SO Here goes guys and gals!

I am sad to admit that I have fallen off the wagon for a couple of weeks now. I am out of control! I am not gaining weight, just maintaining but I am eating horrible and not counting points!

I have a horrible fast food addiction and have been eating out like crazy! I also have been eating HUGE portion sizes. I seriously think I should join Overeater's Annoymous. Has anyone ever experienced this program?

I will order two different meals and eat them both! I NEED help, encouragement and support. What should I do?

Thanks
Brandie

Hugs Brandie - I know exactly what your going thru because I DO the same things :( It's horrible but it's something I deal with as well.

I have heard only one person that I personally know go to a Overeater's Annoymous meeting- she said it was horrible... but I don't know that I wouldn't go because of her saying that...I think everyone is different and you may gain something that she did not.

Hang in there and when you get frustrated come here and VENT! We are here for you!

OK Brandie
Brush yourself off and put the bat away, stop hitting yourself with it. You can climb back on.
Head yourself to a WW meeting and talk to your leader, she'll help you work thru this.

I at one time went to OA and got nothing out of it, but thats just me...... I go to another 12 step program and I take my food one meal at a time just as I do the other stuff.(which is now 18 + yrs)

Try OA you have nothing to lose, it might help and you might want to continue in a program such as that.

Good Luck to you.......... remember we're all in this together......so stick around.

Brandie...think of the things and goals You done so far.You and i lost the same amount of weight. I am so proud of the You, cause i understand the struggle The wagon has been turned over a few times here at our little family. I think any program,including OA is all in what you put into it. There is not a magic program that losses the weight for anyone. We are the ones who control that, programs just gives us the tools we need to help and encourage us. I think JeanCat goes to OA, i may be wrong.


Think;
Why did you stop counting points?
Why the need to order 2 meals?
Do You like feeling out of control?


I read this at another site. i knew it would come in handy:

"Saying "I blew the day and I'll be better tomorrow when I can start fresh." is like saying that if you slip while walking down the stairs "Oh well. I blew it" and then give up and throw yourself down the staircase. (cytheria21's WW leader)


Washes the wagon and pulls Brandie back up, let's go You are not alone in this.

Awww, Brandie, girl, I know how you feel!

As for OA, like Tobe, I tried it and got nothing out of it. The problem for me was that OA, when I attended (three different periods of time), well, they were dealing with the 'disease' idea. I had this 'disease' called compulsive overeating..... now let's talk about it.............But no one there EVER told me how to eat. Their purpose was/is different. (I haven't gone for years, and they might have changed, don't know about the OA of today).

But all, for me, they did was to cause me to feel, to myself, like a helpless victim of myself and others. I didn't come away feeling empowered, within myself, to change a blasted thing. They encouraged healthy eating, but provided no recommendations or ideas in that area for me to grab onto.

The above is my experience. Yours might be entirely different. I can see the potential benefits of following those steps for some. It might help YOU....but, imho, only when coupled with a strong plan like WW.

For today, Brandie, review within yourself just WHY it is important to YOU to lose the weight and become physically fit and healthy. I'm sure you have powerful reasons.....but you need to keep reminding yourself daily.... and MULTIPLE times daily during the times you are struggling! Write them down and keep them with you.

Also, take the time, in conjunction with all that, take time each day to plan out your daily food. Then keep that with you as well. Take it one meal at a time, and remind yourself that YOU, Brandie, are a strong, powerful personality. You are stronger than Burger King! I KNOW you can work your way through this time and LEARN from it!

I'm rooting for you, kiddo

pattyjo

Brandie,

its ok. today is a "NEW" day. pick yourself back up, and look at how much you've lost already. you don't want to go back to your "beginning" weight.

get to a meeting!!!

(((((hugs))))

Thank you everyone! Your words of encouragement made me cry! I just picked up the Weight Loss that Lasts Book from Weight Watchers and started reading it. I am going to talk to my leader tomorrow at the meeting and ask for help.

I also am going to start writing everything down and tracking the points again. On a bright note- I started water walking and water aerobics last week and it is tough stuff!

Also, I ate Denny's last night and I have never felt this bad. I have stomach cramps and can hardly move because of the pain. Maybe this will help me not eat out, because I never want to feel like this again!


Thanks again ladies! I love this group and you all,

Brandie

Baby steps to get back with it. You have actually started out really good, exercise and water.some weeks thats all you can do. Then gradually add to it.Your head has to be into it..Thats the biggest key. I have gone through times where I could careless what im eating and how many points it has in it! Weve all been there. But after awhile that all catches up to you and you start regaining all your hard work.
Hang in there!!!

Brandie!!

Girl, you said: "On a bright note- I started water walking and water aerobics last week and it is tough stuff!"

ATTA GIRL!!! You make sure you give yourself an enthusiastic pat on the back for that!! I know you do a LOT of things right! Don't let the good things you do get buried under the disappointment you feel when you've allowed the food to get the upper hand on you. You CAN set things right again.

Do your reading, and follow through with your WW group leader. I know they want to help! Keep posting, too! It's so easy to run and hide from friends when we're mad at ourselves, so don't do that! Consider yourself back firmly on the wagon, remember how bad your tummy feels right now (write THOSE feelings down as well!), and just move forward. You can be stronger than ever now, as long as you apply yourself to LEARN something from the past two weeks.

We are ALL in your corner! We've got your back sweetie!

pattyjo

hey Brandie, Whenever I fall off the wagon, I re-read this article from Prevention magazine. I'm extremely type-A, so this very systematic approach works wonders to get me back on track. Hope it can help you as well

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-4-57-201-1441-2,00.html

Sorry to hear that Brandie. I agree with what everyone else said. YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Make yourself a promise and stay away from the fast food for a week or so until you feel like you have better control. JOURNAL!!!! It does wonders! If at any point you want to eat and you aren't really hungry, drink water and find something to occupy your time. It will pass. Hang in there!

Dear Brandie,

A LIFE of Binging is the main reason for joining OA.
Also if one binge/purges (Bulimia) one might consider OA. If one refuses to eat/anorexia I am not sure what the name of the 12-Step Program would be (probably in the recesses of my mind but I have forgotten, but I did know of a couple of people who were anorexics in OA).

I became a member of OA when I was 24 and stayed until I was about 32 (1977/78).

I went in and out of WW since 1973/4, so many times I have lost count, but I usually admit to about 8.


They are VERY different. With OA you consider your REASONS, follow the 12 -Step approach that AA or Alanon does. It is HARD work. In addition to the Blue Book there is also the CHOCOLATE book with philosophy to follow and absorb. I have known many members who were active in multiple 12-step programs (AA, NA and OA at the same time). MOST AA'ers that I know ( I went to both meetings for strength even though I am not addicted to alcohol per se)prefer AA. The 'stories may be more intense or ???? I am not sure why.)

I will share this with you: A WISE man who was active in OA and AA who was a very well known speaker for the local and STATE meetings once said this to me:
You can 'just' STOP drinking or abusing drugs. MEANING you just say NO ALL DAY LONG and it is difficult!
BUT to STOP EATING is not possible! You can't 'just stop' eating. Therefore you have to let the 'tiger' out of the cage three times a day!
Now let's see if you really understand what I am saying here: If an alcoholic was told you can and must drink three times a day and ONLY three times a day, do you think AA would help???? (Answer: not much!)
But OA says you are addicted to food, like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol, but you must eat three times a day (or 5 depending upon YOUR program) but ONLY that (3/5) many times a day."

Think about it! We have TRIGGERS just when we are eating! Not to mention those when we are not eating!
So we can not be perfect in our abstinence, but we can perfect! Our abstinence is NOT binging and adhering to a food plan!

I am not active in OA at this time. I have NEVER forgotten or UNLEARNED what I have learned in OA. I took it seriously, for many years. I was devoted. When I fell off the wagon so bad and put on all of my wt and then some, I never went back and I did more harm to my body and spirit than good. I was too proud and too embarrassed. I was a known speaker...HOW could I face the people! I did not have the courage that AIMEE has to pick up and come back. (AIMEE I do realize that you had to get yourself ready to do so and I am sure it was not easy, but you did it, girlfriend! you did not sit back and take the easy route that I did!..so Proud of you).

I try to PRACTICE every day what I have learned. I still say the 'Serenity Prayer' daily. I still try NOT to hurt anyone or be hurt, so that I don't eat over it. I still KNOW and recall my OA teachings.

IT (OA) is NOT an easy ROAD. We always seek an easier and softer way:
1. pills (something will do it for us, of course no one said you might die from a heart valve problem or that you might have diarrhea so bad you may not be able to work).
2. hypnosis (less thought or time)
3. fad diets that are meant to last 3 days(less time)
4. trainers and other motivators (doing it for us!)
5. MORE diets of a newer or different kind (because there has to be one that is magic)
6. Prepackaged meal plans again someone else to take care of the problem, we don't have to 'deal with reality.
7. hiring a chef or have meals delivered (again someone else takes care of us)
8. shots/injection (a magic solution! of course no one said it was the pregnant mares urine and may cause you to become diabetic).
9. Intense workouts or joining a gym, but not going or still eating out of control.


WW has many TOOLS to help you get through the rough times, but it lacks what one needs spiritually and emotionally to help the person with a TRUE disease.
OA lacks 'some' of the tools to help you to stop eating just for that moment in time or to prepare daily....but gives you the tools or steps for every day living and a healthy spiritual outlook and is more self examining,which leads to less overeating or binging. TOGETHER they are a PERFECT MATCH.

IF you read some of my posts you will see me write I still have not binged!That is my abstinence, NOT binging. For ME that is my OA oath to my self. But I still do every once in a while. I am human. And the tiger gets out of the cage and some times I can't find him even though have to put him back in his cage again. So some times he is out wandering longer than at other times (that when I could binge again or am binging).

I take my meals one at a time. I take my days one day at a time. That is part of 12 step. WW takes it 1 week at a time. I do both because I have learned from WW that 'TO FAIL TO PLAN, is to PLAN to FAIL'.

I have learned to 'just say no' in OA (in-between the tiger excursions...that is). OA strengthened my faith in GOD (while it does not preach which GOD should be my GOD or which doctrine to believe). I had given up on GOD at 24 and during my first 6 months I was there and putting my faith in the door know that turns to allow me into the OA meeting rooms.

I have learned I am not alone in BOTH OA and WW. I integrate them and am grateful to both.

Brandie, the first step is admitting to one'self that they have a problem with food, and you just did! That is the hardest step!

If you know others (personally) who have been helped by AA or NA or other 12 step then you may be more OPEN to it. I will not tell you to go per see. But I will say you can go and listen and see if it is a 'fit' for you.

I wish you well and I encourage you NOT to give up WW as it will teach you the healthiest of all food plans. I encourage you to stay on line and never leave a focus group such as this. I encourage you to evaluate other means of staying healthy: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical.


I hope this helps you and I look forward to more of your input and posts.

JeanCat

Oh, Brandie, don't give up..you have come so far...You have done a fantastic job to this point...Brush yourself off and grab a hold of all our hands..can't you see them sticking out the back of the wagon? Grab them fast...we are all on a journey...We are all going to celebrate when we get to our goals. We all know you can do it...aren't you worth it?????? So, come on..we want you right along beside us...We can all do this together....

Patty

brandi, i'm with you, i have the same problem, i mean i have went on binges that have lasted for weeks. for me WW helps me to hold myself accountable, don't stop weighing in . don't worry about the embarrassment of gaining, everyone there has been through it, as everyone here has!i have thought before that i need to see a psychiatrist i'm so crazy when it comes to eating, but the most important things i have learned this go around is that i am not alone and that life is short and a day or even a week is not going to make or break me, so i just forgive myself and pat myself on the back for the things i have accomplished and get back in there! i'm sending you positive thoughts and prayers, don't give up!

Cheryl from TN-

those are some very wise words. And boy do they speak the truth. I'm gonna save them for the next time I eat a box of sugar-free fudgcicles in spite my best intentions to only eat one!