Has anyone kept weight off for over a year - binge eaters?
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surreychic wrote: »Thank you for posting, so mixed responses. I don't know if you are similar to me, but I can binge in the morning and on health foods too. So for long term weight loss I need great strategies to put in place (I also have the slight fear I am just biologically preprogrammed to eat and eat, and living in an environment whereby food is always available is tough but I am hoping this is me just trying to absolve responsibility, I want to take responsibility and want some hope!), we need to be ever prepared. So thank you for sharing!
I am the type of binge that will eat four avocados and a loaf of rye bread- if it's there I eat it, even if it's healthy stuff.
I have an issue in that I can start my day bingeing, I am also not resilient, when some one is unkind my first thought is food...
pariskathryn, how did you do it? that's fantastic!
Leah that sounds fab too, what chapters helped you specifically? I don't think I have an eating disorder in that I want to be slim (that would be nice too) i think I turn to food for happiness....
The book isn't mainly for eating disorders but also "disordered eating". So basically when food becomes something other than to nourish your body in an addictive manor. I have the exact same problem though. I don't have an off switch when it comes to food. This past week I binge ate dried fruit and nuts which isn't good because it's high in calories and high in sugar so I had to take a step back and read a chapter or two Friday night to help regather my thoughts and figure out why I'm doing this. It truly does help a lot
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I lost around 2st and have kept that off for about 3 years now, I've done it through using MFP daily, having a more active lifestyle (now fitness is my hobby not just a means to burn calories), and education... Learning portion sizes, nutrient content, calorific values etc so that I can make informed decisions. I might 'binge' by having a splurge on a takeaway or cake or chocolate but never horrendously so and I try to save the high calorie foods for the days when I am most active. I still eat tonnes more than my friends but I also exercise tonnes more than them hence I manage my weight ok at 5ft5, 121-124lbs.1
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Yes and no.
I am a binge eater too. I lost 60ish lbs 2 years ago and kept it off for 8 months. Then, I fell and hurt my back pretty bad and the doctor put me on prednisone to treat the inflammation. After that, I started gaining rather quickly from the medicine and I got mad about it and started binging again. I stopped myself right before I got back up to my previous weight. I started losing again instantly after getting off the meds and now am 37lbs down.
Binging is a struggle and some days I have to force myself to eat, while others I have to force myself to NOT eat everything in the house. I just take it a day at a time.0 -
I have been maintaining for two years after a 118 pound loss. I am not going to lie. Even though, I have stayed the same weight, I still sometimes struggle with binge eating. I do ok for a few weeks and then all of a sudden, I have an overwhelming urge to stuff mass amounts of food down my throat. Although, I am not sure I have a good answer for you, I can say that one thing I try to do is not let it derail me into a downward spiral. I log it and move on to my regularly scheduled eating for the next day lol. I honestly think that for me it will be kind of like smoking, I will still get an occasional urge. Another thing I think that helps me with maintenance, is I look mostly at my weekly calorie goals instead of daily. That way, I bank calories for the weekends and eat less during the week. This helps me feel a little more satiated and less likely to binge.9
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I have been maintaining for two years after a 118 pound loss. I am not going to lie. Even though, I have stayed the same weight, I still sometimes struggle with binge eating. I do ok for a few weeks and then all of a sudden, I have an overwhelming urge to stuff mass amounts of food down my throat. Although, I am not sure I have a good answer for you, I can say that one thing I try to do is not let it derail me into a downward spiral. I log it and move on to my regularly scheduled eating for the next day lol. I honestly think that for me it will be kind of like smoking, I will still get an occasional urge. Another thing I think that helps me with maintenance, is I look mostly at my weekly calorie goals instead of daily. That way, I bank calories for the weekends and eat less during the week. This helps me feel a little more satiated and less likely to binge.
You sound like me. I can be extremely motivated, and resist junk all during the week. If I have junk food, or sugar, it can derail me. Pre logging helps a lot. Planning is big. Having foods in my diet daily that I truly like and that satisfy me also helps. Currently, that is one tablespoon of peanut butter on a toasted Arnold's sandwich thin for a snack. Peanut butter has always been a trigger food for me, yet I'm okay with this amount because I'm getting something I really like. The via ice coffee is another treat. Just something to sip that takes the edge off in the afternoon at work. I have tried eating skinny pop when I need chips. At least I don't do as much damage. I think going to bed earlier, going for a walk, or even trying on clothes in my closet have helped me choose to hang in there when I felt discouraged. I don't binge as often. I think understanding what we are feeling helps. But I still binge on occasion, and each time, I try to figure out ways to make myself choose a better solution for emotional eating.
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I lost 80 pounds, gained back 3 pounds in 2 years, but I've lost inches, so I don't mind that much.
What I do is keep a 300-400 calorie deficit. Basically it prevents me from eating too much on easier days, even if I go over a lot overall (that's why I keep my diary closed, lol). That way in a month I usually have or two weeks at maintenance, one or two with a 700-2000 deficit, and the last week I'm over by 500-1000 (that's PMS/TOM/Holidays, typically)... so in the end it evens out.
Basically I can do awesome for a few days, eating things in moderation without any issue then yeah, I get that urge to just eat a lot once in a while, or I just get hungrier, or there's a special event and my willpower is pretty much gone. Then once in a while I just feel the need to eat all the food... And PMS sucks big time, although it's been easier since I stopped eating sugar and bread products altogether at that time (except this month because my cycle was completely off and I just didn't see it coming).
The 3 pound gain is because I wasn't able to keep any deficit between November and January because of Holidays, PMS, and a wedding, and I haven't managed to lose it again since (but as I said, I'm slimmer now. Go figure).
To be fair... it's mostly been an issue since I got close to maintenance. I was doing great for 18 months, had no problems with PMS, no problem with moderation either, was 2 pounds from my goal... Then I went in vacations and it's been a struggle getting back into it to lose the last pounds since (that was almost 2 years ago). Go figure.
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I first had to heal my relationship with food before I could consider losing weight. I stopped making certain foods "off limits", removed the "good food, bad food" dichotomy, and fed my body at maintenance for a year before I felt comfortable that I was no longer in the bingeing spiral before I got back on the weight loss bandwagon.
This time around I am taking my weight loss at a snails pace because preventing binges is more important to me than losing quickly. I'm about half way to my goal and enjoying the journey more than I ever thought I would.
If you struggle with binge eating I recommend getting an experienced therapist first and foremost. Working through your issues and relationship with food really does make all the difference.4 -
Getting rid of the 'bad food' mentality to some extent and not depriving myself has helped preventing binges... some. I mean I stand a good chance at not eating the whole box of chocolate at once now, so there's improvement... but it still happens (usually when I'm tired or because of those pesky hormones).0
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Hello, I am currently in a yo-yo pattern. I have been back and forth on MFP for 2 years now. I have yet to ever reach to my goal weight. I managed to keep off most of it for a year. At one point I was 3lbs away from my goal, life got sticky, I got sad. I stopped caring, stopped logging, and gained back all my weight plus more. So I am here starting again. I feel slightly defeated but I do want this. I have a real problem with emotional eating. The more disappointed I am in myself the more likely I am to eat an entire pizza and say "I don't care, I will get back on track tomorrow" to justify it. The problem is that I haven't managed to get back on track long enough to lose weight. I am starting to realize that I will most likely have to log calories the rest of my life. If I don't have a daily reminder, I will eat mindlessly and lose control. I am not sure what makes me like this but I am having to learn to view food as only fuel and not a reward, emotional crutch, or activity to cure boredom.
That being said I can tell you that what worked for me was consistency. I had a work out routine 6 days a week and logged every day. When I was in that habit I was losing steadily and I found it easy to make better choices because I was fully aware of what I was putting into my body.0 -
Thank you for the replies! Ah tiredness and hormones... fatal... plus anxiety/stress/boredom!0
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I have OP - probably for 5 years. Look in my profile pic for the before / after shot
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Thank you for posting. I haven't had time to answer in detail to all the other fantastic and supportive replies... but I will! Were you a binge eater? how did you avoid turning to food when ...well whenever that I want to eat everything feeling came on? for me, it often wasn't even hunger.
A note to everyone I have noticed my bingeing has been one million times worse when I've had little sleep. It's like it flicks a "I want carbs" switch! I had a very busy weekend and had a week of disturbed sleep and I was eating everything, bread and cereals (my default binge foods). In one day, in a few hours I packed in about three thousand kcal in snacking on raisin wheats of all things! It isn't even chocolate or "typical" yummy foods.0 -
surreychic wrote: »Thank you for posting. I haven't had time to answer in detail to all the other fantastic and supportive replies... but I will! Were you a binge eater? how did you avoid turning to food when ...well whenever that I want to eat everything feeling came on? for me, it often wasn't even hunger.
A note to everyone I have noticed my bingeing has been one million times worse when I've had little sleep. It's like it flicks a "I want carbs" switch! I had a very busy weekend and had a week of disturbed sleep and I was eating everything, bread and cereals (my default binge foods). In one day, in a few hours I packed in about three thousand kcal in snacking on raisin wheats of all things! It isn't even chocolate or "typical" yummy foods.
Ugh tell me about it. It's awful when I don't have enough sleep!0 -
I'll say yes. My weight still fluctuates quite a bit but as compared with 3 years ago I have lost about 48 lb. I'm at my heaviest peak right now and I will shed more now summer is coming. For me the important thing to realise it is possible and you can do it. For me changing lifestyle is the be all and end all. I need to exercise regularly and this allows me to put the brakes on the yo yo , realise though physical sensation when I am putting weight on and allow me to enter a deficit more easily to shed weight (it is also very good for your body of course :-)) What I find is that as I approach my goal, other factors take over - mainly sport performance. The target weight loss I had at the start is not really that important towards the end.
I think the idea of "bad" foods are frowned on here but for people like me who find that sugar sets up a compulsion (a scientifically understandable effect), stopping eating sugar is good. Again though, exercise seems to mend my metabolism so I am more resilient. So it short it is possible to keep weight off but I think the way to do this is to change who you are as much as what you eat. Being able to come to MFP and finding this out is what makes MFP special .0 -
I am going on 2 years and hovering around 200 lbs. Still more to lose but I am happy to be maintaining. Key to me is my exercise crossfit group. Tons of support there.0
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A few months ago I started to change the way I think and act in a few ways that have helped me. Food was my god. I used food for so many things. I ate unconsciously, unthinkingly. I shut off when I ate.
So I became conscious of every bite I eat. I enjoy the food very much. I eat a lot less of it. I log everything I eat everyday. I plan what I eat early in the day and then stick to it.
I watch my mind. If I have low level anxiety, I try to not ignore it. Same with rsentments, anger, self pity. I seek out an understanding person and talk out my neediness. I confess to people that I have overbearing demands that life satisfy me all the time. I try to reduce those demands without turning to the food god.
I ignore sugar and carbs to some extent, but I intend to begin to reinclude them once I start maintenance. If I can't eat more carbs without unconsciously overeating then I will have to reassess at that time.
I get out for a walk now and then and I have some physiotherapy recommended excesize I do and asanas.
I yoga meditate - pranayama.
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I have kept my weight off for about 3 years now, I did slip up for a few months and was drinking too much but didn't so much gain weight as I lost muscle and gained fat. Now I actually gained a bit but it's muscle. I don't do anything strict but try to eat healthy for the most part but not completely restrict. If I want some froYo I will eat it. I think a big part of success is staying active. I do work out 5-6 times a week and ride a bike frequently.0
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I haven't kept it off a year yet, but I've been successfully losing for the past 15 months (87 lbs gone) and I've been maintaining for a few weeks. This is the most successful I've ever been because I usually just quit after a few weeks and go back to my old habits. I am so grateful that I discovered mfp and the iifym way of thinking! The old me would have given up all the food I loved and then when I wasn't able to keep that up I'd binge. The new me is sitting here eating a big bowl of ice cream and totally not caring because I have room for that in my day. It's taught me how to eat the foods I used to binge on in moderation.
Now does that mean I have been able to totally quit binging? Unfortunately not. Every so often it happens still. But the difference is that now I just pick back up the next day with better eating habits and everything is fine. I don't let one binge (or a whole day of binging) ruin my progress. I feel more in control of my eating than ever before and I love it.5 -
I'm a self professed compulsive eater, foodaholic and binger. I woke up one day and decided enough is enough (much led up to that, but a switch flipped in my brain that morning). I've lost 67 pounds since last July by teaching and training myself about portion sizes and what foods to binge on when my mouth just needs to be eating. I will now go for 3 cups of raw veggies, with a few tablespoons of dip, instead of chips. Or eat a crunchy pickle and drink a few glasses of water. That being said, I have days where I eat crap. But the difference is that because I'm USUALLY eating healthful, when I eat crappy I notice that it makes me feel crappy. Sluggish, thirsty, headachy even sometimes. And it always throws my bathroom habits way off kilter. And I'm now noticing my triggers much more clearly. Tuning into those things helps me put back the chocolate, chips, pretzels or cheese often. But I also don't rag on myself when I have too much of a treat. I log it, and move on. Weight loss is a mind game more than anything, especially for us bingers. Logging your binges is sooooo key. You can't learn from your mistakes, or avoid future mistakes, if you stick your head in the sand. I'm in the red today, because I ate too much junk. But I sure won't tomorrow, because I don't want to see those red numbers again! Please, if you only do one thing, log your binges. Own it, and respond to it. Don't try to pretend it isn't happening. (but you should seriously log all food everyday, it's the best tool for a binger). Also, another thing that might or might not help, is to see how you do if you give yourself a bite of whatever you're wanting. One square of chocolate, or 3 chips, instead of a whole chocolate bar or a whole bag of chips. Some people do better if they get a taste and then put the breaks on. Some people though can't stop or the sugar/fat/salt makes them want and think about it all the more. So see what works best, all out deprivation, or daily moderation. I'm a daily moderation person. I eat 15—25 grams (a quarter of to half a serving) of potato chips almost daily. I eat 1-2 slices of bread a day. Because that keeps me in line. Without letting myself eat the yummy, I will OVEREAT the yummy. Just a thought for ya
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Also.... Something I've done, which may be controversial, is instead of putting up a skinny picture on my fridge, I put up a fat picture of myself. A picture I hate. I am HUGE in it. I look at it as I reach for food and it has talked me down from a ledge so many times! It may not work for everyone but I love my new body so much and I find reminding myself of where I've come from and how much better I feel and look now, or be such a motivator. When I ate whatever I wanted, I looked like that. Now that I eat what I should, I look like this 2
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