"janice" wrote in message
...
Mary, I have a copy of the Christopher Fairburn book, which I've read
more than once. I haven't heard of "The Solution" so can't comment.

I found the first part of the Fairburn book really did speak to me. I
don't remember seeing a description of binge eating behaviour which
matched so well with my own experience. Like you, I recognise that
bulimia is a completely different problem (and one which I've never
experienced or even considered).

I'm not sure why I wasn't particularly struck by the book, because I was sure that I
would see myself in the binge eating descriptions -- and of course, there were
similarities -- but I didn't get the "that's me" feeling that I've gotten from OA
literature, "Fit from Within" and other books.

I was particularly interested in the strong link he makes between
dieting and bingeing, which I've known for years applied to me but
which I've seen denied elsewhere. Also he mentions the "all or
nothing" approach, which is certainly me, as typical of the type of
personality for a binger. He strongly recommends no total avoidance
of certain foods, and links the "all or nothing" approach to people
with binge behaviour. Presumably, with your views on sugar you don't
identify with this, but for me it ties in strongly with my own
feelings and experience.

And I thought of you while I was reading it! I do tend toward "all or nothing" too in
many ways, and there were personality similarities, but I know for myself that it's
the food itself that causes me to start the spiral downwards -- i.e. I was able to
break that weeks-long sugarfree food problem and haven't had any sugarfree junk since
9/24 (since I talked about it here), and my thoughts are so much clearer and my
behavior is so much more normal. My family has a strong propensity toward diabetes
and as I look through the family tree and see so many problems with overweight on one
side of the family, I truly feel that there's a genetic inability to handle
sugar/white flour and the resulting insulin spiral. The ones in my immediate family
who take more after the "other side" have never had weight problems, though we were
all brought up eating the same way.

The second half of the book I found much more difficult. I'm a very
long way off from being able to give up dieting or even from being
able to cope with a very slow rate of weight loss. That's too big a
subject in its own right to start in this thread.

I understand how you feel, (((((((Janice)))))))).

I'm currently reading "Thin for Life" in preparation for the asd book
club discussion. Have you read this? If not, I would thoroughly
recommend it. I've found it has presented some new ideas and concepts
to me and has caused me to think quite a bit.

That's the other one I wanted to try and couldn't remember it! Yes, I will get that
one too and read it -- thanks, Janice -- I always appreciate your thoughtful replies.

Mary