Food Addiction Support Group
An individual suffering from a food addiction disorder frequently experiences episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binging, during which they may feel frenzied or out of control. They will eat much more quickly than is normal, and continue to eat even past the point of being uncomfortably full. Binging in this way is generally followed by a period of intense guilt feelings...
So day 1 is almost done, and no binge.
It's so strange, in a way, that just 1 day of being binge-free is, at this point, something to celebrate, because, in the past, I've gone for so long without binging that I thought I was cured.
Maybe nobody is every truly cured, though. Maybe we just always have to keep it in check. You know, like an alcoholic - they're always alcoholics, it's just that they've got it under control.
I think, in the past, I've gotten to the point where I've been binge-free for a long time...like maybe even a year or more.
So, in a way, being binge-free for just one day seems like a small accomplishment....you know, it makes me wonder how on earth I came so far in the past, and then got back to this crazy place of binging.
But I know that I can't think of it that way. I know I have to celebrate every day that I don't binge.
I have this bottle of wine sitting around, an ex gave it to me years ago, and I've never drank it....because I'm not much of a drinker at all, and because it was a nice bottle, so I saved it.
But, then, I've been thinking: what am I waiting for? I think, some night soon, I'm going to go to my storage room, and dig around in my boxes, find my corkscrew, and celebrate another bing-free day.
It's so strange, in a way, that just 1 day of being binge-free is, at this point, something to celebrate, because, in the past, I've gone for so long without binging that I thought I was cured.
Maybe nobody is every truly cured, though. Maybe we just always have to keep it in check. You know, like an alcoholic - they're always alcoholics, it's just that they've got it under control.
I think, in the past, I've gotten to the point where I've been binge-free for a long time...like maybe even a year or more.
So, in a way, being binge-free for just one day seems like a small accomplishment....you know, it makes me wonder how on earth I came so far in the past, and then got back to this crazy place of binging.
But I know that I can't think of it that way. I know I have to celebrate every day that I don't binge.
I have this bottle of wine sitting around, an ex gave it to me years ago, and I've never drank it....because I'm not much of a drinker at all, and because it was a nice bottle, so I saved it.
But, then, I've been thinking: what am I waiting for? I think, some night soon, I'm going to go to my storage room, and dig around in my boxes, find my corkscrew, and celebrate another bing-free day.
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I gave my 2 week notice last Friday 13th. Now to join you fine people in a life of leisure and nothing else to do but to look out for myself....is it just me or does that sound pretty boring? My goal was to live to retire and I guess having to take early retirement because of health reasons wasn't exactly the way I had planned things. I just can't stay in that building that is reeking mildew...
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I'm trying to exercise daily. I was doing fairly well until I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago but now I'm getting back on the horse. Today I walked over a mile with my arm weights that are about 22lbs total. I was out of shape and it was hard on my arms. I also did my 30 situps. I'm also going to drink a lot of water and try to eat healthy. I do tend to have a sweet tooth but I'm cutting...
I really like the one about taking a few deep breaths....I can see how that would help, because, the thing is, I don't think that I think at all when I binge, and, maybe, those few breaths would give me time to think about what I'm about to do....
...and, if I can think about it, I can actually decide what I want to do, instead of just being on auto-pilet/binge mode!
I never hear about the dissasociative state before....I should look that up. Maybe it would help me understand it. Because it is weird...at times, in the past, it doesn't even seem like I choose to binge, it seems like it just happens. That certainly sounds dissasociative.
I am determined to make peace with food this year. I am setting up my support. Food journal, natural supplements, positive affirmations all over the place. The DS site, weight loss buddies group, OA, exercise. I am changing my beliefs about not being able to lose weight and this year I've lost 6 pounds so something is changing. I am hopeful for the first time in years. You can only fail if you quit!
Another thing (maybe the biggest thing) that has been working for me is looking at WHY I binge. I don't think food addicts are any different from any other addict - we are doing it for a reason. Until we understand it, and resolve that reason, we will keep eating.
I binge when I'm bored, when I'm tired, when I'm avoidng my feelings, and when I'm scared. Now that I understand that, I can choose to deal with these things in better way then with food - I can have a bubble bath to relax, instead of an entire bag of cookies.
For many binge-eaters I've met, the problem is often that we're trying to avoid something. For this reason, I shy away from the idea of positive affirmations. I think what we need to do is feel our feelings - our sadness, our fears, our anger. Personally, I don't do affirmations, because I find that they hinder my ability to feel these difficult feelings.
The thing is, I already eat to repress emotions. So, for me, I don't like affirmations, because they also repress my feelings. Saying, "everything is okay" when it is not okay, just repressing my feelings even more, and leads me to binge more.
Please understand that I'm just speaking about my personal experience about affirmations. I'm certainly not telling you, or anyone else, not to use them. If they work for you, that is great!