Always going to be a problem...

[kimmy_melbourne]

Hi there - lost 38 kilos three years ago and have been struggling to lose the past ten the past two years - always putting on ten, losing five then putting on five, not going past..always because i get into binge days and weeks then make up for it afterward. Does anyone have any help whatsoever so that I may become a normal healthy happy human being who can control myself to eat only when not full? This is ruining my life I don't feel fully confident to do the things I want to given I still carry this extra load. Please help :<

[Angel]

Kimmy,
What have you been doing so far to lose the weight and how much exercise are you doing?

[kimmy_melbourne]

Sorry late reply - well at the moment, procrastinating. Going in between smoking and non-smoking/overreating, cancelled gym membership as can't get to classes on time with work - setting the alarm but not getting up early enough to exercise. Not planning enough with my eating. but when doing well, following a negative calorie diet that was working without really any huge exercise, very healthy foods and quite easy to follow. Back and forth really!
kimmy

[Angel]

Kimmy,
I wonder if you are trying to do too much at once. Losing weight and giving up smoking are both major changes in your life, perhaps you may be more successful getting used to one before you introduce the other - just a thought . . .

If you are really keen to do both at once, how about using one of the Nicabate products? I used the lozenges and this helped me not overeat - you can't drink or eat while you got one in your mouth and they took about 1/2 hr to dissolve, you can't chew them! They were really helpful in the first few weeks. You don't have to use them for as long as the packet says, I only used them for the first 2 weeks and am still a non-smoker (still can't believe it!).

Also, have you thought of an alternative to getting up early in the morning to exercise. I've always thought that the changes we make to our lifestyle need to be realistic, if you're not a morning person, then trying to get up early to exercise is setting yourself up for failure. You could always compromise, during the week you could get up early 2 mornings, go for a walk at lunchtime 2 days and exercise after work 1 day. Again, just a thought . . .

Cheers
Angel

[kimmy_melbourne]

Thanks Angel, that all makes sense - I have used lozenges before and totally worked. Certainly will try again.

Yes incorporating exercise into a couple of lunchtimes would be good and something i haven't done before. And the morning thing is going downhill quickly! I guess just have to try..was thinking hypnosis as next resort to see if at least helped, don't want to be over-anxious at work as I need to be quite level headed..

Cheers,
Kimmy

[Groovychic]

Congrats on the huge weight loss you had a few years ago. You should be very proud of yourself! Like you said before, when you are planning what you eat then you do well, but then slip up when I assume you eat on the run etc. It's so easy to do. The other thing you could do is in the mornings cut up a carrot and apple etc, hard fruit or veg, to nibble on when you are feeling like you really need something to binge on. It's so easy to say these things. Now do I do that when wanting to eat crap, gawd no!!! I just eat the crap. There are great ideas out there but if you are anything like me, you know what to do but can't get yourself to do it. It's like we sabotage ourselves and then tell ourselves off for being so stupid and feel guilty for a long time. O why o why did I eat that! We need to get it thru our brains that we just need to make better choices. Once the brain clicks, then hey presto things start getting better. Whether my brain ever clicks, who knows! Its the main problem with my weight loss. Exercise is no problem for me. I like to do it, but it is by far not enough to lose weight. Once I have lost it then I can maintain but I don't lose anymore. I need to concentrate on being good with the eating. Which is soooo hard for me! Plus having kids in the house that love their crap as well. And I tell myself it's ok buying it for the kids because they eat healthy food as well. Which they do. They are great fruit and vege eaters, but I'm not! So I eat the crap anyway! Someone once told me that it takes 7 days to break a habit. So I guess if you can get thru that 7 days without binging then maybe you stand a good chance at beating it. I haven't managed to get thru 7 days yet. 7 minutes, yep I can do that!!! Every night I say to myself right I am going to be good tomorrow but it never turns out that way! So I do hope your brain clicks into the right gear soon. I'm still waiting for mine to do it!

[kimmy_melbourne]

wow that's really weird we are at the same weight now with the same weight goal! i got down to 66 once and had a personal trainer at time, he said 60 was going to be too little for me muscle wise - but I will still aim for it.
Cheers to getting down there together! u are like 2 kilos in front of me I think at moment, can't weigh myself with all this binge-o-rama going on! thanks for the tips i will try and get on this track and aim for 7 days!
Kimmy

[Butterfly_Dawn]

I have this weird little belief that is based on nothing scientific whatsoever that you have to actually want to lose weight before it will happen. I know that sounds weird cause of COURSE you want to lose weight, but I know for me, for a long time I 'wanted' to lose weight. But really, I just wanted other things, like to be acepted and be pretty etc. I always thought I really wanted to lose weight, but my brain just hadn't accepted the things I would have to do, it just wanted to put all the "my life sucks' feeling into one "because I'm fat" basket.

Then for some weird reason that is best left to psychotherapists to explain, I ACTUALLY wanted to lose weight. Not because I wanted to be accepted and pretty, but because I was sick of having aching joints and being unhealthy and bloated from rich foods etc and so I could ENJOY life.

I know a lot of friends wo "want" to lose weight and complain about how they can't do it, but continue to do things and excuse things that they know (being smart people) will not help them, like "I only eat a small amount of icecream for desert every day, and I only have a packet of lollies when I'm studying - which is every day etc"

I used to do the same - "It's ok if I don't walk home to make up my hour of exercise because I walked TO uni which is 15min downhill, and if I do walk home, I can take a couple of choccie bars to eat on the way for energy"

I guess it's a personal thing and you have to find the right time for you and be prepared for the long term changes that are required. And there is nothing wrong with getting into it SLOWLY and changing one thing at a time. Start with say reducing the size of the meals you currently eat and work with that for a month. Then introduce some exercise, then start shifing to more fresh fruit and veg and so on.

Sorry for the long speil, I just felt like typing an essay.

[Dolly]

I find for me that the times I stick to non-binge eating best is when I BALANCE my diet with all the food groups at each meal, ie- Fat, Starch, Veggies and Protein.
This is from the thyroid diet by Mary Shomon. If you cut out eating the fat each meal you will usually crave then binge eat.
This diet says that each day to maintain health and lose weight you must have 3 serves of protein, 3 serves of fat, 6 serves of vegetables, 1-2 serves of fruit and 2-3 serves of starch


BREAKFAST
2 scrambled eggs (1 serve of protein)
1 tablespoon of olive oil (1 serve of healthy fat)
1 slice of multigrain bread (1 serve of low glycemic starch)
1 large microwaved tomato (1 serve of veggies)

LUNCH (chicken stirfry)
Skinless chicken breast (1 serve of protein)
1 cup celery, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 cup onion, 1 cup of capsicum (4 serves of veggies)
1 tablespoon olive oil (1 serve of fat)
1 tablespoon of maggie oyster sauce for flavour
1 slice of multigrain bread (1 serve of low glycemic starch)

DINNER
Fish (one serve of protein)
½ a sweet potato (1 serve of low glycemic starch)
1 or 2 cups of green salad (2 serves of veggies)
1 tablespoon of your favorite dressing (1 serve of fat)

SNACKS - 2 glasses of low or no fat milk
FRUIT - 2 medium sized pieces
WATER - 6 glasses
A SMALL NAUGHTY TREAT - once or twice per week a small treat is allowed such as ice-cream, chocolate, a glass of alcohol, or some cake etc..


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