What saves you from a relapse?

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  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
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    Relapsing has been a problem of mine in the past--once I overate a few times, I felt like what the heck, and just stopped trying.

    This time when I began losing weight again, I wrote some "Notes to my thinner self...". This was one of them: "When you feel like you've been eating too much lately don't just let it all go and undo all the hard work you've done! Take some days of IF, or just eating fresh produce and lots of good protein, and you will get back on track in a couple of days instead of a couple of months or years. DO IT!!"

    Might sound silly, but it has helped me over the past few months. I also realize that it has taken me 3.5 months (about 100 days) to lose 15 lbs--all those lbs are not going to come back in only a couple of bad days.

    Good luck! You can do it!
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    I know i go through whinny victims moods.. they last a day or two..and I keep my mouth shut and soldier through. It is just the weak part of my personality trying to get me to fail. Don't do it.. it will pass.
  • katthouse499
    katthouse499 Posts: 50 Member
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    To me NOTHING tastes as good as feeling healthy and how hard I've worked to get there
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    Nothing stops me from relapsing. Some days I eat within my goal. Other days I want the cupcake more. The only rule is, log it. I check the average so I know how far up or down I am over the week. That awareness is what stops me from consistently going overboard - it keeps my overall goal in front of my eyes and that informs my choices.

    I don't expect perfect compliance because I am not good at rules. But I expect to be aware of what I am eating and what it is doing to the numbers. that's enough for me, and works better than second guessing every bite.
  • vanmep
    vanmep Posts: 410 Member
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    I have become much more mindful and aware of what I REALLY want. Once in a while it is junk food that I really want. But most often it is being healthy and disciplined and feeling physically good and good about myself that I really want.
  • veggie16mfp
    veggie16mfp Posts: 114 Member
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    Just copied this and its going on my wall - Its perfect for me right now. I am facing into a challenging couple of months with regard to deadlines and then of course the party season so this is now my needed mantra. Blessings to you!
    Philtex wrote: »
    I keep this thought in mind: 'Don't sacrifice what you want for what you want right now'.



  • absentmindedhousewife
    absentmindedhousewife Posts: 68 Member
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    I just had a damned cupcake. It was delicious.

    I also had a basmati rice and veggie stir fry dinner. Low in calories. High in bulk. Had my fill. Had calories enough for a cupcake.

    It was pumpkin cream cheese with a whipped cream topping.
  • soufauxgirl
    soufauxgirl Posts: 392 Member
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    Thinking about how I looked almost a year ago next month, a bloated and sweaty anaemic diabetic with panda bags under my eyes... in absolute denial about my declining health. That helps me from relapsing.
  • finiss
    finiss Posts: 3 Member
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    Carchick94 wrote: »
    Hello, I am an emotional eater and every not so great day that I have, I want to eat. In that very moment, I get this 'screw it' attitude. This is what has always put my weight loss goals to a hault. I'm stubborn and I tell myself I deserve this damn cupcake cause I had a terrible day and in that moment stop caring all together. When you get this way, what stops you? How does the angel on your right shoulder tell the devil on your left shoulder no?

  • finiss
    finiss Posts: 3 Member
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    Carchick94 wrote: »
    Hello, I am an emotional eater and every not so great day that I have, I want to eat. In that very moment, I get this 'screw it' attitude. This is what has always put my weight loss goals to a hault. I'm stubborn and I tell myself I deserve this damn cupcake cause I had a terrible day and in that moment stop caring all together. When you get this way, what stops you? How does the angel on your right shoulder tell the devil on your left shoulder no?

  • finiss
    finiss Posts: 3 Member
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    Read "Brain Over Binge". it will free you from that voice that keeps saying: " Go ahead, you deserve it."
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    Planned "relapses." Works with food. Not with sobriety.
  • daviddaw9948
    daviddaw9948 Posts: 11 Member
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    Where are you when the cupcake temptation strikes? If you are at home, then how did that cupcake get to your home? Did you buy it? Did someone else purchase it? Did you buy it for other family members? Nobody needs cupcakes, so do not buy them when shopping, and ask others not to. If you are outside the home, then just physically do not put temptation in your way.

    I find it hard to resist temptation if the foods are in the house, but if there are no biscuits in the cupboard, or yoghurts in the fridge, it is so much easier to resist the urge. If I am out and feel like I want an ice-cream for instance, then I will just make sure that I don't go near one. When the urge passes, and it will, the satisfaction of conquering it remains.
  • chezinkflo
    chezinkflo Posts: 19 Member
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    The thought of getting type 2 diabetes keeps me on track, I don't want to get my legs amputated, suffer kidney failure, go blind etc. It's a very powerful motivation for me.
  • DisruptedMatrix
    DisruptedMatrix Posts: 130 Member
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    Put your headphones in, go for an hours walk. Eat back the extra calories guilt free. Or eat the calorie deficit you had from the past week.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    FlaggExterminvs wrote: »
    also knowing how angry and violent i got to anyone thinner who tried to show me up. i want to stay size 0/2 forever

    Mods please block this person.
  • ashlepersuasion
    ashlepersuasion Posts: 51 Member
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    What saves me from tumbling hard off the wagon is constantly reminding myself of my progress and my goal. For me the weight loss struggle is all mental. If I am in a very bad mood or as you mentioned having a bad day then my diet is hanging on by a thread. I have to talk myself (in my head) back to why its best I keep consistent. I also think about how guilty I will feel afterward.
  • VeganRaptor
    VeganRaptor Posts: 164 Member
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    FlaggExterminvs wrote: »
    also keep looking like the perfect human keeps me from relapsing on Count Chocula (hes pure marshmellowy choco evil!) lol

    I don't think the "perfect human" really exists :) There is beauty in every body :)
  • VeganRaptor
    VeganRaptor Posts: 164 Member
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    I'm not really an emotional eater but I think preventing myself from relapsing into my eating disorder has some similarities to the strategies others here use :)
    Not labeling foods as good or bad is a really great strategy for anyone to use, in my opinion. Eating things in moderation is fine- balance is important mentally which can help you physically!
    I also find making myself a meal plan is good for the days when I'm feeling like I might relapse. It means you don't really have to worry as much about what you will or won't be eating.
    Finding other ways to cope is also a positive :) I like to bake as a stress relieving coping mechanism, although I'm still figuring out how to bring that back into my life in a non-disordered way with my therapist.

    I hope you find something that works for you!
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    A thought that struck me about the angel and devil on the shoulders - I got on much better once I realised they are not an angel and a devil, they are competing desires and neither is evil.

    What you call the "angel" is your desire to become healthier over the long term. What you call the "devil" may be one of several motivations to eat the thing. Perhaps just a dopamine-based craving; perhaps genuine hunger; perhaps an emotional hurt that's crying for recognition.

    None of these are good or evil, they are all parts of you - your pet gnomes telling you what they need. If you can tease out who is saying what you can make an informed decision about what to do.

    For example, I just realised today that my increased desire for carbsy food is not the dopamine gnome, but my body genuinely needing a bit of extra energy to deal with a virus I'm nursing. It's all a question of self knowledge.

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