Hi there
Apologies if I’ve missed the answer, but I’m reposting this in case it got lost in the system:
Hi there!
I’ve been at this for some time, specifically using your stop overeating work to lose all my excess weight and get down to a very low weight. Fast forward 2 years, I put most of it back. (12kg) I think there were multiple reasons why I started overeating again but one of the main ones I believe was that I tried to eat sugar and flour again in moderation. Even when I was at goal weight every time I planned an exception I had to focus really hard not to let it turn into a binge or a few days of extras.
I did some heavy bingeing in the past year and eventually I identified sugar and flour as a big factor. (the other is buffering which I am continually working on with your wonderful coaches)
I have now pretty much eliminated it for the past 2-3 months only having 2 small slips. I feel so much better. I still have urges in certain circumstances but my day to day eating is simple and healthy and there is minimal chatter. I am slowly re-losing the weight. But mainly I am just aiming for peace and longterm weight management.
Initially I thought the thought that I can plan sugar and flour anytime I just don’t want to deal with the urges they bring up (and other side effects : bloating, brain fog and pain) so I didn’t feel deprived.
Now i’m beginning to think I could plan an exception but I feel fear when I think about it: I’m scared if I do it I’ll land back where I was a year ago desperately trying to get off the stuff again. I know fear is not a good emotion to achieve our dreams but it does help me stay off the cookies.
For me it feels a little like how I feel about cigarettes. I know if I have one it will just wake up those neural pathways in my brain again and I will have to go through some withdrawal again.
I know I can give up cigarettes, I’ve done it a few times! I also know I can give up sugar and flour, I did it 3 months ago.
But it’s hard!
And when I think about it that way, planning an exception doesn’t at all seem worth it.
Can you see any problem with my thinking this through?
I will keep the thought, I can have it anytime I just don’t think it’s worth it today as it keeps me from feeling deprived. And just keep living my life that’s better than cookies.