How 'Clean Eating' leads to 'Binge Eating'.
PattyTheUndefeated
Posts: 302 Member
I totally related to this post and thought I'd pass it along.
(Copied from: http://jcdfitness.com/2009/03/how-i-eliminated-binge-eating-completely/)
Binge Eating according to Wikipedia is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable overeating.
The Problem
Binge eating is a fairly common issue in the bodybuilding and fitness circle. I myself have experienced the woes of this disorder as have many others I know and have worked with personally. Now I believe there to be two different scenarios to Binge Eating. First you have the small group of fitness enthusiasts who have mini binges and then you have people who experience severe psychological issues with food. The latter group typically will struggle with the disorder for a prolonged period of time and often take drastic measures to compensate for their actions. If you are reading this and you are in the second group, I highly recommend seeking professional help.
This article is mainly for the fitness enthusiast who, like myself has struggled with binge eating in the past.
How I Got Into Trouble
It all started about four years ago when I began counting calories. I was brainwashed into the whole “clean” food phenomenon as I was reading every bodybuilding and fitness related magazine I could get my meat hooks on. I was so obsessed with the “you gotta eat clean, bro!” mentality that I threw all other sanity to the wind. I was immediately obsessed with brown rice, oatmeal, natural peanut butter, lean chicken breast etc. I was basically consuming most of the foods deemed “clean” by the infamous, dogma laden health and fitness community. I somehow adopted the assumption that pizza, burgers, pasta, white bread and any other fast or “dirty” food would only be stored as fat and would be suboptimal in terms of energy needs.
This wasn’t so bad when on a bulking diet because I was eating plenty of food and keeping full most of the time. However I was developing a really sour relationship with food. I began to look down on others who ate out and those who ordered pizza instead of cooking a chicken breast and brown rice. I found myself constantly craving the food I was restricting. The main reasons were because I could not count the calories and because I assumed it would go straight to my gut. I also began to feel superior to my peers for my abstinence of unhealthy food.
It Only Got Worse
As I said the bingeing wasn’t too much of a problem when on a bulking diet. On a fat loss diet though, it was my worst nightmare. While I found myself severely restricting my intake, I decided to allow one cheat meal per week. This was an absolute disaster. I would eat “clean” all week long and end up almost completely reversing my previous weeks efforts on Sunday. It would start with a breakfast of lots and lots of bacon, eggs and hash browns soaked in grease. Then for lunch I would pig out on whatever was around. May be some peanut butter and jelly, cookies or whatever I could find that was “dirty.” Then for dinner it was usually a race to see how sick I could make myself. I would eat an entire pizza, then I would top it off with ice cream, brownies, cookies and anything else sugary I could get my paws on. I literally ate myself sick on many occasions. The next few days were often filled with overexercising, calorie restriction and feelings of guilt and anxiety. The mirror wasn’t flattering as I usually was holding a ton of water and the scale always revealed an 8-10lb weight swing.
What Did I Do?
I went to a therapist, got religion and joined a convent. I kid. I did however seek help, although not through traditional methods. I sought help through self-study and personal research. I knew that what I was doing was unhealthy and could not be maintained long term. I began seeking out those in the field who were smarter and more experienced than I. I looked to Lyle McDonald for the science behind nutrition and macro composition. Everything I could read about science based nutrition, I read. I soon found that in theory, a calorie is just a calorie. If calories can be controlled, it doesn’t make an iota of difference as to what effects they will have on body composition. When I say calories I am more so referring to energy calories such as carbohydrates and fat. Of course protein is required to maintain lean body mass, but once a certain minimum of protein is met, the other calories are simply used for energy.
So I had to make a decision. I could believe all the old school dogma that was leading to my bingeing or I could adopt a new mindset and belief system around food and change my life for the better.
My Experiment
I began controlling my calories but allowing myself to eat the foods I was craving more often. For instance instead of a boring chicken breast and brown rice I had a few slices of pizza and then a protein shake to meet my protein requirements. For breakfast I would eat the same amount of carbs in the form of sugary cereal as opposed to plain oatmeal. I did this for a couple of months to gather my thoughts and collect data. What did I discover? Food choices do not make a difference at all as long as calories are controlled. A calorie is a calorie. I also lowered my meal frequency to about 2-3 meals a day instead of 6-8. This allowed for better satiety with each meal. I found that I no longer had the urge to binge anymore.
How To Eliminate Binge Eating in 3 Easy Steps
Make A Choice – Decide you want to stop this behavior and make a plan to do so.
Decide the route you are going to take. Plan your work and work your plan.
Do not give up if you fail at first. You will not conquer this habit over night.
Experiment - Try new approaches until you find something that works for you.
Experiment with Intermittent Fasting and place most of your food around workouts or later in the evening. This will provide more satiety and I have had great success with IFing.
Manipulate your energy macros. If carbs tend to make you ravenous, switch to a lower carb diet and eat more fat as fat is known to be a bit more satiating. If you like to pig out on fatty foods, switch to a higher carb diet with most of the energy coming from fruits and veggies.
Try different strategies until one sticks.
Seek Accountability - Make sure others know what you are doing and what your goals are.
Tell your friends that you are committing to this. Ask them to check up on you every so often.
Write in a journal daily or start a blog to document your progress. Many have started weight loss blogs for nothing else but accountability. John from JohnIsFit is a perfect example. He recently wrote a piece on Binge Eating as well.
If all else fails, get help. There is no shame in asking for help.
(Copied from: http://jcdfitness.com/2009/03/how-i-eliminated-binge-eating-completely/)
Binge Eating according to Wikipedia is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable overeating.
The Problem
Binge eating is a fairly common issue in the bodybuilding and fitness circle. I myself have experienced the woes of this disorder as have many others I know and have worked with personally. Now I believe there to be two different scenarios to Binge Eating. First you have the small group of fitness enthusiasts who have mini binges and then you have people who experience severe psychological issues with food. The latter group typically will struggle with the disorder for a prolonged period of time and often take drastic measures to compensate for their actions. If you are reading this and you are in the second group, I highly recommend seeking professional help.
This article is mainly for the fitness enthusiast who, like myself has struggled with binge eating in the past.
How I Got Into Trouble
It all started about four years ago when I began counting calories. I was brainwashed into the whole “clean” food phenomenon as I was reading every bodybuilding and fitness related magazine I could get my meat hooks on. I was so obsessed with the “you gotta eat clean, bro!” mentality that I threw all other sanity to the wind. I was immediately obsessed with brown rice, oatmeal, natural peanut butter, lean chicken breast etc. I was basically consuming most of the foods deemed “clean” by the infamous, dogma laden health and fitness community. I somehow adopted the assumption that pizza, burgers, pasta, white bread and any other fast or “dirty” food would only be stored as fat and would be suboptimal in terms of energy needs.
This wasn’t so bad when on a bulking diet because I was eating plenty of food and keeping full most of the time. However I was developing a really sour relationship with food. I began to look down on others who ate out and those who ordered pizza instead of cooking a chicken breast and brown rice. I found myself constantly craving the food I was restricting. The main reasons were because I could not count the calories and because I assumed it would go straight to my gut. I also began to feel superior to my peers for my abstinence of unhealthy food.
It Only Got Worse
As I said the bingeing wasn’t too much of a problem when on a bulking diet. On a fat loss diet though, it was my worst nightmare. While I found myself severely restricting my intake, I decided to allow one cheat meal per week. This was an absolute disaster. I would eat “clean” all week long and end up almost completely reversing my previous weeks efforts on Sunday. It would start with a breakfast of lots and lots of bacon, eggs and hash browns soaked in grease. Then for lunch I would pig out on whatever was around. May be some peanut butter and jelly, cookies or whatever I could find that was “dirty.” Then for dinner it was usually a race to see how sick I could make myself. I would eat an entire pizza, then I would top it off with ice cream, brownies, cookies and anything else sugary I could get my paws on. I literally ate myself sick on many occasions. The next few days were often filled with overexercising, calorie restriction and feelings of guilt and anxiety. The mirror wasn’t flattering as I usually was holding a ton of water and the scale always revealed an 8-10lb weight swing.
What Did I Do?
I went to a therapist, got religion and joined a convent. I kid. I did however seek help, although not through traditional methods. I sought help through self-study and personal research. I knew that what I was doing was unhealthy and could not be maintained long term. I began seeking out those in the field who were smarter and more experienced than I. I looked to Lyle McDonald for the science behind nutrition and macro composition. Everything I could read about science based nutrition, I read. I soon found that in theory, a calorie is just a calorie. If calories can be controlled, it doesn’t make an iota of difference as to what effects they will have on body composition. When I say calories I am more so referring to energy calories such as carbohydrates and fat. Of course protein is required to maintain lean body mass, but once a certain minimum of protein is met, the other calories are simply used for energy.
So I had to make a decision. I could believe all the old school dogma that was leading to my bingeing or I could adopt a new mindset and belief system around food and change my life for the better.
My Experiment
I began controlling my calories but allowing myself to eat the foods I was craving more often. For instance instead of a boring chicken breast and brown rice I had a few slices of pizza and then a protein shake to meet my protein requirements. For breakfast I would eat the same amount of carbs in the form of sugary cereal as opposed to plain oatmeal. I did this for a couple of months to gather my thoughts and collect data. What did I discover? Food choices do not make a difference at all as long as calories are controlled. A calorie is a calorie. I also lowered my meal frequency to about 2-3 meals a day instead of 6-8. This allowed for better satiety with each meal. I found that I no longer had the urge to binge anymore.
How To Eliminate Binge Eating in 3 Easy Steps
Make A Choice – Decide you want to stop this behavior and make a plan to do so.
Decide the route you are going to take. Plan your work and work your plan.
Do not give up if you fail at first. You will not conquer this habit over night.
Experiment - Try new approaches until you find something that works for you.
Experiment with Intermittent Fasting and place most of your food around workouts or later in the evening. This will provide more satiety and I have had great success with IFing.
Manipulate your energy macros. If carbs tend to make you ravenous, switch to a lower carb diet and eat more fat as fat is known to be a bit more satiating. If you like to pig out on fatty foods, switch to a higher carb diet with most of the energy coming from fruits and veggies.
Try different strategies until one sticks.
Seek Accountability - Make sure others know what you are doing and what your goals are.
Tell your friends that you are committing to this. Ask them to check up on you every so often.
Write in a journal daily or start a blog to document your progress. Many have started weight loss blogs for nothing else but accountability. John from JohnIsFit is a perfect example. He recently wrote a piece on Binge Eating as well.
If all else fails, get help. There is no shame in asking for help.
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Replies
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great post! i can totally relate to this as well!0
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Interesting article--definitely makes a case for "everything in moderation". I especially like that the author took initiative to research and learn about nutrition, rather than just assuming that every diet is perfect the way it is (at least, after the initial problem). Obviously, even though a calorie is a calorie, it's better to get cals from whole grains and true (meat) protein rather than refined sugars and protein shakes--but sometimes you just can't deny that slice of pizza or chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for posting!0
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interesting, thank you :flowerforyou:0
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(Copied from: http://jcdfitness.com/2009/03/how-i-eliminated-binge-eating-completely/)
Food choices do not make a difference at all as long as calories are controlled. A calorie is a calorie. I also lowered my meal frequency to about 2-3 meals a day instead of 6-8. This allowed for better satiety with each meal. I found that I no longer had the urge to binge anymore.
hmf. I've been so rigid with 6 small meals. Maybe I should experiment.
thanks for posting0 -
ok first of all, i LOVE your ticker! "my spoon is too big. my spoon.....is too big"
secondly, great post. i really struggle with binge eating so this is great inspiration and motivation.0 -
Wow, that article sounds like excuses for not admitting that the person has "eating and overeating" issues and making excuses for not eating clean.
This is just my opinion and my 2 cents. But in reality.................Clean Eating ENDS Binge Eating
..................................because it takes away the cravings for other foods. If you are getting adequate FAT, protein and Veggies you will have a really hard time binging on those items because those foods keep you full and your belly (and mind) satisfied for longer................
I, personally don't believe in the whole "everything in moderation"................That is not what a true lifestyle change is.
A lifestyle change is not eating less of the same things you were eating before. What have you seriously changed??????
A lifestyle change is exactly that, a CHANGE and that change has to come from within and the WHOLE YOU has to make that change also. Lifestyle change to lose weight should affect every aspect of your life.............
I no longer eat cakes, pies, cookies, bread, rice, pasta.................
Once a year, on my birthday, I will allow myself to have 1 piece of cheesecake and that is it. I have done this for the past 3 years.
I don't miss the cakes, pies and cookies either..............
As far as bread, I don't miss it. It seriously takes away from the taste of the food that is in between those slices of bread. Hamburgers, grilled chicken breasts taste so much better by themselves or wrapped in lettuce leaves.
Wheat is very blah and bland................
Pasta, I now use spaghetti squash.................
Rice - Well, I just don't have the desire to eat it any longer............
I allow myself a baked white or sweet potato 1 or 2 times a month.0 -
Thats super great that clean eating works for you Grokette.
I, on the other hand, struggle on a weekly basis with the urge to binge.
I've been at this whole "lifestlye change" thing for 10 weeks and I'm down 19lbs. But I'm a binger. Always have been and although I'm confident that I can train myself to think differently and build the discipline to NOT binge... I'm still not convinced that my deep rooted desire to binge eat will ever go away completely.. regardless of whether I clean eat.
Don't get me wrong. For the most part I try to steer clear of refined sugars & processed foods. I'm pescetarian so my diet is mainly vegetables and fish...
But if I were to tightly restrict myself to clean eating I'm pretty sure I'd just end up binge eating an entire XL pizza in a single sitting. I need the ability to control the way I eat in a more moderate way. Which is also part of the reason why I'm not a Vegan and merely pescetarian. The tight restrictions are too overwhelming.
I'm down 19lbs in 10 weeks and last weekend I allowed myself a brilliant cheat day. It involved a friends wedding. A bottle of wine. A piece of carrot cake. 2 slices of pizza. It was soooo much fun and just what I needed.
And now I'm back on the healthy wagon again. Didn't gain a single pound back thanks to extra exercise.
... but this is just what works for me and not for everyone0 -
I am very much an "everything in moderation" person while I would never survive on tight restrictions. I am already a vegetarian but that is by food preference more than restrictions. I find that if I control my portion sizes I do well and also when I consider portion sizes I often make more healthful choices as well as I can eat much more of a healthy choice than I can of one that isn't as healthy..but I love me a good eggplant parm sandwich from time to time...if I never thought I could eat one again I would get discouraged and probably quit.
It isn't excuses. It is truly a situation in which everyone must find what works for them.0 -
"Clean" food - what a laugh! A calorie is a calorie. Sure it may be technically healthier to have a calorie of lean chicken than a calorie of processed sugar but you know what, at 329lb's I'm pretty much all about getting the weight down for now. I can fine tune my diet at a later date. For now, one of the only reasons I can keep up with this diet is because I'm still allowed mayonnaise with my dinner, and still allowed to eat some pie, so long as I don't go over my calorie count. I think an awful lot of people on MFP feel the same.
I'm not saying I haven't made changes. I have at least one serving of vegetables with my dinner which never used to happen, and I eat more fruit than I used to, but I still eat my breaded chicken breast steaks and turkey dinosaurs. I cut out chips (or fries, or whatever you want to call them) and started eating new potatoes instead. I'm loosing weight at a healthy and sustainable rate, I feel great, and I don't have to eat food that frankly I don't like and don't want to eat.
Food should be seen primarily as a fuel source yes but it is a source of pleasure too and I refuse to suck the pleasure from my life by eating foods I neither like nor can afford nor that cost the Earth. I'm not going to eat a load of brown rice grown on the other side of the world and flown here that tastes absoloutely horrid when I can eat a yummy delicious white potato that was grown just a few miles away just for the sake of "clean eating" when all I want to do is loose some weight.
Now don't get me wrong, so called clean eating is healthier for your body on so many different levels and I know this, but I, and many others here, are climbing a pretty big mountain. For us, not eating a constant torrent of sugar at all hours of the day IS a lifestyle change! Cutting down on the large portions we have accustomed ourselves to over the years IS a lifestyle change!
My first priority is to get this weight off, that is the single most beneficial thing I can do for myself right now. That in itself will cut down the chance of diabetes, stroke, heart disease etc. Then I can concentrate on eating a little more healthy. More likely than not this will come as part of the package of cutting down calories because I physically won't be able to eat what I am eating now and still loose weight and that's how good habits are formed and stuck to, not by overhauling you entire lifestly in one huge go and expecting to be able to stick with it. Both your body and mind will rebel.
I know because I've tried. Having me a slice of the pie once a week stops me from wanting a whole pie all the time, the craving of which will eventually get to me and I will binge and undo all of my good work.0 -
I am very much an "everything in moderation" person while I would never survive on tight restrictions. I am already a vegetarian but that is by food preference more than restrictions. I find that if I control my portion sizes I do well and also when I consider portion sizes I often make more healthful choices as well as I can eat much more of a healthy choice than I can of one that isn't as healthy..but I love me a good eggplant parm sandwich from time to time...if I never thought I could eat one again I would get discouraged and probably quit.
It isn't excuses. It is truly a situation in which everyone must find what works for them.
I will respectfully agree to disagree.
I have been a binge eater due to bulimia. I have also been anorexic because when I was 14 and weighed 100 pounds my mom told me I was fat.
I have been to a therapist and a dietician - my thoughts were just like many of those that have posted here. I told her well I am counting calories and I have made a lifestyle change. She met with me and the dietician to go over my food diary.
They both told me that no I hadn't made a lifestyle change. True change is actually changing WHAT you eat, not just how much you eat of the old foods to begin with................
The point is, you will always end up right where your at if you don't find the root cause of what is causing you to binge in the first place.
i was told the hard, cold truth, that YES it is excuses and in order to make a lifestyle change you have to accept responsibility and make the change.0 -
"Clean" food - what a laugh! A calorie is a calorie. Sure it may be technically healthier to have a calorie of lean chicken than a calorie of processed sugar but you know what, at 329lb's I'm pretty much all about getting the weight down for now. I can fine tune my diet at a later date. For now, one of the only reasons I can keep up with this diet is because I'm still allowed mayonnaise with my dinner, and still allowed to eat some pie, so long as I don't go over my calorie count. I think an awful lot of people on MFP feel the same.
I'm not saying I haven't made changes. I have at least one serving of vegetables with my dinner which never used to happen, and I eat more fruit than I used to, but I still eat my breaded chicken breast steaks and turkey dinosaurs. I cut out chips (or fries, or whatever you want to call them) and started eating new potatoes instead. I'm loosing weight at a healthy and sustainable rate, I feel great, and I don't have to eat food that frankly I don't like and don't want to eat.
Food should be seen primarily as a fuel source yes but it is a source of pleasure too and I refuse to suck the pleasure from my life by eating foods I neither like nor can afford nor that cost the Earth. I'm not going to eat a load of brown rice grown on the other side of the world and flown here that tastes absoloutely horrid when I can eat a yummy delicious white potato that was grown just a few miles away just for the sake of "clean eating" when all I want to do is loose some weight.
Now don't get me wrong, so called clean eating is healthier for your body on so many different levels and I know this, but I, and many others here, are climbing a pretty big mountain. For us, not eating a constant torrent of sugar at all hours of the day IS a lifestyle change! Cutting down on the large portions we have accustomed ourselves to over the years IS a lifestyle change!
My first priority is to get this weight off, that is the single most beneficial thing I can do for myself right now. That in itself will cut down the chance of diabetes, stroke, heart disease etc. Then I can concentrate on eating a little more healthy. More likely than not this will come as part of the package of cutting down calories because I physically won't be able to eat what I am eating now and still loose weight and that's how good habits are formed and stuck to, not by overhauling you entire lifestly in one huge go and expecting to be able to stick with it. Both your body and mind will rebel.
I know because I've tried. Having me a slice of the pie once a week stops me from wanting a whole pie all the time, the craving of which will eventually get to me and I will binge and undo all of my good work.
I am sorry, we will have to respectfully agree to disagree...........
Eating the same things you were eating before, but in smaller amounts does not equate a lifestyle change.............
I used to think so myself, but I was woken up to the reality that its not by both my therapist and my dietician.0 -
I will respectfully agree to disagree.
I have been a binge eater due to bulimia. I have also been anorexic because when I was 14 and weighed 100 pounds my mom told me I was fat.
I have been to a therapist and a dietician - my thoughts were just like many of those that have posted here. I told her well I am counting calories and I have made a lifestyle change. She met with me and the dietician to go over my food diary.
They both told me that no I hadn't made a lifestyle change. True change is actually changing WHAT you eat, not just how much you eat of the old foods to begin with................
sorry to point out the obvious but if you already have an addictive personality to go to such extreme measures as bulimia and anorexia then clean living is just the YING to the YANG. It seems like an obvious connection.
Clean eating doesn't accommodate those of us aiming for moderation. They are clearly two entirely separate concepts.
Chill out dude. You're being quite dismissive of some of the incredibly healthy and varied positive choices that people are making. Slow and steady wins the race and "all or nothing" perhaps isn't the most healthy perspective on things.
and once again I'll remind you that what works for me doesn't work for everyone. Clean eating isn't the only answer to the question: "How can I loose weight in a healthy way"? There are a multitude of healthy lifestyle choices that accomplish the same goals.0 -
I will respectfully agree to disagree.
I have been a binge eater due to bulimia. I have also been anorexic because when I was 14 and weighed 100 pounds my mom told me I was fat.
I have been to a therapist and a dietician - my thoughts were just like many of those that have posted here. I told her well I am counting calories and I have made a lifestyle change. She met with me and the dietician to go over my food diary.
They both told me that no I hadn't made a lifestyle change. True change is actually changing WHAT you eat, not just how much you eat of the old foods to begin with................
sorry to point out the obvious but if you already have an addictive personality to go to such extreme measures as bulimia and anorexia then clean living is just the YING to the YANG. It seems like an obvious connection.
Clean eating doesn't accommodate those of us aiming for moderation. They are clearly two entirely separate concepts.
Chill out dude. You're being quite dismissive of some of the incredibly healthy and varied positive choices that people are making. Slow and steady wins the race and "all or nothing" perhaps isn't the most healthy perspective on things.
and once again I'll remind you that what works for me doesn't work for everyone. Clean eating isn't the only answer to the question: "How can I loose weight in a healthy way"? There are a multitude of healthy lifestyle choices that accomplish the same goals.
I am chill, LOL.............
I am pointing out what I have learned.
The bulimia and anorexia was somewhat learned behaviors from my mother, which was like 20 years ago and most of that mentality was due to having an abusive mother that continually called me fat when I weighed a mere 100 pounds..........
I have now taken charge of my health.............
I laugh at the notion that people really think "clean eating" is extreme.................
As I previously mentioned, I have a doctor, therapist and dietician that all agree that TRUE lifestyle change only comes when actual change is made, not modications..........
Modification does not = change.0 -
I have been a binge eater due to bulimia. I have also been anorexic because when I was 14 and weighed 100 pounds my mom told me I was fat.
I have been to a therapist and a dietician - my thoughts were just like many of those that have posted here. I told her well I am counting calories and I have made a lifestyle change. She met with me and the dietician to go over my food diary.
They both told me that no I hadn't made a lifestyle change. True change is actually changing WHAT you eat, not just how much you eat of the old foods to begin with................
The point is, you will always end up right where your at if you don't find the root cause of what is causing you to binge in the first place.
i was told the hard, cold truth, that YES it is excuses and in order to make a lifestyle change you have to accept responsibility and make the change. >>>>>>>
See..I too have been down that road. I binged and purged. I was an exercise bulimic and an anorexic while in high school. I have seen a therapist for it many years ago and personally found that particular therapists tactics to be more detrimental than helpful. I am already a vegetarian so MY particular food choices lean toward the healthier choices as it is. However in high school ate 4 apples, a banana, some oatmeal and cottage cheese one day as my binge...which I quickly threw up. All pretty good healthy food options...just way too much of anything. For many years I was afraid of any type of lifestyle change that would put me back into the same place I was back then. I did not want to be too aware of my exact intake because I knew how easily I could start to obsess over ever calorie and ever choice I was making in an attempt to have some control and try to make myself fee "pretty" I learned that FOR ME, with help from another therapist who did not specialize in eating disorders but who actually treated me as a person instead of a bulimic etc. that I had to be let go a bit. I had to be ok with imperfection etc. I will never do it right all the time and that is ok. I can work on making good healthy choices and eat a variety of foods "in moderation" if I eliminate a type of food because it is bad...not because I do not prefer it, I feel like food has a grip on me whereas when I can eat whatever I want but try to be conscious about how much I feel healthy and in control in a positive way. If I want to have a beer or a glass of wine and it fits within my calories for the day ...sometimes I do...If had put restrictions on myself that were too strict then a beer or glass of wine would make me feel guilty for a few days and I would try so hard to make up for my horrid mistake that I would probably not eat at all for a few days...now, with the understanding that everything is ok in moderation..I can enjoy my treat without the guilt and self defeating mental beating I would give myself .
Also by saying everything in moderation does not mean eat cake everyday but just not as much...it means that you see cake as an occasional treat to be enjoyed from time to time. It means that a beer or glass of wine once a week isn't a bad thing but having 8 beers a night is a bad thing. I have almost eliminated fried foods simply due to the fact that we are challanging ourselves as a family not to eat out in attempts to save money but if I do have a fried eggplant parm sandwich once a month and enjoy it I don't have to hate myself for it. Moderation means that a little is ok but too much is bad.0 -
I haven't read all the replies, but I have to respectfully disagree with the original post. I've radically changed my diet over the last year - while I'm not completely "clean" (some people are VERY extreme), I'm pretty close - I eat very few processed foods, I don't add salt, I don't add sugar, etc. Now, when I eat something that is loaded with grease/sugar/salt/any of the above, it makes me feel like crap - it does not make me want to binge. Sure, I will occasionally have something that's definitely not "clean" but I don't have trouble controlling myself and I see myself sticking to this new diet ("diet" meaning simply the foods that I chose to eat) for the rest of my life. Clean eating may drive some people to binge or to become obsessed in an unhealthy way, but that is not a fault of clean eating, it is a problem with that individual. Plenty of people succesfully choose to eliminate most processed foods from their life and do so in a healthy way.0
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Well, I have to say that my therapist has been great and so was my dietician. I now meet with her over the phone since I no longer live in Virginia.
Here are 2 books that was suggested that I read that has helped me tremendously............Maybe you could check them out???? Both books are by the same author...............
http://www.dietcure.com./
http://www.moodcure.com/0 -
I haven't read all the replies, but I have to respectfully disagree with the original post. I've radically changed my diet over the last year - while I'm not completely "clean" (some people are VERY extreme), I'm pretty close - I eat very few processed foods, I don't add salt, I don't add sugar, etc. Now, when I eat something that is loaded with grease/sugar/salt/any of the above, it makes me feel like crap - it does not make me want to binge. Sure, I will occasionally have something that's definitely not "clean" but I don't have trouble controlling myself and I see myself sticking to this new diet ("diet" meaning simply the foods that I chose to eat) for the rest of my life. Clean eating may drive some people to binge or to become obsessed in an unhealthy way, but that is not a fault of clean eating, it is a problem with that individual. Plenty of people succesfully choose to eliminate most processed foods from their life and do so in a healthy way.
After seeing where a lot of food comes from, it is good to almost be obessive as to where your food comes from, how it was grown, transported, etc.................
And from reading forums on this website and other websites, I see a lot of people that "speak moderation" but eat dessert every day and look for sweets for the afternoon munchies................
That is not a lifestyle change. I even polled my co-workers and even though they don't eat like I do, they agree that moderation doesn't = a lifestyle change...........0 -
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/quiz-are-you-a-moderator-or-an-abstainer.html
This is an interesting, and connected blog post about "moderators" vs. "abstainers".
For me, I cannot moderate. Having cake/cookies/pie refined sugar in general in "moderation" simply doesn't work. I get triggered, I want more sugar (and more and more and more) and then, well, I'm screwed. It is much easier for me to have none than have some.
For me, and I think I'm hearing Grokette say this at the core of her argument...no junk is easier than some junk.
If you read the article, notice the part where it says that people are extraordinarily judgemental/harsh towards people who the other approach is working for. I think we're just so hardwired to have one or the other be the correct approach for us that it's hard not to demand that it's the correct approach for everybody.
{tiptoes backwards out of the the room}
:flowerforyou:0 -
Modification does not = change.
my definition of change as it relates to a healthy lifestyle is different than yours.0 -
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/quiz-are-you-a-moderator-or-an-abstainer.html
This is an interesting, and connected blog post about "moderators" vs. "abstainers".
For me, I cannot moderate. Having cake/cookies/pie refined sugar in general in "moderation" simply doesn't work. I get triggered, I want more sugar (and more and more and more) and then, well, I'm screwed. It is much easier for me to have none than have some.
For me, and I think I'm hearing Grokette say this at the core of her argument...no junk is easier than some junk.
If you read the article, notice the part where it says that people are extraordinarily judgemental/harsh towards people who the other approach is working for. I think we're just so hardwired to have one or the other be the correct approach for us that it's hard not to demand that it's the correct approach for everybody.
{tiptoes backwards out of the the room}
:flowerforyou:
Yes, exactly................
I think most people avoid making the complete change over due to the fact that most don't want to go through the withdrawls, pain and stuff that it takes to go clean.................
I am like accountant_boi in the respect that if I eat something I shouldn't have eaten, I feel like complete crap..............I like having energy, not requiring a lot of sleep and be ready to go at the drop of a hat...............0 -
Modification does not = change.
my definition of change as it relates to a healthy lifestyle is different than yours.
To each his own...............0 -
I said in my first response that each needs to find what works for them. My newer lifestyle isn't a drastic change from my older lifestyle but it is still healthier. My issues were my portions more so than my food choices so for me moderation is healthy and good and appropriate. My mom needs to abstain like an alcoholic or she loses it. One french fry and all attempts to a healthier lifestyle are out the window. Me, I can have 5 french fries, enjoy the saltiness of them and move back to my dinner with satisfaction. People are far too complex to have a one way fits all approach to life. Everyone needs to find a way that they can live with that leads them to health.0
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People are far too complex to have a one way fits all approach to life. Everyone needs to find a way that they can live with that leads them to health.
Exactly.0 -
I think that eating in moderation IS a lifestyle change. If I used to eat until I was so full that I was nauseous and now I eat a quarter of that, I have made a change. I moved from binge eating to eating healthy amounts, and it's a big accomplishment. It may not be 100% healthy if I'm eating junk, but it most definitely is a change for the better!
I am very pro-eating-in-moderation. It's the advice my endocrinologist gave me and it's the advice I stick by. I have lost weight this way in the past and I continue to do so now at a healthy pace. You don't have to totally give up what you enjoy to be fit and thin, but you do have to make changes. Just because it isn't the change you would make doesn't mean it's not a cause for celebration once a bad habit is broken.
Just my two cents.0 -
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/quiz-are-you-a-moderator-or-an-abstainer.html
This is an interesting, and connected blog post about "moderators" vs. "abstainers".
For me, I cannot moderate. Having cake/cookies/pie refined sugar in general in "moderation" simply doesn't work. I get triggered, I want more sugar (and more and more and more) and then, well, I'm screwed. It is much easier for me to have none than have some.
For me, and I think I'm hearing Grokette say this at the core of her argument...no junk is easier than some junk.
If you read the article, notice the part where it says that people are extraordinarily judgemental/harsh towards people who the other approach is working for. I think we're just so hardwired to have one or the other be the correct approach for us that it's hard not to demand that it's the correct approach for everybody.
{tiptoes backwards out of the the room}
:flowerforyou:
So, never before have i read a post from someone else and felt so "get out of my head!" as I do with this one. I started to diet in March of this year. I had made a serious change in my eating habbits by April. No processed, low fat, strict calorie counting, for months I ate 1600 calories daily (within 100) practically exactly. I lost 50 lbs. I got so much more in shape. Killed myself at the gym at least four days a week. Then I had a cheat day, I ate a pot roast melt at work. Then some fries. Then a funny bone. Then some ice cream. Its been a solid month of half healthy, half crap eating. I got back on the wagon yesterday. So long as I didn't budge even a little I was fine, now, i can't figure out how to get it back. I think im doing better now. We will see tho.
I will add that I also felt like everyone who made different choices was an idiot and low carb dieters were so dumb. Who cares what everyone else does? Do you. Forget everyone else.
I spose I had nothing to add, just had to say that your post spoke to me.0 -
People are far too complex to have a one way fits all approach to life. Everyone needs to find a way that they can live with that leads them to health.
Exactly.
I definitely agree with this - although I choose to eat mostly clean, the concept of 'moderation' works better for some. My process was a gradual (but pretty dramatic) change over the course of a year and I'm at a place now where I feel fulfuilled without having to keep eating most of the treats I used to eat in moderation. The process is different for everyone, and I think as long as your choices are leading to a healthier you, that's what really matters.0 -
I think everything I wanted to say has been said! Control is an amazing thing and a dangerous thing! You need to find the best balance, and I'm sure even the most elite athletes have moments of "whooops, shouldn't have eaten that"....but I believe this restriction needs to be broken at times to ensure that it doesn't do significant damage to your eating habits :flowerforyou:
Thanks for sharing!.0 -
I had to be an abstainer before I could be a moderator.
But I've proven to myself that abstinence (and thinking of foods as forbidden, if you will) does NOT work for me long term (lost 40 pounds 6 years ago, gained 60 back). When I started MFP, I was majorly *addicted* to sugar. I abstained from candy of any kind because I could not be satisfied by moderation and at that point it was easier to avoid it completely than tempt myself with the idea of "moderation." I got past it and broke my addiction. Now I can have half of a candy bar or a square of chocolate and be completely fine.
So, I'm a humongous fan of moderation these days. I eat generally healthy -- definitely healthier than ever before in my life and by far healthier than most people (everyone) I know. Yep, my diet consists of a slice of pizza here and a candy bar there. That's fine with me, and I've learned how to do it while continuing to lose weight (80 pounds in the last year). I strongly believe the majority of people who are healthy in general and are at healthy weights do not eat "cleanly" 100% of the time.
The bottom line is you have to figure out what works and is sustainable for YOU in order to be healthier. That's going to vary widely from person to person, so debating which is the best way to go about it is pretty pointless. :flowerforyou: It's okay to stumble while searching for what works best for you. And you know what? What works for you now may not be what works best for you in the future. I know I'm constantly changing. And that's that.0 -
If "everything in moderation" isn't a lifestyle change, then why have I lost weight? If there were no change, then I would still be the same weight I was a month ago. Of course it's a lifestyle change! Compare it to "I'll eat this because it's so good, and I'll eat it until my stomach hurts because I just never know when I'm going to eat something this good again!". Now that I have the new "moderation" mentality, I'm learning how to feel full, as opposed to stuffed. This is working for me!
Eating this way doesn't trigger any "sugar cravings" or leave me more hungry by eating "dirty" foods. But I suppose if I did have those cravings all the time and didn't have any self-control, then eating the "clean" way would probably have to be the way I would have to go to keep me from having ANY "dirty" food.0 -
This is a great post and probably perfectly describes many people who have the desire to lose weight. This is an eye-opener since I kind of had the same point of view on how to eat calories and what kind to eat. Although I must say that eating healthy food makes me feel a heck of a lot better than just eating fast food. But cheating every once in a while or controlling your intake is something I agree with and should really think about doing as well...0
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