4K snack binge :/

healthygirl101mfp

Yesterday I had my first cheat meal. However, it soon led into a cheat DAY. today I promised myself to get back on track but since it's the weekand I had a very hard time. I'm ashamed to admit this but I gave up around 3pm which meant I've been binging for the past 6(!!!!!!!!!!) hours. Here are the main contributors to the 4K binge:

7 clif bars (900+cal)
3 large Bowls shredded wheat cereal w/milk (750+cal)
Trail mix (500+ cal)

Right now I feel heart burn, bloated, stomach aches, and my breathing is labored. I can't believe I have done to this myself and I NEED help. This is a vicious cycle that I can't get out of.

Can you guys please lend your advice on
-How to recover from post binge
-How to avoid them
-How to NOT punish yourself the following day(s)

Lastly, I'm confused as to how the scale fluctuates. If I weigh myself tomorrow or the day after, will the scale reading be accurate? Or will it be inaccurate due to water retention etc.?

Add me

beemerphile1

Forgive yourself and resume the plan tomorrow.

Weight loss isn't a sprint, it is a marathon, a lifetime commitment.

leelee99075

First of all, you realize you made a mistake and are regretting it and looking for help. That is a start. Forgive yourself and move on. :-)

I'd suggest after a binge that you reflect and try to figure out the triggers that led to the binge (boredom, emotions, etc.) so that you can redirect better next time. To avoid them I try to remove myself from the situation. Head outside, start and activity, try to keep yourself busy and away from food.

Most of all, don't punish yourself too much the days following. It sounds as if your body is already punishing itself with the bloating, pains, etc. I know after I eat something I shouldn't I feel horrible and that feeling reminds me to back off the next time. Also, I like to wait a few days after a binge to weigh in. Gives the body time to recover.

Good luck and stay positive!!

healthygirl101mfp

leelee99075 wrote: »

First of all, you realize you made a mistake and are regretting it and looking for help. That is a start. Forgive yourself and move on. :-)

I'd suggest after a binge that you reflect and try to figure out the triggers that led to the binge (boredom, emotions, etc.) so that you can redirect better next time. To avoid them I try to remove myself from the situation. Head outside, start and activity, try to keep yourself busy and away from food.

Most of all, don't punish yourself too much the days following. It sounds as if your body is already punishing itself with the bloating, pains, etc. I know after I eat something I shouldn't I feel horrible and that feeling reminds me to back off the next time. Also, I like to wait a few days after a binge to weigh in. Gives the body time to recover.

Good luck and stay positive!!

thank you. I Really needed that

HappyApple13

Cliffbars, trailmix.. all of those things have a ton of fiber. No wonder you don't feel good! Don't beat yourself up. You must be doing TOO good of a job on your diet... meaning you probably binged because your diet is too restricting and your body is in starvation-mode and your brain is giving you these strong urges to binge on carbs. Obviously I don't know you or what your diet is like, but you might consider switching to a slower weight loss regimen so your body doesn't kick in strong urges like that. Take care of yourself.

healthygirl101mfp

HappyApple13 wrote: »

Cliffbars, trailmix.. all of those things have a ton of fiber. No wonder you don't feel good! Don't beat yourself up. You must be doing TOO good of a job on your diet... meaning you probably binged because your diet is too restricting and your body is in starvation-mode and your brain is giving you these strong urges to binge on carbs. Obviously I don't know you or what your diet is like, but you might consider switching to a slower weight loss regimen so your body doesn't kick in strong urges like that. Take care of yourself.

OK. I'll do more research on a more suffient calorie intake

daw0518

Sometimes I think you just need a binge, or at least I do. Obviously a 4000 calorie binge isn't ideal, but it happens. Tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh. For me, binges happen out of boredom especially. Weekends are the hardest because I'm generally home all day, getting up early & going to bed late. I drink my coffee & eat breakfast in the morning, and then I try to play a 'how long can I go until I really need to eat lunch?' game, & then the same for dinner, & evening dessert/snack. I'm also a nighttime muncher, so I drink a lot of hot tea to try and curb the munchies. If that doesn't work and it's 10pm or later, I brush my teeth and get into bed to keep myself from giving in.

It really is just trial and error. Overtime, you will find things that work for you, as long as you don't give up. I've been at this over a year now & I still struggle. Some days/weeks are better than others, but if you keep at it no matter how many times you feel like you're failing, you won't be disappointed. :]

healthygirl101mfp

daw0518 wrote: »

Sometimes I think you just need a binge, or at least I do. Obviously a 4000 calorie binge isn't ideal, but it happens. Tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh. For me, binges happen out of boredom especially. Weekends are the hardest because I'm generally home all day, getting up early & going to bed late. I drink my coffee & eat breakfast in the morning, and then I try to play a 'how long can I go until I really need to eat lunch?' game, & then the same for dinner, & evening dessert/snack. I'm also a nighttime muncher, so I drink a lot of hot tea to try and curb the munchies. If that doesn't work and it's 10pm or later, I brush my teeth and get into bed to keep myself from giving in.

It really is just trial and error. Overtime, you will find things that work for you, as long as you don't give up. I've been at this over a year now & I still struggle. Some days/weeks are better than others, but if you keep at it no matter how many times you feel like you're failing, you won't be disappointed. :]

Thank you You guys are making this awful state much more bearable

Drakerim

I tend to keep my diet pretty strict but I also have one cheat day a week. This seems to help a lot with keeping on track for the rest of the week. I'll do a light balanced breakfast and maybe a apple for morning snack. Lunch is typically the bad meal for that day (800ish cal) and maybe a light dinner salad with some grilled chicken breast since the cal/oz ratio is reasonable. Lost just over a 100lbs since last july and going. Just don't make it a daily trend and you should do fine.

AngeBee18

Its a bit tangential, but can I just add the importance on non-food rewards. The odd 'cheat day' is fine for special occasions etc (I just had one for a friends wedding) but if you are using them as a reward for a hard day etc, then you might be setting up a negative feedback loop.

As a kid (im now 32) we always got chocolate bars or some other treat food for being good. That created a massive association for me of feeding myself junk "because I deserved it". Nailed an exam = chocolate. Survived a hard day at work = chocolate. Finally got all the washing done = chocolate. You get the idea.

This time round with the weight loss, I have been focussing on non-food rewards: a new pair of shoes, a smartphone (OMG how did I live without one for so long?). Once I lost 10kg I bough myself a bunch of cute lingerie to celebrate. Making it not about food takes away the risk of turning a treat/reward into a massive binge.

ErinK09

I had a day like this yesterday! Today was a lot better. Just have to move on!

ddrhellbunny

Seriously, I've had more days like that then I am willing to admit, but honestly, forgive yourself and move on. Don't try to "correct" it, don't try to beat yourself up over it. Trust me, it doesn't help.

All you can do is eat mindfully the next day, stick to your goals, try to get a nice little sweat going on later in the day (even if it is just a walk around the block) and have peace of mind. Like everyone on this forum says; in the long run a blip in the calories isn't going to harm you in anyway down the road. Sure, you may go up a few pounds in water weight or even fat, but consistency is the key here. Just stay strong. :]

You will be fine, believe me. ^_^

enchantedgardener

I had a really bad food binge last week. One large bag of potato chips, 4 chocolate bars, and 1 box of crackers in one afternoon. It left me feeling pretty nasty, too.
It may take your body a couple days to get back to normal after a binge. Everyone is different in this regard, but I think 24-48 hours is typical.
Drinking plenty of water will definitely help. Hot tea can be soothing to the soul (and your stomach). Sliced fresh ginger and lemon with a little honey steeped as a tea is great if you're dealing with an upset stomach.
Get back to healthy eating at your very next meal. Don't wait until the next day. Get right back to it. Don't worry too much about calories, but focus on health and nutrition. Choose foods that you like, that taste great, and that are also nutritious. Maybe try a new healthy recipe. Remind yourself that food is meant to nourish you. Forget the association between food and calories (especially if you've got it in your head that calories are the enemy). Remember that food is the source of your energy, your vitality, and your health. Food is the source of vitamins and minerals that your body needs, antioxidants that fight damage, fiber that sweeps the junk out. Food is where you get the fats that your brain needs to function, protein that helps you build muscle, carbohydrates that are a source of energy. Food is not the enemy. Food is good for you. All you need to do is focus on choosing the best food that you can. Some days it's easy to make healthy choices. Some days it's a challenge. Just make the best choice you can right now, at this meal. It's okay if sometimes you eat things that you 'shouldn't'. Just move on. Forgive yourself and love yourself enough to return to healthy eating because you value yourself and you value your body.