So when I see someone say they just had a mini "binge" or are upset because they went 300, 400, or 500 calories over for the day, I always think "Geez, get a grip! That is hardly a binge. That will do no overall damage. Life happens, get used to it." I refrain from posting it though, aren't you glad?
But then......it happens to ME and it is all different! LOL See, the logical side of me still says to myself, "Get a grip! It has no overall effect on your weight loss!" But when it comes to overeating, well sometimes there is no logic. After dinner, I knew I was feeling snacky. I had an apple with a laughing cow wedge. That didn't cut it and I only had 90 calories left. None of my low calorie options sounded appealing, so I said forget it, done eating for the day. But it was overwhelming and I gave in and ate 2.5 servings of reduced guilt chips, then a chocolate bar, then 4 thin mints. (Those chips lie! They did nothing to reduce my guilt! LOL) Ending at 1779 calories, 564 over budget, putting me 354 calories over for the week. WHICH IS NO BIG DEAL!!!! Logically. I guess it is more the feeling of being out of control.
P.S. I also had one pistachio, one chocolate chip, one almond, and one dried cranberry, which can only mean......I was about to start into the trail mix when I finally got ahold of myself! LOL
I hate that divide too. How do you balance between not being a freak about every little calorie, but still pay attention to every little calorie like you need to do to stay on track? You can't win!
I guess it is more the feeling of being out of control.
This is certainly what it is for me. I don't feel bad at all going over my calories a bit if I plan for it, but when I get that "possessed, can't stop feeling", even if I only go over by a little bit, it panics me. THANKFULLY it's only happened a handful of times since I started. But yeah, the feeling of loss of control is definitely what it is for me.
I am glad the chocolate finally sated the inner food demon before I got to the trail mix. I could have easily tacked on another 750 calories with that calorie dense stuff!
I used to see an eating disorders shrink and her answer to a binge was to figure out exactly what you want to eat, then eat it. Otherwise, you'll eat your way through the kitchen because nothing will satisfy you like what you really wanted.
I guess it is more the feeling of being out of control.
I think this is the crux of the issue with others. I'm very fortunate and can only relate in the smallest of ways. I feel ever the slightest bit "out of control" when it comes to chocolate, but it's never that experience others describe of losing yourself to it. That I don't understand. It's been described here so well multiple times by multiple people in such a way that makes me about as empathetic about it as one who has never experienced it can be, however.
I *think* going "only 300-500" calories over budget is not so much about the calories as it is about the slippery slope. There's always the potential that this is the beginning of the end and it's a scary place to be. I know I'd freak out if I felt the need to cave into a can of pop. I would flip and I would feel like that was that was it, the journey had come to an end. In the past, that was always the first sign of me quitting.
I used to see an eating disorders shrink and her answer to a binge was to figure out exactly what you want to eat, then eat it. Otherwise, you'll eat your way through the kitchen because nothing will satisfy you like what you really wanted.
I totally agree with that. The problem was that I really wanted BOTH chocolate and potato chips at the same time. I decided on the potato chips, and I knew that 11 potato chips wasn't going to do it, then I still wanted the chocolate. No food is off limits, and I generally eat the foods I crave. It only becomes a problem when it I only have 90 calories left to do it in LOL
Thanks for the comment about the blog! I didn't know anyone was reading! LOL
I *think* going "only 300-500" calories over budget is not so much about the calories as it is about the slippery slope. There's always the potential that this is the beginning of the end and it's a scary place to be.
And there you have it....hit the nail on the head. All of my dieting attempts have ended with a binge, but not this time. The all or nothing mentally is done.
A lot of other posters already addressed it. It's the out of control feeling - of "I must eat" that scares the bejeezus out of me. I haven't had that type of feeling yet, but it's what ended my weight loss journey 13 years ago after losing 50 pounds. I went on a 90 pound bingefest.
For me, I hope, I've learned about WHY I got uncontrolled feelings to eat, but I haven't needed to deal with it yeat, so we'll see if I've really 'learned' how not to ever do that again or I just haven't hit that point yet. It is super, duper scary to not want to eat and then finding yourself unable to resist eating and eating and eating. You feel a bit mad as in like insane!
An extra 500 calories is barely even a fraction of what i used to eat on my binges. I'm talking like 3000 calories in one SITTING. If i do eat 500 over, i will still be under or near my maintenance calories. That's ok...if i want to maintain. But i want to lose. I hear ya...it's a big disappointment to yourself when you go over...but it's not even a step back...you just didn't make progress for the day (assuming you usually eat below maintenance).
All of my dieting attempts have ended with a binge, but not this time. The all or nothing mentally is done.
I have to remind myself this every. single. day. If I continue to give up on healthy eating and exercise everytime I lose control and have a 300 calorie or 1000 calorie binge, I'm going to spend the rest of my life "on a diet" "off a diet" and yo-yoing my weight and never reaching my full potention physically in the gym because I give up for months while I "off my diet".
Now I exercise. Binge, no binge, whether I eat salads all day or chocolate cake...I workout.
And I try to eat healthy and portion controled as much as I can.
I still struggle with forgiving myself after a slip up. I still struggle with the all or nothing mentality. But what I've been doing the past 10 years (all or nothing) just wasnt working. I wish it didnt take 10 years to see that !!!
I am still feeling the need to clean out the pantry with my mouth today! Usually when I feel this way, it means a whoosh is coming, so I am able to resist. I imagine it is my body yelling for fuel, so it doesn't have to reach into my fat stores, but I WANT it to go to my fat stores, so it keeps me from eating. The things I tell myself LOL
I wasn't thinking like this last night though because I just lost 1.5 pounds, and the whooshes usually come after a 2 to 3 week stall. But maybe a whoosh is coming after all, so I will resist!
My problem is panic. I start to panic, thinking if I eat "x" because I'm hungry, because I just want it, or because I feel out of control I start to obsess over how catastrophic it would be and how the rest of the day will be thrown off because I'm going to be hungry again for "y" and "z" so of course it'll ruin the day. Then what will happen tomorrow? Well the whole week is going to be shot! Then I'll never fit into those size 10's this summer!
...the scary thing is this thought process happens in the matter of seconds. I'm learning to slow down my mind, parcel the anxious feelings, and calm myself down. I try to tell myself "It's only food. It's not a malicious enemy, nor is it a magic cure for whatever is wrong. I can eat it or not eat it, it's my choice." Sometimes it works, sometimes not. But it's getting a little easier.
I'm also working on making myself, as you said, "get a grip." Being 500, or even 600, 700 calories over for one day is not going to have a long-term effect. This week, next week, etc do not matter if I continually let go of slip-ups and focus on health and nutrition each day. Which is why I put the ticker in my signature counting the days since I decided no matter what mistakes I make I'm going to keep doing what I know works with or without current losses on the scale.
Get a Grip!
