How do people cope?

[Serena A]

I'm a bit worried . Pre-CD I would spend all my time obsessing over (and eating!) food - my life would literally revolve around it whether it be eating for comfort, relieving boredom or just for the sheer pleasure of it.

I've been pleased and surprised at how I've adapted without my usual coping mechanism for life until I realised that I've simply replaced one obsession with another - I now spend most of my waking moments calculating what weight I'll be by such-and-such a date, what I'll be wearing at Christmas, spending loads of time on Minimins etc etc.

What I'm worried about is when I reach goal will I simply turn to food again to distract me from everyday life? My hobbies (and I've tried a few) have never been enough to keep me away from food and stop me yo yo-ing! How do other people cope?

 

[Eclipse]

Its all different for everyone. Most peeps still stay with minis and advise and help others, maybe this will be the way for you x x

 

[Serena A]

Thanks Cheryl - I think I'm jumping too far ahead of myself and just need to concentrate on one day at a time (like I just advised someone else to lol!)

The fact you've maintained for so long is inspirational to me x

 

[Anisah]

Maybe by then you could think about being a CDC. That would give you something to do , you could help others through the diet, and keep you focused at the same time.

 

[getting there!]

Maybe food will still be a big part of your life, just your relationship with it will be a healthier one.......enjoying food and not losing control??? well i bloody hope so anyway hahaha x x x

 

[kerry_berry]

OOOooooo, great idea from Anisah! Definitely one to consider!! I know what you mean about obsessing about food which is probably not the best thing but some people do have more addictive personalities than others. And I think obsessing about a website and coming on and posting all the time is a lot healthier than binge eating or any of the other addictions we could go to
Give yourself a break and take one day at a time! I'm like you too and love dishing out advice but should really think about taking some of my own occasionally! But you can tell me to bog off if you want!!

 

[Serena A]

To be honest I think when I'm dishing out advice to others I'm really dishing it out to myself but in a roundabout way I think I'd love being a CDC but would worry about taking business away from the CDC I'm seeing now if that makes sense! Oh well I'll worry about it when I get to goal (and I will do it this time )

 

[Uniqua]

I've noticed that now I'm heading up the plans, I am spending time planning creative ways to stick to the calories I can have. It's really changed how I see food. I still love it, but I know I don't need so much, because I felt fine on very little, and acheived so much.

I think it's good that you are thinking ahead, preparing for the time when it happens and looking for something to replace it and let you move on.

 

[Nelliduff]

Hi Serena A

Your comments struck a chord with me because you stated exactly what is going on in my mind right now - in fact I posted elsewhere this morning about "planning" a day out I am having in December.

Basically, I lost 5 stones with LL at the start of last year - I then slowly put on 2 stones over about a year, followed VERY quickly by another 2+. It took me forever to get into CD and back on ss'ing - and since I have been back (coming up on seven weeks) I have done nothing other than obsess about how I can prevent the same fiasco happening again.

I have come up with all sorts of reasons for why it happened in the first place, but in general I think it comes down to two.

1) Too much (undue) confidence in my own ability to take control. i.e. I decided to do LL - I did it - 18 weeks later 5 stones down. How easy was that (?) Of course that made me think, "what's a couple of stone? I can DO that anytime" - AYE RIGHT !

2) Taking my eye off the ball - busy at work, no longer focused on dieting (after all, I didn't need to any more ) coupled with the above - and my slim figure was HISTORY :wave_cry:

I have come to the conclusion that while we cannot obsess about our diet/weight continually for the rest of our lives - the difference between those that do keep it off and those that don't, are that the "do's" find a good working balance between getting on with their lives and keeping a check.

As someone said in an early post - keep up the Minimins threads - keep jumping on the scales even when you know your not going to like what you see and most importantly (at least for me) NEVER underestimate how difficult it is to get back on ss'ing - especially when you are not quite as heavy as when you started out.

Hopefully I will be able to report in the years to come that these all worked for me

Nelli

 

[getting there!]

So agree with that Nelli, starting again when lighter is so hard because I feel so much better, but know that i still want to lose more, but that little devil in me says 'come on have a bit, you have done so well already' last 2 weeks of restart have been difficult for me with only 6 weeks in between so bless you, it must have been hell after that amount of time......I hope it works for you this time, you so deserve it with all your hard work xxxxxxxxx

 

[Serena A]

Hi Nelli

That could almost be my dieting history right there except I put it back on real quick from the start! I think you're right with your advice (everyone's has been good actually), and that's great that you've done 7 weeks so far! There's just such a gap between knowing and doing isn't there

 

[coley144]

I'm spending the time I have whilst losing the weight to figure out how not to put it back on! I don't want to get to the end THEN do it. Why not do it now?

I'm sorting out my emotional eating and trying to plan how I will eat. For example I'm thinking I'll move onto something like Weightwatchers to learn how to balance my food over a week.

There's a good thread here: http://www.minimins.com/cambridge-diet-forum/63066-interesting-read.html

About emotional eating.

 

[Nelliduff]

That is an interesting article Claire.

Another point of view to think about is HABIT ! While it may not apply to most of you, I think maybe an awful lot of my problem when it comes to gaining weight is down to just that.

I was discussing all my pros and cons and theories with a friend who is a life coach - he listened to me rambling for way too long and then asked if I am maybe not just over complicating the whole thing. Had it occured to me that a lot of the time I was simply eating and drinking out of habit? He did say that while that may not be all of my problem it may be part of it - and to give it a bit of thought.

... when I started to think I began to realised that when adverts for food come on TV, I very frequently would get up and go find something to eat. Someone in a program with a drink in their hand could easily remind me that a glass of wine would be nice, when up to that point it hadn't even occured to me. Of course one glass leads to two and two leads to FOOD - at least in my case. (I should point out that I wasn't really conscious of either of those until I really started to think - and on looking back I realise both were common occurences for me :cry.

Another bad habit is that because of my job (I spend long hours on client sites with my nose delved into their computers !) I tend to "forget" to have lunch - and eat at night !

That's just a couple of examples - I am still compiling my list but it was enough to make me see that he is on to something at least.

Another question that came up in the discussion was "did I enjoy all the food I ate on the way up?" Okay, so I can remember certain meals like Christmas, Birthdays, dinner parties etc which were great - but that accounts for a small portion - but the rest - I probably didn't even realise at the time I was eating the majority of it. So where does this leave me..... guess I've got a few months to figure that one out.

How to break habits is a whole new topic and I am hoping that I can complete my list and come up with some answers before too long

Nelli
(More confused by the minute )

 

[penny35]

Serena darling, your such a sweetheart, I think your kind nature would make you a fantastic cdc.
My life was totally food, eating or planning to eat, or bake.
For me it was a habit as mentioned on thid thread, food has always been the friend that is always there for me and never let me down.
Cd has made me rethink so much,all my social interaction and fun meant food, so for me I hope to have food in my life again, but it will be as fuel, so I can do fun things, or hard things, like walking to the summit of Ben Nevis, something I couldnt of even, or wouldnt of considered some years ago.
You will make it to goal, and then you can find a way to have food in your life again, but in a controlled way.
looking forward to seeing your pretty smile when you tell us all you have lost again this coming week, you can do this,step by step

 

[Serena A]

Aww Penny that's brought a lump to my throat and for once I'm not being sarcastic! Couldn't do it at all without the likes of you xx

 

[penny35]

And I really need you too, being part of the group, will mean I will make it to goal this year, I cant tell you how grateful Iam.

 

[andju]

:grouphugg: It helps so much being in a group
xx