Keeping.. or getting back on track.

I'm not a professional counselor.. but I can share my own experience.  I had problems with night snacking or even binging for years. I could go all day and not eat a thing. Then at night I would eat. I would rationalize that I hadn't eaten all day, so I could stuff my face after work. I also used food as a reward. If I had a lousy day.. Or even if I didn't... I felt I "deserved" to eat as much as I wanted..when I wanted.. and whatever I wanted.

When I decided I wanted to lose weight to increase my chances of a successful outcome, I knew I couldn't do that anymore.  I had to find a way to honestly deal with my eating.   So I bought a food scale and began weighing my food and then logging all my food into an online journal www.fitday.com.  It gave me a fairly accurate look at what I was putting into my body. Yes.. it was a pain in the butt and a someone time consuming, but I had to decide that my old life of using food as a reward was over.  I was warned by my NUT and doc about fat and carbs.. especially simple carbs like sugar.  I went from 1500 calories a day five months before surgery to 800 calories a day in the two weeks pre-op. I just cut out about 100 of my daily calories each month. I was amazed how low I could go and still function ok.

To help me stop eating at night.. I set specific times a day that I would eat... like a train schedule. And to stop eating after my last meal.. I would find something else to do at night. Even if it meant going to bed early. My wife didn't like it.. but I told her I needed to do it.  Some nights it was hard.. but the longer I went without eating at night.. the less I thought about food.

I also tried to cut back on unhealthy snacks with empty carbs. I ate whole wheat bread.. but to make a sandwich, I would only use one slice cut in half. I also ate bite sized shredded wheat.  I virtually gave up sugar.

Now that I have had my RNY.. I still keep a food journal. I try to make smart food choices. I eat only around 7am, ten am, one pm, four pm and seven pm. I only eat about 670 calories a day with more than 100 g of protein. Fat is usually less than 15g and carbs around 20 grams.  But even I have still been hovering around 233 pounds for a month. But now that the nicer weather is here, I am riding my bicycle. So my clothing fits better. It seems that my body mass is being redistributed. 

Have I given up snacks FOREVER??  Forever seems like a long time. I can tell you this though, I have given them up for today. I'll worry about tomorrow when it comes.
Good Luck

Journaling is everything. I never thought I would do it. I always hated writing what I eat. Of course, I'm not good at it, but writing how I feel and my activity and hits to get me through.

Your story is EXACTLY what I was hoping to read!!  Can you please tell me what foods you are eating??  I would love to see a sample of your daily foods.  I am almost 7 years post op and have gradually put on 50 lbs over the last 4 years.  I began the whole snacking thing agin and not preparing the food ahead of time.  I like your eating schedule and would love to know the foods you are eating to maintain such a low calorie count.  Do you mind letting me in on your secret?  Thanks and congrats on taking control of yourself!!   .......Amy