So I just binged...

imustgetfit1995

Sorry everyone, I just feel like I need to vent.
I've been doing so well lately, almost 2 months with 1 cheat meal and NO bad days - except tonight. That's groundbreaking for me haha.
I did more cardio in the gym than normal & I'm guessing that's what made me hungrier. Although I wasn't even hungry, just had the urge to eat and feel stuffed. Yuck.
So I binged on HALF A BOX of Special K, some jam and a cereal bar.
I feel & look 10 stone heavier.
Anyway, I've been trying to figure out why I did this.
I think I can understand. MFP calculated my daily calories at 1200. So when I see this number on my app I guess my brain has been taking it to mean the ABSOLUTE MAX I should eat. And when I'm over by 10 cals in shows up in red and it's like the end of the world. So looking back at my diary, I've always stayed around the 1000 mark, feeling like if 1200 is the max, I'm doing GREAT by eating a little less.
Sounds ridiculous, I know, but I guess that's how my thought process was without me even fully realising.

Now I know it's unhealthy, and it's probably a miracle I've been able to keep this up so long with only 1 binge. I haven't been eating back my exercise calories most days either.
But I seem to have this fear of consuming over 1200 cals. It's like I won't lose unless I stay under that.
I guess I just need some motivation and some advice, I know my fear is irrational but I can't help it!

How many cals do you eat and what are your stats?
I'm 5"7 around 10.5 stone and exercise minimum 4 times a week. With only 17 pounds to lose I feel like I need to under eat to actually see some sort of results.

jollychickens

I feel like that too. I went 700 cals over my max 1200 calorie day today...I feel like I'm going to re-gain the 20lbs I've already lost. I know that's not realistic obviously but I feel like that. Just remind yourself that this is only one time and it's OK.
It' s all good. One binge will NOT hurt you. Just stay focused.

Graelwyn75

5'10, 127 Ibs~(9 stone 1), eating 2000-3000 calories a day, including exercise, and I lose on 2000-2300.
You are eating far too little. It is unnecessary. I am not surprised you binged.
You should be aiming, with so little to lose, to be losing no more than half a Ib a week.
Eating so low, is just setting you up for future failure, and with issues going into maintenance. The idea when you have less to lose, is to eat as close to maintenance, while still losing, as possible.

sugarlemonpie

Don't worry, it's not the end of the world! You'll get back on your feet in no time, you've put in too much time and effort to stop now.

As for the 1200 calories, that's what I set mine. Always look at 1200 calories as the MINIMUM you should consume! If you come out 100 calories over each day, it's not the end of the world and you are still at a wonderful deficit! Don't starve yourself to lose weight, as it will never be sustainable.

Good luck and stay healthy and strong!

AJ_G

If you refer to eating foods you enjoy as "cheat meals" then there's something wrong with your diet...

Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel

I'm 5ft 2, 144lbs (10st 4lb) and I eat 1500-1700 a day to lose weight.

liveonce2014

If you refer to eating foods you enjoy as "cheat meals" then there's something wrong with your diet...

This .. so agree

fatcity66

Sorry everyone, I just feel like I need to vent.
I've been doing so well lately, almost 2 months with 1 cheat meal and NO bad days - except tonight. That's groundbreaking for me haha.
I did more cardio in the gym than normal & I'm guessing that's what made me hungrier. Although I wasn't even hungry, just had the urge to eat and feel stuffed. Yuck.
So I binged on HALF A BOX of Special K, some jam and a cereal bar.
I feel & look 10 stone heavier.
Anyway, I've been trying to figure out why I did this.
I think I can understand. MFP calculated my daily calories at 1200. So when I see this number on my app I guess my brain has been taking it to mean the ABSOLUTE MAX I should eat. And when I'm over by 10 cals in shows up in red and it's like the end of the world. So looking back at my diary, I've always stayed around the 1000 mark, feeling like if 1200 is the max, I'm doing GREAT by eating a little less.
Sounds ridiculous, I know, but I guess that's how my thought process was without me even fully realising.

Now I know it's unhealthy, and it's probably a miracle I've been able to keep this up so long with only 1 binge. I haven't been eating back my exercise calories most days either.
But I seem to have this fear of consuming over 1200 cals. It's like I won't lose unless I stay under that.
I guess I just need some motivation and some advice, I know my fear is irrational but I can't help it!

How many cals do you eat and what are your stats?
I'm 5"7 around 10.5 stone and exercise minimum 4 times a week. With only 17 pounds to lose I feel like I need to under eat to actually see some sort of results.

i think you're eating far too little. I'm 5'9 a little over 200lbs and I'm steadily losing on 1600 cal/day minimum. I eat more on days I work out...up to 2000. You thould think about setting your weight loss goals a little less aggressively. I am losing better on 1600 than I was on 1200-1400.

blue696

I also have around 17 pounds to lose and I rarely ever eat less than 1200 calories a day, its just not healthy to starve myself and the few rare days I eat less I just dont feel hungry. In addition you can eat whatever you want in monderation, and I have one day a week where I watch less than normal, and I dont regret and you deserve it for your hard work!

You will lose the weight and I have a lot of confidence in you! Just do it healthily so you can keep it off and dont feel the need to keep binging after you reach your goal!

Amy3935

When I saw "binged" I was expecting 3 cheeseburgers, an ice cream sundae and a king-size Twix bar. Half a box of Special K is only about 600 calories, which isn't life-breaking. (Not that any binge is). Tomorrow is another day and keep moving on from there.

I understand the difficulty of a 1200 calorie limit, I'm eating around that (but I don't freak out if I'm 100-200 over), because I'm only 5'2" and I have about 100 pounds to lose. For someone like you who's only trying to lose about 20 and is much taller, you should probably be eating more - you will lose slower, but you will lose more sustainably. Even if it takes you six months it's something you can stick with forever, not gain back as soon as you stop.

MaidensAndMonsters

Tomorrow is a new day, love bug. Celebrate the success of the past and start fresh tomorrow take it easy on yourself.

TheAmbitionist

It seems like you do know and understand that eating 1,200 kcal a day will have your hypothalamus screaming for food for survival - causing you to get the urge to binge. Letting go of a diet mentality is a big step!

randomtai

Eat more food. :noway:

lemonlionheart

Honestly, I had that problem too where I saw the goal as the limit. There was another thread on here a week or so ago about that horrible feeling when you go over by two calories and get that massive red bar and minus numbers on your homepage. I actually ended up manually upping my target by 1300 cals then aiming for somewhere between 1200-1300. I hate 1200, because if you are under it tells you you're not eating enough and if you're over you get the red bar of death! Who actually eats 1200 calories exactly in a day?? :P

Francl27

5'10, 127 Ibs~(9 stone 1), eating 2000-3000 calories a day, including exercise, and I lose on 2000-2300.
You are eating far too little. It is unnecessary. I am not surprised you binged.
You should be aiming, with so little to lose, to be losing no more than half a Ib a week.
Eating so low, is just setting you up for future failure, and with issues going into maintenance. The idea when you have less to lose, is to eat as close to maintenance, while still losing, as possible.

This.

Plus you're supposed to eat back exercise calories. It makes a HUGE difference.