: Lee, I too get into a pattern where I
: have just about 6 days where I eat
: well and hardly think about sugar,
: and then an incredible need to
: binge on it comes over me. You've
: gotten some really good feedback
: here about the biochemistry of it
: and how it relates to the steps,
: but I also wanted to add that for
: me it feels like a pressure
: building up (even though I may
: have had sugar as a dessert during
: that week) and the tension gets so
: strong that I end up bingeing just
: for relief. I feel there's a real
: mental component to it--or
: psychological, whatever you want
: to call it. You look forward to
: having that release that comes
: from a binge and even though you
: may feel well physically and
: emotionally there's just this urge
: to revisit that old relief
: mechanism!

: I've recently started on step 1, but
: I eat a very good diet otherwise
: (protein and complex carbs at each
: meal, sweets after a meal) because
: I'm hypoglycemic. I'm hoping that
: as I get more firmly established
: with the steps, especially adding
: the nighttime potato, this cycle
: will eventually lose its power.

Hi Jenna,

Thank you so much for writing. I actually think it is mostly biochemical.
The *pressure* comes from changes in the beta endorphin in the brain.
Actually I would consider the building pressure as building withdrawal physiology.
And the sweets in between would just take the edge off. If your body is used to a 6 day *binge* it will absolutely know to start demanding it on a physical level. The neurochemistry adapts to the time cycle.

and doing the steps will alter that neurochemistry

warmly,

Kathleen