Snacking and Bingeing

PositiveAngel

Firstly why is it that I feel the need to binge eat at night when I never ever have done so. I also get hungry afternoon and all through the evening and am now thinking it might be best if I cut out all snacks and just try to stick to my 3 meals a day, has anyone experienced the same type of problem as I feel guilty and horrible!

Would be great to make new friends for tips, advice AND motivation so please feel free to add me, good look all of you!!!

cnl91_W

Bump - would love to see replies on this. Also adding you because I clearly struggle with the same problems!

briniepoo

I am (was) in the same boat. I was on 1200-1300 per day, then adding my exerice calories ontop. But obviously I wasnt eating enough and had a massive (to me) binge yesterday. Well, I am gonna change to the TDEE method today as I am tired of binging. Your diary kinda looks like mine 1200 to 1400, but I didnt see any exercise. Maybe you should copy me and others and switch to TDEE. I will be on 1415 everyday now and see how I go. (BTW, in the 3 weeks on 1200-1400, I lost next to nothing (inches or lbs), how about you?)

What time of the day do you usually snack? I usually snack at around 2pm, so I save up some cals from Breeki and give myself a snack at 2-3 to help out.

trogalicious

There are some days that you aren't even hitting 1200 cal. You're hungry because you're probably not eating enough.

Tips? Here:

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

wonderwoman234

First of all, there is a difference between binging and snacking/overeating. It sounds like you aren't binging.

It sounds like you are not eating enough. If you are hungry all the time, you are doing damage to your metabolism and you don't want to do that.

Maybe try to eat 5 smaller meals a day and make sure they all have some protein in them. Eat lots of veggies/fruit, too. Strict deprivation is not sustainable. Fast weight loss will result in loss of lean body mass and ultimately can lead to regaining weight when you finally can't tolerate strict deprivation any more.

Inspired30

Love the post from trogalicious!