Breaking the cycle.....

jenfunfur

I had been doing so well lost 21lb in 3 months
But these past 6 weeks have been really difficult, i've been gaining & losing the same 5lb i'm getting so angry with myself.
My problem is i'm super stressed right now both at work & home. When i stress i panic, get depressed & binge I've done this ever since i can remember, when i was a kid & was bullied i would buy chocolate/cakes on my way home from school stuff them in til i felt sick! Now as an adult i continue this behaviour at least once a week recently. I try to log it to hold myself accountable but that does'nt seem to have any effect on my willpower. I feel like such a failure sometimes, i hate doing this cause i know all the junk is making me ill. I just don't know how to stop, it's like i'm on autopilot! Yesterday after a particulary stressful day i found myself in the supermarket without really being aware that i had decided to go in! i wish i could have been strong enough to walk back out
Can anyone give me any help with this? please don't mention counsellors i've seen enough of them for one lifetime! i was thinking about hypnotherapy i've used it before for other addictions. Thank you for listening x

change_happens

I had been doing so well lost 21lb in 3 months
But these past 6 weeks have been really difficult, i've been gaining & losing the same 5lb i'm getting so angry with myself.
My problem is i'm super stressed right now both at work & home. When i stress i panic, get depressed & binge I've done this ever since i can remember, when i was a kid & was bullied i would buy chocolate/cakes on my way home from school stuff them in til i felt sick! Now as an adult i continue this behaviour at least once a week recently. I try to log it to hold myself accountable but that does'nt seem to have any effect on my willpower. I feel like such a failure sometimes, i hate doing this cause i know all the junk is making me ill. I just don't know how to stop, it's like i'm on autopilot! Yesterday after a particulary stressful day i found myself in the supermarket without really being aware that i had decided to go in! i wish i could have been strong enough to walk back out
Can anyone give me any help with this? please don't mention counsellors i've seen enough of them for one lifetime! i was thinking about hypnotherapy i've used it before for other addictions. Thank you for listening x

Hi! Don't feel bad about anything AND don't beat yourself up! Sometimes we get caught up in the cares of this world, we become stressed, depressed and filled with anxiety... and a host of other things... but your willpower rests in the fact that you have focused on you for the last three months. You have hit an amazing goal... you have lost 21lbs! Give yourself a pat on the back for that!!!!!

You are not a failure, you are just focused on the wrong things. Remember your why? Why you decided to lose the weight. Why you decided to put poor health on the back burner. Why you decided to do something for you regardless of whatever else.

I don't think your addicted to food, i just belive you are focusing on the external events rather than stirring up the will that you apparently possess. Try not to allow other things to get the best of you. Brush them off. Focus on your goals. Write your vision of your goals and keep them before you so you won't lose sight!

I believe you can do it!!!

You can!!

You WILL!!

editara13

The only way to beat stress and anger is by hitting the gym or exercise at home. That is what I do when I'm angry, or stressed, or bored and then after that I feel goodddddddddddddd :-)


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xraychick77

i suggest will power..i am not trying to be harsh..but in reality..the only thing that will help you is you. you have got to want the cycle the stop..you just have to have the will power to say no. simple as that. like anything with life, there is no easy way around these things.

peacestar84

At least you are aware of your behaviour. That is important, and now you need to break the behaviour of binging. If you cannot mentally find a way to talk yourself out of it, then you must physically change your access to the food. If it's been a particularly stressful day you need to find a way to relax without food. It will be difficult and it will take trial and error of what works and what doesn't. When I was about to binge I found it best if I kept myself at home because at home I did not have any binge foods in the house. If I wanted them I had to leave, and usually I would force and I mean force myself to find something else to occupy my mind, whether it was calling a friend for support, having a bath, or going on my computer and finding something anything to get my mind off food. Journalling can also be useful to try and sort out which emotion is triggering you to eat. A book I found helpful was: Binge no more.
Binge eating is a problem but you are lucky that you are struggling with the same few pounds. I started MFP in Jan and by the end of April I started binging. And binging. And binging until I had gained 19 lbs by mid May. I started over and things have been good binge wise. Although I don't allow binge foods in my house I do find ways to incorporate them into my weekly eating because I feel it keeps me from feeling deprived and binging. Some people prefer to avoid their trigger foods altogether. So try to modify your behaviour and work on whatever is bothering you or stressing you out because often binging becomes a mental game and don't let your inner voice tell you its worth it, because it's NOT worth gaining weight back that you worked so very hard to get off. You can do it because you are strong! :flowerforyou:

Amo_Angelus

Food is comforting, that's perfectly normal, so don't beat yourself up about it. When we get sad or stressed we autopilot, it's our mind way of coping, it knows what makes things better and it goes for it. Just because you've started being healthier doesn't mean your autopilot has been given a change of direction. I used to binge eat all the time, but I've started making the concious descision to excercise instead. Sure I'll still snack, but my autopilot is getting better at going for the excercise to work things off than the sweets. Excercise releases endorphines into the system, so once you get used to it, it' more comforting than food (endorphines being the same things releaed suring ex and from chocolate for an idea) because it' the same release, but healthier. guilt free.

GemmieNoWobbles

Hi Jenn
I do exactly the same... you've been doing this behaviour for years, me too, you learnt it since being a bullied kid, its not just going to go away, its something you really have to work on and it will take time. But I bet you have noticed you are doing it less?? I know I have been alot better with comfort eating, so give yourself a break, evaluate your behaviour, try and address it before you hit the supermarket, if you fail then such is life. I think each time we fail it makes us a little more aware and maybe will avoid it more? Does that make any sense?
You've done so well to lose 21lbs in such a short time, congratulate yourself for this and be kinder to you!! :flowerforyou: