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Old 07-24-2009, 11:24 PM   #1  
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Unhappy Binge

Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap.

I had a great day, diet-wise today. I even picked up a new workout DVD from the library (Turbo Jam Lower Body workout--SO excited!). After work, the hubby and I decided to go out to dinner to mellow out after a long, stressful workweek. We went to Don Pablo's and I quickly LOST MY HEAD. I ate everything in sight. I had chips and queso/salsa/guacamole/sour cream and then a cheese enchilada, beef taco, a flauta, refried beans, and rice. It was pretty darn good, too. But I could feel the overload of calories, fat, and sodium. I couldn't stop myself! Well, I could have, but I didn't. I was so mad at myself.

After dinner, I said, "Well, screw it, I already messed up. Might as well go all out for the night." I've had a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream and a chicken quesadilla. Ugh. I'm so mad at myself.

I know that I won't let this affect me tomorrow, but I'm so frustrated. My weigh-in will be disastrous. I feel like I'll never get to my weight goal. .

I'm going to try to do an extra workout tomorrow and do some reflection about what leads me to go crazy like this. I'm so eager to be much more strict on myself in order to lose weight faster, but I'm trying my best to be patient.

I'd love anyone's tips on how they avoid having crazy eating binges when they're feeling happy/sad/tired/alive/stressed/blah blah blah. I need all of the help I can get.

Last edited by chavwright; 07-24-2009 at 11:24 PM.
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Old 07-24-2009, 11:27 PM   #2  
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dont get on the scale until sunday. I currently have mine locked in the closet. lol that little sucker isn't coming out until im sure that i lost something somewhere.

ive learned you have to allow for things that you want and treats otherwise you'll go overboard at the first sign of "yummy" food.

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Old 07-24-2009, 11:48 PM   #3  
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Hmmm. I think that people who think that the calorie burdon every day will be exactly the same will find a problem. Human beings were meant to binge a bit. I totally believe in only looking at week per week calorie count. Occasional binging is normal eating. That is what holidays and weekends are about. I you schedual a binge occasionaly, you are probably happier. Love tex-mex? Have a monthly tex-mex binge. CRAVE IT, and look forward to it and then let it be done. Don't feel guilty, just move on. Sometimes I think dieting is more about feeling guilty then changing bad habits.
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Old 07-24-2009, 11:48 PM   #4  
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A big hug from one Mexican food binger to another. Going out to Mexican is just the same as willingly walking into temptation for me. I LOVE it. Love it all. As far as the binging, I've been there too many times to count and I used to wish that I could bottle up the horrible, terrible feelings that well up inside after binging...maybe it'd be easier to remember in the next moment of weakness just how awful I will feel later. Nothing was really satisfied even after eating thousands of calories...it was all for nothing. But, it's been done. You feel terrible, I know firsthand. That is the past. Tomorrow is a new day. Just get right back on your regular eating plan - don't penalize yourself by trying to starve tomorrow. Maybe add in some extra exercise. Try to stay away from hard situations where you know you will feel weak. One success builds on the next and then time will pass and you'll realize that your regular binging has significantly slowed down. I can speak for myself when I say it's a whole lot better now. For starters there's not typically triggers in my home and we dont' go out often. I do still binge occasionally, but I can stop after a few seconds... so, in other words that's after only 300 calories...get the picture of my old style of binging? I can work with 300 calories easily and not let it ruin my day. Getting healthy will give you a high you never feel while binge-eating. I dream of a peaceful co-existence with food, but realize that this will more than likely be a lifelong battle. That's OK. I'm willing to fight for this.

Last edited by Nori71; 07-25-2009 at 12:22 AM. Reason: add something...
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Old 07-24-2009, 11:54 PM   #5  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by giselley View Post
schedual a binge occasionaly
I *think* I understand where you are coming from, but if you only knew what I was/am capable of eating in those feeding frenzies!!!! LOL. I'd never schedule one!! I am all for not having totally "off-limits", good vs. bad foods...all things in moderation...but I also know myself and how I tick after years of abusing food...and I just have to be careful where I know I am weak. Sometimes moderation simply cannot happen and in those moments, so help me God!
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Old 07-25-2009, 12:04 AM   #6  
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Oh I feel your pain. I have been losing weight now for 15 months and still have not been able to go more than 3 weeks w/o an all out binge. I really wish I could just get over this, but I know this is a life long battle that I will constantly have to fight. It may get better, or a little easier (hopefully) but I know I will always have this problem. I would never say to plan a binge. maybe plan a treat for yourself, but bingeing is so unhealthy (at leaste the way I do it it is.) Its not good for you mentally or physically. I agree you need a treat every now and then and you can't be too strict on yourself, but planing a binge would not be helpful (to me anyway).
I would say, try not to beat yourself up.... just get back on track and you will feel better soon, but I know the guilty feelings, the depression, ect that I feel after I lose control and the only thing that makes me feel better is exercise and a good few days eating very healthy food. Just know that you aren't alone, because I have done what you describe many many times on this journey. hang in there
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Old 07-25-2009, 02:32 AM   #7  
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Not to be contrary or to add to your confusion...

1. Get on the scales this morning. It will be hideous, not with food but with the associated water, but this names the devil you have to tackle. You will have the pleasure of seeing the numbers go down quickly as you get back to your normal eating pattern. You will also leave yourself no mental wiggle room: what I mean is this ~ I had my first binge in 180 days last week - but it was as 3 day binge! I got on the scale at the end, found I'd gained 8lbs in 8 days eww but have very quickly lost 6.5 of those (maybe more, weighing in about an hour). If I'd not got on the scales through the understandable fear of what they might show, I wouldn't have tried so hard to get back on track, because, in my head, the numbers 'wouldn't have been that bad really."

2. IMHO a weekly planned binge is a mistake. It's too easy to get to the place where you 'deserve' this binge day, and for the binge to become a BINGE. For me (and with all possible respect to those who suffer from alcoholism) it'd be like having Just One More Drink, and would tip me over into over-indulgence. We don't get time off for good behaviour when it comes to weightloss, not if we're taking it seriouly.

3. Don't be tempted to hyper cut down in the next few days to 'make up' for the binge. It's been said before, you can't UN-eat what's eaten, and being too draconian just increases the sense of punishment and therefore guilt; plus it can just lead to yet another binge.

It's dull but slow and steady wins the race - and you Will do it!
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Old 07-25-2009, 08:12 AM   #8  
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JayEll's rules for Mexican food:

1. Don't.

2. If you must, then you can have ten (10) chips. Count them out, put them on a napkin or small plate. That's it. That's all. Eat slowly, make them last. Salsa is OK, but no guac, sour cream, etc.

3. A la carte only. Do not order the plates with rice and beans.

4. No more than two items. Could be--taco and enchilada, or two tacos, or an enchilada and tostada, but no more than two.

5. No cheese dishes, e.g., a chicken enchilada, not a cheese enchilada.

6. No desserts.

And of course, what you've already found out, having one bad meal does not entitle you to keep overeating.

You are early in your weight loss, so you can't afford to go out to eat without a plan! Think ahead... have a strategy... "Anything goes" is no longer an option!

Jay

Last edited by JayEll; 07-25-2009 at 08:12 AM.
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Old 07-25-2009, 08:47 AM   #9  
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Can you learn to make mexican food at home so you control what goes in it, and it becomes a more mindful, participatory experience rather than just a "sit there and let the food come to me and I'll eat it all" experience.

I have the capacity to eat an inordinate amount of toast with butter. Really. But when I stopped buying bread at the store, and started making it myself (and sometimes even make the butter myself) I slowed down. It became a whole experience rather than just a "eat as much as possible because it tastes so good" experience. I could control the types of flour I was using to make it healthy and tasty. I began experimenting with recipes, and I stopped binging on it because so much effort had gone into it there was no way I wasn't going to slow down and enjoy it.

Same with pizza. I've figured out how to make a fantastic whole wheat crust, that I roll out thin so the pizza is "bigger" and then I pile it up with arugula, veggies, some shrimp and a little cheese for accent. I know exactly how many calories I'm eating, and I can eat it to my heart's content since even if I eat the entire thing it is only like 500 calories.

Get some Mexican cookbooks, spend some times figuring out what you want to make and how to tweak them to fit into your day, and enjoy them. Slowly and mindfully.
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Old 07-25-2009, 09:21 AM   #10  
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I just have a little bit of advice, but this has helped me so much. I am learning(not fully there yet), that just becasue I mess up it is NOT an excuse to eat even more things that I should not have. I really think this has been a key for me. Now, when I realize I have binged I will go down and ride the exercise bike for 20 to 30 minutes. Gives me time to think about why I just ate what I ate and give myself a little pep talk. The old me did just what you did and just ate more stuff figuring I could get it right tomorrow. I'm learning there is no tomorrow- what I am doing right now is most important and those extra calories over the binge really make a difference.
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Old 07-25-2009, 10:16 AM   #11  
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every person probably has his/her own definition of what an eating binge is: from a candy bar or bowl of cereal that's off plan, to an all out gorge fest.
I've eaten an entire pizza before, and used to eat pints of ice cream regularly. There used to be no such thing as eating part of a bag of chips for me.

I don't do that anymore, and I don't binge anymore. I can eat one scoop of ice cream. I don't keep chips in the house, for some foods it's easier if I don't tempt myself at all with them.

I'm so eager to be much more strict on myself in order to lose weight faster, but I'm trying my best to be patient.

for me, feeling too restricted did lead me to binge type behavior and overeating. You'll read here over and over again that it's a change in outlook, that it's a lifestyle and not a diet. I agree with that. I'm not at goal yet, and still have a ways to go, and have lots to learn. and I do think everyone has his/her own path with this.

I think of course you can reach your goal, recognize and acknowledge that and you will find a way through all the challenges, mental and physical.
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Old 07-25-2009, 10:30 AM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chavwright View Post
I'd love anyone's tips on how they avoid having crazy eating binges when they're feeling happy/sad/tired/alive/stressed/blah blah blah. I need all of the help I can get.
You decide that you no longer want to live your life like that. That it's abuse and you deserve better. You decide that you want to be a health-minded, fit and trim person. You decide that food is not the end all be all. You decide NOT to binge. You decide to require more from yourself. You decide to be responsible, mature, reasonable and sensible. You decide that it is way more important to be healthy and happy in the long run then to binge.

And then you set yourself up for success. And stay away from those restaurants during the early stages of a weight loss program. If you haven't control with certain foods, can't stop eating them - then you don't START.

You track your calories. Your bite it you right it. You stay within a calorie budget. Built in accountability and portion control.

You switch up your thinking. Deprivation is not saying "no" to certain foods. That's nonsense. REAL deprivation is staying fat and not living up to your full potential. You rethink what a "treat" is. You realize what it is you want the most from life...... Some few minutes of the pleasure of food - or the long term affects of eating well and being slim. The gorgeous clothing you get to wear all day long. The added self confidence, self esteem and self respect. The wonderful doctors visits. The added productivity and stamina and energy.

You find healthy foods that taste great AND are great FOR YOU. You no longer settle for foods that just taste good. No, that's no longer good enough. You want more..... Much, more more.
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Old 07-25-2009, 10:54 AM   #13  
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I love the motto, you bite it you write it. Even when I had my MIA week, I wrote it all down, that bit seems totally engrained. The totals were hijus but they were on record and maybe that helped me throw out the anchor.
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Old 07-25-2009, 11:01 AM   #14  
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Geeze, I hate dieting and been through the diet/binge cycle and worried about eating and enjoying life. You should be proud, you did right thing, went out for dinner to clear the mind about problems/stress in life. You had fun...Heck with the calories, just exercise more.

Suggested reading on diet/binge cycle... Overcome overeating by Jane H. This book I read and reread every time to remind myself that dieting does not work.

I am glad am over it, am eating in my mind about 3000 calories and burning it off!!!!

Don't get mad.. You enjoyed yourself and there is no crime in that..Keep up with your exercise regimen and you will be on your way!!!
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Old 07-25-2009, 11:02 AM   #15  
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I agree wth Rosinante

And I'll also add I still have binges once in awhile even after 9 months of healthy eating and losing. From this I'm slowly learning not to tempt myself in specific situations. I know I binge if I'm stressed. I find I actually get physically hungry when I get stressed. Those two emotions are inexorably connected in my mind! Therefore I try not to go out to lunch or dinner to relax after a stressful week. For me that would trigger "I've done good all week, I deserve this" thinking.

Of course it's not that easy. Usually during a binge I will even say to myself 'you're just hurting yourself' 'I don't want to eat this' 'I will not eat this' but sometimes it is just inevitable. No thinking, no self talk works, I just go into a trance. So my biggest lesson is to avoid situations that trigger binges and immediately get back on track. Good luck!
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