Is it ever a good idea to plan a small binge as a reward for staying on plan for a certain amount of time? I seem like every day I want some food I "shouldn't" have and I get thinking I wont have it again for months or years or EVER, so I eat it. If I knew that I would be able to eat it on, say, Fridays, or after I lose 10 pounds, or SOMETHING, maybe that would help?? Has anyone tried this?
I was just thinking... right now I am at the point where I generally eat 2 meals healthy and one junky. If I could even get to the point of eating a junky meal 2 or 3 times a week instead, that would be progress.
Or maybe I am just fooling myself and trying to find excuses to binge or eat junk.
It is hard for me to tell when I am fooling myself or not . . . I've had about 4 or 5 off days since late december where I would still watch my calories, but eat mainly junk or eat more than 2 servings of cheddar rice cakes . . .
IMO I think that planned binging is better than spur of the moment binging, because it gives us a sense of control therefore making it easier to get back OP. Do you whatever you feel you can handle!
"Binging", to me, has the connotation of an uncontrolled free-for-all, so maybe that's not what you're meaning. You've lost 50 pounds, so you obviously know what you're doing with regards to weight loss and you're saying "small binge" so I suspect that what you're asking about is allowing yourself to have, as a treat, something that you would normally consider "off plan". This causes true binging in some folks so they wouldn't consider it but yeah, I do this. I'm a calorie counter, though, so nothing is really "off plan" for me.
There are, however, things I avoid most of the time, like candy, potato chips, donuts, etc. Having said that, I made fudge for my dad for his birthday last week and I did allow myself to have a square. (I also licked the spoon since we're being honest!). Fudge is normally NOT something I would want around, but I allowed myself a square of it then sent the rest of the batch off to Youth Group with my son.
I usually allow myself one junk thing per week- either a chix tender and fry dinner, or regular ice cream, etc. If I don't, I find that I resent not being "allowed" any junk food and that leads to a binge. I do recognize that having these make me continue to crave sugar and make it a little harder to get back on track, but I still need something to look forward to on the journey!
I think a cheat meal once in awhile should be ok to prevent a full blown binge.
Some foods I haven't eaten in weeks or months I do kinda forget what they tasted like, and I try to keep it that way by not eating them again. New junk foods or fast food that look good I try to avoid ever eating so I don't know what they taste like... so it's not always bad never eating something again either.
You can certainly try it. I can tell you that my experience has been that once I open the floodgates to that trigger food, even if planned, I am on a slippery slope. You may want to ask around in the Body for Life thread. That plan allows one whole cheat day a week. People there can give you lots of insight.
Is it ever a good idea to plan a small binge as a reward for staying on plan for a certain amount of time?
If you feel that it might help and that not doing it anyway leads to bingeing, then maybe it's worth trying, but do not make it a "reward" for staying on plan--junk food (well, any food) as a reward is part of the "I deserve a brownie" mentality, and that's precisely one of the things that can cause a person to (re)gain weight.
If you feel like you don't want to nor can envision a whole life without eating a certain food (heh, I don't envision it either), then yes, allow it carefully in your diet (as in "way of eating", not "restricting"), from time to time. But it shouldn't be a "reward"--nor a "sin".
Oh yes, and make it the darned best version of that food you can have. If you want chocolate, go for the best chocolate you can find, not for some random candy bar that isn't even very good in fact. Might as well have real pleasure and be done with it! Maybe this will contribute to avoiding a full-blown binge (it does for me).
I agree, don't call it a reward, don't call it a binge. As a former binger, my worst diet was a restrictive diet filled with a long list of "can't-haves." Ideally, I'd like to get the point where unhealthy food is rare treat... Like I'll say "Ugh, I really want McDonalds!!" and I'll tell myself I should just wait until the weekend and have it then. Then the weekend comes and I'll tell myself "Well, I could have McDonalds or I could go to some restaurant that has just as delicious but healthier options."
I'm not sure what your weight loss plan is but I've found calorie counting EXTREMELY helpful with binging. Nothing is off-limits and if you're consistent, you can survey the damage sooner.
I am learning that for me, planned binges are just as bad as unplanned binges. No matter whether I plan them or not, I end up feeling horrible afterward, and it is this horrible, worthless type of feeling that helps me continue this behaviour.
Being able to eat "special" food is an important part of my plan. However, as a sugar addict, I have to be really careful about my intake of refined carbs of any kind, or else I risk setting off really bad cravings and descending into the madness again--and I really really really do not want to go there ever again.
So I do two things:
-- I allow myself to have a treat every day if I want it. But it's controlled as to quantity and as to what it is. Usually these days it means I am making myself a chocolate protein shake as my treat, or some hot cocoa (nonfat milk, cocoa powder, little bit of honey, cinnamon). Then I have a tablespoon or two of peanut butter alongside, if I feel I can spare the calories. This treat is both healthy and it feels special enough to me.
-- On Friday nights, we cook a special dinner. I still count calories, but I allow myself to indulge somewhat. This might be turkey burgers on homemade whole-wheat buns, or battered (and fried) chicken fingers or fish, or chicken cacciatore with garlic bread. And I may have a beer or a glass of wine. I need this feeling of specialness once a week, and everyone in the family is now looking forward to it.
Other than that, I do not plan any binges. Staying in control while allowing myself to enjoy my food is my basic strategy.
Not exactly planned binges, but if I know an event with lots of good food is coming up, I'll try to plan it so that one of the higher calorie allowance days coincides with it.
Is planned bingeing ever helpful?
