I keep falling off the wagon after doing so well :(

aoikirin

I am really struggling to maintain compliance with the amount of calories I am supposed to be eating. I will do great for 4-7 days, but then get horrible cravings to overeat. There is a diner place right by my work that has great pancakes. They are my weakness. I never want to go there again but it's hard. The craving is really strong, and it's right by my work.

I did this today after a number of perfect days. Today was particularly stressful at work and I know this is why I ended up going to the diner. I wanted those pancakes for comfort from stress.

meshashesha2012

how about making them at home yourself? they are pretty easy and nothing particularly high calorie : flour, eggs, milk.
make your own syrups using a little maple syrup mixed with pureed fruit. i've also heard of people on here making protein pancakes with protein powder mixed in the batter.

elsarocks09

i would suggest to find something else thats equally delicious for those instances where u need ur stress plasure food. also maybe try adding an extra workout into ur week to kinda even it out anyways?

RosyBest

I know right? I can totally understand where you are coming from. I do that too and get so frustrated with myself later. Why is willpower so hard?

TonyG111160

You describe exactly what happens to me, I do well then just can't control the hunger and cravings. My downfall is cheese.

joycedomingo1

I am really struggling to maintain compliance with the amount of calories I am supposed to be eating. I will do great for 4-7 days, but then get horrible cravings to overeat. There is a diner place right by my work that has great pancakes. They are my weakness. I never want to go there again but it's hard. The craving is really strong, and it's right by my work.

I did this today after a number of perfect days. Today was particularly stressful at work and I know this is why I ended up going to the diner. I wanted those pancakes for comfort from stress.

If you fall off the wagon, just get back on it. Then drive it around the block several times as penance.

GiveMeCoffee

You don't have to give up the pancakes, and it doesn't have to stall your loss.

Plan for it once a week, this way you won't feel deprived and will make it much easier to continue. So even if your favorite pancake meal is 1500 calories - workout the day you have them, eat those and something else smaller later in the day and you can still maintain a small deficit.

Now if you are eating just because of stress, then to find a new activity for relief. Biking long distances and lifting work great for me when I need to get rid of some stress, or I hit the punching bag for awhile

Ant_the_old_keith_lemon

Are you constantly telling yourself that you cant have certain things??

do you have a lot of stress around you or are you stressing about what you eat??

Stress can bring on a maternal instinct to suckle or in our case consume food, yes comfort eating is a true phenomena.. also it brings on a hormone that puts you in starvation mode and conserves calories..

the root cause could be your release mechanism to stress, could you not take 10 mins to wind down after your day in work, take a stroll around and chat to people? i used to change my shoes before leaving, making it a routine to leave the stress in the shoes, THAT WORKED!!

failing that leave all your money at home so you cant buy any!!

inksyrup

Plan for it once a week, this way you won't feel deprived and will make it much easier to continue. So even if your favorite pancake meal is 1500 calories - workout the day you have them, eat those and something else smaller later in the day and you can still maintain a small deficit.

Along with this, remember that it's more about a weekly deficient than a daily one.
So say that after planning my meals (I eat a different amount on different days), I have an extra ~1,000 calories at the end of the week (a pound is 3,500 calories and I'm in a 4,500 calorie deficit on Sunday), I have 1,000 calories to eat whatever I want. I like candy a lot, so I'll buy some. I also like sweet potato, so I'll eat one. :^) By the end of Sunday, I'm still at a deficient of 3,500 kcal and I still lose a pound. I hope that makes sense--I'm terrible with explaining things.

It's called calorie cycling, and this site has a pretty great calculator for it. I really suggest you try it out! http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

JesterMFP

You don't have to give up the pancakes, and it doesn't have to stall your loss.

Plan for it once a week, this way you won't feel deprived and will make it much easier to continue. So even if your favorite pancake meal is 1500 calories - workout the day you have them, eat those and something else smaller later in the day and you can still maintain a small deficit.

Now if you are eating just because of stress, then to find a new activity for relief. Biking long distances and lifting work great for me when I need to get rid of some stress, or I hit the punching bag for awhile

I agree with this.

If you're comfort eating, and eating to cope with emotions, or to stop feeling emotions, or to change your state of mind etc, then that is something that you will need to address in order to be successful long term. However, it doesn't happen overnight. In the meantime, completely cutting out foods that you really enjoy can be a recipe for disaster, and is completely unnecessary to weight loss. Honestly, I would try to incorporate a trip to the pancake place once a week. Obviously, if you can make choices that are lower in calories, then it will be easier to fit them into your daily intake. For many people, as soon as they tell themselves they can't eat something, they start craving it even more. Reassure yourself that you can have your favourite foods on a regular basis, as long as you fit them in, and you'll probably find the cravings reduce.

It may be that you want to cut down on how often you eat them, in order to get a better nutritional balance, but again, that doesn't have to happen overnight. Focus first on portion control and hitting your calorie goal (which ideally shouldn't be excessively low) and make whatever other changes you want to make in due course. Weight loss is hard enough, don't make it harder than it needs to be.

Stop getting on wagons of strict dieting and deprivation, and you'll stop falling off them.

_Zardoz_

How many calories are you eating? Are you actually eating enough? Are you eating a proportion of your exercise calories back. If you have your settings set to lose 2 pounds a week and are struggling with this set it for a lower loss that way your calories will be higher and it may be more substainable for you.

fushigi1988

How many calories are you eating? Are you actually eating enough? Are you eating a proportion of your exercise calories back. If you have your settings set to lose 2 pounds a week and are struggling with this set it for a lower loss that way your calories will be higher and it may be more substainable for you.

^^this. I get big cravings for stuff when I have been undereating.

Fairlieboy

There are dieting myths & then there are evidence based strategies. Can't see your diary but;
1. Up your protein. Even swinging 15% more dampens down appetite.
2. Cut out added sugar & try to cut out most carbs. Takes a couple of weeks to get over the sugar addiction.
3. Accept you have high value foods you just cant give up. Diets fail because we have "what the hell" moments. Have a forbidden food like have a piece of chocolate, then eat the whole block! The psychology is intriguing. A book i read recently goes into this in more detail. (Weight loss for food lovers by dr George Blair-West)
Change is not easy, and the so-called lifestyle change is working out how to minimize the changes so you don't fall off the wagon & in 5 years you're still at the weight you want.

alisonlynn1976

Eat the pancakes once in a while by fitting them into your calorie plan. You're giving them power over you by making them forbidden.

aoikirin

I did it again today after being good a number of days.

kagevf

i eat my ice cream everyday, not one scoop but 3-5. dont give em up. as long as it fits your daily or weekly cals and on deficit 5x/week, you all good!
your allowed a cheat day.

watto1980

Is it possible that you you might be under eating? I used to fall into that trap where I would under eat for a period of time before my body just said 'yeah that's enough of that' and I would have a binge.

aoikirin

I think it's just really hard for me not to use food to self medicate my feelings of stress, loneliness, etc.

BlackPup

Stop "being good" and "perfect" and be sustainable.

Sarauk2sf

I think it's just really hard for me not to use food to self medicate my feelings of stress, loneliness, etc.

What is your average daily caloric intake (ignoring the pancakes)

stt43

Eat more calories.
Set your weight loss to either 0.5lb or 1lbs per week, and exercise regularly, eating back your exercise calories.

padams2359

You did it on the 21st, then again on the 29th. That is 8 days. If that is your only binge, have the damn pancakes, and know you are doing better than many others. Maybe making modifications to your other days might make things easier and the pancakes more enjoyable.

Vex3521

How many calories are you eating? Are you actually eating enough? Are you eating a proportion of your exercise calories back. If you have your settings set to lose 2 pounds a week and are struggling with this set it for a lower loss that way your calories will be higher and it may be more substainable for you.

^^this. I get big cravings for stuff when I have been undereating.

^^^This this this.

Also from the emotional/stress eating standpoint, I WILL binge if I am restricting too much. Or if I skip a meal 2 days in a row or am under one day and then skip... it happens. I think the bigger thing is to forgive yourself and allow the pancakes. If you're feeling guilty can you get a shorter stack? So you're not focusing on the "OMG I Just Ate all those cals/carbs" and can just be happy you got your pancakes

aoikirin

I think it's just really hard for me not to use food to self medicate my feelings of stress, loneliness, etc.

What is your average daily caloric intake (ignoring the pancakes)

I aim for 1500-1800

Sarauk2sf

I think it's just really hard for me not to use food to self medicate my feelings of stress, loneliness, etc.

What is your average daily caloric intake (ignoring the pancakes)

I aim for 1500-1800

That is pretty low. You can 'afford' a pancake day to be honest. Plan it, log it, and look at your caloric intake for the week and weight loss results over a few weeks.

Or alternatively, do not restrict yourself so much and you may be less likely to feel out of control.

Have a read of this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Roaringgael

I am really struggling to maintain compliance with the amount of calories I am supposed to be eating. I will do great for 4-7 days, but then get horrible cravings to overeat. There is a diner place right by my work that has great pancakes. They are my weakness. I never want to go there again but it's hard. The craving is really strong, and it's right by my work.

I did this today after a number of perfect days. Today was particularly stressful at work and I know this is why I ended up going to the diner. I wanted those pancakes for comfort from stress.

I've been where you are at, just don't give up. Keep trying, plan a pancake meal or something.
I have weight loss meditations I listen to most days to help me with stress.

stt43

I think it's just really hard for me not to use food to self medicate my feelings of stress, loneliness, etc.

What is your average daily caloric intake (ignoring the pancakes)

I aim for 1500-1800

I'd have cravings and over-eat too if I were on 1500-1800 calories. I usually consume around 2000-2600. Try consuming more calories, and exercise a little more if you need to.
You may not be getting enough of particular macro- or micronutrients either, which may cause you to be more hungry or to crave certain things.

nazish17

the key to this is moderarion ~ you have to know you can have the pancakes and not feel guilry later© otherwise you are srtting yourself fpr a stumble as your feeling guilty etc which is setting you up with a negative mind set. i myself had the same problem i changed my weight loss plan to 0.5/1lb a week because you have to remind yourself this isnt just a diet its a lifetime chamge and you dont want to be feeling crap for eating pancakes all your life.

however nice it is to see the numbers decrease at a faster rate it might be a good idea to start it of slow and steady and incooperate some new eating habits and then slowly increase to a number hat is sustainable by you.

Make sure you are eating enough and drinking enough fluids to keep the cravings at bay, remember portion controll you can always just have the one pancake instead of 2-3.

Plan a pankcake day in advance if you have to maybe every week to begin with and then maybe every 2-3 weeks later. That way you can enjoy the pancakes you obvs Love as they are your weakness. You also make the pancakes healthier ine - add some fruit et

remember a winner picks himself up one more time than he stumbled, this is your journey, there will be good and bad days there will be obstacles, but you can do this, its all about Mindsrt!

davert123

Also what are you eating ? I know some foods can make some people crave. How about keeping a detailed log of what you eat and drink for a couple of weeks along with what you feel and when you crave. Also put in sleep patterns as well. It may be that this could help you understand what is going on ., especially if it is dietary :-)

huv123

I would suggest you look into practicing "mindfulness". My place of employment offered it as a free short course for employees and it was excellent for me. GIven that I am high stress and anxiety it helped me practice being 'present' instead of constantly worrying about the future. I think something like that may not stop you "bingeing" but will help you understand that it is only a moment in time so you don't carry around the guilt of it.

I also devote 200 calories a day to eating basically whatever food I want. All my other calories are devoted to my basic meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and a healthy snack (like fruit, or carrots with hummus etc)). I usually have a cookie or two. It stops me from obsessing over junk food and sweets - which I love! I try and do at least 200 calories worth of exercise everyday which I dont use towards my basic meals.

_EndGame_

Will power is a strange thing.

I've lost nearly 120 LBS, and I still give in to temptation sometimes and eat like an unhinged beast. I soon discovered it didn't really matter. I can eat like a food deprived maniac every now and then, it's not like I got fat from binging out on food once every now and then, I got fat from having an all round constant unhealthy eating lifestyle.

Eat your pancakes once every 4-7 days, it won't hinder your weight loss.