Stuck in a rut

CherylMarieJenkinson

I started training last summer and saw an incredible change in my body proportions, only when Xmas came I got stuck in a rut of eating really unhealthy foods and binging. It started off with small portions of a naughty snack here and one there.. but it’s late April now and I’m only just getting back to a controlled diet.

My fear is it won’t last long I crave unhealthy foods, I trigger binges and then don’t look back but it’s never a one off, it’ll last a week or more.

Does anyone have some advice for me?

cmriverside

Make sure you're eating enough on a regular basis. Most of the time binges are set off by trying to restrict too much. If you are trying to lose weight, and if you are close to a good goal weight, you really can't cut calories by much - at most 250 per day off your TDEE.

MarvinsFitLife

@CherylMarieJenkinson all I can say is get back on the routine you were on before Christmas. Up the mins on your workouts preferably High Intensity Interval training

cheryldumais

I agree with @cmriverside that you need to be sure you aren't cutting back too drastically. Hunger can create a situation where you can't control yourself.

Sugar was my problem so I substituted sugar free candy for regular candy. It really isn't any lower in calories but for some reason it doesn't seem to set me off the way real sugar does. The other option is to save calories for a treat but it sounds as though that's not working for you. I still have what they call "red light" foods that I try to avoid just because I don't want to go back to being overweight but occasionally I allow myself something I have restricted. I have found that as time goes by I have a bit more control and I think it's just become a habit for me now.

Hang in there you are on the right track and figuring out what's going to work for you for the long haul takes a little time.

MichelleSilverleaf

CherylMarieJenkinson wrote: »

I started training last summer and saw an incredible change in my body proportions, only when Xmas came I got stuck in a rut of eating really unhealthy foods and binging. It started off with small portions of a naughty snack here and one there.. but it’s late April now and I’m only just getting back to a controlled diet.

My fear is it won’t last long I crave unhealthy foods, I trigger binges and then don’t look back but it’s never a one off, it’ll last a week or more.

Does anyone have some advice for me?

Part of the problem may be "naughty" and "unhealthy". Demonizing foods can be counter-productive in that the more you deny yourself or think of them as "naughty", the more you're likely to cave. If they're things you just can't control yourself around however then you'll have to buckle down and not have them in the house.

CherylMarieJenkinson

@MarvinsFitLife that’s the plan, I’ve spent more time being active today and hope everyday can be this great and feeling great for it. Thank you for the support

CherylMarieJenkinson

@cmriverside thank you that’s a great tip! I’ve been trying to this for the last week so hopefully notice a difference in my progression.

Danp

Nothing has made me binge harder on a food than telling myself that I can't have it. I'd be so "good" for a while but eventually the deprivation and denial would build, I'd quite understandably 'crack' and all bets would be off!

So now I never deny myself anything. If I feel like something I'll find a way to make it work. Sometimes that involves planning by making small adjustments to accommodate the indulgence. Sometimes that involves just accepting that the indulgence will impact (not ruin) my rate of loss and being OK with that.