I am a binger – any info on fasting and bingeing

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Helen R

6:44 pm
1 May 15
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Hello, this is just a whistle-stop visit to post a quote I found. It rang true for me, so I thought it might be useful here:

“The art of commitment should really be called the art of recommitment. Commitment gets you started and propels you through the early stages of any game, but it is recommitment that ignites your reserves when you feel like you’re going to give up… Those moments of low energy are inevitable when you’re on a quest for any worthy goal. The saving move in that moment is to renew your commitment… It doesn’t need to be a big deal. It simply means that you need to recommit to what you’ve chosen to be here for”

I am looking forward to spending some more time here over the weekend to read all of your posts!

JadeLark

9:55 pm
1 May 15
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Oh how fun — all these new posts! Congrats comespring on moving off that plateau! What a smashing success — well done! And lovely imagery to boot. I needed that.

Fantastic quote, Helen. Low energy is part of the deal when something takes time. And most worthwhile things take the kind of work that requires re-commitment. Marriage comes to mind. Well, almost anything comes to mind once you think about it.

And isn’t it great, Penguin? I admit, I’ve totally wigged out on some meals lately but it’s been fun for a change. Like I have a secret weapon. I love just dieting two days a week.

Does anyone remember a diet (kind of the reverse of this one) that allowed you to “eat normally” on the weekends after doing the 1200-cal/day all week? I tried that — well of course I did, since I’ve tried them all. Five days of hunger and I don’t need to tell you what happened on Sat and Sun but it wasn’t what they had in mind. I despise 1200-calorie days. Really, they’re like sex without the last 5 minutes. Just flat-out not eating is so much easier. Pardon my earthiness, but remember I HAVE been grading and my mind is a desperate place.

Cheers to everyone on this lovely weekend, and thank you all for the inspiration. Enjoy the wine, cheese, and whatever crosses your path!
jade

comespring

12:34 am
3 May 15
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Hahaha Jade!! ‘like sex without the last 5 minutes..’ That does rather assume that the whole thing takes longer than 5 minutes? 😉

I, too, do not miss the diet days of 1200cal or 1000cal or Atkins or Weight Watchers or any of the 100 diets I’ve tried. This is the only one that’s forced me to face hunger but in a way that doesn’t need me to drone on for weeks and months and doesn’t expect me to be ‘on-duty’ 24/7. I love that. We had friends over for dinner last night and the best thing about 5:2 is I could look forward to eating anything I wanted without guilt. Monday will come but so will another Saturday night of yummy-ness and it’s all part of the mix.

I loved the re-commitment idea too Helen. Looking back, it’s always been about hanging in there at the times I least felt like it. It’s a S-L-O-W process, but if every gram/ounce went on one at a time, they can only come off one at a time, so I have to be patient and I have to keep doing it.

Have a lovely Sunday all. It’s a mild autumn day here with beautiful sunshine and I intend to drink my morning Cappuccino beneath it’s warmth.

ChrissieinBrittany

6:02 am
5 May 15
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Hello.
I had a terrible binge yesterday. I know why I did it but I still couldn’t control it. I had some very unpleasant paperwork to fill in explaining why I’m in debt and my husband’s taking his life.. this was so stressful I started by picking bits of crunchy muesli from my son’s box,and finished it, then ate all the bread I could find (with caramel sauce!!!) then anything that wasn’t moving or pinned down just got eaten! Did I feel any better? Of course not. I feel terrible. Right, writing that down may have helped so I’m looking ahead to a good day (nothing left to eat in the house anyway;)
A good day to you all!
C.

comespring

6:37 am
5 May 15
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Wow, Chrissy, that sounds like a really difficult situation, I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through at the moment. I can only hope that the paperwork has the required effect of providing some sort of relief, and that you’re making sure you have good people around you who can care for you and your son. It’s often so hard to share these crises in life, so I’m glad you could come here too, even if it’s only cyber-support. Take Care.

ChrissieinBrittany

1:41 pm
5 May 15
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It’s very kind of you to reply Comespring.I’m sure I’ll feel better when I get this sorted out but stress does bring out the cookie monster in me!!!
Thanks again 😉

Bingeingqueen

5:03 pm
5 May 15
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Hi Chrissie in Brittany,

I am really sorry to hear of your situation. Like comespring said, it’s great you came here to share. Know that you aren’t alone.

Interestingly, I have a female doctor friend who said many of the patients who were struggling with weight problems and life; whether it be depression, caring for some one… they reported turning to bread (!) and cereal.

I really struggle with bread and cereal too. It sounds like you are going through a lot at the moment and my only (very limited) advice is it’s one day, without sounding too airy fairy, be kind to yourself. You aren’t alone, (I have been known to eat two packets of granola (we are talking 4000 kcal) all at once before ! it was TOM but that was my only excuse). I am not sure if it’s the right thing to share my story but things will get better- maybe not keep that stuff in the house when working on difficult, emotional stuff..

Keep us posted on how you are doing. Avoid the cookie monster – maybe keep some veggies snacks to keep coming on whilst going through paperwork… or chew gum….just ideas. Thinking of you and know you can always vent here when struggling with cookie monster thoughts.

ChrissieinBrittany

5:20 pm
5 May 15
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Thanks for you encouragement. This all happened four years ago but I’ve bean beating off the baliffs for the last few months while I try to find a solution to the debts. The papers are for bankrupsy (however that is spelt)as by French law, all that was his, is mine… debts included. Anyway, this way seems to be the only way so that we can finally get on with life and living!! Anyhow, I don’t binge half as often as I used to, just when I have to do things that stress me out!

C.

Bingeingqueen

7:08 pm
5 May 15
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Ah mcca, sorry to hear this – is this happening weekly… are you writing down when it happens i.e 8 am after breakfast, 3pm etc…

I noticed today four days before my time of month is a nightmare. Sorry it’s not a great answer, but support is here.

Has it got worse since doing the 5:2..

I have been thinking about postponing breakfast on non fasting days.

fizzylizzy

9:11 pm
5 May 15
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Hi there just wanted to say how much I recognise myself in these particular posts regarding binge eating. Reading the posts has been uplifting and informative its good to know am not on my own

comespring

5:50 am
6 May 15
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Welcome fizzylizzy, it is definitely a thread for kindred spirits, that’s for sure! Good to hear how you’re going mcca & queen – sometimes there is only getting up the next day and starting again 😉 Good luck with it all Chrissie: Cookie monster be gone!

I’m blaming the full moon but after a good FD Monday I’m kinda out of control (not like I would have been 6 months ago, but the urge is strong). Could be TOM but I’m all over the place with that now so don’t know what normal is anymore – getting on in years I am 😉 I do wonder if it’s also due to increasing my exercise? I’ve been much more active lately (walking and cycling mostly so I don’t injure myself and I like to swim lengths at the pool too) and it seems to coincide. I guess the trick is to recognise the cues and eat something appropriate (i.e. healthy) and a reasonable amount (although we all know what that can be s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d to, on a binge).

Okay, well I’ve had too much yummy cheese and left over lamb roast for lunch, but I can make better choices for the rest of the day, right? Just dropped in to say that is EXACTLY what I’m going to do, and you are all my witness.

ChrissieinBrittany

6:16 am
6 May 15
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A fellow swimmer! I’m a huge fan of length swimming, especially since someone said it burns as much fat as running!
I had an ok day yesterday with a little too much chocolate (cooking choc – I was going to make a mousse for my boys…. bad mother!!) and I’ll have a better day today I feel. I wish you a great day too and keep strong 🙂
C.

Bingeingqueen

7:08 am
6 May 15
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Just a quick note all, and would love to hear your thoughts. I am considering doing one meal. Day on my non fastung days (but ensuring I have enough kcals on those days). I had been unsure about doing this as I thought it may create more of a bibge mentality, but I am finding once I start eating my appetite wakes up and I have been known to binge first thing! Any way, my point is I think I am almost delaying a bine and this gives me time to decide whether I really wand it, ie the food. I a know rigid rules aren’t good for bingers, but i won’t be limiting the types of food I eat at all- ie if I want bread, cake, chocolate. I’ll have it but only in the evening. My mood improves in the evening too- and usually I am less frantic about eating in the eve so I’m hoping this may work (and I can’t sleep on an empty stomach- my body likes a big meal before bed). So this could be the worst thing ever, or it could be brilliant. I am sure I actually need a new brain and years of therapy but for the moment I wonder if saying no to myself during the day and just delaying food may also delay a binge. We shall see and I will keep you posted!

comespring

9:18 am
6 May 15
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Hi Queen – I think its worth trying a lot of approaches to see what works frankly. What you’re proposing sounds close to what a lot of fasters do, and that’s a variety of hours in the day when they don’t eat, and then a window when they do. So 18:6 is common, where you don’t eat from 7pm the night before until 1pm the next day and then only eat for an 6 hour period before stopping again at 7pm. They do this everyday as well as their FD’s. In fact there seemed to be a bit of a competition going as to who could go the hardest, and I kept waiting for someone to say they were considering 23.59:1 and only eating for a solitary minute in every 24 hour period… 😉

That said, lots of people swear by it with 18:6 and 19:5 being common splits. I did try it but found I could go okay until about 11am but after that it felt like another fast day and then I thought “Am I doing anything else in my life but restricting food intake? Isn’t this just another diet only even more restrictive?” So I’m plodding along with the 5:2 at 400-500 cal twice a week and that suits me at the moment. Maybe have a look at some of the other threads, using ’18:6′ as a search term and check it out. Good luck 🙂

JadeLark

3:48 am
7 May 15
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Darn, I had nice post ready to go and it vanished. Computers are strange things! Suffice to say: Welcome Chrissie and Fizzy! Chrissie don’t let the debt collectors mow you down – best wishes in that fight.

And Queen, I do that same thing often. Food is just my downfall and trigger — even on days when I should eat “normally” I just can’t if I’ve had the bad carbs early in the day. It can take some getting used to; I try to eat very light, and only the basic boiled egg or apple during the day. In fact, if I ask myself whether I’d like another egg or apple and the answer is “no, I want pie” then I know I am just bored. And tucking into that evening meal is just a delight when one is good and truly hungry. But as Spring said, if it seems like you are restricting yourself 7 days a week, then pooh on that. Give it a trial run! Maybe you could mix it up and do just a few of these a week — that’s usually what I end up doing.

Time to rest up for another fast day — good luck everyone! xx

NavyJenny

4:55 am
7 May 15
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Hi all,

I’m new here but have been doing the 5:2 for a little while now. I have a history of bulimia and massive bingeing, to the point where I could eat two pizzas in one sitting, 4 restaurant servings of pasta or even uncooked oatmeal when everything else is gone (luckily this was a while ago now). I’m no expert on nutrition and only speak for myself, but just wanted to say that IF has eased my binges massively, although it didn’t happen overnight!

I think it has something to do with the realization that I Can survive without food, and fasting makes my stomach smaller and eating too much actually hurts. At first after starting IF I would binge occasionally, and end up really sick and in pain as my stomach was stretching. Then I started to pay attention to the speed I’m eating on my fast days: the slower I ate on those days (i.e. 20 minutes for a single apple with sips of water in between) the slower I started to eat on regular days. And from there on, the slower I ate, the more mindful I was about Why I was eating. For the first time in a long time I’ve now felt hunger. Paying attention consciously to the feelings in my body has helped – hunger, fullness, satisfaction. I also notice that I now think about food less.

But top and foremost, bingeing and bulimia is a mental illness, I would definitely seek professional help if it is daily. Trust me, it really sucks to have a heart attack at 23, just because you think that oh I don’t need help, I’ve got this. It’s not worth it.

Good luck everyone, be healthy <3

ChrissieinBrittany

6:09 am
7 May 15
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Morning all! Just to wish you a lovely day or evening, depending where you are.

JadeLark

1:12 pm
7 May 15
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Welcome NavyJenny — wow, thank you so much for your candor, and congratulations on your success. And a lovely day to you too Chrissie!

It’s such a struggle to figure out how to best take care of ourselves, isn’t it? We know we feel uncomfortable after over-indulging, but it can feel good in the moment. For me, the key is figuring out when I lose control.

Here’s one problem. For years, we were told that if we did not “eat a big breakfast” then we were just wrong-headed. Also to eat 6-8 times a day so that we were “never hungry.” I guess that worked for some people, but not for me. I actually hate eating when I first wake up, and I’m not good at snacking (lol, obviously).

The food industry is another problem. They research how to make food “irresistable” — such as by putting sugar into savory snacks. The combo of sweet-salty has been proven to cause cravings. When we’re told to eat all the time and the foods most advertised are those that are designed to trigger over-eating, well it’s no wonder so many people struggle with weight control. I’m not saying we don’t bear responsibility for our choices, but it helps to know what we’re up against. I’m not a Dr. Oz fan, but this article explains it: http://www.doctoroz.com/article/salt-sugar-and-fat-could-you-be-addicted

What I love about IF is that I now know that hunger is OK. It isn’t going to hurt me. In fact, it often goes away if I ignore it. I just need to remember I am in control of it.

But to GET that control, we have to figure out our individual triggers. And we are all different. What are yours? A big one for me is a big carby breakfast, even when I’m actually hungry around 11 a.m. IF has taught me to say “just wait and have that later.” Then, of course, later I often don’t want what seemed “irresistable” before. So yay, and screw you food and diet industry! I win. Not every time, but a lot more often.

OK off my soapbox and off to the shower. xx jade

fizzylizzy

3:23 pm
7 May 15
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Hi everyone just read your post navy jenny and would wholeheartedly agree with what you say. I also have a history of bulimia and binge eating and I would add that every time I embarked upon a diet I would get tied up in my bulimic tendencies and feel guilty for “going wrong” on the diet and then binge and purge – so far with this plan bingeing has not really happened like it has before and I feel more in control of the food I eat. Maybe psychologically it is because if I “go wrong” on the 5-2 I just think to myself that I can re-adjust any over indulgence on a fast day. I would also say that I am not constantly thinking about food on this plan which I find quite liberating. Onwards and upwards (or downwards if talking weight!!)

JadeLark

2:35 am
8 May 15
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Wow, yes you nailed it, fizzylizzy. The guilt that can set off a binge after “going wrong” isn’t really a thing on 5:2.
In fact, today I didn’t actually succeed at fasting (just felt a bit sick) so I switched my goal to < TDEE, and now feel like a success. And as you said, any over indulgence can bet met in kind by a fast day. Control comes in many forms — so many ways not to feel deprived (which is also one of my triggers).
Cheers — jade

comespring

7:50 am
8 May 15
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Thanks for so much truth and wisdom jade and frizzy and navy. Triggers are SO important for me too, which is why I stay off the scales except once a week (no loss this week but I also didn’t expect one). For me, the lack of guilt on 5:2 (and in my experience guilt has always been best assuaged by food 😉 ) means that I no longer have one of my strongest triggers – the guilt would quickly morph into ‘Damn it, I’ve failed now so I might as well go the whole hog’ (almost literally sometimes if bacon counts!).

It’s so lovely to see people are feeling there way and learning and making really important changes. I have had a week of serious craving so I finally sat down today and wrote a list of the 4 most important things I needed to do and did them. As a chronic procrastinator I know I also use food to ease task-related anxiety so I’m getting much better at picking up what’s going on and guess what?? I now feel much better, none of the dreaded tasks resulted in death or even mild approbation from anyone (surprise, surprise) and now no more cravings. I know some people would just go D’oh! at a story like that (they should consider themselves lucky!) but for me it’s rarely clear to me just how much I sabotage myself or how much I am my own worst enemy. Happy discoveries all, and have a lovely weekend.

Bingeingqueen

11:03 am
8 May 15
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Hi!

Thank you for your honest posts. I try to analyse the cause, nature, nurture, physiology al, psychological?

I’m afraid I haven’t found any brilliant solutions , but really interesting another poster spoke about breakfast. My mood and bingeing are lowest and highest (respectively) in the am. So when I wake up I often think “chocolate and coffee” and almost feeling excited about having it. However, I am much better if I postpone breakfast until I’m hungry.

Today I had a 6 am start (but up twice with my son on the night) and felt really flat and had eaten 100g bar of chocolate by 8am! My own fault but I had to spend the morning in the house. So all morning I have been snacking- my place in the house is the kitchen, which isn’t helpful!

To the posters who said to seek help for binge eating, I am presuming you did seek help, what happened? How did the interveners / health professionals help? I once saw a gp and I really felt it went against me, they said i need to eat regularly (I am not over or under weight but perhaps look …. But have a big bottom!) but that’s good if I’m mentally ok and if I don’t eat a big breakfast… But if I start binge eating in the am – the rest of the day I don’t feel like doing anything.

The interesting thing I noted with fasting (and I can’t seem to do the fasting when at home in the am- others in the house, my step children, my husband’s family- all need looking after and like foods I find irresistible (sugared cereals, bread, cake) but that’s a different discussion/moan) I have more energy and mental alertness, when I eat a lot I just feel forgetful and lethargic. Like a previous poster mentioned, if I postpone breakfast I eat when truely hungry- then when I do have my meal, I make it special and make every taste last as long as possible. I enjoy food “mindfully” when I do it this way.

Do you all think we have nild depression, low seratonin or do you think we just love food and are a bit greedy sometimes.

I sometimes think I maybe addicted to eating, I can keep going and going….I am not absolving responsibility but I have to be honest, my compulsive overwating goes beyond what others eat… Food has become my clutch. Yet on fasting days I have to face my emotions, I don’t feel so “spaced out and numbed “.

If I lived alone I would make myself go cold Turkey and not keep it in the house, but I don’t live alone and live with some very strong characters that like their carbs!

Interestingly I went to a baby shower with a whole load of women, and I did noticed the scones and cream were huge, as was the triple Layed velvet cake! But u sneakily glanced and noticed most women had about three cakea each- these non bingers! They were about two and a half inches thick!

fizzylizzy

7:23 pm
8 May 15
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Hi everyone just checking in to admit to terrible day of bingeing -4 bags of crisps – 6 rounds of bread and butter -two cakes – sweet and sour chicken balls and noodles – 2 very large gin and tonics + a myriad of other things including chunks of cheese! Feel really terrible now, uncomfortable, guilty (of course) and disappointed with myself – in my head am going to try and get over this blip and make tomorrow a new day….will keep you posted!

Bootsy Badger

8:28 pm
8 May 15
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Just to say ‘I hear you’ fizzy lizzy and bingeing queen, re the last 2 posts and ‘hello’ to everyone else here. I had a big chocolate and biscuits binge yesterday. Quite deliberately went and bought the stuff and knew I would binge. Yes, had the inevitable guilt and disappointment in myself this morning. I still had some unopened packets left, opened them, put them in a bag, trod them to powder and threw them in the dustbin!

But the problem remained of what to do today. I am also quite depressed (it comes and goes – very long standing condition) and so nurturing/catering for myself is particularly difficult at moment. I was worried about the all or nothing thinking (which sounds like some of you were posting about above) ie if I didn’t immediately ‘atone’ for yesterday by at least TDEE, if not FD, I might as well carry on blowing it. I’m glad to say, I didn’t do any of those. I didn’t count cals, haven’t been able to face preparing proper meals, so have eaten sandwiches; toast; hummous; tomatoes; even a slice of toast peanut butter and marmalade (preserves don’t usually trigger a binge, like biscuits or chocolate do). I feel that is ‘good enough’, given my mood and the binge yesterday.

So hope you can have a good enough (not ‘perfect’) day tomorrow fizzy lizzy; bingeing queen and everyone – and me!

With best wishes x

sanguinepenguin

10:15 pm
8 May 15
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Hi everyone! This is just a drive-by posting to let you know I’m still here, alive and kicking, just very very busy with student conferences. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

JadeLark

1:48 am
9 May 15
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Hey Penguiin, nice to see you again – I love your blog, honestly you’re hilarious. You put into words what so many of us would do and feel in a similar situatiton.

So ladies it looks as though we mostly whiffed the ball this week! I just could not even, on Thursday – headache, stomachache, schoolwork to tackle, and so I just said “later.” If I can say “later” to a pastry, I can say it to a fast day as well. But the beauty of it (as we all know) is that when we blow it, we may really pig out for a day or we may actually eat normally instead of fasting. Aren’t we all having more of the latter type of day? We will never be perfect but we’re all a lot perfecter!

Happy Friday/Saturday to all! Enjoy the weekend and don’t count calories 🙂
xx

ChrissieinBrittany

7:36 am
9 May 15
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Morning!

Have a lovely weekend everyone and, for those who have binged, I was there a few days ago but I’ve put a few ‘good’ days between now and then so I’m feeling a lot better and you will too I hope. I’m not doing 5:2 as it triggers binges for me but have gone to 18:6. I start eating at 2pm and don’t eat anything after 8pm. I’ve got this down to a tee and am doing really well on it …. as long as there’s no stress!! Then you’ll find me swimming in a vat of caramel with a choccy bikki in each hand 🙂

fizzylizzy

4:12 pm
9 May 15
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Hi just logging on to say hello to you bingers out there and to say that have had another day of grazing on the kinds of rubbish food that I thought I had left behind! This is not a good feeling and I am reminding myself that I have only been on 5-2 for 4 weeks and my habits have been with me for at least 25 years – am not preparing to throw in the towel just yet fizzy

Helen R

3:06 pm
10 May 15
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Hi everyone!

Well, I haven’t had a great weekend. I was all set to do my fast days on Friday and Sunday (I couldn’t do Thursday as I was at work and hadn’t worked out an alternative to salad, Queen, I’m working on it!), BUT, having woken up to the dreadful election results on Friday morning I was so miserable I had to have delicious things to soothe my temper.
I haven’t calmed down yet, so today was also a right-off. Back on track this week, and probably will avoid my Monday morning weigh-in.

comespring

9:58 am
11 May 15
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Evening all!! (Well, in the land down under at least). It’s really interesting to read when each of us experiences the urge to binge. I’m a virtual (and smug) angel till about 4pm then after that it can be very hard. Sometimes it can even be after dinner on a perfectly normal day, and I’d start and couldn’t stop. It thankfully hasn’t happened for a long time now but I know the potential is always there (like an alcoholic I guess?). I know it’s linked to magical thinking and hoping to be rescued by fairy godmothers (which is why I’m often seduced by the whole ‘you can start again tomorrow’ as if, magically, tomorrow is going to be different and not just another version of ‘right now’ only ‘right now’ tomorrow 😉

Lovely to see you back Helen and I’m sorry you’re feeling sad about the election outcome.

I’m coming to the end of a fast day today, almost done now and had to laugh at your comment Chrissie “Then you’ll find me swimming in a vat of caramel with a choccy bikki in each hand”. Thanks for the visual (even if it makes me hungry for caramel and choccy bikkies)

Here’s to being ‘a lot perfecter’ which sounds so much easier and much more fun that perfect don’t you think? xx

JadeLark

1:45 pm
11 May 15
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Indeed, we need an avatar waving choccy bikkis in a vat of caramel. I could have posed for it Saturday. Since starting 5:2, I do feel worse physically after overeating. I guess I’m getting retrained, if gradually. While kicking and screaming.

Ah thank you ladies for the laughs. Helen, my sympathies…our 2016 presidential craziness has started in the US, so there will be binge-worthy moments galore for months. You’d think they were campaigning to see who can say the nuttiest thing.

So today is another FD — poor Mondays, always the day of penitence. I had a hard boiled egg for breakfast, though I usually hold off until mid-day at least. I figured it would be hard for an egg to start any trouble.
Good luck to everyone this week!

ChrissieinBrittany

5:00 pm
11 May 15
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A great day today (hope I haven’t spoken too soon!!!). I’ve finished filling in my forms and am just waiting from a couple of documents from the bank and the solicitors before I can send it all off. Then, if the bankrupsy file is accepted, I get to keep my home! Eating is under control (kidney bean and smoked tofu salad in sesamé sauce tonight). Seventy lengths done at the pool yesterday, grass cut, dog walked, work finished…. and I’m feeling good (cue music) 🙂 Have a lovely evening or whatever is appropriate where you are!

JadeLark

1:07 pm
12 May 15
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Good luck, Chrissie — I hope the legal progress continues! Fingers crossed for you. And your light meal sounds delicious – I’ve never had smoked tofu but it sounds yummy, and anything in sesame sauce sounds good. You gave yourself quite the workout during your day, too – well done.
I had a successful FD for a change. Just the boiled egg and a late wedge salad eating out, and half a beer I shared with my husband (as well as some of the salad). Sharing does cut the calories 🙂 The scale was kind this morning, back to my pre-plateau post-FD weight, if that’s even a thing. I’m calling it a thing! Because as much as my tight clothes feel looser, I prefer when the actual number goes down 🙂
Spring, I’m a perfect angel some days too, and sometimes it even lasts. Sometimes not. I am trying to capitalize on those good days, let the devil take the others. In a messy way, I’m getting more control over myself as the weeks go by. I think!
Onward and downward all, and have a great day!

Bingeingqueen

7:31 am
13 May 15
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Hi all,

Chrissie – ah what a lovely meal. It’s really encouraging to hear you had a great day. I am absolutely with you, I think having two meals a day lunch and evening meal is a good way to go for me too – it also allows me to eat more and I don’t feel hungry on the morning but always have a big appetite so go for something sweet, then find myself grazing a lot during the day.

Where I am at:
I’m not sure it is good in terms of calories but I’m letting myself have huge portions of veg, i.e a whole head of broccoli and bag of kale (I can eat!) with my dinners, I’m sure it’s greedy but better than snacking all day right….It is helping, and makes me feel a bit healthier too but also makes me feel like I’ve been greedy. I’m also allowing myself more pizza and chocolate (very dark) 😉

I haven’t truly worked out why some days I have the urge to eat and eat (I always love food and look forward to my next meal) but some days I feel the need to eat all day, a lot, and always carbs, or “stodge”, it’s usually accompanied by a low mood. Sorry to share this, as I have said before PMT, lack of sleep, stress, frustration and boredom are triggers, but the stress, frustration and boredom aren’t always triggers if I am generally in a good mood – if that makes sense. During those two weeks before my TOM if I am exposed to cake (As I have been this month, cereals and bread I’m off…. on an eating fest and I do feel out of control). Then I reflect when it’s all over and think “who on earth did I do that”. Maybe I am very impulsive (obviously, I was very tired the other day and sitting in a cafe in London, a lady sat opposite me with her cake, and was slowly devouring it, and no joke I almost found myself reaching out for a bit- imagine if I had, but shows how much I snack or just eat something yummy!!!) and not very self aware but I do wonder if it’s partly physiological. I do feel I am addicted to eating during those times, whereas at other times, of course I will overeat when something tastes yummy, but it’s not a binge. Any way, I don’t want to spend my whole life worrying about it, it’s just the way it takes over when I am in that frame of mind. I apologise I have vented on here some of those mad times.

Again I reflect on the fasting, reminding oneself what true hunger feels like, and when true hunger sets in, every mouthful of food, salad, meat, fish (stuff I don’t binge on) tastes amazing.

Anyway, Chrissie, 70 lengths – brill – what stroke do you do… does anyone else do back stroke and generally hit their head on the wall and bump into most people as they are doing it..!

Onward and upward indeed JadeLark

Helen, I am sorry you were upset by the election results. I have a teacher friend who has been extremely upset too.

Fizzylizzy, don’t throw in the towel yet. I think if it’s making bingeing a lot worse then of course reconsider, but this is all about finding something that works for you, and that will inevitably take time. Why i was drawn to the 5:2 was because, during a bingeing period (it’s such a lie breastfeeding makes you lose weight, I have ever experienced such an increased appetite as I did during that phase) I had to fast for an op, and when I had had the op I was hungry, my mood was up (maybe it was all the drugs) but it made me appreciate food again and the next time I fasted my mood and energy levels increased. That didn’t happen every time though, but most time it does, I am finding getting back into fasting hard when it hasn’t been a habit. I am reading lots of people, like yourself, struggle, in the beginning to manage non fasting days. So please don’t give up, but do treat yourself kindly, You re trying something new, write down and vent here if you need to.

You’re doing really well guys. I love your positivity despite obstacles, and those obstacles are life, something that everyone struggles with and they all have their own achillies heel, that they have to manage too. It’s a war against the bingeing demon people, and I think we are winning, stay one step ahead of yourself (well that works a bit for me, I know now to food out of reach!).

Bingeingqueen

7:43 am
13 May 15
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PS I meant to share this with you all and ask your thought. Is a kcal a kcal to you… That’s science right, 3500 kcal is approximately 1 lb of fat. i appreciate there will be weight faultiness with water weight. I won’t confess to my overeating ahem, but I used tracked all of my overeating, it was excessive for a give period, and then I also took into account the whole exercise for that day (in fact I slightly over calculated my exercise), I kept a note of all (in fact probably I probably omitted some of the snacks i.e finishing off my son’t ice-cream ) yet my weight gain during that week hasn’t correlated with the increase in kcal. This is obviously fortunate, but I should have gained a certain amount of weight, and I didn’t. I did gain but not much as the calculators said I should have. I also overestimated my exercise. So does a lb of fat really = 3500 kcal. your thoughts… maybe I will suddenly gain more in the next few weeks. My clothes are a lot tighter though.

At the same time the kcal theory made sense when I went on holiday, I had great big piles of veg and steamed or fried fish, omelettes at each meal- but I gained a huge amount of weight, so that supports the theory too many calories, whatever it is, will make you gain weight (obvious, but as I said, the amount I ate during a given week didn’t result in the weight gain it should have – I still gained weight btw so don’t think I have super powers, it’s just interesting and I wonder why… I do realise my LDL cholesterol, blood glucose will have increased, it’s not healthy but still just wondering..)

Milagirl

8:32 am
13 May 15
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I have struggled with the feeling like I need to keep eating, it almost has a mind of it’s own. I know that sounds strange. I have done quite a bit of research and it might have to do with insulin production when we eat carbohydrates or sugars. I was feeling the same way and after gaining 10 pounds in 3 months, I decided I needed to do something fast. No pun intended… So I am on my second day of participating in this diet. Yesterday was a fast day. I sipped plain tea through the day and when I would get hungry, I would read the blogs on this forum for support. I had a nice dinner in town and came home without that feeling that I needed to keep eating. It was really strange. What a difference. I woke up 2 lbs lighter and now having tea with a splash of whole milk. In my situation…. I am almost positive that when I eat too many carbs it throws me into binge mode. I use to just have a whole fat yogurt every morning, then I added 1/2 a banana, an apple, a serving of muesli… Today I looked at the carbs that I’ve been having without realizing it…. Easy over 100 grams…. No wonder!! So just a thought if you do this, make sure you don’t go into the reverse mode of not eating… Try safely limiting your carbs. Be careful with low-fat and sugar free substitutes… Low fat products just add more sugar and sugar free substitutes can still cause insulin spikes. Blessings on you….

fitnfast

9:08 am
13 May 15
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Bingingqueen, calories are also burned just by our normal bodily functions, as well as exercise. So there is no way to know EXACTLY how many calories we actually burn each day but our tdee calculations can estimate.

And yes, what you eat, how much and when affect it also. I am currently reading “Mastering Leptin”, since the science that Mosley presented in the fast diet book was so interesting to me, especially how Leptin works.

Supposedly, that is why we binge, and why we crave carbs. Our brains are not getting the message that we are full, therefore thinks we need energy to survive.

One funny but interesting point he makes at the start is that your brain, which controls your hunger, can’t see what you look like in the mirror. It doesn’t say, Hmmmm, you are overweight, you need to eat less! All it knows is what the hormones, insulin, chemicals in the blood tell it. So it is up to us to change that blood chemistry to get the right messages to the brain. And that is what we are doing on this plan.

comespring

10:57 am
13 May 15
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Evening all and welcome Milagirl and fitnfast! Such fascinating stuff all this science, and of course your comment (or question) queen ‘I do wonder if it’s partly physiological’ is very much part of the picture I think. I’ve been reading the book ‘How the brain changes itself’ and there seems little doubt that what we do with food, especially in seeking the pleasure it gives us, can actually change the way the brain functions and this seems to be the basis of any addiction. I guess the good news is that when we re-gig so that our thought patterns and subsequent behaviours (habits) are not running down the same old habitual pathways and triggering the massive dopamine release that goes with anticipating a binge, then those bits of the brain’s ‘real estate’ (as the author puts it) can be re-used for something else. That’s a very crude take on what he was saying but it made a lot of sense to me. I like the idea that the binge demon was renting or buying up way to much of my brain real estate, and since I’ve turned off the power and water then life is not so much fun in there anymore!! Since starting 5:2 I’ve gone from feeling I have no control over my binging to knowing that I am susceptible to a dopamine rush that has the effect of making me feel (and believe) I am out of control and need to eat, NOW. I have also become so much better at recognising my triggers and a lot of them are responses to hormonal havoc (so in part physiological) but as there is no real separation of mind and body so the solution has to come from mind in my opinion. I know there are drugs being prescribed now for binging, but for me 5:2 has really helped in this change process. Just my thoughts.

Queen, after almost 9 months of 5:2 I sadly no longer get the rush from a FD that I used to get in the early days. I don’t know if that’s because I’ve become accustomed to it but I don’t think so. In those early weeks and months I’d feel like I could accomplish ANYTHING on a FD and often I couldn’t sleep as I was so hyped up. I never had caffeine after midday but that didn’t seem to matter. I’d love to have that high again!

I’m glad the legal stuff is working its way through Chrissie – you’ll be ‘free’ soon.

Well done on the successful FD jade – but what is a wedge salad? A salad of potato wedges just sounds too good to be true 😉

All the best for those fasting tomorrow and sending strong anti-binging vibes to help us all re-callibrate our leptin responses!

JadeLark

12:36 pm
13 May 15
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Interesting stuff today! Thanks for chiming in, Milagirl and fitnfast! Carbs v. leptin indeed. The biggest benefit I’ve gotten from fasting must be a change in blood chemistry – before, a bad night’s sleep = no control over eating. Now, it doesn’t seem to be the trigger it once was. Don’t get me wrong, triggers still come at me like asteroids, and the dopamine rush is tempting. But I like knowing the science behind hunger management. Like you, Mila, one of the keys for me is to stay away from bad carbs, especially early in the day.
Queen, I’ve had those days where I wasn’t disciplined and the scale didn’t go up the next day. So I’d think “fabulous, I’ve discovered the candy bar diet, who knew?” Then the scale would go up after another day or so, even if I stuck to tdee or under. I think kcals don’t always turn to “fat” right away — otherwise, I agree that sometimes it defies understanding. Not to mention patience.
Ha, Spring – the wedge is of iceberg lettuce. I don’t normally like iceberg but left in a wedge (like 1/3 a head), it stays crunchy. Top with cherry tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles and a bit of bacon, drizzle with balsamic reduction (they SELL That now, oh it’s wonderful), and maybe a bit of olive oil so the lettuce doesn’t squeak at you 😉 – hate squeaky lettuces. Sorry, no potatoes but that would start a nice Nicoise. Poor Helen, she hates salad, she’s tuned me out forever now.
Thank you also for the info about the brain’s “real estate” — makes a lot of sense. I can FEEL something new going on in my head and the cravings aren’t as strong (most of the time). I’m sorry you no longer get the rush from a FD, but do you still feel better after one? Maybe in the beginning you were just pumped that you could do this. We are rather a special bunch of people to dare not to eat, over and over again! If you’re like me (and of course you are, I feel we’re all sisters here, with the occasional brother), I’ve done some good stuff in my life, and I feel good when I accomplish something new, but I eventually think that if I can do it, how hard can it be.
I have not felt this rush myself from fasting (third month now), though I have enjoyed feeling committed. Well, wait, maybe I have. I’m a recreational jogger but haven’t enjoyed it much lately. Still go out because the dog loves it. Oddly, the other day I decided to go for a jog – it was a FD and I hadn’t slept well and thought well this should finish me off. Yet it was one of the most enjoyable jogs I’ve had in months. Someone explain THAT to me please! New brain real estate? Sure hope so.
Fingers crossed still for you, Chrissie.
Cheers to all and have a wonderful day!

comespring

9:37 am
17 May 15
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Ahhh!!! Well now I know what a wedge salad is and it sounds yummy Jade, especially the blue cheese and bacon… I do like the crunch of iceberg even though it is horribly old fashioned in Australia at the moment – I grew up on iceberg lettuce and still buy it sometimes.
I’ve had a relatively easy week with minimal craving so that’s been lovely really. No idea why, but I’ve been able to make quite rational food choices and enjoy them into the bargain – I’ll take an easy time, as I’m sure it will get tough in due course.
Overall I’ve lost close to 24kg (about 52lbs for those still in the dark ages 😉 ) but do you know what?? I still feel fat, I still think I’m big and I really do struggle to think I’ve achieved anything at all. It is weird,and I think you alluded to it Jade when you said “I’ve done some good stuff in my life, and I feel good when I accomplish something new, but I eventually think that if I can do it, how hard can it be.” It seems to be that if I can do it I don’t value it, but if someone else achieves the same thing, I think it’s a big deal… I know it sounds weird. I am resolved to spend some time meditating on why that is the case because objectively I think my achievements are pretty cool and it would be nice to feel that at a deeper level 🙂
Sorry if that all sounds a little too esoteric – just my mood at the moment I guess. It’s another FD tomorrow (and good luck to others fasting) but tonight I’m going to have an omelette cooked with onion, olives, ham, pumpkin, baby spinach and feta, served with a Greek salad and a glass of Riesling and I intend to enjoy every mouthful!! All the best everyone.

sanguinepenguin

3:32 pm
18 May 15
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Hey all! I’ve been gone for a while but nothing will drive a girl back to the people who understand like a bad weigh-in day. Even with fasting yesterday I am still stalled at 187, which I’ve been dancing around for several weeks now. I glimpsed the holy grail of 185 a few weeks ago and have been obsessed with getting back there, but can’t seem to. I’m three months into this diet and there are just days I wish it would go a whole lot faster! I’ve loved reading over all the posts from last week—and congrats to everyone who is experiencing success and chin up to those of you who, like me, are in a holding pattern. We’ll get there… I’m sure of it.

fitnfast

3:52 pm
18 May 15
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sanguinepeguin, I know how you feel! I have been doing this for about a month and hit a plateau last week because I ate more than usual, and had no chance to exercise. So I re-doubled my effort, did 3 fast days (and GOOD ones!), cut out most all carbs, and dropped again within a couple of days. Put your nose to the grindstone and you can do it!

PeanutsFan

4:53 pm
19 May 15
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Hello everyone – This is a great posting group! I have been a binger all my life too. However, now that I’m in my 50’s things have changed significantly for me. I’m not as emotionally distraught over my relationship with food. I think it’s because I’m no longer trying to be thin. I just want to be healthy and fit. I’ve only been on the Fast Diet for 1 week. I didn’t lose any weight but did lose 4 inches on my waist and 1 inch on my thighs. I used to beat myself up over food and now I find that I just can’t join another “diet” every again. When I stopped “dieting” I stopped having obsessive food cravings. I still binge occasionally because I am a compulsive overeater afterall, however it’s not the same as when I used to tell myself that I “Can’t” have something. Eventually my weight stabilized (albeit, at 219 pounds, but stabilized nonetheless), and then I started losing a little or gaining a little, depending on how much walking I did. Since last week I significantly increased my walking, which I’m sure is the reason for the inches lost. Like Helen said way back in the beginning of this thread, I’m just focusing on the 2 fast days and sticking with the 50 calories and then on the other days I can have whatever I want. I’m not looking for a binge, I’m just eating what I’m really in the mood to eat. It took a while for me to trust that system, but it makes a big difference in my head. Then I figure the next phase will be to increase my physical activity even more and pay more attention to my meal choices on my “off” days. I think this is a wonderful plan and I’m so glad to be sharing it with all of you. Keep up the good work everyone and keep the faith!!

fitnfast

4:59 pm
19 May 15
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Wow, PeanutsFan, I have been doing it for 5 weeks and have lost 11 lbs but 4 inches off your waist?? In one week? How is that possible? What is your secret, cause I’m sure everyone here would love to see 4 inches gone!

fitnfast

5:03 pm
19 May 15
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On a more somber note, I have to ‘fess up. Yesterday was a fast day, and I was doing SO GOOD! And then, about 6 pm, I saw the box of gluten-free crackers I had bought, then made the mistake of opening the fridge and saw the Chocolate peanut butter whip stuff I bought, and it was like hunger overtook me, and I couldn’t stop! I felt possessed! I ate them all, the whole friggin’ box! I was so disappointed in myself.

So I am not doing another fast day til Thursday, and I am being a little careful today. I think I was restricting myself too much because I gained .6 of a pound last week. I lost it again and then some by Sunday but I think I was subconsciously punishing myself. Obviously, that doesn’t work!

PeanutsFan

6:17 pm
19 May 15
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I think the reason I lost 4 inches on my waist so quickly is because I had put on some weight rather suddenly. But I checked and re-checked the results and they were correct. The only thing that I did during the week that was significantly different from what i had been doing is walking 2.25 miles every day. I was already walking 1 mile during my breaks at work. So I think that was a turbo-charge to my week. Also, on fast days I only eat 1 meal in the evening, and I believe that is how you obtain maximum results if I’m not mistaken. Maybe that had something to do with it. Obviously I don’t expect the same results every week. But it did take away my disappointment over no weight loss.

comespring

11:30 pm
19 May 15
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Welcome Peanuts and I’m so glad to hear how well it’s going – you seem to have the right attitude to this fasting game which needs to be about health fundamentally (although sadly I’m still rather obsessed with the numbers on the scales 😉 ). That’s a good deal of exercise too, so it may be the muscle growth in that time compensated for the fat lost so no change on the scale? I only weigh once a week as the fluctuations would drive me to despair.

Well done fitnfast for getting back on track after a blow out. I hate that ‘just blew a FD’ feeling but it’s always redeemable with a couple of days of fasting.

Sending plateau-enduring vibes sanguine – my last plateau droned on for about 2 months of a few hundred grams in one direction then the other and forever cancelling each other out. Just prior to that though I’d been having undeserved 1 – 1.5 kg (2-3lb) losses a week that I definitely didn’t deserve, so there is some kind of body-logic going on that I don’t understand. Right now I’m living in the 80’s with dreams of living in the 70’s before too long (sorry, a kilo-based reference) and eventually going all the way to flower-power circa the 60’s but that’s still a long way off. In the meantime, just one FD day at a time and one sensible-eating day at a time.

Hope others are traveling well? All the best Queen, Helen, Chrissy, fizzy, mcca, jade, Bootsy & mila (sorry if I missed anyone?) and would love to hear from you all again.

ChrissieinBrittany

6:13 am
20 May 15
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Morning all!
Not a good day yesterday. Ate a very healthy dal but then needed something sweet….. and it was all downhill from there!!
Better day today 🙂 Have a lovely day everyone!

comespring

12:21 pm
21 May 15
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Hi Chrissy, good to hear from you and I haven’t had a crash hot FD myself today as it happens – not sure of the trigger, maybe just too many hours at work on a FD so just got too hungry? I left the house at 5:30am and home at 6:30pm and not much of a break in-between. Anyway, it’s not a complete disaster and I’m hopeful of a modest loss tomorrow. Do any others weigh in on a Friday?

ChrissieinBrittany

1:43 pm
21 May 15
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I don’t really get hungry, it’s just a need for something. A bad need, and then this unstoppable (one ‘p’ or two?) munch once I’ve had a taste. It’s like I step out of my own body sometimes and have no control over ‘Mr Hyde’. But, so far, so good today and I’m off back to work for round two soon and then swimming tonight so will be out of the kitchen. That’s exercise for me, food avoidance while moving my bod!!!
I don’t weigh myself as I go right into binge mode if I’m disappointed by the results, so I go by how my clothes feel.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes, lived out of the UK so long I’ve lost the basics !!
Good luck with the weigh in tomorrow!
Chrissie.