Topic : Breaking Unhealthy Habits

Hi, 

  I was wondering if anyone on here was anorexic at one point in time, then went back to normal eating habits, and now has trouble losing weight?  A couple years ago I was anorexic for about 6 months (I went from weighing 140lbs to 92lbs; the last few months, I was only eating 500 or less calories a day).  Now I am up to 155-160lbs and have problems losing weight (I'm about 5'3" tall).  When I try to eat healthy-I do good until the afternoon.  When I get home from work (temp. teacher), all I want to do is snack.  I try to occupy myself with other stuff-like chores, but it doesn't help.  I don't know if it is because at one point I was denying my body food, so my body is now not allowing me to do that again or if this is just "normal".  I'm also pretty active-so even though I know I need more exercise, I don't think that's it. 

  Also, before I was married (married 1 year ago Oct. 2), I usually ate supper around 5-6 at night.  Now it isn't until 8-9 at night (my husband gets back from his family's dairy farm at that time).  I tried eating earlier than him (around 5), but when I make his supper (around 8), it makes me hungry, and I end up eating with him.  Anyone have any suggestions on either of these two issues? Thank you! 

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Hi Heidi; 

 

You sure were pumped when you wrote your message on the 2nd....has it lasted?  I get real excited at times about loosing weight too but other days i get really discouraged so i know what you mean about needing a buddie to chat with and give and receive encouragement....I have tried so many times to get on board but i just keep slipping back into old unhealthy eating habits....it's not that i dont' know how cause i do.....it's just that i'm not very disciplined and find it hard to "stick to it!" 

 

I have Dr. Phil's books but have never read the entire book and i think i need to make that a priority if i really want to do this right this time.....it does no good to buy it and put it on your dresser or book shelf...until we read it and apply the advise given, we will just keep on messing up and struggling to battle our way to our weight loss goal. 

 

 

How much weight do you want to loose?  Have you set a realistic goal for yourself?  How long do you think it would take to reach your goal if you really stuck to it?  I ask myself these questions too and because i have over a hundred pounds to loose i set short terms goals for myself to break it up so it doesn't over welm me.....right now i am working on a 20 lb. goal to reach by christmas.....if i reach it i will feel so awesome because i will be able to wear clothes that i haven't been into in years and years. 

 

Let me know how you are doing and if you have started reading the book yet.  I'd love to hear from you. 

 

your buddy-to-be...if you want 

shari 

 

First of all, try not to be offended at what the owner said (it sounds like you are, and I probably would be a bit too). 

You asked for advice, so here we go: I would suggest looking for another place to work or finding another niche within the dance community that isn't so focused on being ultra-thin. Being large breasted in itself may cause you to look heavier than you are - judging from your jean size.  I don't know the type of dance you're currently in, but I would think in Austin there would be other types (jazz, modern, etc) or troupes  you could explore.  

Dancers, from what I've read/seen, have a tendency of being overly critical about their weight both from the outside and from within themselves. 

If you need to work at night, maybe you could look into becoming a personal trainer - as a dancer, you must have a lot of experience that could help others without sabotaging yourself. You're an athlete - and with your experience in recovering from an eating disorder - that's a powerful tool. 

Take care of yourself - you are the most important person here...what's that saying, "when one door closes, another opens"?? Sounds like if you stay where you're at, you could put yourself at risk for heart and/or bone problems later on - is your current boss worth it? You know the answer to that is "absolutely not." I doubt he'll pick up the medical bills if something should happen to you. Your family is correct, you are fine - believe it - they love you and want the best for you. 

Best of luck to you - I have a feeling no one is telling you anything you don't already know...make a choice that is not only good for the moment, but good for YOU.  

I am looking for an email or instant messanger buddy to help me get motivated to lose weight. I am 19 living in Maine with my husband, and my 6 month old daughter.  I weigh about 300 lbs, last time i looked at a scale a few months ago.  I have been gaining weight since giving birth, i think i used having a baby as an excuse to let go of all my goals and allowing myself to gain weight.  If anyone would like to be a buddy, please let me know!  I am on the computer quite frequently and would like someone who is also.  Thanks! 

  

Brittany  

 I've lost 50lbs in the past, 11/2 years ago I got within 10lbs of my goal. And I quit. Since then I've gained back 25lbs and I've been beating myself up mentally about it. Seriously, I had a dream the other night where I was tied to a chair being hit about the face, and when I looked at my assailant, it was me!

When I lost the weight before, I had done it on my own pretty much. I have bought Dr Phil's UWLS book since then, but just glossed over it, telling myself that it was all good info, but I didn't need it. I had gone through SELF MATTERS in the past and it worked wonders for me, so I didn't really need this other book now. It got shelved, and I continued to backslide and gain.

So, this time I'm going to lose all the way down to 140lbs, and I'm going to go through the book. I have 35 lbs to lose in all. In the very first chapter I read the words "you have to get real about your fat, or get real fat." I just love the way the doc puts things!

So, I've read chapter 2, and I'm taking the rest of the week to write out my goals in depth.
I have targeted some of my bad habits, one of which is sitting at this computer too much. I love the support and encouragement I find here, but need to limit it. The book also says, "If you are chronically overweight, your manner of living can be characterized as inert, harried, and chaotic. It's not possible to be overweight unless you have generated and adopted a lifestyle to sustain it." Yep, the inert and chaotic are me all right!

I am targeting those behaviors I need to change to be a slim, active person.

I actually started on Monday, and have been eating much better and getting some exercise. But I'm also doing some other things, like journalling and listening to some stress and eating affirmation tapes. I've found that these help tremendously to put new "tapes" for self talk in my head. One of my worst bad habits leading to my outer reflection of what lies within, is my self talk. (Just look at that dream I had!)

Anybody want to come along for the ride? List your bad habits that lead to the way you are. Target them for change. "You can't change what you don't acknowledge!"

 I never quite understood the difference between these two self descriptions. But in the first chapter Dr Phil talks about it, and I see that one of my bad habits that needs to be replaced is my negative body image. I've been looking in the mirror telling myself I'm getting fat, lazy, gross, flabby, etc,and that I hate myself. It's not really what I SEE in the mirror, it's my reaction to what I see that's causing damage. These negative thoughts lead to an erosion of my whole self concept, which takes in everything about me, not just the way I appear.

So, before I went into my detailed weight loss goal writing, I began with this paragraph:

  I love my body. It has served me faithfully for many years, even when I was actively trying to destroy my health.
  My body is incredibly forgiving and resilient, with proper care it will serve me for many more years to come.
  Proper care includes getting rid of the extra weight it is required to carry around due to unhealthy habits and behaviors I have adopted. Proper care includes toning my muscles so that I can enjoy life without strain and injury. Proper care includes foods that allow me to lead an active  lifestyle and stay healthy. It does not include putting substances in my body that do not lead to energy and health. Proper care includes getting plenty of quality rest and avoiding stress.

I just thought I would include these thoughts for those of you that always started out the way I did, hating myself and telling myself damaging things.

Another lie we tell ourselves that I have targeted is this one " I HAVE to lose weight!" Face it, you don't HAVE to lose, you may NEED to, and you may WANT to, but you don't HAVE to. Your subconcsience sees this as a lie, and you are setting yourself up for a fall.

 Chapter 3 was short and had only one exercise- the "Readiness Test" which I "passed" with flying colors. (I'm so ready to lose this flab once and for all!)
So I moved right into chapter 4- Key 1: Right Thinking. I will be here the rest of the week letting this stuff sink in. I've determined my weight loss locus of control to be mostly internal with some externals. For those of you who are not reading the book, this determines what your mind-set is, who or what you blame for the shape you are in. Knowing what your locus of control is can be important because it can help you to gain greater control over your thinking, feelings, and behavior.

I'm also structuring my days a bit better too. I've always considered spontenaity to be a virtue, but I can see that when you're trying to reach a goal like weight loss, you need to plan ahead. If I make "to-do" lists, and get them done, I don't have so many "free" moments where my mind turns to snacking.

hi Brittany,  I am 31 and I weigh 260 pounds and i have no interest in getting motivated.  maybe if we talk we might be able to help each other.  i am jak2jab on yahoo messenger.  i am usually on there feel free to contact me.  If not good luck.

Hello, 

  

         My name is Erica & up till this point I have been doing so well on my eating and change of life.  

  

But today is probably the worse day I have had in a long time! You see I have an ill child who has cirrhosis of the liver and is going to have a transplant, with me as the partial donor. I have been loosing the 80 lbs I needed to for the surgery, and have lost 45 lbs of it so far! 

 We have about 700,000 in medical bills and there is no help in our town of Fairbanks, Alaska. We have considered moving to a warmer state for our son and other two sons, and for a bigger town that would have more help but we do not have the funds. 

Please do not get me wrong I am not in any way asking for money or things like that from any one in this chat room....but we need some kind of help somewhere, because we have had our accounts zapped from collection agencies and they are now taking money from our pay checks, I just can't pay all of the medical bills at one time there are too many of them and I probably wouldn't be able to pay all of them in a life time! 

 I have thrown myself into eating to make me feel better, I know it is wrong but I can't stop.  

 I have tried to get help in this town ( but there is no agecie that will pick up Danny's illness here) but to no avail, I have had it, I am so desperate and am working so many jobs right now (5) that if I were to get a new one I would be working 24 hrs a day, my husband has three as well! 

I have been crying and eating, I am brave most of the time, I try to do fun things for my kids and make life better (they are home schooled because of the germ factor) but right now I just feel like laying down and sleeping for ever. I have written about every talk show host and tv show imaginable to get some kind of help but I am just one of the million letters or e-mails they receive every day! Does anyone know anybody or someone who can help? Some kind of agencie or non profit that could advise us where to go? 

I do not think I can last much longer, I mean I won't do anything stupid.......but gaining weight back and loosing what mind I have left is a definite 

  

Love & hope 

Erica 

Brittany, 

  

     Hi my name is Erica, after my third child and a hysterectomy,plus a broken back I gained about 80 lbs shooting up to 230 lbs! I felt horrible, but I started to read Dr. Phil's books and I realized, I could loose the weight. I started to go to a work out place (curves) and lost 25 lbs right away, they say that it was a lot of water but I also lost 6% body fat! Then when I stopped loosing weight there, I started to walk more and do the elliptical machine. I was very surprised that I could do the elliptical machine with little to no pain what so ever. I didn't drink water for two years....sounds bad & I do not condone it...but I was a chronic Diet drink ....drinker! So I started to drink the water and then started to eat 6 very small meals a day plus I ate a lot of apples for desert that helped me with the hunger  factor. I have lost 45 lbs but am having trouble being motivated sometimes too! 

I would love to be your pen pal and help you! 

  

Hope & Love 

Erica