What the HE Double Hockey Sticks Happened??? and How do I

speedyme

Like previous post; What's done is done. Get back on the horse and drink LOTS of water to help flush the bad stuff out. You will probable be retaining water because of all the drinks and salt so if you can drink double what you usually drink that should help with the water retention. Then get back into your routine. You may not lose any weight at your next weigh in, but no lose is better than gaining.

Twasney

This is true! I would be happy with maintenance if I can't still lose!

CatMauro

Definately don't beat yourself up too bad. I had a BRUTAL week too...maybe something about the changing weather or something. My plan of attack was to just get back up on the horse and start over. I weighed myself today and (thank God) I didn't gain any weight, mostly because I made sure that, although my eating was crap I balanced it out with as much physical activity as I could get. So my suggestion, get up, dust yourself off and recomitt to the heathy lifestyle that you are now taking part in. We all have bad days, even bad weeks; as long as you're living a healthy, balanced lifestyle you should come out on top.

innerspiraling

One day is not going to be a problem for you. Just take a look at what you're doing overall and what you can learn from the experience. There are times that I know I'm going out to dinner with friends and that I am really not going to try to make perfect choices with regard to food and I AM going to drink that great wine and I might even have dessert. I do try to be aware of how I'm feeling and not stuff myself, but I'm not going to stick to a salad and grilled chicken.

I have learned that I'm happier overall if I try to pace myself and pay attention to how full I feel. I also know that it's important to me to try to balance out the exercise and food as much as possible. For example, last Saturday I knew I was going out to an Italian restaurant and that there would be great wine and I would want to indulge in a great meal - so I increased my exercise significantly on Saturday morning to make a little space. Not exactly enough, but it was damage control, and I moved on. And I still ended up losing weight for the week. I also may not eat back all of my exercise calories on the days before or after this type of event, depending on how I feel - not really trying to make it an exact calorie wash, but rather approximating a bit of calorie cycling, and I make sure I don't go below 1200. It seems to be working for me overall.

However, I know that family functions can also lead me to overeat, but that often the indulgences aren't ones that really satisfy me, so in those instances I know now to plan ahead and not arrive hungry, have plenty of water, allow myself to take breaks away from the group, and try to make conscious choices about the food I eat.

I'm still working on how to approach work functions and business travel, which can also lead to eating issues for me, which are both emotional and circumstantial, but I'm trying to just be more aware of what's going on for me in the moment.

CarrieJaneSmith

My husband and I allow ourselves to eat whatever we want from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. This helps w/any feelings of being deprived. And because we log what we eat, we tend to eat less of our favorite things than if we didn't

_gwen

I went to a lecture last night that discussed current research on weight loss and health. One of the topics was how food affects our brain's reward center. Very interesting, and could apply to your situation.

From your description, sounds like you went to some kind of celebration. The advice in the lecture was to remember that many events provide food to make it more 'fun'. More food, more glucose in the system, your biochemistry ends up producing endorphins, and a short term high. The short term high feels good, so the result is achieved, more "fun".

The problem isn't about will power, your body chemistry is fighting you. The physician's recommendation is to catch yourself in the situation and have a strategy on how to handle it. The advice was:
1- try to remove yourself from the stimulus (e.g. don't sit in front of food. I wouldn't recommend avoiding a party, that's not realistic.)
2- make negative associations with the stimulus. (Think about all the reasons why you don't want the food, how many hours you'll be on the treadmill to burn it off, what it looks like raw, what it can do to your health, think of it covered in cat food (or worse), the pants that won't fit if you eat it. )
3- have an "if - then" plan (like if I find myself tempted by a trigger food, I will move away from the food. or If I go to a party, I will bring foods that I like to eat and don't trigger compulsive eating, etc.)
4- Believe in your heart that the trigger food is bad for your health.

They also had a few comments about alcohol.
1) it lowers inhibitions, and if you are trying to change your habits, the alcohol just makes it harder.
2) When you drink alcohol, your liver shifts from burning fat to burning the alcohol. It takes two days for your liver to 'reset' to fat burning. You will lose weight more slowly the week you drink alcohol.
3) Not all alcoholic drinks are equal. Wine and alcohol with syrups and mixers spikes your sugar, pushing you into that 'feel good' place your body likes. You end up fighting your brain's reward center. Drinks like scotch on the rocks, or a vodka and soda have less sugar, so are less likely to trigger the reward center.

You are in BC, so if you ever find yourself in Bellevue, WA, check out http://www.2020lifestyles.com/2020Programs/2020Lifestyles/Seminars/tabid/304/Default.aspx

Good luck.

Leola2011

Look, when I'm on my period, ALL BETS ARE OFF! I cheat...because I'M HUNGRY! I'm fortunate not to have one of those miserable periods where I'm incapacitated for days, but by the second day I'm gonna need somebody to get out of my way while I enjoy this piece of cake, or this plate of mac and cheese, or this mixing bowl full of cereal!

My point is, I am learning not to apologize for those moments when I'm tired, weak, or feel like letting my hair down for a spell. But it's only for a spell, and then it's time to put my big girl pants back on and keep it moving.

Write yourself a permission slip and get back in the saddle. One monkey don't stop no show!