best advice for falling off the wagon? ugh!!

MJ7910

focus on the future. make sure you are getting enough daily calories. i increased my daily calories up to 1700 and that has actually helped me control binges, believe it or not... i think i was being too restrictive with my calories and that is why i wanted to binge all the time. once i set a higher limit for myself i filled up those calories with good food, not junk all the time. you can do it! not saying i never have junk, but i limit it... you can too

iamladibeast

bump

jbrinda1

Last night we had no dinner plan, so we got pizza...three and a half slices later...oy prob at least 1500 over my allotment for the day, but you know what, I needed some carbs, and its not a big deal, so I'm not going to lose sleep over it, even though I didn't even work out yesterday. Not a true binge, but a bit off the rails, today I'll just get right back to keeping it as clean as possible, what can you do! Today is a brand new day, start it right.

jbrinda1

Your little stumble is just that...just a little stumble. You have not fallen of course and still know where you wanna go with your health which is good. Everyone has little stumbles now and again. What counts is you got back on the horse and continue eating healthy and working hard towards getting healthier and staying healthy. There is a song from a band I listen to that kinda fits the addiction theme. Check it out if you like, it's a pretty good song. The song is called "Accidents can happen" by Sixx: A.M. Good job for getting back up

Or there's Elvis Costello: Accidents WILL Happen

willywonka

I cannot tell you how much this made me smile, and how badly I needed to hear it. Thank you, thank you, thank you :flowerforyou:

Being a big scary man, what I say means something.....just believe that for a minute please, willing suspension of disbelief.....

I am willing to take your guilt. Please do this for me. Walk out your front door, set all the guilt down there, I will pick it up. When you come back tomorrow it will be gone.

Now, I noticed you focused on the negative aspects, I am REALLY EXCITED, because you got rid of the junk food and sent the candy off with the husband. HOW AWESOME is that? Your body didn't really like the food, the sodium helping hold in the water so you feel bloated......but I noticed, YOU GOT OUT WORKOUT CLOTHES. So you are working out. That is only AWESOME.

So you had a set back, since you left your guilt outside your door....wait, you haven't yet.... go do it now, I will wait...............
Okay now the guilt is gone, and you did all the right things following a few extra crap calories. You rock.
Wait, let me make that clear.

YOU ROCK!

willywonka

Oh my gosh, I have been on an extremely low carbohydrate diet for about 3 months now. I have noticed that when I tend to "slip" my cravings for carbs are intense like never before. Your explanation helps me to see why. Thank you so much

First off, to understand weight and gain you probably know as I've read in your post about water retention. Knowing that 1 pound equals 3500 calories, you would have to consume that much over in one day to gain one pound whereas if you eat the stuff you said you went running to the store for contains high amounts of sodium, that could be responsible for water retention and the tightness of your clothes.

Nobody can understand binge eating completely as our brains are very complex things. One thing that does affect our brains is the food that we eat (or lack thereof). The one food that our brains use exclusively for energy is carbohydrate. Too much carbohydrate in your daily nutrition and you'll gain weight.

Not enough carbohydrate in your daily nutrition can have other effects, setting you up for those emotional episodes that send you running to the store for what??? Carbohydrate laden foods. Once you consume those foods, your mind is at ease and the emotional distress seems to lessen. How can this be combated?

With an influx of complex carbohydrate into your daily nutrition.

Complex carbohydrate can keep those emotional episodes that send you running to the store for "junk food" at bay. The complex carbohydrate will also keep your mind sharp and fueled so you can attack the problems as they come to you instead of running for the simple carbs that burn off and leave you with all of the calories.

I find that breakfast is one of the most important times of the day to introduce complex carbs into your body. I routinely have cheerios with fresh banana, chunk pineapple, mixed with lowfat yogurt. I also eat whole wheat toast with smart balance. Those complex carbs get me going and I am ready for the day.

If you are restricting carbohydrate, that could be a reason for the falling off of the wagon.

willywonka

THIS is why I love this site, all this support, all this love- it means the world to me. I may not know any of you personally, but to me the bond that we all share is closer than a lot of people in my every day life. No judgement, no two-faced ness, just SUPPORT. Reading your responses, it truly is making me feel strong and good again. You are all awesome and beautiful and I am so proud for us to all be a part of each other's healthy lifestyles :flowerforyou:

leannems

Love This!!

I cannot tell you how much this made me smile, and how badly I needed to hear it. Thank you, thank you, thank you :flowerforyou:

Being a big scary man, what I say means something.....just believe that for a minute please, willing suspension of disbelief.....

I am willing to take your guilt. Please do this for me. Walk out your front door, set all the guilt down there, I will pick it up. When you come back tomorrow it will be gone.

Now, I noticed you focused on the negative aspects, I am REALLY EXCITED, because you got rid of the junk food and sent the candy off with the husband. HOW AWESOME is that? Your body didn't really like the food, the sodium helping hold in the water so you feel bloated......but I noticed, YOU GOT OUT WORKOUT CLOTHES. So you are working out. That is only AWESOME.

So you had a set back, since you left your guilt outside your door....wait, you haven't yet.... go do it now, I will wait...............
Okay now the guilt is gone, and you did all the right things following a few extra crap calories. You rock.
Wait, let me make that clear.

YOU ROCK!

lacewitch

I am a binge eater as well. Mainly late at night. I can put away some carbs and chocolate like no one else

My advice:

*It is a NEW day! You can not go back and stop the binge now but you can start fresh and stop beating yourself up. Start from THIS moment and make a new day!

* When I am in a binge mode (binging every night) I start a log where I can see it every day of how long it has been since I binged. So 12 days binge free or however long it has been. The higher the numbers get the stronger I become. I don't want to waste all those days and start back at 1 if that makes sense

*When I feel the uncontrollable urge to eat for no reason I go brush my teeth. Snaps me right out of it.

*I also have some foods in the house that are okay to binge on, like watermelon. I can eat 6 bowls of it and not do any damage

Stay strong!

since seeing the you have logged in for XX days keeps me logging into MFP, a binge log is brilliant
thanks
have started one in my diary ( on day 1 due to a mini binge last night but it could have been worse [ and has been] so i am counting small mercies and doing lots today)

lacewitch

Being a big scary man, what I say means something.....just believe that for a minute please, willing suspension of disbelief.....

I am willing to take your guilt. Please do this for me. Walk out your front door, set all the guilt down there, I will pick it up. When you come back tomorrow it will be gone.

Now, I noticed you focused on the negative aspects, I am REALLY EXCITED, because you got rid of the junk food and sent the candy off with the husband. HOW AWESOME is that? Your body didn't really like the food, the sodium helping hold in the water so you feel bloated......but I noticed, YOU GOT OUT WORKOUT CLOTHES. So you are working out. That is only AWESOME.

So you had a set back, since you left your guilt outside your door....wait, you haven't yet.... go do it now, I will wait...............
Okay now the guilt is gone, and you did all the right things following a few extra crap calories. You rock.
Wait, let me make that clear.

YOU ROCK!

this made me smile so much. thanks for this. i will try to remember this

Givemewings

Don't stress! I've been there! Just make a resolution to try harder today and take it one day at a time! I am having similar problems....I need to try harder to fit my exercise in and not to go over my calories at the end ofn the day when i feel like snacking! Want to be friends? We could support each other?

Jnine25

ok, first you have GOT TO CHANGE YOUR FRAME OF MIND! Change to the positive and use this as a learning experience. You know how bad it made you feel that you did this. You know that it only temporarily made you feel good and that the bad feelings outweighed the good feelings. You DO have will power or you wouldn't have lost 40 plus pounds. Kiss that junk food goodbye. It's like the devil for those of us who have weight issues. Remember that this journey is about being healthy too, and that it first and foremost. It's a bonus that we lose weight while doing it. It is a long journey for some of us, so be realistic and know that you WILL CERTAINLY have days like this in the days and years to come. Each day is a new day and it gives us a fresh start. Focus on ONE DAY, or even ONE MEAL at a time. I am confident that you will grab the horse by the reigns and take charge of your life. You know what to do! Best luck on the rest of your journey!!! YOU CAN DO THIS; JUST WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GIVE UP! hugs.:flowerforyou:

gazz777au

Get back on!

This !

edit: You have done great ! Now to work on the other things that affect your weight, but GET BACK ON THE WAGON. That is the trick I have learned with maintaining. A year ago I battled with depression. Now I have little to be depressed about ... my weight is now a healthy weight. Come on, you are a winner ! You conquered one thing, now you can stay on top of it and come out fighting the next. Go for it ! Cheers !!!

Jnine25

Being a big scary man, what I say means something.....just believe that for a minute please, willing suspension of disbelief.....

I am willing to take your guilt. Please do this for me. Walk out your front door, set all the guilt down there, I will pick it up. When you come back tomorrow it will be gone.

Now, I noticed you focused on the negative aspects, I am REALLY EXCITED, because you got rid of the junk food and sent the candy off with the husband. HOW AWESOME is that? Your body didn't really like the food, the sodium helping hold in the water so you feel bloated......but I noticed, YOU GOT OUT WORKOUT CLOTHES. So you are working out. That is only AWESOME.

So you had a set back, since you left your guilt outside your door....wait, you haven't yet.... go do it now, I will wait...............
Okay now the guilt is gone, and you did all the right things following a few extra crap calories. You rock.
Wait, let me make that clear.

YOU ROCK!

this made me smile so much. thanks for this. i will try to remember this


you ROCK too!!! great words of advice!

aprilgicker

get a hobby! anything that you like to take your mind off of your issue. I have all kinds, crochet, paint, make seashell things.
I binged yesterday on chicken wings. over the course of the day I eat the whole bag. I would have eaten them all in one setting but I forced myself to stop and go out of the house. when I came back I still had the craving to eat more of them. I caved and ate the rest. But now they are gone And I will get on with my day,and will do a few more minutes of exercise and get over it.

nas30

bump

Helloitsdan

Best advice?

Land on your feet!

dobarber

I actually binged last night as well and I plan on drinking tons of water and working out tonight. Like everyone here has said just pick yourself up dust yourself off learn from your mistakes and move on. You've lost 42 pounds and I've lost 50. I'm sure that we'll still binge eat when we get to 70 pounds lost as well but we're going to keep going. Great job going for the workout. It really shows your great attitude toward this journey. Besides, why would they call it a journey if the road didn't turn occasionally. You're not a failure. If you were then you would not have posted this and helped out the others who are going through the exact same thing. Thank YOU for doing that. Not many people would have the courage to put themselves out like that. NEVER QUIT.

applekoko19

Whatever you do no matter how far off track you go LOG everything and keep coming back to MFP and weighing in at your usual time. You will go off track every now and again... Coming back to MFP makes the difference for me evrytime.

randomartisrgirl

get right back up again
that's all the advice i have, except maybe to treat yourself. better to have it in controlled amounts than a lot in a binge.

Zalovar

Maybe you should incorporate a cheat day into your plan if you haven't already. I have a tendency to binge as well, and I manage this by cheating one day every weekend to stay sane and ward off a much larger binge like the one you described.

This ^. It makes me feel like I have control because I too have an issue with binging sometimes and once it starts it's difficult to reign in. Also, by planning my cheat day (or cheat meal), I can prep by getting an extra hard workout in which helps with the guilt. Either way, falling off the wagon from time to time is the norm for most of us, its just a matter of getting better at reducing the frequency and duration of those falls that's key. When I was yo yo dieting I would do great for four weeks, then binge like crazy for a week or two and then be right back where I started. Thanks to MFP and this great community, I don't do that anymore and I can say I'm having much better success even while giving in from time to time. POINT: Don't despair, we can do this!

XXXMinnieXXX

Being a big scary man, what I say means something.....just believe that for a minute please, willing suspension of disbelief.....

I am willing to take your guilt. Please do this for me. Walk out your front door, set all the guilt down there, I will pick it up. When you come back tomorrow it will be gone.

Now, I noticed you focused on the negative aspects, I am REALLY EXCITED, because you got rid of the junk food and sent the candy off with the husband. HOW AWESOME is that? Your body didn't really like the food, the sodium helping hold in the water so you feel bloated......but I noticed, YOU GOT OUT WORKOUT CLOTHES. So you are working out. That is only AWESOME.

So you had a set back, since you left your guilt outside your door....wait, you haven't yet.... go do it now, I will wait...............
Okay now the guilt is gone, and you did all the right things following a few extra crap calories. You rock.
Wait, let me make that clear.

YOU ROCK!

Awesome perspective and I agree! Its only a small blip and your here trying to change it. That's wonderful. Go you!

PinkStar6

Thanks so much for being so honest, I've let my self slip back into eating rubbish and far too much of it lately and am totally ashamed of myself but it's good to know I'm not the only one struggling with things. You've lost an amazing amount so far, so you know you can do it, just think positive and take every day as it comes.

If anyone wants to be the one to tell me off and get me back on track, add me, I could do with a bit of motivation right now.

ArtGeek22

Just tell yourself IT IS OKAY. We are only human and we all make slip ups. Just remember its not a diet its a lifestyle (at least for me) so we can allow ourselves to slip up.

And the thing is you ARE working out and that is fantastic! You are taking control and fixing it which many people wouldn't do after something like this.

Just do what you where planning. Drink lots of water and get back in your route. Also, I find laying of the sodium for a day or too helps a lot.


Also, I am willing to take your disgust. Just place it on your doorstep and I will pick it up tomarrow morning so both guilt and digest are gone because there is no need for them anymore. Because YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!


Keep Calm and Carry On,
Anna

jorowling

Duck and roll, duck and roll

Love this!!!!

Mabohlale

I listen to "Brand New Day" by Joshua Radin, exercise a bit extra and drink lots and lots of water to flush out the toxins ... then start immediately with being "back on plan!"

jcpmoore

I can totally relate. Been there, done that. The first thing to realize is that you can't change the past-and you don't need to. There's no need to change what already happened-we need to learn from it. What did you learn? That binging on junk food makes you feel worse, not better. Now it's time to move forward. Here are my recommendations:

1. Start today fresh. This isn't a day to start with guilt. Forgive yourself and give yourself a clean slate and start over.
2. If reading books helps you, I recommend getting a copy of "If I'm So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight". It's a great book for those of us who tend to eat emotionally. It'll help you learn other ways to cope with the feelings so you don't turn to food.
3. Start a journal and make sure you turn there first when you start to feel bad.

*hugs* be gentle with yourself. You'll get there, but we all must learn along the way.

barefoot76

I love all of the responses so far, so I'm just going to add a simple one:

RIGHT NOW YOU ARE OKAY.

Every day is a new day, every hour is a new hour, every minute is a new minute to do the right thing. When you do something wrong, just do the next right thing.

And be gentle with yourself, m'kay? I am a recovering binge eater, too, and I make it worse when I beat myself up over and over. Forgive yourself for the things you don't get right, and keep moving forward. Binging is usually a sign that I'm hurting over something or stressing out, and I think that eating will make it better, but ... it means I need to do something nice for myself. Get a massage, take a candlelit bubblebath, go for a nice long walk, get a manicure, whatever. I think those of us that have binge disorder need to practice taking care of ourselves in other ways than eating so that, when stress or fear or anger or whatever pops up, we turn to something healthy that we've practiced instead of eating -- I'm trying to make reading The Hunger Games my new go-to when I feel stressed lately! ;-) *hugs* Send a friend request if you need regular support!!

Helenatrandom

I can totally relate. Been there, done that. The first thing to realize is that you can't change the past-and you don't need to. There's no need to change what already happened-we need to learn from it. What did you learn? That binging on junk food makes you feel worse, not better. Now it's time to move forward. Here are my recommendations:

1. Start today fresh. This isn't a day to start with guilt. Forgive yourself and give yourself a clean slate and start over.
2. If reading books helps you, I recommend getting a copy of "If I'm So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight". It's a great book for those of us who tend to eat emotionally. It'll help you learn other ways to cope with the feelings so you don't turn to food.
3. Start a journal and make sure you turn there first when you start to feel bad.

*hugs* be gentle with yourself. You'll get there, but we all must learn along the way.

I'm not the OP, but I thank you for the book recommendation. I need to figure out a way to deal with stress and frustration that is not food related.

Helenatrandom

I love all of the responses so far, so I'm just going to add a simple one:

RIGHT NOW YOU ARE OKAY.

Every day is a new day, every hour is a new hour, every minute is a new minute to do the right thing. When you do something wrong, just do the next right thing.

And be gentle with yourself, m'kay? I am a recovering binge eater, too, and I make it worse when I beat myself up over and over. Forgive yourself for the things you don't get right, and keep moving forward. Binging is usually a sign that I'm hurting over something or stressing out, and I think that eating will make it better, but ... it means I need to do something nice for myself. Get a massage, take a candlelit bubblebath, go for a nice long walk, get a manicure, whatever. I think those of us that have binge disorder need to practice taking care of ourselves in other ways than eating so that, when stress or fear or anger or whatever pops up, we turn to something healthy that we've practiced instead of eating -- I'm trying to make reading The Hunger Games my new go-to when I feel stressed lately! ;-) *hugs* Send a friend request if you need regular support!!

I really like the manicure suggestion. As a matter of fact, if I paint my own nails when I feel like bingeing, it'll give me about half an hour longer to try to talk myself out of it...