Huggerbunny, you did the best you could with what you had. Don't beat yourself up over it. I Hate to admit we had a power outages a couple months ago as well, I used that time to convince myself of the value of the ice cream in the freezer. I turned a day without power into a binge day. It didn't take much to convince me. I tell myself to have an emergency stash of things I could eat, so far only thing I have a nuts, which I can eat a million of and then move on to something else. Not a good choice.
Well, I definitely screwed up and I'm ashamed to admit it! I had 2 servings of raisin bran with a little milk, then a sandwich with cheddar cheese in it. Should not have had EITHER. Checked the nutrition info after and that right there was about 800 calories, WOW.
This has been my first big goof up since I started 23 days ago I have my next doctor's appointment on Tuesday and will be weighed for the first time since I started losing weight...
So the sad thing is that neither of those two foods were even as good tasty as most of the "healthy" things I've been eating lately, like hard boiled eggs... fruit... raw veggies with ranch dip... tuna with tomato... the meatballs, soup, and chicken I've made lately... The raisin bran was store brand and kind of "blah", and I haven't had sandwich bread in about a month- it tasted really salty.
Based on this, I think the key for me might be in keeping plenty of HuggerBunny-friendly foods on hand. We're super low on groceries that I can have right now. No fruit, nothing in the fridge except string cheese (which I didn't want), and I completely forgot (again!) about the almonds and Larabars in the pantry.
Time to get ahold of myself! Next time before I eat something I shouldn't, I'm going to try to sit down and think about my goals and why I shouldn't have whatever it is, and what I could possibly eat instead. I was legitimately hungry- my belly was rumbling- so it was okay if I ate something, I should have just contented myself with the string cheese! Of course I KNOW why I shouldn't eat those things, but it's like I just temporarily forgot
Last edited by HuggerBunny; 11-15-2013 at 09:16 AM.
Well, I definitely screwed up and I'm ashamed to admit it! I had 2 servings of raisin bran with a little milk, then a sandwich with cheddar cheese in it. Should not have had EITHER. Checked the nutrition info after and that right there was about 800 calories, WOW.
I have done this. Especially, with cereal myself. I used to pour huge bowls of cereal and devour them. Afterwards, I'd really think a bit and say why did I do that? It didn't satisfy anything, wasn't really what I wanted to do or eat, but I did it anyway. It is so discouraging and makes me feel sad when I do it. But, usually this is the beginning of overeating for me. I will start out with something that is borderline, something I don't really truly want, then I will move right along..eventually I'm going from one bowl of raisin bran (did this months ago with same cereal) to half a pan of cake.
You still sound like you have a plan, really analyzing what it is you want, your goals, before you eat next time. I admire your plan, wish I could do the same thing. Nothing ever deters me from getting what I want food wise, I'm not able to really trick myself into eating healthier or make better options if I'm in the mood to binge.
I finished day 16 last night. I was afraid I might have an issue. I was actually craving something sweet. I haven't had any cravings for a long time. I decided to go with strawberries in the fridge, with a little liquid whipping cream for fat. Since I am on Atkins, and it had been 16 days with no sugar, no fruit allowed etc, this was ok because after 2 weeks of induction you are allowed berries. I at the berries, nothing else. I didn't stray from plan, kept that binge at bay, and that craving was killed. I don't plan on eating berries or fruit again for a while,but it worked for me last night.
So, I decided to use my ketosis sticks to see if I had knocked myself outta ketosis. I think that being in ketosis keeps me from craving and binging to be truthful. I tested, still in range. While not moderate ketosis, I was still in the small range and ok. I don't plan on eating anything today or this weekend that might kick me outta ketosis and really get the cravings and binging happening. I've not been able to go this long in years..17 days with no binge, its a new record for me. I don't want to spend my weekend hiding in my bathroom eating food.
Man, I barely made it a week without overeating or bingeing and today I screwed it up. I haven't been sleeping much at night, and I was watching a couple of episodes of different tv shows and made myself a big bowl of noodles. The entire time I was making it, I kept telling myself that I shouldn't, that I'd regret it and have to start over, but I just didn't stop. My lack of willpower really frustrates me, and I can't blame anyone but myself.
We're going to the store tonight. Haven't been able to go the past couple of days because the roads have been very treacherous. I'm glad that I'll have good food choices to pick from now! Quick snacks that I love are cottage cheese, fruit, raw veggies, and peanut butter, and now I'll have all of those to pick from I DID actually have peanut butter but already had some yesterday and that's why I didn't pick any for this morning's breakfast freakout. Isn't that ridiculous?! Should have just had some more PB instead of the raisin bran and sandwich! I find peanut butter to be quite filling.
Mainecyn, I actually love raisin bran and that's what I wanted. But usually we buy I think Post brand (the one with the sunshine holding the scoops of raisins?) and this was Safeway brand, the bran flakes were really thick and hard. But as much as I love raisin bran (and plain Cheerios and Crispix), even before I started this new way of eating I RARELY ate cereal because it only keeps me full for about an hour. The other day I was loading up some bags of food to donate to the food pantry. Foods that aren't appropriate for me and that I didn't think my husband would eat. We'd purchased the box of raisin bran back when I was so sick because it's what I wanted, but for whatever reason I didn't get around to opening it. Of all the things I put in the bags to donate- noodles and cake mixes and even a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies (my favorite)- the thing I was sad about was my box of raisin bran. Said box has been opened and I feel kind of bad because of course I can't donate it now At least my 2 bowls were normal sized... I had one bowl because I was really hungry and thought of the raisin bran and basically poured myself a bowl after contemplating it and the string cheese for a few seconds (even picked up the string cheese and closed the fridge!). Then I had a second bowl because the first bowl was so crunchy and I thought letting it sit in the milk a little longer would help. It didn't really and I was disappointed, so I had the cheese sandwich which was also unremarkable. I guess at least I stopped there?!
Also, awesome job on avoiding things you shouldn't have! 17 days is great. The strawberries sound wonderful. Kind of kicking myself for going into this when I am. Right before Thanksgiving and Christmas, and when all the best fruits are leaving the shelves because it's winter. I adore strawberries! Although I do eat lower carb (or uh TRY TOO), I'm not following the Atkinds Diet or any other specific diet and have at least one serving of fruit a day. My doctor said I do not need to avoid fruit. Not being able to have any fruit would I think be really hard for me.
Last edited by HuggerBunny; 11-15-2013 at 08:54 PM.
Ilovevegetables - I know it is frustrating, but one bowl of noodles doesn't wipe out a whole week on plan. Just think what you might have been eating through the whole week if you weren't making all this effort. Think of all the junk you DIDN'T EAT!
If you went week after week binge-free except ONE big bowl of noodles each week, that would be a pretty darn big improvement over previous behavior, right? You're not really "starting over", all the previous effort you have made still counts. You're just continuing on, marching forward, doing great!
I have to agree with Mrs Snark and her advice. At my worst a few weeks ago I would have gladly just of had one binge free day there's so much stress to make a drastic change to stop the cycle of highs and lows. If your like me you either have a stress or a low that makes you binge, the binge brings an euphoria and energy like no other and you ride that wave, its the high. Somewhere in the middle the guilt, the shame, the dirty or sad feelings take hold. That's how it is for me anyway.
I think the people that say one day at a time are correct. If your looking at he big picture and feel its a total failure for any slip ask yourself why? When I smoked a pack a day half a pack a day would have been better for me, eventually I weaned myself down and then stopped cold turkey. If your binging every day a week just a bowl of noodles once a week, average size bowl, eaten slowly and calmly with out the guilt shouldn't be a failure.
Some people have what they call reward meals, I tried that years ago but it didn't work for me. Others have great success with it. I don't like the term because it still sets food as a reward, but if it works I don't see what's wrong with it.
You don't have to live an all or nothing life style with your food. Ive learned that this is not what healthy eaters do. Addicts that can be a different story. Example for me is I see my husband take a small piece of several different candy bars, and put them away. He tastes a bit and then moves on. I couldn't do it, but he does. For me the person addicted to binge eating, Id rip that candy drawer open and dump it all in my mouth ( been known to raid his candy drawer). We are much like alcoholics who cant stop at one glass of wine.
Every person is different, every solution is different. I know in the past using a plain old rubber band on my wrist worked for me..each time I wanted to eat something, binge, or felt a binge coming, I'd snap that band on my wrist. If it didn't work the first time i did it over and over.
It actually did work for a while, a conditioning, it sort of snapped me out of that line of thing at the very first sign. I've tried the post it on the fridge with my old weight on it, anything. There are a million ideas that can be used to help control. Something as basic as this and then there are relaxation techniques, anything that works for you.
If for some reason you are able to control the all out every day binging I don't see how an occasional bowl of noodles should be treated as a punishment. I'm not sure what you describe as a binge, or what your state of mind was when you ate them. What do you allow yourself to eat> Is this more of you ate something that you don't' want yourself to eat and gave into a temptation? Don't shame yourself with food because that's where it gets worse..you will do what I do, hide, and sometimes giving into a smaller urge like eating a bowl of noodles can be a defuse type mechanism keeping you from totally exploding later.
I am at the start of day 18, keep going. Yesterday was difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. i found myself eating a ton of different cheese as a snack last night, and had already eaten way more of it during the day. I sensed a few moments during the day of that euphoria as I grabbed several cheese sticks, peeled them and stuffed them..not even tasting them..I had to remind myself and get control, it was that ahhhh moment and I was scared it woke up for a min. Tons of calories thats for sure as i ate so much cheese druing the day and last night. I also think the cup of snow peas I ate with yogurt dip was a mistake, they were too carby and I noticed I tried moving on to the next item in the fridge, not good. I tested using my keto sticks this morning and I was only at trace.
Quote:
I actually love raisin bran and that's what I wanted
So do I, that's the problem. I always have. I don't care for the store brand as often. I have a binging history with raisin bran as we always have a box in the pantry..I'd pour one bowl telling myself a bowl of this is way better than the kids lucky charms or captain crunch..right? I would literally moan as I ate it, then have a 2nd bowl. By then I had been eating it standing up, looking thru the pantry. I would then get mini wheat picking out a bowl of the most frosted, eat that, still telling myself its a healthier option..then I would start with the kids cereal.
I would eat bowl after bowl of the little ones and then just get out a salad type bowl and fill that. I always ended the binge of cereal with a last bowl of that raisin bran..like somehow that made it better. I love raisins, its a weakness. I used to love Crispy Wheat and raisins as a kid goosh that was good stuff!!! Anything raisin can start a binge which is odd as its "healthy" but its the sweetness. I adore yogurt raisins and chocolate covered raisins too.
Mainecyn, I love Raisinets! They're one of my favorite candies. It seems like most people don't like them, but I've always liked them. Yogurt raisins are good, too. Isn't it interesting what can set people off? I don't think my box of raisin bran will be a problem. If I have another "episode" of eating it when I shouldn't, then I will get rid of it. I hadn't had raisin bran in at least a year and I'd specifically chosen it about a month and a half ago, so I think maybe I just felt ripped off or something at the idea of not getting to have any of it.
Is this odd? Even when I was eating my raisin bran and sandwich the other day, I did not do it quickly. I've NEVER been a fast eater. When I was 10, my mom actually started putting time limits on my eating because I was so slow. Not that I'd sit at the table for 2 hours eating a ton of food, but it would take me half an hour to eat a PBJ or an apple. She started giving me, say, 15 minutes to eat my sandwich and then would take it away if I wasn't finished yet. So that did help me learn to eat faster, but I'm still pretty slow. I probably spent 20 minutes with my raisin bran and 10 with my sandwich the other day.
ILoveVegetables, how are you doing today? I hope you've forgiven yourself and are moving on! Would it help if you kept some Miracle Noodles in your pantry? That's I guess the brand name for shirataki noodles, a type of noodle made in Japan for the past couple thousand years. They're made from a type of yam and have no calories or carbs or anything (somehow). I've had the angel hair type and they're very much like rice noodles. They take on the flavor of whatever you cook them in. So if you really want a bowl of noodles, you could cook some of the shirataki noodles in some broth and add some veggies or a beaten egg (like egg drop soup) if that sounds good
Today was good, and thanks for the advice. I'm thinking of having one cheat day every two weeks or so. If I know I can have one day where I don't have to think about controlling portions, it'll be easier to do it for the rest of the days. On the other hand, I've also heard that having cheat days aren't a good idea because you never really get used to eating healthy as a lifestyle. What do you guys think?
Mrs Snark and Mainecyn, great advice in your last two posts. I think the "all or nothing" mentality is a HUGE achilles heel for people with binging or overeating problems. We have one "bad" thing, one "off-plan" thing, one high-calorie indulgence and we think I've failed! I've blown it! It's over! Think about it -- you can eat a 1,000 calorie piece of cake (in addition to a regular day of food) and it may cause a blip on the scale. But so often, after eating that cake, we say, "I suck, I'm a failure, I'm a loser, I'm a pig, etc etc etc" and throw in the towel (or, for bingers, we keep eating).
ILoveVegetables, there are as many different opinions on "cheat days" as there are subscribers on 3FC. :-) The consensus (as I see it) is that some people can do it, and get right back on the wagon, and some people can't. For me, I can't live on 1600 or 1800 or 2000 calories each day for the rest of my life. I love going out to amazing restaurants, or sitting around a table with good friends, good food, and good wine and not trying to estimate the calories in the meal in front of me. But I don't call them "cheat days." I call them "eating like a normal person" days. No stigma. I'm not cheating anyone or myself.
I say do what works for YOU. Id personally not even call it a cheat day, implies you are feeling guilty or not allowing certain things. Just once in awhile allow yourself to lax your rules a bit, that's all. Don't worry and stress on it. I don't remember the name of the eating program but remember years ago someone telling me of an eating plan hey followed where it was pretty reugular weekly and once or twice a month they were allowed to eat whatever they wanted. They didn't have issues of big binges like I do, it worked for them and I think it help establish a healthier view of food for them because there was no forbidden foods.
I think nuts might be a no-no food for me. I hadn't had any for more than two weeks when I ate some last night. Ive had three fifteenth varieties sitting by the bed for months because always like smacking on them. However, this afternoon I ate more than I was going to. What's funny is two weeks ago I would've eaten the entire can and then moved on to something else. Today, I ate several handfulls and then stopped. The cashews tasted great and enjoyed them, but was able to stop. But, they are the only food ive found myself over eating and worried it could start me down a slippery slope, not to mention that calories wise they could stall any weight loss. Nuts always stalled me before. So, thinking to keep myself going, stay strong with this weightloss and not binging I need to not eat them...dang it. I probably wanna lay off the cheese as well. Ive had it everyday, often more than the serving recommend. My trouble started when I went looking for breakfast, nothing in the fridge I could eat, same issue at lunch. I need to shop and get acceptable go to foods. I don't know how I suddendly ended up with empty fridge. Today is I think day 19 for me binge free.
Ilovevegetables -- I agree with thesame7 and mainecyn, "treat days" (or cheat days or however you prefer to think of it) work for some people and not for others. No reason not to try it out and see if it works for you, I think an open mind and a willingness to experiment is always a good thing. It could be a key strategy for you! Let us know how it goes!
I am now pretty used to eating healthy and I do occasionally have treat days. I can't do them frequently (more like every couple of months) but so far, so good.
Thanks so much for the different perspectives, guys. I've decided to try having one treat meal per week. I thought one day every week was too much, but every two weeks was too little, so I'll allow myself one meal per week to eat whatever I feel like (within reason). I've decided to try it out for a month to see if it works for me.
I have my next doctor's appointment on Tuesday and will be weighed for the first time since I started losing weight...
