If you were a binge eater before

[GeauxForIt 659]

For some reason (I've got to think on it), I've been "hungry" all day; in quotes bc it's not really hunger, but "wanting to eat". Being able to put a label on and identify each was a big, fat epiphany for me. Clearly I'm not in need of food bc I've eaten at the same times and in the same amounts that I have been for the past 2 months.

I'm dancing with my demons today. But you know what? I'M LEADING!

I haven't given in. And for that tiny miracle, I am grateful and proud.

[Truckerchic_M 92]

For some reason (I've got to think on it)' date=' I've been "hungry" all day; in quotes bc it's not really hunger, but "wanting to eat". Being able to put a label on and identify each was a big, fat epiphany for me. Clearly I'm not in need of food bc I've eaten at the same times and in the same amounts that I have been for the past 2 months.

I'm dancing with my demons today. But you know what? I'M LEADING!

I haven't given in. And for that tiny miracle, I am grateful and proud.

[/quote']

AWESOME job you should be proud!

[GeauxForIt 659]

AWESOME job you should be proud!

Thanks girlie!

I figured out why I'm wanting to eat emotionally...I have my follow-up appt tomorrow with my surgeon. I've taken the scale out of my house so I only weigh at the doctor's office and I get very anxious anticipating how much I've NOT lost.

How's THAT for irony?! I want to stress eat bc I have to go weigh. That's pretty jacked up, eh? :/

[GeauxForIt 659]

Hi

Binge eater for many many years.I would only start eating around five in the afternoon.Snacking at first' date='then dinner and then when the family went to bed..I would start the serious binge.I would easily eat a litre of ice cream and a big packet of crisps every night.I would also add other stuff to the mix.Hated myself for many,many years while cycling between starvation diets and binge eating.

Now,when life sucks, as it sometimes will.I still stay up late.But the sleeve has an answer to everything that was wrong in my eating before.

I get reflux only if I eat after 9 in the evening.So that is a scary thought,waking up at 5 gargling acid.Too scared to do that most nights and will sleep in upright possition when I did eat too late.Have had to do that only when I ate on airoplane late at night a couple of times.

I dump on alcohol.It sucks when you want to have a drink at socials but the Lord knew I had potential to become a drinker..lol

I can eat 2 rusks as a binge..lol

Or 4 crackers with butter and marmite.

Now,when I really "need to eat" something,I will have 2 ryevitas with sugarfree jelly or a salty spread with a large cup of tea afterwards.Sometimes I will just skip this and have some beef Jerky.

I am 10 months out and not particularly vigilant in what I am eating,as I believe my search for balance from day one post sleeve has paid off.I really mind my sleeve and full means full.I cannot overeat and when I have eaten too rich food today,tomorrow I will just compensate by eating veggies and Protein.a bad day would be a rusk for Breakfast,a Protein for lunch,a spoon of Pasta and a protein for dinner and a rusk or 2 after dinner.A good day would be without the rusks..lol

My thin friend's lessons worked ( she constantly reminded me about balance and adjusting without self condemnation that causes us to lose self control).I have been practising "skinny" for 10 months now,sometimes more successful and sometimes freaking out,but I keep plodding along.All my plodding skinny friends seems to win the battle,I will too.

Interesting thread![/quote']

What's a rusk? A ryevita? I take it you're across the pond!

[carolinagirlz 20]

Awesome conversations. Thanks everyone for posting. I needed to read this tonight as I have been grazing which is dangerous. Thank you all.

[Truckerchic_M 92]

Thanks girlie!

I figured out why I'm wanting to eat emotionally...I have my follow-up appt tomorrow with my surgeon. I've taken the scale out of my house so I only weigh at the doctor's office and I get very anxious anticipating how much I've NOT lost.

How's THAT for irony?! I want to stress eat bc I have to go weigh. That's pretty jacked up' date=' eh? :/[/quote']

Lol our minds are funny things, now if your anything like me and you show a loss (which Im sure you will) your brain will say woohoo lets go out and Celebrate with lunch! My daughter still laughs, with love, about the fact I would go to my TOPS meeting lose a lb or two than go to Mcdonald's to celebrate...

You will do great!

[Truckerchic_M 92]

Awesome conversations. Thanks everyone for posting. I needed to read this tonight as I have been grazing which is dangerous. Thank you all.

I need to spend more time here hubby and I just watched Biggest loser as we had pizza im im that gotta get it while I can phase lol have a good night

[windycitymom 60]

What a brave poster OP!

Thanks for posting. I'll post my input later as I've tried a few time however keep getting cut off

[desertmom 297]

What's a rusk? A ryevita? I take it you're across the pond!

Hi,I am South African living in the middle east.A rusk is something we bake with wholegrain flour,wheat Fiber,sugar,butter and nuts seeds and raizens if we want to add something extra to it.We cut it into one inch by 3 inch pieces and after baking it we dry it out in the oven.Some can be very calorific but some,with lower sugar, are not too bad.It can be a great source of Fiber though.

Problem with them is one usually cannot stop after one.I tend to not keep them in my house anymore as they are like Cookies,you always eat to many of it.

On holiday it is an excellent go to for fast Breakfast though and most south africans eat them,as a snack too.

It did cause me to go low on my Protein for 3 weeks and now my hair is falling out like mad.More than at 5 months (it just stopped falling out at 8 months).

Now its back to Protein for breakfast,lunch,dinner and Snacks to try and stop myself from becoming a bald rusk lover...lol

Great threat!

[NerdyMHC 76]

This really has turned into such a great topic so thanks everyone for being so honest and sharing what you were/are going through. Along with lots of eating alone in my car I learned where the public trash cans were in shopping centers or gas stations because that was always my last stop before getting home - to 'hide' the evidence (e.g., bakery boxes, fast food bags, etc.). I'm glad to know I wasn't as alone as I thought but I'm even happier that those days are gone since having the sleeve. Though to be honest with one or two exceptions. I have no idea why but at some point a few months ago I really started craving these cinnamon Buns that the local Publix (grocery store) bakery makes that have lots of cream cheese frosting. I resisted but seriously it just kept nagging and nagging at me for days. Finally I told myself I just had to give in and I went and bought one. Of course I ate it alone in my car but I could not eat more than half and mostly I was eating the icing. I will say, however, that I still logged that in MyFitnessPal using Cinnabon calories but since I ate so little else I think my total calories for the day was still 1500 or less so I knew I wouldn't gain weight over it.

After getting sleeved I began referring to my new self as Susie 2.0 and anytime I thought about old behaviors I would tell myself that that was something Susie 1.0 would do, not 2.0. It may sound crazy but it has worked a lot of times - bottom line is that I have no desire to go back to Susie 1.0 who had all those bad behaviors. I'm thrilled with Susie 2.0. Again, I can't explain it but I had that same craving a couple of more times and did the same thing a couple of more times and I always added it into my food diary. I'm not sure what clicked but the last time I did it I was totally disgusted with the richness of it and I ate maybe a bite or two and threw it out. I have not had that craving since and I think that was in early November. I recognized quickly that I was going back to my old behaviors (1.0), eating alone, throwing the evidence out before getting home, etc. To this day I never told my husband about it. But I'm happy to say that I'm over it.

So all this is to say that with the sleeve you probably will face issues and it is very much a learning process. I was always told the first 6 months were the 'honeymoon' period and I was determined to make the most of them. We've got a great support group here to go to for help. Perhaps we should suggest a new forum topic just for Bingers?

I know the craving feeling! Surprisingly, my surgeon and WLS nurse both have told me several times; if you want it that bad, have a bite or two! If you keep yourself from having it, you are going to obsess and eat the whole thing eventually. I have followed that somewhat and it has really worked to keep any cravings in check. I take one bite of whatever it is, chew it for a really long time and enjoy it, and I don't want the second bite! Sometimes I take the one bite and realize that what the flavor I remembered pre surgery is not the flavor post surgery! I was never a big sweets fan, and some things are way too sweet now!

I wouldn't recommend this technique for everyone, especially if it is really hard for you to stop at one bite, but it was some advice that I found to have helped me a great deal! Oh, and using MFP to keep yourself accountable for even the smallest bites is critical as well!

[Truckerchic_M 92]

Like many of you have mentioned I too would order extra meals and eat im my car. Many days after work I would get something for on the way home and than have a dinner with the family. Fridays at work were donut day and I would sneak 4 or 5 into the ladies room and eat...everyone around me could never understand why I was so big cause I hardly ate. Fast forward few years.

Now when I met my current hubby I told him all my issues with food addiction including binge and emotional eating. He is very supportive and we are working on these problems but one thing we have done to stop the binges is I dont allow myself to carry money anymore.

[Heyher 581]

Cheri I love reading your posts. I can relate on so many levels. And your post op insight has really helped prep me for what I may deal with. Yeah it will control how much I eat, but I will need to track what I eat. Not quantity. But make myself be accountable for every bite I put in my mouth.

[GeauxForIt 659]

Well, I got a big sock in the stomach today. 12 week check-up today and I've only lost 12.5 lbs in the last 6 weeks. :'(

I lost 22.5 lbs the first 6 weeks and I'm shocked that it was so little this time. I've done everything right! I've followed all the rules, dammit!!

And of course, now I just want to eat a hug...

[Truckerchic_M 92]

Well' date=' I got a big sock in the stomach today. 12 week check-up today and I've only lost 12.5 lbs in the last 6 weeks. :'(

I lost 22.5 lbs the first 6 weeks and I'm shocked that it was so little this time. I've done everything right! I've followed all the rules, dammit!!

And of course, now I just want to eat a hug...[/quote']

Big hugs coming your way..disappointing I know but it is a minus! Maybe your body is still adjusting, doctor have any insight?

[GeauxForIt 659]

Big hugs coming your way..disappointing I know but it is a minus! Maybe your body is still adjusting' date=' doctor have any insight?[/quote']

I've lost exactly 35 lbs since surgery. Why is it so hard for me to just be happy with that? Why do I have to compare myself to others? Why do I have to focus on how much MORE I have to lose?