How to recover from a binge?

gatorgirlyyy

Hi there,

I am yet again coming to the MFP community for advise and suggestions on my most recent issue. Today I was out with friends and I WAY over ate. I'm talking like 1,500 calories over my daily goal. I know I shouldn't have done it, but you can't take back what you've done. You can only reverse your mistakes and learn from them. Since I way overate today how can I make it like it never happened? Should I exercise more tomorrow? Like to make up for the extra consumed calories. I will not be binging again... I forgot how awful you feel both mentally and physically afterwords. I just want those extra calories gone!

I'm trying to do this healthy so I really need your opinions. How can I reverse my stupidity? I don't want this to effect my weigh in next Thursday.

Thank y'all so much. You all help me so much and keep me motivated.

original_cake_face

Stop eating. Get back on track. Go for a run. Do better tomorrow.

leadoff

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

51powerski

Really don't see why you are so worried. Cheating once in a while isnt bad as long as it doesnt become a regular occurance. I mean whats the point in being alive if you can't relax now and then?

But hey it's up to you, hit yourself with pain sticks to teach yourself a lesson if you prefer.

gatorgirlyyy

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

But I feel so yucky! I think I'd feel better about myself if I made up for the calories by burning them off?

hapoo100

Dont be hard on yourself. It happens and if it is just a one day thing, you will have no issues. Eat right and exercise like normal, stay on your routine and you will be just fine.

With 37 lbs lost, you know how to win. Start tomorrow fresh!

ccroberts

Whenever I binge I exercise harder that day or the next day. You'll feel better, just don't fall off track!

skierxjes

If you've been really good with sticking to your calorie goal for a while, this binge might help you drop a couple more lbs this week than normal. Binges once in a while do that, it's called spiking.

frugalmomsrock

Step 1: Forgive yourself.

Step 2: Move on. (extra water can't hurt, either)

That's about all you can do. I've had many binges. They make me feel horrible, but if I dwell on it, it turns from a single binge into DAYS of binge eating. You simply have to forgive yourself NOW. Let it go. Move ahead. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

tacticalhippie

I always drink extra water with lemon.
Helps me feel better, especially since the foods I binge on are laden with sodium.

gatorgirlyyy

Whenever I binge I exercise harder that day or the next day. You'll feel better, just don't fall off track!

I think that's what I'll do... if not for anything, at least peace of mind.

leadoff

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

But I feel so yucky! I think I'd feel better about myself if I made up for the calories by burning them off?

Just remember how you feel when you are doing right. Don't focus on the negative but on the positive. Yes, you had a "relapse" of sorts....but in the long run, you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Let that be your motivation!

gatorgirlyyy

I would also just like to add to this post that I am having a toothache and my dentist prescribed me Hydrocodone for the pain. I took 10mg as prescribed and I believe this is what triggered such an intense appetite and lack of motivation. I think I'm going to stick to Aleve unless I have to because it's just not worth it.

gatorgirlyyy

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

But I feel so yucky! I think I'd feel better about myself if I made up for the calories by burning them off?

Just remember how you feel when you are doing right. Don't focus on the negative but on the positive. Yes, you had a "relapse" of sorts....but in the long run, you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Let that be your motivation!

I will... at the moment I still have that weighed down, full feeling. I think in the morning I'll be feeling better and ready to continue. Thanks again.

gatorgirlyyy

If you've been really good with sticking to your calorie goal for a while, this binge might help you drop a couple more lbs this week than normal. Binges once in a while do that, it's called spiking.

Hmmmm.... very interesting. I didn't know that.

pattan59801

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

But I feel so yucky! I think I'd feel better about myself if I made up for the calories by burning them off?

Is there even such a thing as burning off calories from a past day???

FitLink

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

THIS^^

pattan59801

I always drink extra water with lemon.
Helps me feel better, especially since the foods I binge on are laden with sodium.

What does the Lemon do???

smplycomplicated

We've all done it atleast once. don't beat yourself up too bad over it, Be proud of yourself for feeling bad about it..as weird as that sounds. that's a big step..if you're like me I used to over eat every single meal..It's wonderful (and a bit embarrassing) when i sit back and think about how far i've come in a short time. put in a lil extra time on your workout tomorrow, and you'll be fine

datagram40

Just move on. One day is just one day. I purposely binge on calories every weekend. I still lose 1-2 pounds a week. One day will not be your undoing.

FitLink

I like to reward myself from time to time for practicing healthy habits. A binge every now and then is nothing to feel guilty about, IMO. It is what it is, but remember to view it as that....an occasional reward for a job well done! Then jump back on the healthy wagon and keep pluggin away!

But I feel so yucky! I think I'd feel better about myself if I made up for the calories by burning them off?

Is there even such a thing as burning off calories from a past day???

Of course. Isn't that what we're doing every day when we lose weight? We burn off calories we ate in the past and were stored as fat, just like any excess calories we eat today will. I try not to stress about getting the whole calories in vs out deficit thing balancing on a daily basis. It's just as effective on a weekly basis. 1500 extra calories today, spread over six additional days, means if you eat just 250 calories fewer than planned each day for next six days, you're back on track, like it didn't happen. (Just don't cut your daily calories below 1200, regardless.)

FitLink

I always drink extra water with lemon.
Helps me feel better, especially since the foods I binge on are laden with sodium.

What does the Lemon do???

Changes the flavor of the water. Otherwise? Not a dang thing.

bridgie101

Hi there,

I am yet again coming to the MFP community for advise and suggestions on my most recent issue. Today I was out with friends and I WAY over ate. I'm talking like 1,500 calories over my daily goal. I know I shouldn't have done it, but you can't take back what you've done. You can only reverse your mistakes and learn from them. Since I way overate today how can I make it like it never happened? Should I exercise more tomorrow? Like to make up for the extra consumed calories. I will not be binging again... I forgot how awful you feel both mentally and physically afterwords. I just want those extra calories gone!

I'm trying to do this healthy so I really need your opinions. How can I reverse my stupidity? I don't want this to effect my weigh in next Thursday.

Thank y'all so much. You all help me so much and keep me motivated.

The most vitally important thing you can do is wipe the slate clean. Remember how you felt after bingeing, remember that it's not really your friend.... but apart from that forgive and forget.

Drink lots of water as you'll probably be a bit dehydrated and then just carry on as usual tomorrow. Don't try to repay the 'debt' as it can lead to undereating/overexercising and cause the stress necessary for the next binge. Just let it all wash away.

Celeigh12

As a recovering binge eater, I can tell you that the smartest thing to do is record it and then move on with your regular eating/exercise plan. If you turn it into trying to undo it you just set yourself up for more see-saw behavior:

Binge - beat yourself up - excessive exercise/cutting back calories - more hunger - binge

You want even keeled behavior. So for that occasional binge, dust yourself off and resume normal activity. 1500 calories in the scheme of this whole journey is not going to kill your long-term success.

jillian769

I did the exact same thing today!!! Ugh...even after I got up this morning and had lost another pound, which meant I was at a total of 76 lbs lost!!! I went to a jewelry party today given by my best friends mother and she had an amazing spread of food...she is a great cook and had all my favorite kinds of a desserts and appetizers. I did so well and only had the low-carb treats....THEN...

I got into a little argument with my husband and just snapped. I got in my car to drive around and I went through a drive through and got a bunch of junk and it just got worse after that. lol I have not had anything off my diet in a long time or overindulged in anything "naughty." But you know, it was a really good thing, because nothing tasted as good as I remembered it...It wasn't so delicious and life changing that I thought, "Oh I missed eating junk so much, it's better than being smaller and healthier." It really wasn't all that, plus I felt full,bloated, and guilty. Not really worth it. I think it is necessary every several weeks to do that because it makes you realize that eating bad isn't all it's cracked up to be. I am not going to weigh myself tomorrow because I know I will be up a pound or two, buttttttt...I'm going to go to Zumba tomorrow and then the gym, and then eat well for the next few days. You just gotta let the guilt go and get back on track!!!!

laineyluma

As a recovering binge eater, I can tell you that the smartest thing to do is record it and then move on with your regular eating/exercise plan. If you turn it into trying to undo it you just set yourself up for more see-saw behavior:

Binge - beat yourself up - excessive exercise/cutting back calories - more hunger - binge

You want even keeled behavior. So for that occasional binge, dust yourself off and resume normal activity. 1500 calories in the scheme of this whole journey is not going to kill your long-term success.

I agree with this. You can't make it like it never happened because it... did happen. Just walk away from it knowing that tomorrow you will do better and stay on goal. Remember how you feel right now and remind yourself of this feeling next time you want to "binge". Treating yourself every once in a while is okay though :flowerforyou:

jeremycatrett

the only thing that makes me feel better after a bad day is time. just get back on track the next day and you will feel better. binging happens and realistically it isn't a bad thing as long as it is contained to one day infrequently.

Its pretty important to not beat yourself up.

Cobehale

Step 1: Forgive yourself.

Step 2: Move on. (extra water can't hurt, either)

That's about all you can do. I've had many binges. They make me feel horrible, but if I dwell on it, it turns from a single binge into DAYS of binge eating. You simply have to forgive yourself NOW. Let it go. Move ahead. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

I agree! Track it, forgive and move on! You didn't fall off the wagon, you just had a little bump! Making it into to big of a deal will only make it worse. Drink lots of water, take it easy on the carbs tomorrow, maybe do a couple extra minutes of your cardio. But don't undereat or overexercise to try and correct it.

katythemommy

Step 1: Forgive yourself.

Step 2: Move on. (extra water can't hurt, either)

That's about all you can do. I've had many binges. They make me feel horrible, but if I dwell on it, it turns from a single binge into DAYS of binge eating. You simply have to forgive yourself NOW. Let it go. Move ahead. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

Love this advice!

heybales

1500 calories of carbs or protein, with 4 cal per gram - is only 0.83 lbs.

If it could actually be all absorbed, and stored, and not burned at the moment.

If it was pure fat, with 9 cal per gram - is only .37 lbs.

Learn and plan better. Make breakfast and lunch smaller next time on that day, eat over less.

Now, if your glucose stores were always running low, very low, you could gain up to 3lbs of glucose and water stored.

The "one slice of wedding cake, gained 3 lbs on Sun" syndrome.

But this is energy storage, and if your normal diet/exercise routine really causes you to lower your stores, don't worry, you'll do it again through normal routine.

gatorgirlyyy

As a recovering binge eater, I can tell you that the smartest thing to do is record it and then move on with your regular eating/exercise plan. If you turn it into trying to undo it you just set yourself up for more see-saw behavior:

Binge - beat yourself up - excessive exercise/cutting back calories - more hunger - binge

You want even keeled behavior. So for that occasional binge, dust yourself off and resume normal activity. 1500 calories in the scheme of this whole journey is not going to kill your long-term success.

I just have to say you have an amazing weight loss! Congratulations! Also, Golden Retrievers. My weakness. I have three! The loves of my life!