My food/eating confession

_VoV

If this eating occurs late in the day, try logging it for breakfast the next morning. The thought that you are stealing calories you need for the next day can be just enough of a psychological downer to stop the uncontrolled eating.

ampa916

I always do it like this: If I am going to eat over I have to exercise more, so the more I eat, the more I have to work out. I don't like working out. I understand it's benefits and do it daily but I don't like it, so for me it is a mind game which one do I hate more, eating my junk (cause usually if I am going over its not for veggies, it's for like...pizza) or exercising.

GroupXZ

It might sounds weird, but I feel guilty when I go over my calorie intake. What I do to make sure I am really never hungry at meal time, I snack!!! Also if you exercise A LOT you have so many calories.... ugh, I wasn't able to go to the gym today :sad:

Birder150

I am a decades-long binge eater.
I can't see your diary so I don't know the calorie allowance you've set for yourself but what has FINALLY worked for me is to raise my calorie level.
I no longer feel that need to overindulge or over-focus on food.
I have not had a binge in 3 weeks which I can't emphasize enough ... it's a miracle!

My calorie level is set to 1930 for a 1 lb per week weight loss and I've set myself to 'lightly active'.
This has changed the whole game for me.

I know this doesn't answer your question for over indulgence in the moment but it may be something to consider for the bigger picture.

I re-started on Feb. 20/12 at 259.2 lbs and as of today I've lost 8 lbs painlessly and almost effortlessly.

The other obstacle that has gotten in my way for DECADES is impatience. I wanted results yesterday and thought that by eating 1200 calories per day would get me there faster. That has only ever led to binge eating for me and consequently, failure at weight loss.

N=1
YMMV.

firedudecndn

You can't think in terms of daily intake. You have to consider it as a long term trend. Just like being under by 100 calories one day doesn't mean you're going to lose weight, being over doesn't mean you'll gain weight.
I do the same thing you do. If I'm going to be over I make sure I'm way over, the challenge is making sure that it is only 1 day and doesn't turn into several days of being over.
No one day of being over or under will make any real difference in your weight loss or gain just like no one workout will make any difference in your fitness.
BUT!!! The accumulative effect of many caloric splurges or deficits or workouts over a long period of time will have a significant effect on your weight/fitness.
Think of it another way; imagine your caloric intake as a averaging chart. If you look at it in a week; that splurge looks really bad, in a month it looks better but over 100 days it's insignificant. Especially if you maintain your discipline 99% of the rest of the time.
Don't fret over a single event. Make the trend of less calories your default and the occasional day over is a non-event.

moonspells

I just started on here 2 weeks ago and I have a challenge going with my fiance that if either of us goes over our calories, we miss out on girls/boys night for the month...so I am extra motivated! lol But what I do when I find that I'm over by a bit, is take the dog out for a walk or go do some sort of exercise to make up the calories. Then I don't get that guilty feeling of "failing" for the day...or even worse, the feeling of then going WAY overboard (which I can totally relate to, believe me!).
Hope this helps and good luck! )

Lib_B

i've had the same issue in the past. my most difficult time is at night after the kids are in bed. and for me, it didn't matter what the food was. keeping "treats" out of the house wasn't enough...if i'm headed toward a binge, i could eat a brick of cheese or any other food i can lay my hands on (i have a REALLY effed up relationship with food that over the years has included closet eating and purging). so now what i do is just go to bed. even if it is only 9 PM, i brush my teeth and head to bed. it keeps me out of the frig.

WinWinGo

Someone else ITT said not to keep junk in the house, and that's legit. Apart from that, don't worry about too much about going over the calories, and don't think of it as an excuse to indulge. If you're gonna go over by 70-80 or even a hundred, go over, then stop. Binging will just undo all your hard work.

Wendysworld13

It sounds to me like a compulsive eating disorder. There are some great books out there to help you gain control. It is very common. Try looking at that and see if this makes sense to you. If you fit the bill - then you have a direction to go to work on the issues and solve the problem.
Also, make sure you are eating your calories for the day - you should be satisfied at that point and won't have the urge.
Good luck.

JeannieP1234

I just started here, I'm new, but I have dieted before. One thing that has helped me stay on track is on the weekend have one meal that you don't have to record, indulge on that meal and reward yourself for all the hard work you have done over the week and don't feel guilty about it. Just make sure it's one meal, one time, once a week. Hope this helps!

smittenmikish

Someone explained this to me in a way I could understand....

If I drop my cell phone on the ground... I don't smash it into a million pieces... :huh:

If I am over my calorie goal by 70 calories... don't want to smash my day by overconsuming 500....



......It made sense to me... :laugh:

Nerdy_Rose

Drink tea. Chew gum. Suck it up and control yourself.

Keep healthy foods in the house. Oatmeal, protein bars, peanut butter, avocado, fresh fruits and veggies, hummus, etc. so when you need those extra calories from breast feeding, you get them from a place that's good for you.

MB_Positif

Try using this: H.A.L.T. Ask yourself, Am I hungry, angry, lonely or tired? If you say yes to anything but hungry you don't eat the food! I can relate, I have done that before where I say, well I am already over, but you have to be very careful with it! It can go very wrong! I will send you a friend request.

MB_Positif

also, if you like to graze on snacks, popcorn is your friend, just keep it light on salt & butter. So low cal!

gaelyngaelyn

That kind of thinking is EXACTLY what I USED to do... dividing days between "bad" days and what would eventually be a "starting over" day.... it's terrible.... now because of this, I REFUSE to go into the red...

I was over by 60something cals the other day and started to think that way, but instead put my heart rate monitor on and got on the treadmill until I burned those exact 60 off! It barely took any time! So that had really helped... if you're over by a little it'll only take like a 5 to 10 mn walk to go back into the green. AS SOON AS you see you've went over, fix it asap. Walk. Now. It's a LOT easier to do that 5 min walk to get rid of the 50 extra than have to do a WHOLE ADDITIONAL workout that day to get rid of 400.
Good luck !

gaelyngaelyn

If this eating occurs late in the day, try logging it for breakfast the next morning. The thought that you are stealing calories you need for the next day can be just enough of a psychological downer to stop the uncontrolled eating.

This is also a great idea!

lilchicksta94

It might sounds weird, but I feel guilty when I go over my calorie intake. What I do to make sure I am really never hungry at meal time, I snack!!! Also if you exercise A LOT you have so many calories.... ugh, I wasn't able to go to the gym today :sad:

I feel guilty too!! I even feel guilty eating cookies when I have the calories to do so because I feel like I'm being naughty hahaha

cschaeffer28

I would say, try to change your approach. If you know you're going to go over by 70 calories or so, don't think of it as "oh well." Don't look at it as you have messed up for the whole day, so you might as well just splurge on whatever. Take a walk or do a little physical activity and log it in your exercise to earn it back instead. It will make you feel a whole lot better!

And another thing, in my opinion, it's better to go over by a little bit every once in a while. Our bodies are made to adapt, and that's why people hit plateaus. I am no expert, but I do read a lot about weight loss. And of course, there are so many different opinions and approaches out there, and different things work for different people. But it's my understanding that if you change things up every once in a while, either with calories consumed or changing your exercises, it tricks your body and keeps it from adapting.

jennyferngiraffes

This happens to me sometimes, but the way you have to look at it is that you can NOT start over the next day...each day (or late night in my case) is an opportunity to work towards your goals. If you fall short it isn't a free for all till the next morning or you are just undoing all the work you did all day.

OnceAndFutureAthlete

Maybe you can look at WHY you're going over your calorie target for the day.
(I like to say target not goal, because in darts and archery and some other sports, you can win just by being near the target. With goals it's an all-or-nothing thing.)

Are you setting yourself up for defeat? Are you telling yourself "I can't do this" and then making that the reality? So you push until you go just a little over which becomes the excuse to then really eat (and "fail")? And then you say to yourself "See? You really can't do this. You really are a failure. You don't desrve X, Y and Z."

Or maybe you don't really want to succeed at this (yet)? OR not make this a priority at this time. You really want to focus on your baby. That's OK. I believe you really need to be ready to lose weight. So you can make it a priority and have determination so that when you see your calories will go over with that next snack, you think about what you're REALLLY trying to do and that will stop you.

I'm not saying any of this is true for you, just trying to throw something new into the mix of comments.

If I could say the #1 thing that's helped me, it's planning my day's food out in advance. You can adjust during the day if you don't keep exactly to plan. You learn over time what works and what doesn't, so GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME TO FIGURE THAT OUT. I KNOW I need to reserve calories for late night snacking, so I do it.

Good luck!

TrailRunner61

#1. Don't have that stuff in the house or near you, ever. In the beginning I knew that I was weak and I'd eat the stuff. Over time you will enjoy meeting goals more than a donut. I know it's hard to believe but it's true!

#2. If people bring you 'bad' stuff, give it back, give it away or throw it away! I have actually tossed stuff in the trash to avoid eating it. I hate 'wasting' food but my health and lifestyle is more important.

#3. Keep healthier snacks around that you like! Fruit, string cheese, Greek yogurt, frozen fruit bars, etc.

#4. Drink more! When you have one of your cravings, have gone over your allotted calories, exposed to something unhealthy, etc., drink a huge glass of water.

#5. If you do slip up, DO NOT give up. You will be stronger from your mistake and you already are or you wouldn't have posted about it on here. Today is a new day and you will do better.

#6. Add some supportive pals on here to help you get through weak moments. Most of us are happy to give advice but remember what works for others may or may not pertain to your body. Do what works for you!

Good luck! You can do this.

Tlively13

If you consume just 100 calories more than you need a day, you may very well gain as much as 10 pounds in a year. 100 extra calories a DAY equals 10 pounds a YEAR! Know your intake numbers!

funkycamper

I disagree with the above post. If you're eating in a 500 calorie a day deficit, you're not going to gain weight if you go 100 calories over every single day of the year and gain 10#. You're simply going to lose about 0.85#/week instead of 1#/week. Of course, it you're continuously eating 100 calories a day over maintenance, then you might gain 10# a year but that's not what we're talking about here.

I used to do the same thing and think that I've blown it so I might as well blow it big. No more. You've gotten some great advice here. Here's what works for me.

* There are no bad foods, naughty foods, forbidden foods. As long as it fits in my calorie target, I can eat whatever I want. If I decide to splurge on several slabs of cake. I eat it, I log it, and then I fit the rest of my intake around it to allow for it.

* But, since no food is forbidden, can make me feel guilty for eating it, I just never get into that "I've blown it so I might as well blow it big" mindset anymore. I usually just eat a smaller piece, eat it slowly and savor it, and I'm very satisfied. Since I know I can have more, totally guilt-free, if I want it, I usually find that I don't want it.

* I have a weekly calorie target, not a daily one. I zig-zag my calories throughout the week on a Mon-Sun schedule. I don't tend to eat the calories before I've earned them, i.e. I don't splurge and then have to minimize calories later to make up for it. I think that sets you up for failure as you're always working to catch-up to your goal. I simply "bank" calories on days where my calorie burn has been so high that I can't eat all my calories due to making healthy choices that day and "spend" them later in the week when I'm some place serving that cake I want, or going out for a restaurant meal, or whatever.

Remember, weight loss is not linear and our body isn't on a 24-hour time clock that resets itself every night at midnight. It's the long-term continuum of eating at or near your calorie target that counts, not just what happens on any one particular day.