Hi all, I'm new here, and looking for and offering support. I'm an overeater and have known so for about twelve years. I got involved with Over-eaters Annonimous in Idaho then and it helped greatly. I lost the weight i wanted to and was able to keep it off with their support. When I left the area I could never find an OA that I liked and really did well without it. I took it one day at a time and was doing great.

I quit smoking about 5 years ago and fell off the eating wagon about that time, trading one adiction for another. I have gained a bunch of weight and need to get my eating back under control, so here I am. Saying that I need to do it is very easy. Doing it has been near impossible for me.

I'm embarrassed to say I weigh greater than 350 lbs, but don't really know how much more because I can't find a regular scale that will go that high. I'm healthy and hold down an active job, but have little energy after work and end up at home with the munchies and boredom stuffing my face with high carb sugary foods. I need to stop!

^John

I can't offer much help, but I wanted to heartily congratulate you for quitting smoking! That's wonderful!

I had the after-work over-carb snacking problem too.... and my job isn't even active! What helped me was a fixed snack an hour or so before I left work (at work, there's no "more food" to go to) to appease my appetite beforehand and hold off until 'sensible dinner.' Of course, I think sometimes the first step is the hardest, not only as a mental/procrastinatory thing, but because that's when your stomach is going to be very upset because it's used to more.

I hope perhaps we here can offer you similar support to your original OA. Hang in there, and best of luck!

sugarfiend

:computer: Hi sugarfiend! Thanks for the reply and support. I think this site will be great for me. Even If there is no advice to be offered just knowing someone is there that cares enough to say hi and give support is enough.

I'm just barely getting organized on a plan that will fit for me, but in the mean time I have stopped drinking sodas, you wouldn't believe how much soda I can drink in a day. I now have a large insulated coffee mug I keep at work full of cold water. I also have cut way back on fatty food and red meat. Good thing I like chicken, fish and pork. The hard part is the near overwhelming urge to snack even when I'm not really hungry. I have lots of veggies and fruit to select from as well. I love veggies!

I also finally found a scale that will work for me. I am 365 lbs so I have about 140 to go to reach my ultimate goal, but I'm going to take it one day at a time. I don't like DIETS so I'll just be a HEALTHY EATER :D

^John

Hello SierraDude, wouldn't it be easy if we could give up eating like you gave up smoking.Thats what the problem is,it's not just one thing to give up is it, it's a whole range of wonderful tastes smells and texture's.I believe that diet and weightloss is all in the mindX-( I, like so many others must be more knowlegable about "healthy eating"than most so-called dietitians.I still can't stick to it though,so you are not alone:) .any way 'chin up' tomorrow is a great new day! Kate...

Hi chocolatedrop,

Yes, I total agree food is so good :) and it is all in the mind. Man am I in trouble :D That's why I'm here It helps to talk about it and to have others in the same boat to share with and support. So you keep your chin up and take it one day at a time I'll do the same and we'll be here to share our successes and help get over our setbacks.

Thanks for the post and welcome to the site!

Hey there. I dont know that I'm an official over eater, but I do have some of the symptoms, I guess you could call them. I eat when I'm bored, when I'm not bored, whenever. I was doing all right with my diet up until about two weeks ago and I took a nose dive off the bandwagon. But I'm starting tomorrow fresh and getting right back in there. All is not lost. I can do this. No more snacking (that is what totally kills me.) Its good luck to us both I guess. Congrats on quitting smoking. My stepmum smokes and we've tried to get her to quit, but to no avail. Overcoming that challenge must be a great feeling. I know losing the weight will be one too. :coach:

:coach: That's the ticket! Get back to business and start fresh. You can do it! It looks like you have the right attitude. We all slide back a bit, and the key is not letting that get to you and getting back to what you want to accomplish.

I call myself an over eater because I have a tendency to eat when I'm not hungry. It becomes a habit very much like smoking. A need to eat for eatings sake. When I get board, when I'm tired and want to stay awake, when I'm wired and want to settle down, any reason is good enough. It's the action with my hands and mouth, as well as the tastes and textures that stimulate the need and it's all in the mind.

The trick is to control the disorder and not let it control you and that is hard, especially starting out from a loss of control that has lasted years. That is where I am now so it is very hard for me and all I can do is take it one step at a time, one day at a time till I am back in control all the time. Like quitting smoking it does get easier, but it will always there.

:up: :up: 2 thumbs up for quitting smoking SierraDude I too quit 4 years ago, I can't blame all of my weight gain on that, but it was a big part. I also had a very sick grandchild, and lost my brother:c( and that really didn't help. I was a stress smoker and I am a stress eater, so I eat when I am not hungry, if I am upset or bored. My biggest problem is when I come home from work. I work second shift, so I get home about midnight, if I can go right to bed I am ok but sometimes I am just too jumpy so the last few nights I have gotten a small bowl of cereal and that seems better.
My husband is a big man too he at present is not dieting with me even though he would love to lose, I am hoping he will join me soon. But even if he doesn't I have to do this. That is why I joined this message board to have someone to talk to, I think he would like me to fail, because he isn't ready yet. I would love for us to work together, but I have to do it for me. Sorry for going on and on. But I think this has been a issue that has been eating at me since I started, so maybe it will help to get it out, so I can forget about it:boring:
Well on to better things Have a great day and hang in there.:sam:

Hi sierradude.. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of welcoming you to the gang..

Congratulations on quitting smoking.. Thank God I've never acquired that habit and an happy to report I've never even tried that habit.

I lost quite a bit of weight myself.. last year but unfortunately gained some of it back after sustaining a condition to my spine. I'm now once again fighting to get most of the weight back off.. I'm determined I"m going to do it.. If you would like to chat you can email me at bougiej@diettalk.com...

I sure know where you are coming from. I quit smoking 5 years ago and it seems that that is when my big weight gain started, though I too can not blame all my weight on quitting smoking.

I work a twelve hour shift, 6:30-6:30, four days on four off with every other four day being nights. My danger time, very much like yours, is when I get home off of night shift. I am by myself and am a bit wired from work, so I can easily slip and really pig out when I get home. Now I am going to try a new approach. With the weather as nice as it is I think I will take work out clothes to work with me and when I get off I can change into them and stop at the park that is on my way home and walk for thirty minutes. It should help me wind down and burn some calories. With you working so late I can see how that wouldn't work for you, but it sounds as if you are handling it well. If you have the munchies and must eat do it right, like you are, with a small bowl of cereal. You might try fruit or some sort of vegetable too. Just stay away from those evil sweets.

Please vent here all you want. It's good to let it out. I have a similar problem with my wife. I know she cares, but sometimes I feel she feels safer with me so big. She is pretty supportive of me, but sometimes I wonder, she is always bringing me snacks and understands that I am cutting back on my fat intake, but for some reason doesn't seem to think about me wanting to cut back on my processed sugars as well. She bought some of those Quaker Puffed Rice Cakes which was cool except they were the caramel flavored ones. Low fat and surprisingly low cal, 50 each, but they have the processed sugar in them and are very dangerous for me, because I don't know about you, but when some one hands me a bag of goodies I want to eat the whole bag. :D

Well good luck with your trials at home. Let's all just take it one day at a time, one pound at a time.

L8TR :sam:

Thanks for the welcome! I really like it here. I'm slowly finding my little nitch here and all the people here are great.

OUCH! Sorry to here about the back injury. I know you can get that pesky weight back off. Slow and easy so you can get your back healthy too.

Good morning everyone,
It is a start of a new week for me and I hope it is a good one.
I didn't do too bad over the weekend. I did exercise everyday plus worked in the yard. But I am not sure I stayed totally within my bounds on my eating. Right now I am not counting calories but I may have to start.
Anyway just wanted to wish everyone a good day and a good week. We can do it just keep moving.:)

Hey Sierra!!! does the wifey know that you are trying to lose weight???? And I would be more worried about you keeping that weight on than taking it off...The weight comes off and you lose any health risks along with it...Keep it on and you increase the health risks.. Maybe you aren't suffering any right now but you may later on...And yes you are right about those rice cakes..They are full of carbs and unwanted sugar...those things used to make me twice as hungry.. But now??? I don't care for them any more...Give me a a tablespoon of SF peanut butter instead.>LOL

Hi Sierra Dude!

sorry it's taken me so long to say "HOWDY"!!!! it's great to have you here and I'll support you in any way that I can. I have over 100 pounds to lose myself, so I'm no stranger to the struggle we all go through. Please email me if you need to vent, or chat..or whatever...Take Care!!

Peach

abuffalogal@yahoo.com

Hey Suesue!!!

Welcome to you too!! it sounds like you are doing well! I am so inspired by you guys here! I really need a kick in the pants...my motivation is zero right now..I can encourage others...but I can't seem to get my big butt off the fence!! yikes!!!!

Peach