Problems with CPAP not working & other things

kitties4
on 4/28/09 6:31 am - Cleveland, OH
I don't think my CPAP machine is working right - I still feel like I have the sleep apnea, even with it running.  I've already posted about this on the Sleep Apnea Forum.

I'm abstinent right now, and I've been resisting eating my client's food, which leads me to bingeing when I do that, or eat in between meals, which some people refer to as "snacking".  I know it may seem like I have a rigid way of eating, but I find that eating anything in between meals, particularly something with sugar in it, leads to overeating and bingeing.

I noticed alot of different ways of eating to lose weight on this forum.  Some people are on the Atkins diet, some on South Beach, some on Weigh****chers, etc.  I tried a version of the Atkins diet a long time ago (in my twenties), and within days, I felt srange and sick, so I quit.  I've been on LA Weight Loss, Weigh****chers, etc.  They all have one thing in common which I hate.  As you lose your excess weight, they take away more food from you, so you're eating less.

What I'm doing is eating like I would if I were already thin, and I don't diminish the amount of food I eat as I slowly lose weight.  Being a compulsive overeater and volume overeater, any taking away of more food is threatening to me, and I feel like it is a form of starvation to keep you losing weight faster.  I don't agree with the diet companies' theories that we need more food when we're larger, and need less when we're smaller.

I weigh and measure my food everyday, so I eat moderate portions of it.  Sometimes in a restaurant or even at home, I don't want to eat all of my food, because I feel satisfied with a smaller amount.  I don't try to "cut back", I simply "go with the flow", in other words, I stop eating at that point, and throw the rest out.  This has been happening naturally on its own more and more.  I don't feel deprived, like I would if somebody suggested I "eat less" since I've lost weight.  If that is going to happen to me, it must be from within, not imposed from without.  Otherwise, I tend to rebel and want to binge if somebody tries to force me to eat less.  I belong to OA, and I believe my Higher Power is helping me to eat less, little by little.  I simply cannot go on any more diets to lose weight faster.  I cannot stick to them at all, and I fail at them, every time.  I used to be successful on them in my 20s and 30s, but I always ended up gaining all the weight back and more, since I'm a compulsive overeater.  Food addiction makes diets seem like torture to us, something we do over and over again, because we keep on failing to keep the weight off.

I commend anybody on this forum who can stick to a weight loss diet, like I used to be able to do.  But when all the weight is off, I believe that is when the really hard part comes - learning to eat to maintain a normal weight and body size.  How many people have learned to do that, successfully?  I think very few.

Denise Phares/kitties4
twilight89
on 4/28/09 9:44 am - MI
twilight89
on 4/29/09 7:53 am, edited 4/29/09 8:00 am - MI

     Dear Denise(Kitties4):

I read your C-Pap entree on the other form. It sounds like you are new to this machine.  I have been using a C-Pap machine for about (5) years now.  It is a matter of getting use to it. I do not know what your pressure is set at, but mine is set at (18). I know when I first started, it felt like someone was blowing a wind tunnel up my nose.  I even felt like someone was suffocating me. You need to relax. Breath normally. Make sure you have the right kind of mask for you. It took four different masks, before I found the one for me. With Sleep Apnea your not getting enough air in, when you sleep. The machine provides that air, so your body can relax and not go into alarm mode, to take the stress off the body, for being oxygen deprived.(somewhat) The hardest thing for me, was sleeping on my back, I do not like sleeping on my back. ( but I do) Over the years I have found ways, to sleep on my sides, with it. I also found out I need between 8-9 hours of sleep a day, if I do not get it, I fall asleep in a chair when I am relaxed. Have you checked with your doctor about 24hour oxygen, if you don't have it already, if you are having trouble breathing in the day time.( it is a pain in the butt, but it helps) I hope I have help some. Now for the other matter:

Stop dieting: Eat Smart.  Learn to love the sweetness of fresh fruit, Crisp green salads, etc.  Eat (6) small meals a day. lay off the processed foods, and if you have to have baked goods, learn how to make them with less fattening ingredients, like making a creamy salad dressing, with no fat plain yogurt, use applesauce instead of margarine/butter in a cookie recipe, eat foods that are high in water, low in calories, instead of less water, and higher calories. Then latter on, you can fine tune it a little more.  If you can move around, Exercise, do what every you can do. Dance, walk, swim, You can do exercises sitting in a chair to start, use your bed mattress as a exercise mat, if you can't get on the floor. etc.  I think that you know what you need to do, for yourself. Find away to give yourself, what you need, in the best possible way, in  the most healthy way.  You know to lose weight, you need to output more energy (burn), then you are inputting into your body. You need to find something else in your life other then food, the food you hide behind, from one compulsive over eater to another.  I hope I have help some. Good luck in your journeys.

Twilight
(deactivated member)
on 4/29/09 12:39 pm
Twilight - I like that - Stop Dieting , Eat Smart - that would make a great title for a book. LOL

I agree  give up as much processed food as you can - there is so much hidden fats and sugars that you can't imagine. Yes, lots of the processed food is cheap and delicious - but you pay for it in health and weight. Eat whole foods like fruit and vegetables, grains, beans etc. Limit meat and dairy to only the lowest fat choices. I make bread once a week in a bread machine using Whole wheat flour - no oil whatsoever and it's delicious. Who knew I could bake such wonderful bread? Well now I know I can. There is so many places you can knock empty calories such as fat out of your diet - and you can still eat healthy sized portions of food so you aren't hungry.

The real trick is to make this your new way of living - it's not a diet to lose weight, it has to be the way you eat for the rest of your life to keep you healthy.

Three books that helped me are The China Study by Dr. Colin Campbell and Eat to Live by Dr. Furhman as well as Reverse and Prevent heart disease by Dr. Caldwell Essylstyn. If you understand why you have to change your diet it may help you stick to a healthier lifestyle long enought that it becomes your routine.

Skylar
(deactivated member)
on 4/29/09 1:11 pm

Denise:

Regarding your comment:

I don't agree with the diet companies' theories that we need more food when we're larger, and need less when we're smaller.
 

It's not a theory, it's science.  You HAVE to eat less when you weigh less.  There is variation in metabolism but in simple terms, it's like fueling an automobile - it takes much more fuel to power a Hummer than it does a Toyota - and weight is a key reason for that.  None of us who have lost large amounts of weight can eat like we used to (and frankly I have no desire to because it was gluttonous and disgusting and emotionally unhealthy).

Regarding restriction, no plan will work if the reason for overeating isn't addressed.  Overeating by MO people is generally not physical hunger (or just because something tastes good).  Addressing the triggers to overeating helps prevent regain.

I don't know if I'll regain but I do know that food doesn't satisfy me emotionally like it used to.  It's just not attractive to me anymore and hasn't been for several years.

My diet (or plan) is similar to how normal size people eat.  Normal size people enjoy food and will occasionally overeat but it's not habit and they don't obsess about food.  My goal is to be as "normal" as possible.  I've lived most of my life as a fat person and it's freeing to not feel imprisoned by food and obesity.

Regarding your CPAP, have you talked with your physician?

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