130 pounds to lose...

I'm 26 and weigh about 295 right now--no kids yet, so no pregnancy weight to blame. I am heading toward surgery, but I am still dieting in the meantime since I have type 2 diabetes (diagnosed at age 25). I was always against surgery for myself until I was diagnosed with diabetes, but now here I am.

I find I am most successful when I plan ahead. I, too, use The Daily Plate for logging my food (well, sometimes--I've sort of fallen off track with logging lately), and I like to sit down in the morning and plan out the food fo rmy whole day. I eat probably 6-7 times a day. I would say dinner is really my only normal meal of the day with the rest being snacks and "mini meals." Eatin frequently throughout the day (every 2-3 hours) is said to keep your metabolism reved up so you're constantly burning calories.

I used to struggle with binge eating. I would go on a healthy diet plan like South Beach and would be fine for a while, maybe even a few weeks, but it always came back to bingeing again for me. I combatted this by planning and by being picky about what I buy for groceries. I no longeer buy any convenience foods. You will never find chips, popcorn, candy, snacks of any kind on my house because if I have them there, I will eat them all. If I buy snacks for my fiance (we live together), he takes them to work to enjoy while at the office so I am not tempted. Everything in my kitchen requires preparation, so there is no mindless eating. I have raw meats, frozen veggies, shredded cheeses, dry pasta, etc.--nothing I can just grab and munch on when the mood strikes. If I am hungry, I eat something I have planned, or I have to make a real effort to prepare something to eat. This has helped me immensely, and after living this way for an extended amount of time, I am finding myself able to again reintroduce some snack foods without going overboard. I can now have 1 fudgesicle instead of the whole box, and I feel like I am much more in control over food as opposed to food controlling me.

For me, eating low carb works well, but that's also because of my diabetes (eating low carb is best for controlling my blood glucose levels).

I'm at work now - just have a sec to post.  I am sooooooo touched at your responses.  Thank you all so much!  Will post more later today!

I worked out today already - 30 min. Curves - 457 calories!

I looked at the other responses to your post and noticed one person who is goes to OA, just like me.  I went on it around 20 years ago, went on two diets, one after the other, and lost 70 pounds.  That's all I knew how to do to lose weight at the time was to diet.  I left OA, and of course, the weight all came back on and much more, since I lost from 175 to 105 back then, and am currently at 276 pounds.  By leaving OA, and not understanding abstinence at all back then, I failed to keep it off.  I just didn't know how to maintain a normal weight.  It's not that I'm stupid.  The fact that I am a compulsive overeater who also has binge eating disorder is the reason I've never been able to figure out how to eat once I've lost the weight.  I've been on around 23 to 25 diets in my life, and am burned out on dieting period.

I came back seriously to OA in February 2006.  I truly understand abstinence now, and am following a food plan recommended to me by my family doctor.  I weigh myself once a month, to keep from obsessing about my weight all the time.  Until recently, I was "fooling around" with my food, making unhealthy choices and eating junk food.  I've cut out some binge foods recently, too, even though they are considered "healthy" foods.  They are dried fruit (which has alot of concentrated sugar) and whole wheat pita bread.  I had a hard time giving up these foods, but with the help of my Higher Power, I've done it.  I've also given up candy, as well, even the Slimfast Bars that my husband uses, since they are a form of candy.  The only treats I allow myself are 1 Slim A Bear sugar-free, low fat ice cream bar and 3 small scoops of sugar-free, low fat ice cream, any flavor I want.

Good luck to you in your quest for good health!

Denise Phares/kitties4

Hi Mother, I posted on here about 2 mos ago, i started a diet but didn't stay on it. Now I'm finally I'm mentally ready to go down this long road to a healthy me. I have roughly 150 lbs to lose. My mother and I are doing this together, only she's doing ww and i'm doing the atkins. For me the atkins is what works for me because i really don't eat breads, flour, rice, icecream, etc. I don't have problems with carbs, my main problems is soda's i love my softdrinks. But i'm working on that, i started to drink diet rite, to me it taste alot better then diet sodas. My biggest problems with the atkins is that i don't care to much for veggies, but i'm willing to try them. :'(. I'll do whatever it'll take to lose this weight. Before i would never eat anything that look gross, but now i'm determined to overlook that and try it. I had my third baby 14 mos ago so i'm really hurting from all the weight gain that i haven't been able to lose and plus the 40 lbs that i put on after i had her. During the first 3 mos of her life i lost16 lbs so going from 281 when i first got pregnant to 265 after i had her to now 14 mos later to 304.5 that's alot of weight to gain so fast. I'm hurting, my feet hurt so bad when i get up i can hardly walk, by blood pressure has from normal to prehypertention, so now i'm really scared. I have 3 beautiful kids that need me to be there for them, to watch them grow up and become momma's and daddy. 
I feel depressed right now because i have let myself get this away, that is another thing that i must overcome my depression. I would love to be a weight loss buddy with you and anyone else who needs a buddy right now. You can email me here or to [email protected] . Good Luck Mother, let us all know how ur doing. 

Brandy
 

Hey everyone!  It was a pretty good day today. No overeating.  I exercised and am proud of that.  I will do it again tomorrow.

 

I would LOVE  to be wl buddies with anyone that wants to!  We can just post in this thread and keep on helping each other.  I really need that. 

Neecee - I definitely am all that you describe.  I think that everyone in the boat that I am in or that has been there can understand how difficult it is.  It is really important to me to beat this.

Talk to you all later.  Have a great night!

Someone wanted to know about the daily plate.  Just go to www.livestrong.com and click on "The Daily Plate" I think. 

Mother, I will be your weight loss buddy!!! I guess my screen name could be grandmother.....of 5 year old twin girls! Our daughter is in college full-time and her husband works looonnng hours at construction, so we have the twins at least 4 nights a week. I LOVE doing it, but sometimes it really wears me out so that I don't have the energy to fix good meals. I really do much better when I HAVE to be accountable. This message board has been really good for me so far.

Brandy, I'd love to be your weight loss buddy, too. The only time I was ever successful in the past was when I had a weight loss pal, and we didn't even know about message boards then!

I would like to join this group as well. I have 100lbs to lose and have been exercising daily since Aug 21 and have lost about 15lbs. I have been frustrated and tired and some help to get through would be great!

Congradulation on the decision to loose weight without surgery. Im 29 and started out weighing 270, Im now down to 192, still have alot to go but well on my way. I like you have always been a binge eater, I still struggle with it from time to time but  have gotten so much better. As far as advise to give you would be
1. Stick to your guns know that the small sacrifices you are paying at meal time will be all worthit.
2. Dont let ANYONE stand in your way, you will always here negative from people, just stand firm and believe in yourself and you will be able to accomplish your goal.
3. Celebrate every success, Be proud of every pound you loose, because it is a great accomplishment.
4. Dont be afraid to share with people your little successes, when ever anyone mentions my weightloss I am more then happy to inform them of where I am at and how much I have lost.
5. Believe in you, you are worth the struggle and keep in mind your small goals to get you along the way.

I know by no means am I an expert, I am still working on my weight loss, but these are the things that get me through the day...