additional chicken with my dinner that night.

    I've struggled with depression and binge eating - you may want to consider a therapist to get to underlying issues.

    My own advice and I'm sure others will disagree - but don't limit yourself to three meals. You may binge during a meal because you are so hungry or because you know you won't have a meal for another however many hours. Maybe try some air popped popcorn or veggies/fruit?

    Finally, make sure to add cardio to your routine. Not only helps the weight loss but will tone you up for the wedding and honeymoon!

    Best of luck!
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    How exciting! Getting in shape for your wedding! I did it the other way around - I decided after I got married last Fall to lose weight. I wish I would have done so before.

    I would suggest tracking your calories on your binges. I track everything and at the end of the day, I review what I have eaten and see where I could have made better decisions. Yesterday I ordered some hush puppies at lunch and after I logged it, I realized that I could have had something much more delicious for the same amount of calories...either part of a dessert or additional chicken with my dinner that night.

    I've struggled with depression and binge eating - you may want to consider a therapist to get to underlying issues.

    My own advice and I'm sure others will disagree - but don't limit yourself to three meals. You may binge during a meal because you are so hungry or because you know you won't have a meal for another however many hours. Maybe try some air popped popcorn or veggies/fruit?

    Finally, make sure to add cardio to your routine. Not only helps the weight loss but will tone you up for the wedding and honeymoon!

    Best of luck!

    Thanks! I think my whole point with not counting calories is that so far (day 5 now, big achievement for me) is that it means i don't binge, so there is nothing to track! I've tracked binges in the past and it lead to a whole guilt shame restriction binge cycle, which was poision for me.

    Which is part of why i'm staying away from counting now - I want to remember that I can enjoy food and remember that i don't need to judge myself by what i eat. When i am in a more positive place, i may go back to counting, but at hte moment i am going with the coach calorie school of thought - unprocessed foods naturally have less calories, so gradually making the switch to an 80/20 proportion of unprocessed to processed foods.

    If i get hungry in between meals of course i eat, but fruit rather than cereal or crisps or whatever which i would have on binges. At the moment I haven't needed to snack between meals because i am so satisfied from them :)

    i do currently do the couch to 5k program, and i'm hoping to step up both cardio and strength soon :) without wanting to put too much pressure on myself!
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    This is my fourth of fifth account on MFP because I ran into the exact same problem as you. I get insanely paranoid about the numbers and the entire process/idea of eating and food becomes very disordered!

    I don't know about the inch-loss bit, but my current method this time around is to approximate the foods (many of the foods here are not in the database and the nutrition information is not available anyway) and go by how I feel rather than the numbers, since that is not a very precise method anyway.

    Wishing you the best, and hope you can find a lifelong intuitive eating plan!

    I think going by how you feel is important, like everyone has said it needs to be what works for you. When i lost 60lbs i was a die hard advocate of calorie counting for life but at the moment i can't face that.
  • Glaziazisaur
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    Personally I find it easier to manage individual meals rather than try to think of the entire day's worth of food quantity and nutrition things. Maybe try figuring out a few meals that have the proportions you like (veg to fruit to protein etc.) and then slowly start swapping out different foods to add variety? I tend to stick to a few "safe" places to eat where I don't feel like I'm being watched or judged, and keep apples at home to snack on :)