I feel like I am in a cycle of overeating, guilt, overeating more because I feel guilty, etc. I desperately want to start eating healthy, and every day I wake up with the resolve to start eating healthy. By the end of the day I feel stuffed, bloated, and more depressed than ever. When I get a craving for food, the physical draw toward that food is so strong I feel like I almost cannot resist it.
How do I break this cycle? Please, someone offer me some advice, I feel so out of control.
I understand how you feel. That out of control feeling is worse than the weight IMO. The only thing that works for me - and I have to work it regularly - is meditation time in any form. Who has the time? I know. But when I can fit it in, it really does work. I focus on one positive change for a few weeks and I have gotten rid of some of my worst eating habits that way. I've learned that you can't expect everything to change all at once, so I've focused on specific behaviors like eating in the car for example, or portion control of snacks. Nothing is an exact science, but the calming me time really can do wonders. For my "meditation" I'll sometimes use hypnosis CDs or pray or do some visualizations while repeating a positive statement like "Every day I'm getting better in every way." (which I got from hypnosis). A few days in a row usually break the cycle for me.
I know how difficult this struggle is, but if you never give up, then you can never really fail. Being a work in progress is a blessing - self improvement lasts a lifetime. That's how I see it.
You may want to explore a program like OA. If we eat crud despite the horrible after effects over and over it is quite likely that we are powerless over food and that our lives have become unmanageable. Another big trigger for us girls are refined carbs. The more we eat them the more we want them and it is really uncontrollable. It is like an obscession. People have withdrawals like horrible headaches. There is alot of info on this board. Explore, ask questions and be open. I totally feel your pain.
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Sort your surroundings. Remove unhealthy food from the vicinity wherever possible
- clear out cupboards and fridge
- tell family/friends what you are doing and ask them please to be supportive (yeah, I know, but it's worth a try)
- don't go to the shop/part of the shop where you will be unhealthy things
If it's not there you can't eat it.
Happy new year!
I read a few books that helped. Have you ever read anything by Geneen Roth? She has a few books about overeating and emotional eating that are very good. I also found the Celestine Prophecy and The Secret to be good. It made me realize I had to change my thinking in order to succeed with ending binge eating.
Are you an all or nothing person? I was, and I have worked on changing that. I try to pay attention to every decision made or change made and congratulate myself for each one. Rather than expecting to be perfect, recognizing that I wont be just took the pressure off and I found it to help me to make better choices.
One thing I used to do that I try to stop is to feel a craving and just stop thinking and give into it. Now I step away, write in my journal, go for a walk, stretch, do something other than what your craving is telling me, and usually it goes away. It might come back an hour later but I try again. If I do slip up and have something I dont need, I recognize that and try to make a better choice next time.
I agree that having junk in the house makes it harder. I try not to buy anything and if I'm really feeling like I wont survive the night if i dont have a certain treat, I have to go out and get it. With the snow we've had this winter, that rule has stopped me from a few binge purchasing missions. aha.
I think it is something we are all working on. That's why I'm here anyway.
Keep posting and we will help eachother.
I Can Totally Relate To That, Thats How Its Been For Me Lately. I Would Say To Take Things One Day At A Time, One Meal At A Time. And Dont Focus On The Past Mistakes, Just Try To Move Forward And Past It. Good Luck
Oh boy you described me to a T! I came to your post to look for advice myself because I am in the same boat. I have the best intentions at the beginning of every day and by the end of the day, it feels like I've failed. I'm praying everyday for divine intervention to help me do this. I've made little changes, like drinking diet soda rather than regular (which is hard for me!) and passing up fast food (sooooo hard!) I'm praying that some of this helps me because really, I have to let go of this problem and let God take over and guide me. I am really powerless over food and I realize that now!
Breaking the cycle
