Coming Off a Bender

ja9smakinachange

I’m realizing just how yo-yo I’ve become and am curious if there are others who were like this and how you finally made the change to a healthier lifestyle permanent.

I love to run, but only really go when I have a race to train for.
I’d love to lose 15lbs, but really only track for short terms and then gorge on everything for a few weeks.
I do consistently do weight training on my lunches 3X week. That is the only consistent thing I do, the rest I feel like I’m either at 110% or negative 60%

I dont think exercise is my issue, food control is.

I know how much of this is mental, and I can’t seem to keep myself in the right place mentally to succeed. I know the work I need to do, I’m not looking for overnight miracles.

Not sure what I’m hoping for here, I just wonder if there are things I’m missing.

Hbarry7

Sounds like you know what you need to do, just have trouble doing it. I recommend focusing on making a daily meal plan you can be satisfiyied with. Approcah it like you do training for a run and set a weekly goal. Start by looking at you current eating habits and take one small thing and dedicate this week to changing it. Dedicate week two to maintaining the week one change and adding a second small thing. Do that for four weeks, then reassess. The goal is to train a better lifestlye so the small changes become daily, regardless of what exercise you are or are not doing.

Ideas:
Add a veggie serving
Add a fruit serving
Replace an unhealthy snack with 1 serving of dry roasted salted almonds (approx 150 calories) and a glass of water
Replace one soda/coffee with a water

ex:
I learned that my body and mind work best if I have protein in my breakfast. And that it has to be fast to make and eat.
My go-to breakfasts:
1) 1 whole egg, 1 egg white w/ .5 oz melted cheddar cheese on top
2) 1/2 cup 1% Cottage Cheese w/6 triscutts
3) 1 cup Trader Joe's Vanilla Almond Clusters cereal w/1 cup 1% milk
But sometimes it's
4) 1 scoop of Muslce Milk chocolate protien shake w/1% milk,
5) 1 packet of Quaker Oatmeal (maple & brown sugar flavor- yum) w/a pad of butter
6) I slice toast with 1tablesppon PB and half tablesppon of jam, with a medium banana or half an apple

I'm still working on figureing out my other go-to meals, but now I never wonder what I'll have for breakfast. With those options it doesn't matter if its a weekday, weekend or if I'm on vacation.

And while its important to eat healthy you need to eat so you're pyschologically satisfyied too. So figure out how to include foods you look forward to eating. I genuinely like all 6 of my breakfast options, but not any one day-in and day-out, which is why I have so many options to pick from.

JoyeII

The best way to stick to a plan is to first make one. Plan your daily meals in advance. Plan your snacks. Plan for emergencies (e.g. keep snacks in your desk, purse, car, etc.). That way, if you get stuck somewhere, you don't have to wing it.

rmdaly

I love to run, but only really go when I have a race to train for.

Find a training group that keeps training for events all year round. Right now, in my area there are even some holiday training groups that do turkey trots, holiday and new years runs. Its a great social thing as well.

I’d love to lose 15lbs, but really only track for short terms and then gorge on everything for a few weeks.

Why are you gorging? Are you eating too little when you track? Are you comfort eating? You might want to do some research on mindful eating and emotional eating. I can't give you any answers. I am a consistent exerciser, but I seem to binge a lot and can't lose the 25lbs I need. I'm trying right now to track for a month and see where my emotions are and what are the triggers that make me binge. I am also trying to be kind to myself when I do have problems.

Good luck

ja9smakinachange

I love to run, but only really go when I have a race to train for.

Find a training group that keeps training for events all year round. Right now, in my area there are even some holiday training groups that do turkey trots, holiday and new years runs. Its a great social thing as well.

I’d love to lose 15lbs, but really only track for short terms and then gorge on everything for a few weeks.

Why are you gorging? Are you eating too little when you track? Are you comfort eating? You might want to do some research on mindful eating and emotional eating. I can't give you any answers. I am a consistent exerciser, but I seem to binge a lot and can't lose the 25lbs I need. I'm trying right now to track for a month and see where my emotions are and what are the triggers that make me binge. I am also trying to be kind to myself when I do have problems.

Good luck

Thanks for all the feedback - as for the running - I signed myself up for my longest race ever 30k it's the end of March so my hopes are it'll require me to keep at it even when the dreaded winter snow is at it's worse.

In regards to food - No I never restrict too much - Doubt I ever go less I know there some emotional triggers, but I also dont seem to have a 'full meter' I never feel done, I get sick of what's in front of me but if you roll out a tray of something new I'm in for more. It's also a comfort, and as much as I love healthy food I also adore all things unhealthy... I wish I could turn that off.

One other 'excuse' I got braces on my teeth about 8 months ago, and it's really limited the fresh fruit/veggie options for me. I simply can't eat them without having a tooth brush and special floss nearby, so my gotos have changed.

@hbarry7 - thanks for the tips, the slow appraoch to small changes might be the kick I need. I guess with 2 kids and school and work I feel like it's full blast or couch potato... finding middle ground might help

cmriverside

You need to set yourself a reasonable calorie GOAL and stick to it.

Use this site's tools and set your Goal to "Lose 1/2 pound per week" then add back in and eat those extra calories earned by exercise. Sounds like you have been under eating, then binging. You need a steady supply of nutrition to keep from binging. That means extra fuel for those long runs.

Vegetables and fruit can be ingested in smoothies - you need them, don't make excuses for yourself to not eat them. Even a glass of V8 is better than avoidance.

ja9smakinachange

I hit post a bit too soon there... as for restricting - I never go under 1500, ever. the only days I did were the 3 days I did the military diet to show a friend how stupid it is. Which backfired because I lost 6lbs. But I am never close to starving, I eat

As for the veggies- I still eat tons, but cooked. Raw was always my handy snack, but they get stuck so aren't desk friendly... so now my desk snacks arent as low cal, and my scale is feeling it