I'm getting the urge to binge lately.

I'm just so p*ssed off that my weight is NOT budging. I went up, now three weeks later am only down to where I was but haven't lost from that point. So effectively, I haven't lost weight in four weeks.

I am getting that angry, "To heck with it, if I'm going to not lose weight anyway, why not just eat today until I barf?" feeling.

I'm trying hard and getting nowhere and I'm angry about it.

Thanks for listening...

I understand how you feel, Glendora. Three whole weeks without any results is not very pleasant and could demoralize you quite a bit.

Up till now I have not lost very much on the CALP diet either.

The moment I switched to The Scarsdale Medical Diet, I shed some more pounds. Then I returned to CALP and my weight remains stable but I don't lose any more pounds.

For me it's different because I try to learn not to binge at night. CALP teaches me a different attitude at night, whereas I don't have to have breakfast in the morning and still have a fulfilling meal at night. The whole concept of eating and behaviour (nót dieting!) appeals to me.

But as to weight loss I feel rather disappointed up till now and three weeks is quite long and in fact for most of us too long to bear.

What alternatives do you have? Is it possible that your RM is not quite balanced? Hungry and disappointed people often see balance where in fact there is none. I'm a good example of that.

Could it be that you eat not enough? That your metabolism needs a boost?

In Holland we have a South Beach forum, where lots of women exchange their experiences and feelings but it strikes me that most of the registered members don't lose a considerable amount of weight and never have.

Then in June this man arrives, called Michel, nickname: Japie Krekel, reads the South Beach book, doesn't know how to cook very well but sticks to the program as well as to the advice which is given to him by the moderators and other registered members. He writes down each and every menu he's eaten (6 meals a day) and as soon as he makes a mistake, he is corrected by women, eager to correct him.

He keeps diaries, first in Phase 1 (Fase 1), now in Phase 2 (Fase 2). When he introduces a new kind of food (All Bran for instance) and he doesn't lose weight anymore, he leaves it out from his diet. Quick and simple. And with enormous results.

He eats more than he can handle but he forces himself to eat everything the program tells him to. If he doesn't like a type of food, he eats it anyway and gets used to it. He doesn't complain, doesn't hesitate. He just acts and reacts.

All the women love his attitude (which is very strict, disciplined and susceptible to good advice) and they especially love his spectacular weight loss of course.

In only 2 months' time (he started on June 10!), during which he also went on a holiday with his wife and children (and stuck to his program), he has lost 32 pounds and is still losing. He is never hungry, never bored, never tired of doing so. He is enthusiastic, positive and amazed by his own quick weight loss. He regularly works out in a gym but not excessively.

This man inspires me and gives me new hope every time I tend to despair. He teaches me by his journals and attitude that I've probably not been eating enough and therefore my metabolism is next to nil. The same thing you guys have been warning me about when I had just joined you.

He has become the example of a successful (South Beach) dieter on that forum and to me too, of course. As South Beach is a low carb diet too, it can very well be compared to ours.

I share this story with you because, like you, I sighed many, many times at a new 'plateau', when my weight loss had stopped and I struggled to continue and keep motivated. I would so much like to help and motivate you by giving you the example of this man, who is eating all day long.

Glendora, I understand. I spent a month on plan in June I think and didn't lose weight. Then I finally dropped a pound. In the beginning I lost regularly and then I was stuck at 17 lbs. Then the weight started going down again. You have to stick to it.

Thank you SO MUCH, ladies...especially sharing that you too have experienced plateaus.

I do think my RMs are too carb-heavy. Not too carb-heavy for CALP; just too carb-heavy for me. I'm only eating 1/3 of my "plate" worth of carbs, but they're very heavily sweet carbs and also contain things that I know have set me off in the past; for example, carrots (in my carrot cake). I did much better when I had my cookies, especially peanut butter cookies, which at least contain a lower-carb item (the peanut butter). The carrot cake, though absolutely delicious, should probably only be a once in a while treat for me.

Right now I have banana bread in the fridge. If I make it part of my RM, I'll only have two squares of it (I have it cut into 2"X2" squares for the kids). That's the thing with the cake...I think in eyeballing it, I'm really cutting larger and larger pieces each time, and it's tipping the scales of my hunger.

Sybil, I remember when you hadn't lost weight in a month and yet you never gave up. Good for you. I'm going to remember that from now on. Liz, that man on South Beach really does sound like an inspiration, and I'm going to take a tip from his book in being more serious about exact amounts of things.

Thanks again, ladies.

You're very welcome!

By the way, that Dutchman (Michel) has not written a book. He is a regular dieter and sends his postings in on a Dutch (South Beach) forum, just like we do here.

You can have a look at that forum but you won't understand the language. It will look like Chinese to you... Welcome to my native tongue!

http://www.southbeachforum.net/

hi-

there are some things that may help.

First, consider eliminating sugar for your rm carbs. When I was losing I ate mostly complex carbs and limited my sugary carbs to only once or twice a week. I had sweet potato, bread, grains, gruit, yogurt, cereals, and stuff like that. If I ate sugary things I didn't lose.

Balance- for me it was key.

I will tell you what Dr. Agaston says- he says people 'plauteau' when their bodies are actually at a healty weight, but they call it a plauteau as it is not a cosmetically acceptable weight for them. He calls this the 'cosmo' efffect, and calls it an American cultural issue- this is his new book.

pleae focus on your health- if/when you have an urge to binge do something different! Pull out your Heller books. Get a copy of Dr. Phil's 7 Keys book to deal with emotional issues. POST.

Staying OP is for your health, not just to lose weight.

HTH-
E

Thanks for the link. That was fun to look at. However, I don't think it looks like Chinese, I think it looks like you have pet mice running around on your keyboards doing the typing for you

I was in Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles) for 2 weeks and tried to shop in the market for food. I couldn't figure out anything in Dutch and only bought food with pictures on the package.

Susan and Nelson, Now that I come to think of it: I lóve mice!

Eno, I quite agree with leaving out any refined sugar, taking care of a good balance and making health the absolute priority. We dieters do tend to forget that.

I am sorry I didn't see this when you first posted it. I would only add to all the previous posts that if I really get into a sniggle - cravings or upset and about to just eat whatever, I remember the phrase and approach used by a gal on a previous list I was on - Protein Bullets. She would attack that craving with salmon patties, or piece of cheese & celery, whatever would work (chicken salad, deviled eggs...there are tons of delicious items that are mainly protein).

I did learn to make a decent salmon pattie

Thanks so much, Patricia! I will keep some boiled eggs handy.

I totally feel your pain. I have been in the 160-range for MONTHS (since May) and I've been trying to find something that works for me but I just can't seem to stick to anything.
Sticking to it is KEY!
I have now discovered CALP and I have a feeling that it will be my saviour.

hi-=
I hope it works for you too- it is a slow but steady and livable plan, not a diet.
welcome!
E

I quite agree. But it's the underlying reason, the cause that makes us cheat again and again. That is what we have to realize and tackle once and for all. We all know this, of course, but when we feel uncertain, down, let down, empty, unhappy, etc. the food in front of us seems to be irresistible. And there we go again, in spite of all our knowledge and good intentions.

I've known folks who had plateau's lasting up to a year...staying on plan kept them feeling good. Instead of having cravings to resist...that alone was good peace of mind. Eventually, the plateau would break...sometimes, they found that sizes were dropping, body shape changing, even though weight stayed about the same.
Insulin out of control and/or a body that can't utilize it properly, really is a problem behind a fair amount of cravings I believe.