Food Issues all your life?

[louale]

I wanted to ask anyone who has been on maintenance for a while a questions about how you think your eating patterns have changed since losing all your weight on CD.

I've probably been comfort eating/binge eating since I was about 11/12 years old and have tried SW, WW, Calorie Counting, Rosemary Connely, Lipotrim and of course the CD. The CD is the longest and best diet that I have been on and I've lost 2 stones in 6 weeks, which is great.

I wanted to ask whether it is possible to retrain the way that we eat, and whether anyone has a similar background i.e binge/comfort eating and has stopped doing this. If you have managed to turn your eating pattern around, what else did you do to help with the urge to eat when you're bored/sad etc? Was the CD enough to change this for life, or did you do NLP, hypnosis?

Reason I ask is that I've been doing CD for 6 weeks and although I've stuck to it for 6 weeks, I had one day where I went back to my old eating habits and I wanted to see whether going through the whole programe of introducing foods in small quantities will change the way that I feel/think about food once the weight is off and I'm free to eat once again, or should I be looking deeper at why I do this?

Louale x

 

[Mumof2girls]

Afraid I don't have the answer either.. but also worry about the same thing. I also took a break and went back to my old eating habits. Back on track now but I worry is it either 100% on a diet or 100% off. Will be interested to see the replies.

 

[louale]

Anyone?

 

[minilady]

Hi Louale

I'm going to be really honest and I'm not sure if the answer I'll give will be what you want to hear. Please bear in mind that I can only speak from my own experience and everyone is different.

I am an emotional eater also and have been since childhood and successfully lost weight following CD. To my astonishment I never cheated (had on every other diet I've ever been on) but found CD to be a wonder I moved up through the stabilisation plans with ease, I was so worried as soon as I could eat I would eat absolutely everything! but this didn't happen, I'd feel full after my meals and the binging had stopped. I'd never had the feeling of full before, I was always hungry or felt sick as I'd overeaten there was no in between

Once I got to maintenance the first month or so was great, then came my first binge:sigh: I don't know why it happened, but happen it did. I was devastated, I really thought I'd beaten the demons, so you can imagine my mind was in a turmoil.

I am now in my 9th month of maintenance and am pleased to say that I'm still at goal (all bar a couple of lbs). I still binge occasionally which unnerves me and I am trying different therapies to help this, hypnotherapy, self hypnosis, some NLP and CBT (LOL I'll give anything a go)

I know that I will always have to be vigilant to keep to my goal weight but as every day passes I feel more confident that I'll do it. Fighting the food demons is really difficult but I believe it's something that we can do

Tracey
x

 

[Starlight]

I know its different for me, since Im on WW but having just spent an enforced 2 weeks off my diet (docs instructions) I was actually amazed at how much my eating habits have changed - by choice!

I was really scared when I get to the end of my WW journey that Id go back to old habits but this past fortnight, despite being told to eat what I wanted and not count points for 2 weeks, I still lost weight. I instinctively went for healthier choices and 'good' food. I had a couple of things I wouldnt usually had but I really do feel Ive made a total change in my lifestyle.

As I said I know its very different for you on CD but I do believe fundamentally that after losing a large amount of weight, changing your habits may not be as hard as you fear

 

[louale]

Minilady & Starlight,

Thank you very much for responding to my message, there is hope for me then LOL!

Congratulations to you Minilady for reaching your goal and I wish you the best with your maintenance.

Starlight, Hope you fell better soon.

Thanks again.
Louale x

 

[KD]

It's funny that you should bring this up, because I was wondering the same myself

I'm a binger. Every single diet I did SW, WW, calorie counting etc etc etc, and a few weeks after I finished the diet, I'd be back to my old ways.

It was so easy at the beginning. Felt very motivated to keep to whatever weight I had got to, but the binge monster returned.

Then I did CD, lost masses and worked up the plans. Found it relatively easy not to binge for about 2 months after coming off CD. I was amazed. To be honest, I'm not sure whether it was CD, the support here, or whether I had eventually learnt something

But here I am, 2.5 years+ and still at goal

But (again), the binge monster pays a visit every now and again, but I'm much better equiped to deal with it, and the 'attacks' are getting fewer and fewer :clap:

I haven't used NLP, counselling, or even any more diets, just picked up little skills that help me keep it down.

I really don't know whether I'll ever be completely 'cured'. I'm 52 now and have had an eating disorder since...I dunno...about aged 5 I think (well...that was my first memory of stealing a bag of sugar)

But (yet again) I'm pretty sure that I wont put on a lot again, and I'm hoping that I can continue without dieting.

Just hoping I can keep the focus and never forget where I was.

 

[Frejja]

Hi

I have to agree with a lot of what's already been said particularly minilady's post. I've always had problems with binging. I lost 6 stone by strict SSing last year for 140 days. I didn't follow any of the CD plans when I started eating, just low GI and low calories and now maintain on around 2000 cals a day. Every day is a challenge as I find it much easier not to eat at all than to eat small amounts! I've never gone back to eating potatoes, bread, cakes, choc bars etc as they were real binge triggers for me. Like minilady, although I'm still 6 stone lighter and tranformed, I feel I'll always be a 'recovering foodaholic' and have to watch myself all the time. However, being slim is worth it!

 

[Diva2B]

Rightly or wrongly I have made up my mind that I have a problem and potentially will always have that problem. (A bit like alcoholism)
I love to stuff my face with crisps, mini cheddars, cheese, biscuits etc and always loved to sit at the table at sunday lunch until my buttons were bursting. It's a very satisfying feeling being full although in the long run, we all know that its particularly bad for us. I was carrying an excess 6 stone 5 weeks ago and that has reduced to 4 stone excess in the few weeks I have been on CD. It's an amazing diet and I keep trying to challenge it for reasons that are unknown to me.
I realise that I have a problem with food. Not eating to live, living to eat. I love eating. There, I have said it!
Probably I will always have a problem with food. I can't see my desire for crisps changing, but I do hope that I can control it once back in the world of eating.
Total abstinence seems to work for me and that is why I love CD. It removes those choices. No choice, no food overload.
I worry about putting on loads when I finish this plan. I have heard of someone who came off CD for a fornights holiday and put on 3 stone (story from my CDC) and that scares me too.
Perhaps abstinence is the way forward. Denying the trigger foods that we love to eat and fuelling our bodies with the things that it NEEDS!!!!!
This is my plan for my way forward, I only hope that I have the resolve to stick to it.
Sorry for my prattling on......

Be gorgeous everyone....

Michelle xx

 

[BIG BIRDY]

Hi

I have to agree with a lot of what's already been said particularly minilady's post. I've always had problems with binging. I lost 6 stone by strict SSing last year for 140 days. I didn't follow any of the CD plans when I started eating, just low GI and low calories and now maintain on around 2000 cals a day. Every day is a challenge as I find it much easier not to eat at all than to eat small amounts! I've never gone back to eating potatoes, bread, cakes, choc bars etc as they were real binge triggers for me. Like minilady, although I'm still 6 stone lighter and tranformed, I feel I'll always be a 'recovering foodaholic' and have to watch myself all the time. However, being slim is worth it!

This is what I will have to be like. A recovering foodaholic. What a great and apt description. I'm keeping that one. It put it into perspective for me. Thanks.
.

 

[KD]

Denying the trigger foods that we love to eat and fuelling our bodies with the things that it NEEDS!!!!!

Personally, I wasn't prepared to deny myself everything. I had to learn how to control my triggers, rather than face them.

Takes work though. Denying is easier, but harder to keep up with for the rest of your life.

 

[minilady]

With me it's not certain foods that trigger my binging or the deprevation of any foods in particular. It's my emotions that trigger everything!!! I know that I can have a little of what I like at any time, and to be honest I love fresh fruit and veg etc. etc.

If life in traceyland is good and I feel good about myself it wouldn't even cross my mind to eat chocolate or crisps etc. because to be honest I don't like it that much. But these are the foods I binge on! I know I sound like a complete crank and am probably not making any sense, but if I sit down to a chicken salad followed by a chunk of melon I savour every bite, I enjoy the tastes and feel fullfilled. Now the difference on a binge is I eat foods that I know are bad for me and I don't particularly like, the way I eat these is more frenzied i don't savour every bite, I stuff it in as quickly as possible and don't taste it at all!

So I guess if I feel bad about myself then I use 'bad' foods to punish myself with

Don't panic men in white coats have just pulled up outside

Tracey
x

 

[KD]

But these are the foods I binge on! I know I sound like a complete crank

Not at all! This is what bingers do. You're not alone.

Now the difference on a binge is I eat foods that I know are bad for me and I don't particularly like, the way I eat these is more frenzied i don't savour every bite, I stuff it in as quickly as possible and don't taste it at all!

Exactly! It just feels so different doesn't it. It's not the same as 'normal' eating. It's hard to stop, and it always seems to be high carb, high fat foods...(usually beige foods for me). It doesn't matter if I'm full up, I've just got to have them. I'll be reaching for the next thing whilst still having a mouthful of the first.

I eat them quick, almost pushing down the last mouthful with the next. There's virtually no enjoyment in it.

 

[hopefilly]

I do exactly the same personally I think Im going mad x.

 

[louale]

Thank you so much to everyone that has responded to this post, it felt like you were describing me when you were giving your examples of binge eating LOL!

Well done to all those that are in maintenance, I have kept this post as it has really motivated me to lose and keep it off.

Thank you.
Louale

 

[minilady]

I eat them quick, almost pushing down the last mouthful with the next. There's virtually no enjoyment in it.[/quote]

That's right there's no enjoyment, I know I wont be able to stop until I feel extremely sick, so in a way I'm punishing myself with food. I know exactly how I'm going to feel an hour later and the next day and still this dosent stop it happening.

I do exactly the same personally I think Im going mad x.

Lol!! :silly: You're not alone

 

[KD]

so in a way I'm punishing myself with food.

I don't feel like that. I'm not punishing myself. I just do it because I have the compulsion to.

There is no hate for myself...I don't even have to be sad. I can binge when I'm happy, when I'm relaxed and when I'm tense. Makes no difference

But I do know that I'm not trying to sabotage anything. I want to stay slim no matter what, and I'm not punishing myself. It's all very illogical.

Once upon a time, I couldn't recognise a binge. It would start off with innocently eating something, then another, then another and end up with me thinking that I was just a greedy cow.

Later on, I realised after a binge. Ahhhh, that's what I've done

Then came the point where I'd realise what I was doing whilst binging...sometimes I could then stop it, sometimes not.

These days, I can recognise when it's going to happen and stop it before it starts. It's when it starts that can cause a problem. Harder to stop it when it's in full flow ....easier to stop it before it starts.

I'm pleased to say that I have gone from 30 years of binging every day, to now binging ummm...possibly every 3-6 months. Still get the urge, but can squash it. When it's in full flow, I can now stop it earlier :clap:

 

[Delli]

im definetly more able to recognise a binge now than before i started CD. however, when my head is in a bad place, i still would say 'feck it, i deserve it' and go ahead with it. so thats something i still have to address, which is seeing food as a reward. (am just wondering, is it possible this could be linked back to childhood? we had a big family and not much money, we only got sweets or crisps if we had been really good and therefore deserved them)

 

[KD]

im definetly more able to recognise a binge now than before i started CD. however, when my head is in a bad place, i still would say 'feck it, i deserve it' and go ahead with it.

Oh yes. Recognise that one only too well

am just wondering, is it possible this could be linked back to childhood? we had a big family and not much money, we only got sweets or crisps if we had been really good and therefore deserved them

I think there is a link, but I also think it's much more complicated than that. After all, if you recognise that, as an adult, it should be easy to halt it. Of course, we know it's far from easy.

There's many more things going on there. Some of which I believe to be 'chemical' rather than just us being loopy

 

[Nat]

what a fab thread, i too worry a lot about what will happen when i reach my goal, the reason i like cd so much and the reason i think it works for me is because food is out of the equation, which means if im not allowed to eat at all, i can't over eat. i am hoping that i can go back to sensible eating like i used to before i had my first baby which was over 8 years ago!!!!