Taking Back Control

  • After my out of nowhere binge last night, I was curious how you ladies gain control back afterward? I didn't go entirely crazy and it only last less than an hour, but I feel like my body is craving so much food still. I can get through this I know, but does anyone have tips or advice to kind of just forget about it and keep going without thinking so much about not making another mistake?

    Have a good day!
  • Quote: After my out of nowhere binge last night, I was curious how you ladies gain control back afterward? I didn't go entirely crazy and it only last less than an hour, but I feel like my body is craving so much food still. I can get through this I know, but does anyone have tips or advice to kind of just forget about it and keep going without thinking so much about not making another mistake?

    Have a good day!
    For me, I just have to remind myself of exactly what's in my signature file, here:

    EVERY BITE IS A CHOICE.

    So, sometimes when a binge is raging, I'll be in the MIDDLE of chewing and stop myself and say, "Hey! Every bite is a choice! Choose differently. Right now!"

    And I'll spit the food OUT!

    I think the most poisonous part of the binge cycle is that we feel so out of control that we spiral way, way, way down there. We think, "Oh, I've messed up so badly. What's the point?" and we just keep on eating, figuring the damage has been done.

    What has been very empowering for me is to just STOP the cycle. As quickly as possible. And I don't beat myself up about having not stopped it X bites sooner. I'm instead very gentle with myself (obviously, I was already in a weak place to have the binge in the first place, so I don't need to be MORE mean to me at that point) and very encouraging about how well I have done, by stopping the binge RIGHT THEN. Whenever "right then" is.

    So, find a way to be pleased that you're controlling the damage RIGHT THEN and don't worry about how much sooner you could've stopped. That moment, that choice, is already gone and you need to focus on the moment, the choice you're making right then. The choice to get back in control.



    That's something to be proud of, when the binge has been especially heavy-duty.

    At least that's some of how I handle it.

    Hope it helps give you some ideas!
  • I just try to "forget" that the binge happened, wake up fresh the next day, and start anew. Of course, this is easier said than done, as my stomach will feel bloated the next morning, I'll have waves of guilt, I'll be scared of the scale and I'll try and starve myself or not eat enough the next day to "compensate." BUT... I just wake up, feel the bloat, eat my healthy breakfast, smile, and think to myself, "today is a new day and a time to start over." Then I usually try to make it to the gym for an extra special "post-binge" workout.
    It's hard to get back on track after a binge, I know, but I mean, our bodies aren't going to hold it against us forever, you know? As soon as we start putting good food in and move a bit, our bodies will feel good again.
  • I had a nasty "out of nowhere" binge on Monday night. I'm going through a stressful period (got laid off, trying to find a great job now!) - so I guess it wasn't out of nowhere, but I did great all day and then bam! Just hit me.

    So Tuesday morning I just forgot about the binge and pretended it never happened. Honestly, I couldn't "fix" it at that point and I know that starving myself on Tuesday because I had a binge on Monday is only going to lead to another binge. So, I just got right back on plan, ate perfectly, exercised and moved on.

    Four months ago I would've thrown in the towel and forgotten about all the progress I've made, but now, I've lost 32 pounds and I know that one out of control night isn't going to negate all the hard work and I won't gain all that weight back. So maybe I'll suffer a pound gain when I weigh-in on Saturday at Weight Watchers, but had I not forgotten about it and moved on, it'd probably be worse. All about perspective! Forgive yourself and move on. NO ONE is perfect all the time!!
  • Thank you ladies for the positive feedback! My eating is back on track but I still have this little cloud over my head. It'll go away eventually! I'm think off putting off my weigh in another week. I know I definitely didn't each 3500 calories on Monday, I know that my intake yesterday and today is going just fine, but for some reason I feel like I'm lost or something. I feel like I'm really bloated and holding a lot of water and my TOM is weeeks away. I guess it makes me nervous because I still want to drop a couple pounds but I'm afraid of hitting a plateau so there is a lot of pressure not to mess up!

    Sorry for ranting again and thank you for your feedback!!

  • I've only binged at social functions (ie: wedding, house-warming party, etc) so I can just say "Oh, it was a special occasion, I'm back on track right after."