Me Vs The Binge -- July 2018 Challenge

lamlamsmakeover
lamlamsmakeover Posts: 6,574 Member
Well this challenge is a challenge with yourself. The challenge is for you to win in the fight against "The Binge". Many of us struggle with binging and a few of us have found that making "The Binge" a person has helped us fight the emotions or urge to binge.

The objective of the challenge is to have more days for you (Me) than the "The Binge".

When you have a day you do not succumb to binge urges or binge give yourself (ME) a point. When you give in to the urge to binge you give 'The Binge" a point. No beating yourself up about it because tomorrow is another day. Honesty with yourself is crucial for it to help you and others.

So we keep score with ourselves the whole month. We encourage each other along the way. Please feel free to share your ups, downs, successes, struggles, etc. You will find you are not alone. See below for format. Feel free to use it or use your own format. This Challenge keeps you mindful of binging and the daily support and accountability helps also.

Check in often. The more you check and share the better you will do for the month. So are you in? You are stronger than “The Binge.” One day at a time.

Current month 2018:
Me (or you can use your user name or real name) - 0
The Binge - 0
«134

Replies

  • Pudding1980
    Pudding1980 Posts: 1,264 Member
    Just marking a spot for myself so I won't forget to check in. I need to get back here. I'm working on overcoming another addiction of sorts and I know when I get a handle on it, BED will start to rear it's ugly head again.
  • lamlamsmakeover
    lamlamsmakeover Posts: 6,574 Member
    July 1

    Me: 1
    Binge: 0

    Streak: 1
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 1
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 3
  • Pudding1980
    Pudding1980 Posts: 1,264 Member
    Me: 1
    Binge: 0
    Dbf: 1
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    July 1

    Me: 1
    The B: 0
    DBF: 1
  • brittdee88
    brittdee88 Posts: 1,873 Member
    July 2018
    Me: 0
    The B: 1
    DBF: 0

    Definitely not a good start to the month, so I am going to revisit the FAA meal plan that I followed to get me on track last year and resulted in my long streak earlier this year.
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 2
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 4
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    July 2

    Me: 2
    The B: 0
    DBF: 2
  • brittdee88
    brittdee88 Posts: 1,873 Member
    July 2018
    Me: 1
    The B: 1
    DBF: 1
  • lamlamsmakeover
    lamlamsmakeover Posts: 6,574 Member
    July 3

    Me: 3
    Binge: 0

    DBF: 3
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 3
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 5
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 4
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 6
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    Me: 3
    The B: 1
    DBF: 0
  • lamlamsmakeover
    lamlamsmakeover Posts: 6,574 Member
    July 5

    Me: 3
    Binge: 2

    DBF: 0

    Was doing well until yesterday when my bro, sis-in-law and niece came and made a nice meal for us. Enjoyable but binge-worthy.
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    July 5

    Me: 4
    The B: 1
    DBF: 1
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 5
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 7


    @lamlam2013 when you were on that roll of victories what was successful in fighting the BINGE on those social days? That usually gets me as well. And I have one of those social situations coming up this evening. My last few successes in that area have been using a FAST before the event and saving my calories for the day for the event itself. Not sure that is the healthiest approach. Just curious about your experiences?
  • Pudding1980
    Pudding1980 Posts: 1,264 Member
    Me: 6
    The Binge: 0
    DBF: 6
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 5
    Binge: 1
    DBF: 0


    I hate to put up a failure to this group after so many victories. It wasn't a major BINGE but a setback. I want to be a positive member of this community. And at times I think just don't post your failure just drop out wait to you have a string of positive victories. But I'm 10 lbs away from a normal BMI and last year I did that in part by knowing that others out there were fighting the same battle as me. This I hope to be my only lost to the BINGE in July.
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    July 7

    Me: 5
    The B: 2
    DBF: 1

    I know what you mean, @hillmike56. That’s why I disappear now and again.

    But, in keeping with the spirit of your post, I am going to try to hold my losses to two this month.
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 6
    Binge: 1
    DBF: 1
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    July 8

    Me: 6
    B: 2
    DBF: 2
  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 7
    Binge: 1
    DBF: 2
  • lamlamsmakeover
    lamlamsmakeover Posts: 6,574 Member
    hillmike56 wrote: »
    Me: 5
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 7


    @lamlam2013 when you were on that roll of victories what was successful in fighting the BINGE on those social days? That usually gets me as well. And I have one of those social situations coming up this evening. My last few successes in that area have been using a FAST before the event and saving my calories for the day for the event itself. Not sure that is the healthiest approach. Just curious about your experiences?

    @hillmike56 Knowing that I was determined to get a good streak going and to lose 35 lbs was my major motivation. Now that I've gained that weight back and am back to square one, I am motivated again, just trying to get back on some type of streak. Old bad habits have crept back in. Now I am sometimes successful and sometimes not. It depends on how "motivated" I am and my mood. I will eat minimal calories early in the day OR exercise to get the extra calories so I don't go over my daily total. Regarding bingeing, social situations can be hard for me, as I get anxiety. Sometimes I will do well at the event and then "reward" myself for getting through the event when I get home and eat more which is very bad. I'm trying to work on that. It's hard, but one step at a time. I also feel self-conscious if I don't eat much at a gathering, and someone will say "are you on a diet? It's a party...enjoy yourself." I'm still working on how to combat that. mostly it's in my mind and only very, very occasionally someone will ask me that, mostly family members.

    One day at a time for me.
  • lamlamsmakeover
    lamlamsmakeover Posts: 6,574 Member
    July 8

    Me: 5*
    Binge: 3

    DBF: 1
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    July 9

    Me: 7
    The B: 2
    DBF: 3

  • hillmike56
    hillmike56 Posts: 485 Member
    Me: 8
    Binge: 1
    DBF: 3

    @lamlam2013 Thanks for sharing. I think I could have wrote that paragraph about your struggles in a social situation amost exactly. I gotten through events and came home to the voice of the BINGE, I know it well. I get the anxiety issue too. I still know you accomplished it for what like some 300+ days right? You must have channeled something special during that time to do that? I'd like to tap into whatever that was. I trying to use a trip to Europe to get my weight in control so those Europeans will see some normal looking American tourist for a change. This might be somewhat vain but whatever I can do to tap into the power of self-discipline and get into a healthy habit of maintaining a normal BMI.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    hillmike56 wrote: »
    Me: 5
    Binge: 1
    DBF: 0


    I hate to put up a failure to this group after so many victories. It wasn't a major BINGE but a setback. I want to be a positive member of this community. And at times I think just don't post your failure just drop out wait to you have a string of positive victories. But I'm 10 lbs away from a normal BMI and last year I did that in part by knowing that others out there were fighting the same battle as me. This I hope to be my only lost to the BINGE in July.

    @hillmike56

    I don't know about you, and why you worry so much about posting a presumed failure, etc., but I, for one, draw strength from knowing that I'm not the only one who struggles -- and I'm inspired to believe I, too, can fight back - because I've SEEN IT from others, like you...

    Our struggles are quite often inspirational to others, even when they sit back quietly, just drawing strength from your resiliency... I know I'm guilty of that sometimes...

    Nevadaden wrote: »
    July 7

    Me: 5
    The B: 2
    DBF: 1

    I know what you mean, @hillmike56. That’s why I disappear now and again.

    But, in keeping with the spirit of your post, I am going to try to hold my losses to two this month.

    @Nevadaden

    All the hugs...

    Ditching the guilt of most of those negative associations, even if I only have an 85% success rate, give or take, is one of the best things I've done. I tell myself I can't fail if it is just fuel. I'm not weak, as it is not comparable to put my willpower up against being bombarded by bliss recipes (sweet, salty, and fat - literally creates a chemical response in the brain), colorful and scent-driven marketing, and literally every trick in the book used against us.

    That's like an army of one against a legitimate army of hundreds and hundreds of organized troops! It is still possible to mete out victories along the way, but until we build up our own troops, it literally is impossible to win alone...

    So, HUGS!

    I'm happy to be a troop (cheerleader?) in your ranks, friend!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    lamlam2013 wrote: »
    hillmike56 wrote: »
    Me: 5
    Binge: 0
    DBF: 7


    @lamlam2013 when you were on that roll of victories what was successful in fighting the BINGE on those social days? That usually gets me as well. And I have one of those social situations coming up this evening. My last few successes in that area have been using a FAST before the event and saving my calories for the day for the event itself. Not sure that is the healthiest approach. Just curious about your experiences?

    @hillmike56 Knowing that I was determined to get a good streak going and to lose 35 lbs was my major motivation. Now that I've gained that weight back and am back to square one, I am motivated again, just trying to get back on some type of streak. Old bad habits have crept back in. Now I am sometimes successful and sometimes not. It depends on how "motivated" I am and my mood. I will eat minimal calories early in the day OR exercise to get the extra calories so I don't go over my daily total. Regarding bingeing, social situations can be hard for me, as I get anxiety. Sometimes I will do well at the event and then "reward" myself for getting through the event when I get home and eat more which is very bad. I'm trying to work on that. It's hard, but one step at a time. I also feel self-conscious if I don't eat much at a gathering, and someone will say "are you on a diet? It's a party...enjoy yourself." I'm still working on how to combat that. mostly it's in my mind and only very, very occasionally someone will ask me that, mostly family members.

    One day at a time for me.

    @lamlam2013

    This hard wiring and social conditioning we have endured our whole lives, being blamed for our anxiety and insecurity, resulting in torturing ourselves with a binge/restrict cycle to just "appear normal" for appearances...it is no wonder we all struggle so much...

    How many of us heard growing up, "a lady doesn't eat so much in public." or "a man shouldn't like sweets or delicate foods, it's not manly." Many of us grew up in poverty with little access to food in quantity -- or fancy/indulgent foods at all. Many others of us grew up in a world when food was restricted (to keep up appearances in richer families) or for display only - making our friends envious of the appearances - when we were really jealous of their families sitting down and sharing food together...

    There is so much emotional connotation to food. Our older generations often showed affection through food, and setting your own boundaries and turning down excess servings was considered a familial insult. Indulgent meals because "treats" for the family...and so forth...

    It's so hard to escape that training, generations deep... So all the hugs for continuing to share your struggles - and your strengths - with us here in this group. (HUGS)
  • Nevadaden
    Nevadaden Posts: 971 Member
    Thanks for all your kind words, Carly. You always give so positively of yourself.

    July 10
    Me: 8
    B: 2
    DBF: 4