Yo yo dieting

mrsBrown1989

I've been yoyo ing big time for years. I go between 135-148 for years. I am trying to get back to 128.
Any one else figure out a way to kick the yoyoing?

mrsBrown1989

My main problem is if I eat one bad thing ill throw it all away and give up and I'll binge eat for a week.

Zedeff

Choose to stop. It just comes down to that. It is easier said than done of course. There is no motivation pill.

mrsBrown1989

Yeah I choose to stop it and I'll lose like 10 lbs and it's awesome. Then something stupid like the holidays comes a long haha.
Then I frigg up a little then say screw it.
I need to figure a way to force myself to just keep going even if I screw up a bit.

kandell

Maybe try some exercises in self-control? I struggle a lot with this too But recently I've been trying to get myself to be more in control.

One thing I've been focusing on is drinking more water. I try to drink 12 cups while I'm at work. I've found that the water keeps me feeling full, so I'm a little less likely to grab snacks.

It might also be helpful to work on substitutions. Trade ice cream for frozen yogurt with berries. Trade a cookie for a fruit of some kind. Small things that add up.

I'm still working on getting out of the yo-yo phase, too

mrsBrown1989

Water is really helping actually. I bought a 8 cup water bottle so I know I drink enough per day. And I started having loose leaf tea after my one cup of coffee instead of more coffee which I can have lots of to curb the appetite.
I eat when I'm bored rather than hungry.
Oh and booze. I drink on the weekends only but it screws it up. So I limit it to a few drinks now. That will hopefully help.

culb2012

I've struggled with this for years! Only in the last five months or so have I started to get it figured out. That's not to say I don't have slip-ups here and there... random packages of Girl Scout cookies... darn those cute kids (I've actually drawn the blinds and hidden from them before when they ring the bell, LOL), but I've started to make progress by getting a group of friends together for a support group of sorts and trying to get "diet" out of my vocabulary and trying to put my health first and forget about the size of my pants. I know when I binge eat that it isn't good for my health because I'll eat things that are waaaaay not good for me. Then I'm super strict for a while... also not so great... then I binge. Not healthy at all. But I've found when I try to just focus on what is healthy, it's a lot easier. It sort of takes the pressure off.

Liftng4Lis

Stop dieting and try a lifestyle change.

mrsBrown1989

I did drastically change my lifestyle. It's not that I'm dieting really. The way I'm currently eating for the past week is how I want to for the rest of my life. I'm not gonna lose the weight then start eating different.

mrsBrown1989

I'm only 8 lbs overweight now. The problem I have is I overeat a bunch for a few days. So I end up not getting anywhere.
I havnt had fast food in probly 8 months though now. And I cut out cake etc..
Havnt had a pop in 5 years. So I have changed it. I don't like calling it dieting. But that's the only way I know to describe it On Here.

savvyfantastic

I find the biggest strategy that has helped me with yo-yoing is really approaching my diet with an attitude that it fits into my life, lifestyle and choices and doesn't dictate it. I eat for nourishment and for fuel, and am very moderate (welcome to have a look at my diary to see what I mean).

I also find when I bolster the things outside of diet that make me happy- social life, sleep, hobbies etc, I am less prone to detrimental eating behaviours. Sure, sometimes stuff happens- but more often than not it's just life, not cheating, not being bad, not bingeing.

But that's just me.

riffraff2112

savvyfantastic wrote: »

I find the biggest strategy that has helped me with yo-yoing is really approaching my diet with an attitude that it fits into my life, lifestyle and choices and doesn't dictate it. I eat for nourishment and for fuel, and am very moderate (welcome to have a look at my diary to see what I mean).

I also find when I bolster the things outside of diet that make me happy- social life, sleep, hobbies etc, I am less prone to detrimental eating behaviours. Sure, sometimes stuff happens- but more often than not it's just life, not cheating, not being bad, not bingeing.

But that's just me.

I agree. For years I yo-yo'd but finally said "this is stupid". I am not going to go on a diet that I cannot maintain forever. So I finally made some simple changes and every change needed me to answer the question "is this something I can do forever?" If the answer was no, then I didn't bother. If I honestly answered "yes", then I made the switch and there was no looking back.
Good luck

AmyRhubarb

mrsBrown1989 wrote: »

My main problem is if I eat one bad thing ill throw it all away and give up and I'll binge eat for a week.

So if your car got a flat tire, would you get out and slash the remaining three good tires and just walk away? Or would you fix the flat and get back on the road? Same principle.

Yo-yo dieting usually happens from restricting calories too much in hopes of seeing quick results. The goal is hard to stick to, the results don't show up as expected, and you get frustrated and just chuck it all - been there, done that.

Finally I said enough is enough, no more starting over because it really sucks, and I set my calorie goal to a reasonable deficit, and made exercise goals that fit into my lifestyle without taking much time away from my family, home or other activities. And you know what? I've reached goal weight, bought smaller clothes, and I've gotten fitter & stronger, I sailed through the holidays without gaining, and I have stuck with it for over three years now.

Be in it for life, which means slow and steady and SUSTAINABLE, not for a short sprint to get to a certain number on the scale or to be a certain weight by such and such a date. Then what? Staying active it what I do now, it's part of my life. Eating well is, too. Do I eat perfectly and within goal every day of the year? Absolutely not! But at least 80% of the time I am within goal and eating the good stuff. My calorie goal leaves room for pizza, burgers, ice cream, margaritas and whatever else I want. My exercise goals leave room for life, rest days, even rest weeks! I have no worries about getting out of the habit or falling of some imaginary wagon - this is my life now, and it's awesome.

It takes time to learn new habits. Use your diary as a tool - log everything, and then look back over the days and weeks and see where you did well, and where you didn't. What can you change? Could you have had a half serving of chips at lunch and stayed in goal? Would choosing apple slices and peanut butter for a snack instead of candy leave room for a glass of wine with dinner and still be in goal? You learn to make better choices. It's a process. But it's totally worth it.

Good luck!

techgal128

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Stop dieting and try a lifestyle change.

Yep, I like this suggestion. What about eating the same and just exercising more? I'm assuming of course you eat a normal amount of calories.

futuremanda

There's lots of great advice here. But I definitely agree that you have to change that attitude you have where you just say "screw it." There will always be holidays, busy days, parties, sick days, etc. That will never change. So if you want to change, you'll have to learn to accept imperfection.

(And I don't say this to be mean. This is hard stuff, and we all have stuff. I'm just saying it because it does seem like a major block for you in getting what you want, and you need to tackle that block directly.)

Some tips in addition to the other ones here:
1. Identify the underlying beliefs that lead to this behaviour, and challenge the logic. Over and over until it sticks.
2. Come up with a new way to frame imperfection. Ex. "falling off the wagon/horse", "failure", "screwing up", "bingeing", "giving up", "cheating" etc. There's no wagon, there's no failure. I've recently started following Blogilates and Cassey calls her meals that deviate from her usual "YOLO meals" -- this is an example of a positive frame that wouldn't lead to "oh well I suck, guess I'll give up."

kiki_anitoni

I'm the worst offender when I comes to yo-yo dieting. I've yo-yo'ed 30 lbs in the last 2 years. I have a history of starving myself so I would lose a ton of weight but then gain it back within months. This time around I am using MFP and tracking what I eat. It's hard not losing 10 pounds in a week but I know deep down its the way to go and the only way that I will keep it off in the long run.

alex_marchuk

mrsBrown1989 wrote: »

My main problem is if I eat one bad thing ill throw it all away and give up and I'll binge eat for a week.

this is my biggest struggle!! I'm a hardcore binge eater.. still working on it!!