How do you get right back on track after a binge? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

sensualappeal · 09-16-2012, 11:04 PM

Hello ladies (and gentlemen, perhaps?)

Well, let me get straight to the point - Friday was a semi-cheat day where I didn't count calories as per usual and just kind of ate and before bed I had a bit too much. But then Saturday I binged like I haven't binged in a while... ate way too much food. Today, it was what I'd call a cheat day but not a full on binge day. But still, I ate a lot more than I should have.

My question is, the next day, what do you do? Do you cut calories to even less for a day or two than the regular diet day? (I usually stay at 1450 calories, should I eat 1000-1200 for the next day or two?) Or should I just pretend like this weekend didn't happen and go right back to my regular schedule.

Any other tips will be greatly appreciated as well!

Milly1 · 09-17-2012, 03:19 AM

That's a tricky one and members do have conflicting views. I now just forget it happened and carry on with what was working previously. For instance I used to binge on sweet stuff now and then, I would follow that with whatever the next meal was, as I didn't want family to know I had binged. Stuffing that down made it worse and cutting back the next day would put me in binge mode again. Now if I have overdone it, I just excuse myself saying I'm not hungry and get right back on track. Usually find the next day I am not so hungry anyway and naturally cut back anyway. I never eat below 1750 calories and continue to slowly lose weight. Hope that helps.

carter · 09-17-2012, 08:54 AM

What I try to do after a binge is get right back on plan - and I mean, on plan. I do not try to restrict the next day to "make up" for a binge. I have found that trying to do that makes it harder to resist the appeal of binge foods and behaviors. Better to just get back to the plan and routine and put the slip-up behind me. In the grand scheme of your weight loss process, a couple of days of binging is not really all that bad.

sensualappeal · 09-17-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carter

In the grand scheme of your weight loss process, a couple of days of binging is not really all that bad.

That's what I'm telling myself but that's also how I gained back the weight I lost last time. I lost 15 lbs and then I would randomly have binge days, saying this exact thing but then it just started becoming more days and being more difficult to control and ended up gaining it all back.

I'm back on regular program for now, no specific restriction. Thanks!

FirstLove · 09-17-2012, 01:03 PM

I agree with the other posters. And I take it a meal at a time... That is, I don't wait for the next day to start over, I start the next meal. If it's possible to eat a little lighter, that's okay, but I find too much deprivation just makes me binge again. That whole icky cycle, ya know?

If you find yourself bingeing again and again, see if you can identify the trigger. For example, sugar cravings can really drive me nuts (and trigger binges), unless I eliminate sugar completely. I'm not saying you should do that, but once you identify your triggers, you'll be able to work around them.

thewalrus0 · 09-17-2012, 04:22 PM

It's a fine line, Sensual. I had a big overeat yesterday but I picked myself up this morning and got back to what I was doing.

The thing is, it's important to find the cause of your cravings. I realize that yesterday my lunch was too light and when I got home to find donuts that hadn't been there I just couldn't control my craving because I was so hungry!

Proper planning would've allowed me to look at that donut and say "I don't want that this evening."

I also find that after a planned 'cheat day' the next day is hard to bounce back. My body is usually all messed up from what I fed it on the cheat day. My goal is to minimize 'cheat days' to more like 'cheat meals' and try to eat at least semi-healthy on those days. You know frequent 'cheats' make you gain back the weight, so maybe adjust the way you treat yourself? Instead of a whole day have a cheat meal, or snack.

Extra restricting the next day never works for me. I avoid the scale for about a week, eat the way I was eating and let my body get back to normal.

You have to learn your body. I'm finally, for the first time in my life, learning why my binges happen and how to hang on when they do and stop them before they get crazy.

Everyone is different though and my journey won't be the same as yours so take everything with a grain of salt and figure out what's going to work best for you.

KittyKatFan · 09-17-2012, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carter

What I try to do after a binge is get right back on plan - and I mean, on plan. I do not try to restrict the next day to "make up" for a binge. I have found that trying to do that makes it harder to resist the appeal of binge foods and behaviors. Better to just get back to the plan and routine and put the slip-up behind me. In the grand scheme of your weight loss process, a couple of days of binging is not really all that bad.

Took the words right out of my mouth

sensualappeal · 09-21-2012, 03:57 PM

Thank you for the input!

Sheila7 · 09-21-2012, 07:44 PM

I would immediately start back on my food plan. That way your blood sugar remains level after your body works thru the binge and you are not setting yourself up for another binge.

happyfoodholly · 09-24-2012, 02:46 PM

I agree with the others, in that for me, what works best is to get right back on track. Believe me when I say that all I really want to do is rescrict heavily until I feel empty again. The desire to not feel the effect of my actions (bingeing) can be so strong at times, but I have to remind myself that it's not worth it to get back into that horrible cycle that controls us so deeply.
So do the best you can, either the next meal or even the next day to just go back to your normal plan.
Hang in there! I know how hard it can be!

mysleepingdragon · 09-25-2012, 09:02 AM

I have two methods. If it is a simple issue of overeating or a one off binge, I continue on plan at the very next meal without trying to make up the difference. I try and stay neutral in my thinking (no negative self talk).

If the binge was heavy or occurred more than once in a week, then I am aware that I am heading into my trouble zone and purposely eat what ever it takes of my plan foods for a couple of days until I am back on and can start cutting down to the right level of eating for me. Eating more for a couple of days calms down the food crazies for me, but it has to be non-binge foods. I also drink more water and tea to help calm the urges down a bit. If I can, I talk hot bubble baths or a nap and sometimes just a fresh air walk.

Pink Hurricane · 09-25-2012, 11:59 AM

Everytime I go through a similar situation and binge, I get right back on plan the very next day. Sometimes I throw in an extra long workout, sometimes I don't. But the most important thing for me is to not beat myself up over it. We are humans, we are flawed, and we will mess up. But more important than that is learning from it. What works for me doesn't work for everyone but I have to get right back on track and I am fine.

olleharr · 09-25-2012, 12:07 PM

Pretty much the same here. I've pretty much accepted that there will be a slip once in a while. I don't beat myself up over it anymore I just get back on track as soon as I can. I usually try to straighten it out by the next meal. If I go too long it's harder to get back on track.

SunnySide99 · 09-25-2012, 01:46 PM

I'm not sure if this will answer your question or not because I actually plan my binge meals. Every Friday or Saturday night I go out with my bf and I basically eat whatever I want for dinner.

For example last Friday I had a seafood panzerotti (boy was it good!!!). Earlier that day I ate super clean and basically restricted my calories to save my calories for dinner. Also I did an intense workout in the morning and another intense workout a couple of hours after dinner.

I'm drinking 1 gallon of water every day now and the water helps out a great deal with water retention.

I haven't experience any bloating, weight gain or fluid retention since starting this.

Doing this helps me not miss my favourite foods, but at the same time it keeps me in check too.

kelleyb · 09-25-2012, 04:15 PM

I do agree with the poster who talked about working out after. Not so much to burn off the binge, but rather to take advantage of all those extra calories and carbs you have in your system. A work out is usually great the next morning/day. You can usually do/lift much more than usual.