Self-Sabotaging Habits: Confess them to help (everyone) beat them!

explodingmango

ent3rsandman wrote: »

Sometimes I have a bad day of eating and attempt to compensate the next day. Sometimes it works, other times it sends me into a yo-yo like pattern that leads to a sort of binge-fast cycle. If it's only a few hundred calories over my calorie goal then I've learned to forget about it and just move on. Sometimes it's 1000, though.

I have the same problem so bad it constitutes a major part of my eating disorder. What I've found that works fairly well is this:

Instead of a single number, fixed calorie target every day, I give myself a target range. Mine, specifically, as of right now, is 1200-1500 - so, 300 calorie difference between the low end and the high end. I do not, under any circumstances, take in less than 1200.

So, if I were to eat 2000 one day (500 over the high end of my range) then, my goal would be to eat closer to 1200 for the next 2 days (total of 600 under the high end). Thus, on average (i.e., where it actually counts) I remain within that range - and I didn't have to starve myself and restart the yo-yo cycle to do it.

misshoe

I tend to reward success with food. Terrible habit & self sabotaging! I have to find a non-food reward!

besaro

beer. and having a handful of nuts without weighing.

momagsg1

I love cake. Anytime it is in the house, i'll slice little slivers off of it and eat it right off the platter or pan instead of putting it on a plate when no one is around. One sliver turns into 10 slivers and at that point, I've just consumed a normal size piece. Except I didn't enjoy eating it at all cause I do it as fast as possible. My mind can pretend I never ate it since it wasn't on a plate but it is embarrassing. I think I'd feel less bad about eating things like cake if I would just serve myself on a plate.

DanielleFayeS

Paradoxically both getting too discouraged/feeling too ashamed of minor upward trends and falling off the wagon. And getting too cocky when I finally do start to see the scale dip downward and go "I got this I can surely have a couple bad days." Which turns into a bad week. Which leads to situation one.

I also LOVE sweets. I try to schedule them into my diet so I don't completely give up.

Social eating is also a problem. I like to go out to restaurants with friends and don't want to be a killjoy and don't always like the low calorie options.

lili200

If I drink alcohol, even 1 beer I lose control over my food

JaydedMiss

Normally i overpay to get a single serving thing, Like a drumstick from a variety store. Some times ill cave and buy a tub of icecream or a box of 5 cones for what would be 1.2 cones cost at a variety store. I tell myself every time ill moderate them and make them last. I know i cant. I eat until im sick and keep eating with foods like icecream/cookies/cakes. I know that, Yet every once in a while i get cocky (lie to self) lol.

Lately i hid my sweets from self, But i live in a tiny place so not overly well. Instead of wasting a few $ i tell myself i cant possibly waste 2$ worth of chocolate chips! Such a waste...So i keep digging into them every few days -.- Iv wasted alot more on alot less. Im totally lieing to self and totally aware if it but i still cant throw them out lol.

kathskelly53

Bread bread and more bread need a lock

KenzieTeague

Beer/alcohol is something I have noticed myself consuming more often. I am still a light to moderate drinker, but alcohol calories really add up. Before I joined MFP I wasn't even thinking about the glass of wine or beer with dinner, or the sunday football beers, PLUS just one drink in and I am already reaching for the snacks. I decided recently I will only drink on holidays and special occasions. Currently I intend on sobriety until New Years! It honestly hasn't been challenging at all, and I have noticed a big difference in how I feel. My boyfriend probably drinks a beer every other night and I started drinking more often with him. But, I can no longer use another's action as an excuse for my own.

verybusybee

I would say mine bad habit is pasta, bread and carbs. Since I started Keto I have done much better but I still slip and crave once in awhile. Now its just staying strong for the holidays.

jessica91b17

I have been binging on sugary snacks when I'm stressed or bored even though i know it's the wrong choice, I usually end up saying things to myself like I'll start over tomorrow or i just don't care right now and then I feel guilty later.

PositiveChange2013

My biggest problem is using binge eating to numb the pain of my work related anxiety. I'm going back to my old habits of saying, "Ahhhh.....what the hell. Tomorrow is another day." When tomorrow comes, I repeat the whole tomorrow is another day mantra once again. This needs to stop.

vmtdawn

I "borrow" calories from the week so I can binge eat. If I'm out of calories on Monday, I borrow some from Tuesday so I can eat what I want.
Then when Tuesday gets here, I get frustrated I don't have enough calories, say screw it, and binge eat.
I'm still figuring out how to fix it. Well, I know how to fix it..Just controlling myself to not do it.

verybusybee

@jessica91b17 I am also a bored eater and stressed eater. Although I don't always know when I am stressed. What I have been trying to do is keep healthy snack individually wrapped and with me at all times. Nuts in the car or pork rinds (I do keto) so no carbs or cheese etc.

verybusybee

@vmtdawn The concept of borrowing calories comes from weight watchers. While on weight watchers you are given a number of points and then additional points you can use a little each day or have like a cheat day. It isn't a bad concept but I am not sure how you do it with calories. May you can work on staying between 50 and 100 under Sunday through Friday and then you have 350-700 to play with on Saturday or a day you choose.

jessica91b17

I was doing really good before it started getting colder, what worked for me before was to either chew sugar free gum or take a short walk instead of snacking when im feeling upset.

Graelwyn75

Brittfitt16 wrote: »

aeloine wrote: »

There are foods that I delude myself into thinking I'll be able to control. This week I bought a bag of individually wrapped chocolates thinking that I'd be able to ration them.

Woke up one morning on a pile of wrappers and a chocolate hang over.... I guess you could say I *browned* out

My fix is to NOT keep chocolate in the house.

I've totally been there

Me three. I have a bad habit of sort of hoarding certain foods, thinking I can control my intake of them but the fact is that the only times I do buy these foods is when I cannot control my intake, due to emotional stuff. Lately, it has been mince pies (Uk Xmas food) and Red Velvet Cake. I got rid of all the funsize chocolate bars I amassed during the Halloween period as even putting them in the freezer did not stop me. It is not self sabotage in the sense that I have any weight to lose, but that I end up binge eating and feeling like rubbish from all the sugar.

kathskelly53

Did someone mention mince pies. Now that’s going to be hard