Introducing myself

[Kathi]

Hi there,

My name is Kathi. I am a compulsive overeater and alcoholic. I belong to AA and am familiar with the program. I had tried OA several years ago and it did not stick with me - I don't think I was spiritually ready yet. I got sober from alcohol a little over 2 years ago and have been stuggling with my food addiction throughout.

I have done/tried many different things: weight watchers, optifast liquid diet, starvation, and atkins. Five years ago I had gastric bypass surgery and lost 170 pounds. I have put 50 back on and I can see more coming if I don't stop my compulsion. Although my stomach is smaller, I can graze all day. Also initially you have an aversion to sugar after the surgery, but I have built up a tolerance for it - unfortunately

I have struggled my whole life with food and my weight. I have been in therapy for 15 years and have tried so hard to figure out why I overeat. I never seem to come up with a good reason. You can say it's boredom, sadness, anger, happiness, etc...but when you know you are a complusive overeater and you catch yourself doing it I can't understand why you can't stop.

I have recently been reading and studying on spirituality and have learned meditation. I rebelled against religion from the time I was 18 until I went into the AA program. I have finally found a higher power and feel that I have embarked on my spirituality.

I really do want to conquer this insidious disease. I've had enough and I want to be free from obsession. My addiction to cigeretted and alcohol were not easy to overcome but it is easier in the fact that you don't need cigerettes and alcohol to exist. You do need food and that makes this so much more difficult.

I'm happy to be hear and hope that I can make some progress in this obsession by listening and sharing with like people in this disease.

[historyteach]

Hi, Kathi!

Thanks for your awesome share!

You've helped me just by posting. I too, have come to an unhappy conclusion that the obsession and compulsion I've had with smoking has simply been replaced with and obsession and compulsion with eating.

This has been "eating" at me, (pardon the pun), for quite some time, now. And I NEED to address it. I am pre diabetic, and I was treating it with exercise. Now, my knee is out, and I can't do that. Besides which, it's summer. And I don't want to end up with diabetes. A healthy diet must come into play.

I hope we can work together here to overcome this obsession with food and the compulsion to eat. Now that I've past the six month milestone with my quit, I think I can work on this part of my life.

Shalom!

[Kathi]

Thanks! I too have bad knees. I had my left knee replaced 2 years ago and had a tough time with it - took a year to recover. I said I won't have my right one done until I end up in a wheel chair

I do try to swim a few days a week at least at the gym. I love to swim - Im a Pisces so I think that must have something to do with it My "treat" to force myself to swim is that I can go in the jacuzzi when I'm done. I also have fibromyalgia so the jacuzzi feels so good on my muscles when I'm done.

I try to walk at the local park. I take my little Izzy with me, she's the pup in my avatar. I can make it about twice around the track right now, that's a little less than a mile. Some days are worse than others but I keep trying!

You do want to prevent diabetes. My 12 year old niece was diagnosed 2 years ago with Type I, so she is insulin dependent and it's so tough on her - but she is so brave and has adapted quite well.

Thanks for answering me - it's good to have another outlet to express "stuff".

-Kathi

[Nina Kay]

Hi Kathi
Welcome to the Eating Disorders Forum and to SR. I'm glad that you've found us here. I too, am a compulsive overeater. I am an emotional eater. I am a food addict. I have started going to face-to-face OA meetings recently, but have only been to three, so far. I think that these will eventually help me. There are 3 or 4 people at these meetings that I've gone to, that have remained abstinent from compulsive overeating for several years. I know that hearing their stories and ideas will help me to find my way to recovery. Maybe you could think about trying OA again, along with coming here.

I will suggest that you read the Stickys at the top of the forum. There really is alot of helpful information there. And of course, just reading past posts is very informative, as well. I hope that you'll keep coming back here as often as you can. Again, Welcome.