What can I do to stop this vicious cycle, (kinda long)

razzyplum

It sounds like you're an emotional eater! I am too...if I'm the least bit down I think that my cure is chocolate or chips or french fries...or anything that sounds like comfort food. You (and I'm preaching to myself too) need to change your thinking in your head and heart. You need to truly BELIEVE that food is not the answer and does NOT make you feel better! Until your thinking completely changes your actions won't change long term! I know...it is my biggest struggle!! It sounds easy to change your thinking...but when I'm having a bad day or am down about something the first thing I want is junk food!

Some more practical advice that works for me: 1) have one or two friends or relatives that you can call when you're craving food so badly! Usually the last thing I want to do is talk about things when I'm down and feeling depressed...BUT I have learned over the years that if I just call a friend, or now my husband, and tell him what's going on then I no longer crave that food so much. I call my husband at work...I'll even wake him up in the middle of the night sometimes! He doesn't mind because he knows that's what helps me! So have someone lined up that will be willing to talk to you anytime you need them! 2) Read a new article online everyday about nutrition and exercise! Even if on MFP! It always motivates me! 3) JUST SAY NO! Which is harder than it sounds! But try it a few times! I've even gone to the trouble of ordering food or buying it somewhere...before I eat it I'll feel guilty...the most exhilirating thing is to throw it away and say NO!!! The more you say no the more habitual it becomes! 4) If you can't control what food is in the house maybe tape an old picture or a note on those foods! Mine say "It's not worth it!"...or whatever you want that will trigger you to not desire that food as much!!

ladysandy

Ohhh my GoD, I could see myself so much when I was readying your post, listen I might be repeating cause I didn't take the time to read all of your posts but I truely suggest that you EXERCISE .... and that way you will feel good about yourself, hold your tummy tight and look at youself in the mirror and see how great you will look soon! Trust me you won't want to eat junck food and screw up all that you have just done! Eat some gum (sugar free) I can eat so much of that, it is crazy,..... I set in front of the t.v. not with junck food but a pack of gomme hahhaha.... I chew and chew and once it doesn't taste sugar anymore I through it and have another one, and I can do that 3-4 times so that I don't have that freaken craving anymore...
Nibble on cinnamon sticks...
buy 100 calories items,..... It you exercise pretty much to lose 500-600 cal. per day you won't have to deprive yourself as much !!!!

I hope this helps
and HappY LoSinG!!! x0x

cownancy

Most all of the other posters have put together a great combination of suggestions for you. Carbs and sugar only fuel your hunger, so eating high protein and low carbs/sugar will help you. Next, if you have a craving, I agree to distract yourself....come here and read inspiring stories, go and congratulate all of your friends on how they have done today and read THEIR food diaries. Don't give in to the cravings. That is the only way to modify your behavior....don't feed the cravings!

As other said, plan in advance and shop for your week. Designate a cabinet that is YOURS and designate a place for othe
rs to put the junk food and don't go there. If you want a piece of unhealthy food, then plan it into your weekly food plan or tell yourself that you can have it, but later. If you give in, then follow the great advice of recording it and going on your plan, rather than allowing it to be a green light to just ruin the rest of your day, which leads to tomorrow and the rest of the week, etc.

Adopt a POSITIVE attitude.....believe you can do it and don't beat yourself up when you mess up.

Eat several small meals throughout the day.....three reasonable meals and two healthy snacks. Do not let more than 4 hours pass without having something. It takes a little adustment, but it works. As others said, learn your hunger triggers, learn to test whether you are really hungry and if you are not, DO NOT EAT.....practice suffering through the not eating part until your new behavior becomes a habit.

You can and you will do it with the right support and the WILLINGNESS to adjust your attitude. I use 100% whey protein shakes when I need something to take off the edge. They fill you up and help suppress your hunger. But, then they are usually my breakfast and then I save one for a night snack if needed.

You have lots here to read and lots to ponder! Good luck and call on any and all of us with your questions or when times are tough. Someone is always here!

mcottle292

After looking through your food diary I have some suggestions for you. First off you need to eat more times during the day than what you are. You need to eat some type of breakfast I suggest Greek yogurt. High in protein low in fat and carbs. You are not consuming nearly enough protein either and almost all of your carbs have a high glycemic index which is going to cause insulin spikes and then you are going to crash. You really need to consume more foods that are better for you and more filling. I suggest a low carb protein bar as a snack the Supreme Bars (low carb ones) are really good or a protein shake mixed with fat free milk. Once you feed your body and stop starving it you will feel much better. Also if you are drinking diet sodas...cut them out! One a day or not at all would be best. They trick your body into wanting sweets. Drink green tea or better yet water!

amyelizbradley

I first must applaud you for posting your topic; you recognize the cycle and you want to change it. I fight that very same battle daily and have my whole life. I've been on the diet roller coaster too. My current success feels different and I'll tell you what has worked for me:
- a protein-rich breakfast (if you don't like breakfast like I don't, have yourself a good quality protein shake)
- water, water, & more water
- activity every day (now for me it's a combination of weights, cardio, & pilates/ yoga, but when I started it was just walking shorts distances)
- do not let yourself get hungry; that's a recipe for a binge; eat small meals every 4-6 hours; stay away from any processed foods as much as you can
- when I started MFP I also just started logging food using my maintenance calorie level; I told myself that all I had to do was log what I ate; it wasn't about weight loss (yet) it was about accountability. Then I slowly added in additional goals every week.
- I also took the time to find out the WHY of my emotional eating and what I was truly needing; I discovered that I was eating to fill a void that was better filled by other options (food never really filled that void just made me ultimately feel worse).

I wish you the best of everything; I am sending you a friend request if you'd like additional support; always love to lend a hand. Take care of yourself!
Amy

tross0924

Take a deep breath and let me give you some prospective. If this has been posted before sorry.

First I have no idea what your goal for weight loss per week is, so I'll list em all -

If your weight loss is set at 2 lbs per week you - were 200 calories under and therefore you lost almost 1/16 of 1 lbs of fat.

If your weight loss is set at 1.5 lbs per week you were 50 calories over and therefore gained 1/100 of a pound.

If your weight loss is set at 1 lbs per week you were 300 calories over and therefore gained 1/10 of a pound.

If your weight loss is set at .5 lbs per week you were 550 calories over and therefore gained 1/6 of a pound.

So absolute worst case scenario is that you packed on about 3 oz yesterday. That's not a vicious cycle, that's not even really a speed bump. That's a pebble in the road. There is no way a pebble is going to stop you. The only thing that will stop you is you. So don't. Recognize that you could do better, and then do better. You can totally do this!

amyelizbradley

Take a deep breath and let me give you some prospective. If this has been posted before sorry.

First I have no idea what your goal for weight loss per week is, so I'll list em all -

If your weight loss is set at 2 lbs per week you - were 200 calories under and therefore you lost almost 1/16 of 1 lbs of fat.

If your weight loss is set at 1.5 lbs per week you were 50 calories over and therefore gained 1/100 of a pound.

If your weight loss is set at 1 lbs per week you were 300 calories over and therefore gained 1/10 of a pound.

If your weight loss is set at .5 lbs per week you were 550 calories over and therefore gained 1/6 of a pound.

So absolute worst case scenario is that you packed on about 3 oz yesterday. That's not a vicious cycle, that's not even really a speed bump. That's a pebble in the road. There is no way a pebble is going to stop you. The only thing that will stop you is you. So don't. Recognize that you could do better, and then do better. You can totally do this!

amyelizbradley

Take a deep breath and let me give you some prospective. If this has been posted before sorry.

First I have no idea what your goal for weight loss per week is, so I'll list em all -

If your weight loss is set at 2 lbs per week you - were 200 calories under and therefore you lost almost 1/16 of 1 lbs of fat.

If your weight loss is set at 1.5 lbs per week you were 50 calories over and therefore gained 1/100 of a pound.

If your weight loss is set at 1 lbs per week you were 300 calories over and therefore gained 1/10 of a pound.

If your weight loss is set at .5 lbs per week you were 550 calories over and therefore gained 1/6 of a pound.

So absolute worst case scenario is that you packed on about 3 oz yesterday. That's not a vicious cycle, that's not even really a speed bump. That's a pebble in the road. There is no way a pebble is going to stop you. The only thing that will stop you is you. So don't. Recognize that you could do better, and then do better. You can totally do this!

"tross0924"- Loved your perspective; helped me too! Thanks!