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Reading two books
Hi all --
My two books from Amazon came -- Richard Fairburn's "Overcoming Binge Eating" and Laurel Mellin's "The Solution" -- both intended to help me understand reasons behind overeating, not only because it has been a lifelong problem, but especially since I have been having such trouble with overeating over the past few months. I have finished the Fairburn book and was not overly moved by it ... in fact I found that most of it didn't seem to apply to me, but to those afflicted with bulimia. The time he spent discussing binge eating disorder was marked by admissions that almost nothing is known about it. I guess I concluded that I don't have binge eating disorder, because I couldn't relate to much that was said about it, though I was expecting the opposite. The book was too "scientific" for my liking -- I need something more emotionally appealing -- but perhaps this impression is just from the fact that I couldn't recognize myself in the first part of the book which explains binge behavior -- again, I hadn't expected that at all. I've just started "The Solution" which is way more suited to my own feelings, experience, and immediate needs. Already I've had the "that's me" feeling numerous times, even though I've only read about 25 pages -- and I never got that feeling from the Fairburn book, perhaps because it was written from such a clinical standpoint -- the "program" part of his book seemed to focus on keeping a food journal and not a whole lot beyond that -- and keeping a food journal was very good for my weight loss but it hasn't had any lasting effects on stopping the underlying reasons and urges to overeat. I know others have been helped by the Fairburn book and it's certainly worth reading -- it did give me some insights at the time I read it, which I've already forgotten -- hence my feeling that the book wasn't really for me, because usually impressions and insights I get from a book last with me a long time. So I'm going to continue reading "The Solution" with great interest -- I wonder if anyone else has read it. Mary M 325-153-145 (that's what I weighed at my last checkup - 153- , but this morning I was 164 -- eeek) |
#2
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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 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. 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'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. janice |
#3
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"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 |
#4
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Mary , I really am the ALL OR NOTHING person too. I find that this is
really how WE binge eaters are, the ALL OR NOTHING kind. I think that this is a GOOD description of me in MANY things in life but the WORST is in my eating. glo |
#5
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Gloria wrote:
Mary , I really am the ALL OR NOTHING person too. ALL or NOTHING leads to NOTHING. EVERY time. Okay, only 99.99% of the time, but that's not poetically correct for the context ... |
#6
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Doug wrote: All or nothing LEADS TO NOTHING!!!!!
I AGREE but .................OKAY ,Doug , YOU are correct AGAIN! PLUS you made me THINK!! I'm really better at 60 than I was at the ripe ole age of maybe 38 or so. I've been through a bunch of crap in my life to get to 'here' and I'm beyond a whole bunch of stuff BUT ya know , I"M NEVER beyond learning about life Thanks for your words although these were a bit harsh G BTW I have a sign in my kitchen now that reads ALL OR NOTHING LEADS TO NOTHING ! GOOD SIGN ! glo |
#7
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Mary , I really am the ALL OR NOTHING person too. I find that this is
really how WE binge eaters are, the ALL OR NOTHING kind. I think that this is a GOOD description of me in MANY things in life but the WORST is in my eating. glo |
#8
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"Mary M - Ohio" wrote in message ... Hi all -- My two books from Amazon came -- Richard Fairburn's "Overcoming Binge Eating" and Laurel Mellin's "The Solution" -- both intended to help me understand reasons behind overeating, not only because it has been a lifelong problem, but especially since I have been having such trouble with overeating over the past few months. I have finished the Fairburn book and was not overly moved by it ... in fact I found that most of it didn't seem to apply to me, but to those afflicted with bulimia. The time he spent discussing binge eating disorder was marked by admissions that almost nothing is known about it. I guess I concluded that I don't have binge eating disorder, because I couldn't relate to much that was said about it, though I was expecting the opposite. The book was too "scientific" for my liking -- I need something more emotionally appealing -- but perhaps this impression is just from the fact that I couldn't recognize myself in the first part of the book which explains binge behavior -- again, I hadn't expected that at all. Hey, sorry for the late reply - I wanted to put some thought into it. Sorry you found the book disappointing. OTOH, it's probably not a bad thing that you didn't identify with it. I liked the scientific aspect of it because for some reason I felt like it validated what I was going through when others were telling me to just snap out of it or worse making me feel like my situation was the result of a personal failure or character defect. I do like the books that are emotionally appealing which is why I continued to read other books this summer. I've just started "The Solution" which is way more suited to my own feelings, experience, and immediate needs. Already I've had the "that's me" feeling numerous times, even though I've only read about 25 pages -- and I never got that feeling from the Fairburn book, perhaps because it was written from such a clinical standpoint -- the "program" part of his book seemed to focus on keeping a food journal and not a whole lot beyond that -- and keeping a food journal was very good for my weight loss but it hasn't had any lasting effects on stopping the underlying reasons and urges to overeat. For whatever reason, the type of journal he recommended worked for me when nothing else has. I always kept a food log, but not always recording the "situation" or my perceptions of how in control I was. It was good for me to see where my perceptions were skewed at times. It's a basic tenet of cognitive therapy which I underwent for a different situation many moons ago. It really helped me change my way of thinking which helped me change my behavior. I also use it on some of my ED (emotionally disturbed) students. I'll also look at "The Solution" because I'm always looking for good books to address my issues. I'm glad you found something to help! Jenn |
#9
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"Mary M - Ohio" wrote in message ... Hi all -- My two books from Amazon came -- Richard Fairburn's "Overcoming Binge Eating" and Laurel Mellin's "The Solution" -- both intended to help me understand reasons behind overeating, not only because it has been a lifelong problem, but especially since I have been having such trouble with overeating over the past few months. I have finished the Fairburn book and was not overly moved by it ... in fact I found that most of it didn't seem to apply to me, but to those afflicted with bulimia. The time he spent discussing binge eating disorder was marked by admissions that almost nothing is known about it. I guess I concluded that I don't have binge eating disorder, because I couldn't relate to much that was said about it, though I was expecting the opposite. The book was too "scientific" for my liking -- I need something more emotionally appealing -- but perhaps this impression is just from the fact that I couldn't recognize myself in the first part of the book which explains binge behavior -- again, I hadn't expected that at all. Hey, sorry for the late reply - I wanted to put some thought into it. Sorry you found the book disappointing. OTOH, it's probably not a bad thing that you didn't identify with it. I liked the scientific aspect of it because for some reason I felt like it validated what I was going through when others were telling me to just snap out of it or worse making me feel like my situation was the result of a personal failure or character defect. I do like the books that are emotionally appealing which is why I continued to read other books this summer. I've just started "The Solution" which is way more suited to my own feelings, experience, and immediate needs. Already I've had the "that's me" feeling numerous times, even though I've only read about 25 pages -- and I never got that feeling from the Fairburn book, perhaps because it was written from such a clinical standpoint -- the "program" part of his book seemed to focus on keeping a food journal and not a whole lot beyond that -- and keeping a food journal was very good for my weight loss but it hasn't had any lasting effects on stopping the underlying reasons and urges to overeat. For whatever reason, the type of journal he recommended worked for me when nothing else has. I always kept a food log, but not always recording the "situation" or my perceptions of how in control I was. It was good for me to see where my perceptions were skewed at times. It's a basic tenet of cognitive therapy which I underwent for a different situation many moons ago. It really helped me change my way of thinking which helped me change my behavior. I also use it on some of my ED (emotionally disturbed) students. I'll also look at "The Solution" because I'm always looking for good books to address my issues. I'm glad you found something to help! Jenn |
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