Stuck in a binge/healthy eating cycle

Options
TremendouslyMagnificentYouth
TremendouslyMagnificentYouth Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been stuck in this cycle of eating healthy and clean for a few days then crashing and having a HUGE binge, does anyone have any advice? Or is dealing with the same thing?
«1

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Options
    Stop this clean eating bs.

    It's pointless.

    And it's making you binge.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    edited August 2015
    Options
    That's what happens when you restrict yourself, it's not sustainable.

    I eat everything in moderation. Basically 80/20.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Options
    Maybe don't be so restrictive with your eating.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Options
    Are you being too restrictive with your diet?
  • ultrahoon
    ultrahoon Posts: 467 Member
    Options
    Do something more sustainable. I like my treats and indulgences, if I had to eat 'clean' I'd fall off the wagon and binge too.

    It's perfectly possible to be in a calorie deficit, hit all your micro and macro goals, and still have calories left over for treats.
  • accidentalpancake
    accidentalpancake Posts: 484 Member
    Options
    IsaackGMOON wrote: »
    Stop this clean eating bs.

    It's pointless.

    And it's making you binge.

    Lots of assumptions there.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Options
    accidentalpancake wrote: »
    IsaackGMOON wrote: »
    Stop this clean eating bs.

    It's pointless.

    And it's making you binge.

    Lots of assumptions there.

    Well out of all the 'clean eating' threads I've seen, most of the OP's binged after 'eating clean' for a couple of days...

    It being bs and pointless wasn't an assumption though ;)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Options
    My guess is when you're restricting, your calorie goal is simply too low overall. Shoot for a 500 calorie per day deficit from your TDEE (or fill in your info on the MFP app and set your loss to 1# per week as a goal and follow what the app recommends).
  • z304
    z304 Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    What does a typical "eating healthy and clean" day look like for you?
  • TremendouslyMagnificentYouth
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I'm really restricting myself, I've replaced most of the food I "crave" with healthier options. The only food I've cut out is bread. I never skip meals, and I smack throughout the day. I manage to stay with a calorie range of 1200-1400, but when boredom/stress/etc sets in, I'll eat anything in my path
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Options
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth wrote: »
    I'm really restricting myself, I've replaced most of the food I "crave" with healthier options. The only food I've cut out is bread. I never skip meals, and I smack throughout the day. I manage to stay with a calorie range of 1200-1400, but when boredom/stress/etc sets in, I'll eat anything in my path

    Be more lenient then... if not, you'll be stuck in the cycle.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Options
    I was a binge eater, I haven't binged since I started eating at a deficit and I think this is mostly because I don't restrict anything but my calorie intake.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Options
    WBB55 wrote: »
    My guess is when you're restricting, your calorie goal is simply too low overall. Shoot for a 500 calorie per day deficit from your TDEE (or fill in your info on the MFP app and set your loss to 1# per week as a goal and follow what the app recommends).

    This is good advice. 1200-1300 calories is too low unless you are very tiny and close to your goal weight.

    You should be eating now like you plan to eat for the rest of your life, just fewer calories. Otherwise, you'll reach your goal weight, go back to the way you used to eat and gain all of the weight back. Now, if you're planning to eat "clean" and "healthy" from this point forward, then that's what you should do now, but it doesn't sound like you're really on board with the plan if you're stating that you're avoiding the foods you really want to eat.

    You have two options here: one is to simply remove all of the foods you actually like to eat and will end up binging on from the house. If it's not there, you can't eat it. The other is to eat the foods you like in moderation rather than making them off limits and therefore starting a binge cycle. In either case, I'd suggest eating more and losing a little slower. That alone may help to stave off the binge cycle.
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    Options
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth wrote: »
    I'm really restricting myself, I've replaced most of the food I "crave" with healthier options. The only food I've cut out is bread. I never skip meals, and I smack throughout the day. I manage to stay with a calorie range of 1200-1400, but when boredom/stress/etc sets in, I'll eat anything in my path

    You need to train your mind to see food as sustenance, instead of comfort food / distraction mechanism.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
    Options
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth wrote: »
    I'm really restricting myself, I've replaced most of the food I "crave" with healthier options. The only food I've cut out is bread. I never skip meals, and I smack throughout the day. I manage to stay with a calorie range of 1200-1400, but when boredom/stress/etc sets in, I'll eat anything in my path

    You may find the parts of this thread that mention behavior useful: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10226257/food-addiction-a-different-perspective/p1
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    At 18 you can eat way more than 1400 to lose.

    Pick a SUSTAINABLE goal. You want to lose 28 pounds, pick one pound a week, and eat back half your exercise calories. And eat ALL your calories.

    Really, that's the only way you'll stop that cycle. If you're satisfied, you'll be less likely to binge later.
  • TremendouslyMagnificentYouth
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I feel like it's a habit more than something I do because I'm hungry because I eat A LOT since my diet is mainly organic food which tends to be on the low side of calories. My problem is getting out of that habit it turning to food as a solution to negative emotions, you know?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    It's not the issue though. The issue is that you're depriving yourself of things you like (enough to binge on, at least), so when they are available you don't know how to deal with it. So you binge.

    And I'm confused about how organic food is on the low side of calories, considering that pretty much anything can be made organic.

    But anyway, if your emotions cause you to binge, go for a walk instead of reaching for the cupboard.
  • z304
    z304 Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth wrote: »
    I feel like it's a habit more than something I do because I'm hungry because I eat A LOT since my diet is mainly organic food which tends to be on the low side of calories. My problem is getting out of that habit it turning to food as a solution to negative emotions, you know?

    Write out a list of things to do other than eating when you're bored, lonely, anxious, stressed, sad, mad, etc. try to include quick things and longer activities. Put it where you won't forget it and use it.

    It does sound like you should raise your daily calories too.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    TremendouslyMagnificentYouth wrote: »
    I've been stuck in this cycle of eating healthy and clean for a few days then crashing and having a HUGE binge, does anyone have any advice? Or is dealing with the same thing?

    Your diet doesn't have to be 100% "clean" or "healthy foods" to be a healthy diet. Balance is the key to happiness and health. Balance your macros, balance your micros, balance the 'good' and 'bad', balance exercise and rest.

Categories