Is a binge SO bad?

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  • eig6
    eig6 Posts: 249 Member
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    When I want to eat something unhealthy, I eat it on Sunday because I usually sleep in and eat my breakfast and lunch calories together (or lunch and dinner depending on what it is) so I can have something with more calories. Maybe you could do that as well as work it off, that way you're not going over so much on calories.
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
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    From what I understand, if you're craving something, your body is missing some kind of vitamin or nutrient. If you are finding a common ingredient in all of the things you're craving (like cheese or salsa) maybe you're body needs calcium or something like that.

    That being said...anytime I have a craving and I try to avoid it, I tend to eat a ton of other things, even if they're low calorie, and eat more calories than the craved item would have been in the first place!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    All - I'm having some SERIOUS cravings lately.

    I have been doing very well for almost a year - making good food choices, staying at/under/around my calorie goal, working out regularly. I've lost more than 60% of the total amount I want to lose... it's going great (with some minor plateau irritations thrown in now and then).

    But suddenly, I'm really wanting some bad food. I'm craving things I've NEVER liked, like chili cheese fries. I really want to splurge on a deep dish Chicago style pizza or maybe a bean burrito covered in salsa.

    My favorite food in the world is pizza - specifically that Chicago-style deep dish I mentioned. I don't want to "treat" myself to food, because rewarding weight loss and fitness with food just seems counter-productive to me. But, honestly, would it be SO bad to go get myself a pizza this weekend? I haven't had a slice in 6 months... I can do a double workout to make up for the extra calories.

    No biggie, right? Or is it? Could it be a slippery slope?

    It will kill you, and then make you gain 50 lbs of fat.

    Uncontrolled binges are generally not a great idea, however there's no rule saying you can't plan in a scheduled 'cheat' day or meal or have a refeed period. In fact some people (myself included) believe it's a healthy component of any long term diet.

    Just make sure you account for it somehow (and I don't mean you have to save up calories or something, I'm saying it would likely be better if it were a planned event and not just random), and don't let it become a constant thing.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Dude, you should totally binge. Eat everything in sight and everything you've wanted to eat but didn't. Do it all in one day.

    Next day, you'll feel so great. I doubt that you'll be puking and squirting. You'll feel awsome and ready to conquer the world. So, I say DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
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    When I want to eat something unhealthy, I eat it on Sunday because I usually sleep in and eat my breakfast and lunch calories together (or lunch and dinner depending on what it is) so I can have something with more calories. Maybe you could do that as well as work it off, that way you're not going over so much on calories.

    That's actually a really good idea - I could make that work on a Sunday, for sure.
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
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    "...anytime I have a craving and I try to avoid it, I tend to eat a ton of other things, even if they're low calorie, and eat more calories than the craved item would have been in the first place!"

    Very good point..
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
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    Dude, you should totally binge. Eat everything in sight and everything you've wanted to eat but didn't. Do it all in one day.

    Next day, you'll feel so great. I doubt that you'll be puking and squirting. You'll feel awsome and ready to conquer the world. So, I say DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    What's the opposite for "bump" on here? :)
  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
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    I would figure out which one I want the most and just have it. If it's pizza, eat as much as you want that one day and throw the rest out.

    When I've wanted something and tried to compensate, like, having wheat pasta and plain marinara instead of a pizza, I eat that and still eat the pizza.

    Then it's out of your system. 6 months is a long time to be good.
  • mstemen
    mstemen Posts: 111 Member
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    Dude, you should totally binge. Eat everything in sight and everything you've wanted to eat but didn't. Do it all in one day.

    Next day, you'll feel so great. I doubt that you'll be puking and squirting. You'll feel awsome and ready to conquer the world. So, I say DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Rude.

    I say if you have a craving moderation won't kill you. A binge is bad. I find now though after eating pretty well for the past 5 months that 2 pieces of pizza fill me up and I'm good. Have a big salad with it :) I now also get a thin crust and lots of veggies instead of the tripple pepperoni with pan crust and am just as satisfied.
  • bluberrygoo
    bluberrygoo Posts: 222 Member
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    If I'm craving something, I work in to my calories.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    I say go for it. It's what you do most of the time that counts, not what you do once in a blue moon, so I doubt it will do you any harm. As long as you get back to normal tomorrow, it's all good.

    ^ This!

    Pizza is your favorite food; why give it up? If this is a lifestyle change and not a diet, there's not reason you can't eat some of your favorite foods from time to time.
  • llahairdna
    llahairdna Posts: 521 Member
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    In my experience, the more I deprive myself of something, the more I crave it. If I want something really badly, I just work the rest of my day's calories around it, or work-out more so I'm not going over my limit.
  • tamaranewman
    tamaranewman Posts: 5 Member
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    This is where we get tripped up...labeling ourselves "good" or "bad" by the food choices we make. You are not a bad person for wanting or eating a pizza. You are not good if you make an alternate better choice. Make your choice and deal with the consequences. Yep, if you eat that entire pizza you may gain and it may take you twice as long to lose the extra weight. But deal with it. Sometimes it is worth it to satisfy your cravings. Again, no good or bad...just human.
  • Stacyanne324
    Stacyanne324 Posts: 780 Member
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    I "binge" every Sunday for my "spike day". Those days I eat at twice my BMR and enjoy whatever kind of food I want...pizza, burgers, etc. It gets the cravings out and I don't feel deprived all week and I'm still operating in a weekly defecit so I'm still losing weight (and actually switching to this way of eating has gotten me off a long plateau and losing again)

    I say go ahead and enjoy yourself for a day. You will feel better for it and it will probably help rev up your metabolism some at the same time. Enjoy!
  • aheartbeatsos
    aheartbeatsos Posts: 87
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    I say take a day where you binge MINDFULLY.
    You've got 6 days left to make up for it :)
    Remind yourself that it's a one day thing and whatever you do, do NOT keep leftovers lying around!
    This will just cause more cravings. If you do have leftovers, try to portion them out onto plates or into containers to prevent yourself from feeling compelled to eat them all at once :)
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
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    I love pizza. There's no way I'll ever go 6 mos w/o it. I have it when I want it and have had no serious "have to eat a whole pizza" cravings ever. And its not a "reward" its just what you're having for supper that night!
  • MndaLynn
    MndaLynn Posts: 26 Member
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    I say...have it...FOR SURE!! I have not given up anything. I have lost 17 pounds in 2 months. I make way smarter food decision and eat much less than I did before. I find when I eat something like pizza, cheeseburger, or fries...I eat way less than I did 2 months ago. I could easily eat four pieces of pizza. Now...I will have one or two pieces. This is about changing your lifestyle and it is something you have to be willing to do forever. If someone told me I could never eat another cheeseburger again...I would say forget it...I quit!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    But, honestly, would it be SO bad to go get myself a pizza this weekend? I haven't had a slice in 6 months... I can do a double workout to make up for the extra calories.

    No biggie, right? Or is it? Could it be a slippery slope?

    Well, the slippery slope is the real problem. A rare binge is not going to make you gain all your weight back. But if having that binge and not gaining weight leads you to have another thinking you won't gain then either, and then another and so on, then that is a biggie. If you can binge once and then get right back on track, then you are correct. No biggie.

    Only you can know how slippery your slope is.
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
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    All - I'm having some SERIOUS cravings lately.

    I have been doing very well for almost a year - making good food choices, staying at/under/around my calorie goal, working out regularly. I've lost more than 60% of the total amount I want to lose... it's going great (with some minor plateau irritations thrown in now and then).

    But suddenly, I'm really wanting some bad food. I'm craving things I've NEVER liked, like chili cheese fries. I really want to splurge on a deep dish Chicago style pizza or maybe a bean burrito covered in salsa.

    My favorite food in the world is pizza - specifically that Chicago-style deep dish I mentioned. I don't want to "treat" myself to food, because rewarding weight loss and fitness with food just seems counter-productive to me. But, honestly, would it be SO bad to go get myself a pizza this weekend? I haven't had a slice in 6 months... I can do a double workout to make up for the extra calories.

    No biggie, right? Or is it? Could it be a slippery slope?

    It's only a slippery slope if you let it be. Go eat some pizza.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Dude, you should totally binge. Eat everything in sight and everything you've wanted to eat but didn't. Do it all in one day.

    Next day, you'll feel so great. I doubt that you'll be puking and squirting. You'll feel awsome and ready to conquer the world. So, I say DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    What's the opposite for "bump" on here? :)

    Sorry, I didn't realize that you want positive support for binge eating. I misunderstood. My bad.

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