Treat card

[lindy lou]

Currently I am getting back to my goal weight but I have come up with an idea that i thought I might share.

I have made up a card that can fit in my purse with all the different treats that I like and have seemed to be binging on. Then I have ruled it up in monthly columns.

When I have reached my goal weight I am going to let my self have these treats but only once a month and when I have had them I will tick it off. So If i have a binge and have them all at once then I wont be able any more for that month. And maybe with that thinking i will not binge because I know I can have them and if I have them all at once I wont be able to have any thing for the whole rest of the month.

I have read a book Called "If not dieting then what" and he suggested that if you think I am allowed to eat this and I can have more of it another time then this will help ward off binges as we wont feel as if we need to eat it all now in fear of not being able to have it again like if we go back on our diet.

As I said I have not tried this out yet but it does sound good in theory.

I do really well when I know things are planned like the program so I will give this a go.

What do you think?

[hope_ful]

i did that when i was on refeed!!!

in my phone, in my notes section, i typed in all the delicious (mainly) healthy foods i wanted to eat after refeed..

it included yellow tofu curry with brown rice, banana bread with ricotta, toast with avocado and ricotta, indian curries and chai lattes.. i have indulged in a few of the foods on my list, and then erased them from the memo pad. it's true when u say, when one feels deprived, you are more likely to binge on the food you're thinking about!

what i tried to do last wk, when i baked two batches of anzac + choc chip cookies for a family dinner, was allow myself one of each cookie for dessert. i ended up eating about 5 all together, because i really enjoyed them and i love dessert hehe i only went up 500g the next day but did feel very thick and bloated for 2 days afterwards. but i tried!! i do think it has a lot of sense in it though. the second you say "you can't have", you want twice as much!!

another good idea is to say "every wed and fri night im allowed 40g dark chocolate" or whatever your idea of a treat is, and then you can look forward to that treat and not binge as u know that in two days or in 4 days you can have it again! it kind of works! hehe or sometimes i would have a jarrah (or weight watchers low cal) instant hot chocolate with a few marshmallows (frozen marshmallows are the besttttttt treat) when i really felt like something hot and sweet and its so good cos its hot so it takes a longer time to drink than say, eating a bar of chocolate. also, ive tried to not keep things in the house that i know trigger an overindulgence.

xxxx

[tiny m]

I like this idea! I think what you say is right on - if you know you are allowed to have it you don't NEED to binge. What a mind game we play with ourselves, huh? Whatever works, I say! Let us know how this goes when you try it. As I mentioned in my diary, which you saw, is that I am going to plan my binges one day per week. And on that day I can have whatever I want - and the other days I eat cohen food.

I think the thing we are all seeing is that there is no "right" way to do this. Even the maintenance guidelines are just that - guidelines. Each person must find for themselves what works.

And luckily we share with each other here

[Maya]

This is really a good idea!
we are having one very succesful diet in our country now - it is the most popular, because you can have a piece of chocolate every 4th day. It is actually OBLIGATORY to have a piece of dark chocolate or piece of chocolate cake and it is the biggest trick, cuz people simply insist on diet because of that day. Of course - everybody gain even more after the diet, but the trick works!

This is great thread!

Another good one is

Banana dipped in dark chocolate and frozen. I had that on the boat and when it was really hot, I would have it as a desert. You eat it slow and it is sweet and fills you up. Very nice.

[Maya]

Tiny m - the one day off days didnt work for me.. they got me where I am right now... I developed binge eating that I never had before... I was doing exactly that - writing down everything I wanna eat and then couldnt wait to have it on day D... first one I was careful, second one I was braver, third week (so, 3rd day off) I ate for an army. Things got out of control before I knew it.
If you can control it, its ok, but... just dont want you to end up where I did...
Maybe decide a day before how much you can indulge... I wanted freedom, too, but it was just unbelievable where it took me. But its also true that I was eating PROTEIN and VEGGIES only the rest of the week, so much more strict than just cohens food (I didnt even had any crackers or fruit).
So, hopefully it works for you!
Let us know! (cuz it WAS fun, specially the planning and first few bites!!!!!) - I dont remember the rest as I was too high from all the carbs...

[hexi2]

Yes I really like this idea too...as long as we dont have ALL of it ALL at once...

[TheSkinnyMeInside]

Lindy Lou,

I really like this idea. Are you going to limit the amount of that one thing you can have each time? Like a piece of choc or will it be the whole bar? Just checking. I have also turned into a binge eater. Like I just can't get enough of it. Like I am going to starve to death with out it. I need to eat the whole box or bag of whatever it is. It is so sick. I don't know how that happened to me. I used to be able to eat a lot but this is out of control. My family noticed it too. Anyway, I would LOVE to find something that works and I totally agree with you. I have such great self control when I'm on Cohen's. I just don't touch anything else. But, when I am left to my own accord all hell breaks loose. So something that is a firm plan sounds really good to me. Very interesting. Please let me know how it all goes. I'm am back in this for a while but would love some feedback for after refeed.

Cin