Hello
I am really struggling here. I have reached my goal wieght on so many diets, only to put it all on again.
I have reached my goal now and now i am constantly thinking of food. I have had a couple of binges recently.
To be honest i think that i am comfort eating. A relationship that i was in (the first since my divorce 2 years ago) finished. We were only seeing each other for 3 months but i am finding it hard to be on my own again. I have my kids and plenty of great friends....but i guess i want a special someone to love.
I know that if i put on all the wieght that i have lost i am going to feel awful. I really need to get a grip. I know that there is not anything that anyone can do...it,s up to me eh!
I feel a little better for getting this off my chest....
Hope that you are doing ok. Leigh

Oh Ive done that myself too look at me now and look at what you have achieved I so hope you can stay stong, I wish I had. I wish there was something i could do to help, have you posted your story in the success area? maybe with some before and after pics? You must look very different and feel sooo much better , give yourself a big pat on the back I dont mean to make light of how you feel but you do have someone very special to love and that someone is YOU!! now that may come across as rather wet but hey its true you deserve to only treat yourself as your own best friend. Someone else will come along some stage Im sure, meanwhile just remember how strong you are (you had to be to lose all that weight!! I know it doesnt come easy)
Ive eaten for emotional reason too many times and I know it never healps it just adds to the misery yourve come too far for that girl, so chin up, Ill be thinking of you

You could make a goal for yourself to not eat out of anything but hunger. Easy to say, hard to do, but think of what an incredible accomplishment it will be. Living your life fully without the need of food to comfort you. You'll be walking on clouds!

You have lost weight for you, and you alone. Treat yourself as you would a best friend. You wouldn't advise a friend to eat, you would be rooting for them in every positive change along the way and gentlle but unwavering and firm when they faltered.

Karen

Dear Leigh,

First off, let me say congratulations for reaching your goal weight. What a tremendous accomplishment! And a real inspiration to me.

Here's a suggestion to help with the comfort eating... I wouldn't recommend getting rid of it entirely. After all, there's nothing wrong with a soothing cup of soup. But if it feels like it's becoming too frequent to be comfortable, how about taking up an activity that is incompatible with eating? For example, I do needlework and crocheting and it's important to keep your hands clean while you're doing it. I also have a set of rubber stamps that I use to create greeting cards for friends and family and that's another activity where I can't nibble at the same time. I've known three hours to pass in a blur when I'm stamping!

Or, and this is something I've started recently, how about feeding your soul instead of feeding your body? Is there some dream of yours - some vision of yourself - that you've put off pursuing because you've been busy taking care of others? I've recently started attending a writer's workshop and made time each morning to write. Even if it never goes anywhere, it feeds me in a way that food never will.

Again, congratulations again on all you have accomplished so far. You must have been very clever and flexible to have made it all the way to goal weight. I'm sure those same skills will see you through now.

Best wishes,
Nelle

Hello
Well i was a little embarrased at what i had written but i am glad that i did because your replies have really helped me.
Bloom i guess that you really know what it is like to lose and put on wieght, but you are still trying which really good. You can lose it again and it does feel so good. If i can be of help, let me know.
I should do a success story. I have a good pic of me and Mickey Mouse for a before pic (if we swapped heads you would not know who was who...lol) but need one of me now. I shall have to sort one out.
It is so true Karen that we are our own best friends...I think that i needed reminding of that.
Nelle I think that i have to accept that i may binge every now and again but i have to put it behind me and get back on track. Doing a hobby sounds like good idea. you do some interesting things but i think it would go out of the window if i had stronge urges to eat. A straight jacket might be better i feel stronger today thanks to your support. I am not going to put the wieght back on. i am determined. Take care Leigh

Leigh, Was going to come and pay you a visit but see you dont have a journal.
That's too funny about Mickey Mouse I really hope you do post those pics and your story I'll keep my eye out for it
Yeah i do know what its like alright Ive spent most of my life between 130-140 pound and yo-yoed my way up to 185 early last yr with a fair share of emotional eating. I lost 30 of those in 5 monhts and then got too darn cocky got to say hello to 25 of them again
I do have a journal and your most welcome to drop by and help push me along anytime at all, the door is always open

Im so pleased you are sounding more chipper today

I was wondering if there was any legal treats that you wouldnt normally buy yourself very often , something maybe expensive but savoury (macadamia nuts come to my mind ) like a fancy cheese/salami that you can get your gourmet thrills from when the urge hits. Maybe thinking quality rather than quanity could help?? Just a thought and hey, i should take my own good advice eh

Leebs
what a gal! you really are - an inspiration to 1000's everyone - she really really is!!! You have so inspired me on your weight loss journey.
Don't feel bad, don't go and binge and do think that you are the best thing - I mean men huh! who needs 'em.
This is soooo not sounding like how I mean it to sound but you know me - feet and mouth in first then the brain comes into gear a day or two later.
What I think what I'm trying to say is.... be good to you - you deserve it and know that you have some really good friends here and on the end of an 8 mile drive
I love ya loads
xx
Feebs

I, too, have been doing some comfort eating recently. I've dubbed it FACIS -- False Acquired Carbohydrate Immunity Syndrome. I've seen that if I binge on carbage just once every few weeks, I don't pay a penalty in weight gain. The problem is that doing this keeps me in the habit of using food to cope with emotional problems. That's a slippery slope I don't want to go down again.

I think that I may re-join Overeaters Anonymous. I belonged for a decade, and I never could stick to a food plan, and so I left. I loved the spiritual/ethical anchoring and emotional support, though.

Hello achon
Its hard to think of somthing that will replace food and make you feel as good. Although later you feel pretty bad especially if you put on weight. I am not familiar with overeaters annonymous.
Can I ask, what kind of support they give? You say that you are doing a lot of comfort eating recently. Has somthing happened to trigger that? You can tell me to mind my own business if you want but I would like to help if I can.
Oh no! I am out of jelly....I am off to find something else...Knitting...lol Take Care Leigh

Leigh,

I don't think I'm doing a lot of comfort eating, but just enough to make me sit up and take notice. The reasons for my doing so are personal, and I prefer not to discuss them in a public forum.

Overeaters Anonymous is modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous, the original 12-step addiction recovery group.

achon,
Thanks for your reply, I understand what you are saying (sorry i foget how public this is). Have you been at your goal weight for a long time? I was wondering how many carbs you are eating to maintain your weight.
Best wishes Leigh

I arrived at my goal weight about a month ago, after a 3-month weight loss. I didn't really pick the end point for that; my body simply stopped losing, and I looked decent.

I usually eat about 40g of carbs/day, and more on workout days. I know that's pretty low for maintenance, but I feel comfortable, and I eat my veggies.

Hello achon
You seem to have worked things out well. I think that 40 carbs seems to be a good amount to have. I am still working mine out but would be really happy if i could eat that many. Take Care Leigh