WOW. I suck already. Any advice?

dasweetbloood

Today was my first day using myfitnesspal, and I devastatingly ate almost 700 calories over my target amount. Am I always going to be so horrible at this? Does anyone have any tips/help/ advice? I have two big problems, the first being I don't have a smart phone and am not near a computer most of the day so I am unable to look up food or chart as I go. The second, worse problem for me is that I have severe binge issues. Especially when I'm stressed, sad, bored or alone. I just eat and eat and eat. I don't know how to stop myself, it's worse than chain-smoking. I won't even be hungry, but rather I just compulsively put food into my mouth. Someone, please give me some nugget of wisdom to help me change.

Drastiic

First off, what are your calories set at right now and how much do you weigh?

susannamarie

As you get experience you will get better at estimating. It also helps to preplan your food for the day if you can.

Don't be too hard on yourself. The goal is "healthier" not "perfect" for most people.

afj89

>> Am I always going to be so horrible at this?
Nope, you get used to how much you can have and your body will adapt to the new intake. IE lose weight!

>>I don't have a smart phone
No biggie, just make a note of the kcal you consume during the day. My diet is as simply as can be... Eat the target kcal and no more. It's simple science that says you will lose weight if you consume less than what you need to maintain weight. It doesn't matter if you eat those kcals as entirely double cheeseburgers (Although this isn't recommended and you won't get much food due to fat content (1g of protein = 4kcal, 1g of carbs = 4kcal, 1g of fat = 9 kcal!)

>>worse problem for me is that I have severe binge issues. Especially when I'm stressed, sad, bored or alone.
Ok, you will get used to the cravings, Just be strong and it WILL get easier. My best two tips are to drink a pint of water/squash/diet soda when you're hungry. It fills me right up! Alternatively if you're at home, brush your teeth! It works surprisingly well, and you get nice teeth from it!

By doing the above, I've lost 3.5 stone the back end of last year. I'm not back on the same diet as of 6 weeks ago and I'm down 11lb so far. Hope this helps

Danielle_2013

Today was my first day using myfitnesspal, and I devastatingly ate almost 700 calories over my target amount. Am I always going to be so horrible at this? Does anyone have any tips/help/ advice? I have two big problems, the first being I don't have a smart phone and am not near a computer most of the day so I am unable to look up food or chart as I go. The second, worse problem for me is that I have severe binge issues. Especially when I'm stressed, sad, bored or alone. I just eat and eat and eat. I don't know how to stop myself, it's worse than chain-smoking. I won't even be hungry, but rather I just compulsively put food into my mouth. Someone, please give me some nugget of wisdom to help me change.

I can TOTALLY identify. For me what worked was choosing to follow a fairly strict plan. If it wasn't on my paper, it wasn't going in my mouth. I am terrible at trying to control myself and practice moderation, so that helped. I chose the 17 day diet.
Next, I had to tell myself (over and over and over - still doing it), that food was simply fuel. I have a tendency to believe something is going to taste way better than it does. I would mentally go over things saying "I want to feel better more than I want to eat ____". " I can have it, but I don't want it".. this kind of thing. I didn't even say "you can do this", because I didn't feel I really could.
What really helped though is cutting out sugar and bad carbs and instantly feeling better all over. I learned to pay attention to my body and want those victories more than I wanted the instant fix of whatever I was obsessing about.

I've lost 55 lbs and I have 100 to go. You can add me as a friend if you like and we can do it together.

Lyndzer

for starters replace your snacks with healthier choices (oranges, apples, fuits & veggies, I find precutting and bagging them makes them easier to just grab so you cant make excuses later)

and try to be more aware, think "do I really need that or am I just bored?" ect. you have to retrain your mind

try to remember eating that *fav snack* when you arent hungry will make you feel good for about 5 min, making healthy choices is going to make you feel good alot longer than that, and I know it is hard at first, but as you go , if you stick with it, it DOES get easier

darrensurrey

A rule of thumb that seems to work for me: 200 calories is an amount I'd eat if I was feeling peckish but not full on starving.

Take nuts, for instance. If I'm feeling peckish, I'd have a small handful of nuts, not a massive bag. That's about 200cals. Or mini scotch eggs: I might have 3 or 4 if I were peckish. About 200cals again! A packet of crisps? Well, if I'm peckish, a 25g is just under what I'd want to eat... I'd rather have a bag and a half... 1 bag is about 125cals!

NinjaChickie

The first week I used the site seriously, I used it more as an eye-opener to see where I was at with calories.

Then just started to make adjustments and find alternatives to what i was eating

HelloSweetie4

First off: change your attitude about it! Don't say "wow I suck" say "ok i didn't do so well today but I will do better tomorrow!"
It's only your first day on MFP, and this is a journey, you will get better as you get used the the program.
Get yourself a little notebook to put in your pocket or purse and everytime something passes your lips write down exactly what it is and how much you ate. You can log it into MFP later. Many people count calories by just uses a notebook, MFP just makes it easier.
Like I said, this is a journey, a life-style change, not a fad diet. It will take you a while to figure out what works best for you. Don't let yourself get discouraged, just pick your head up and do better tomorrow. Collect MFP friends for support. When you are craving something bad, post it on your profile. Your MFP friends will try to help you curb the craving.
Try to slowly replace and reduce your binge eating. Go for a healthier option at first and keep working at it until you've trained your body to eat less and healthier. It takes time and a lot of effort.
Finally, drink water! One of the biggest challenges I found when I started was drinking the full 64oz every day. Once I was able to do that, everything else got easier. I have my own rule that I will not drink anything else (except my 1 morning coffee) until my water for the day is consumed and this is a great motivation for me. And I keep to that rule, even on weekends when I'm going out with friends and know I will be drinking alochol.

These were just things that worked for me, give them a try if you think it will work for you too. Also, feel free to add me as a friend. I'm on here all the time.

pearsy67

Don't get too worried about it, especially early on. Use MFP as an educational tool, use it first to learn about your existing eating habits and then to track your changes.

Log everything, and use your own judgement as to what are your target killers as far as food goes. You will probably find that a small change in a few meals or snacks goes a long way in affecting your totals.

Once you have your volume of food and calories under control, work at looking at the balance of what you are eating. You can display up to 5 columns of nutritional info, use them. Start hiding columns that you are good at and expose the worst ones like sodium and sugar ( they are my Achilles heel :-(.

It can take a while to change life habits, so just take it a day at a time and stay focussed on the ultimate goal rather than the day to day ups and downs.

Cheers

ChristySeeksBalance

You could try planning your day the night before. Just switch to tomorrow and enter the food you plan on eating. That way you can work with the nutritional information and get it where you want it to be. Then pack it all in a lunch bag, or set it aside in the fridge. It really helps me when I'm off track to have things pre-planned.

mangobadango

Today was my first day using myfitnesspal, and I devastatingly ate almost 700 calories over my target amount. Am I always going to be so horrible at this?

No, you will not always be so horrible at this. You are making an effort and learning how many calories are in everything and how to eat. This is a huge learning process and no one is perfect at it the first time around. Just keep trying.

ImperfektAngel

Before MFP I had a notebook I would wrtie all my food in, it worked great for me!
Make sure you are eating the right amount of calories for your goal weight, some people on here dont eat enough.

kalynn06

Nope. You learned something that will make eating better easier in the future. I actually think it's helpful to just eat what you think is a good diet for a week, log it and learn before you start seriously restricting calories and messing with your diet. That way you learn the calorie traps that you weren't aware of before. You also give yourself perspective.

From personal experience, even though I've counted calories before, when I started here,I logged food for 2 weeks before I started fussing with calories or macros. It gave me a better idea of where I was and made me less afraid of eating above 1200 (I changed my goal to be higher based on goal weight TDEE). Since I was regularly eating 2x my goal intake. I realized that it took me over a year to gain 10 lbs eating like that, so I was unlikely to gain 7 overnight if I ate an extra apple while eating at any calorie deficit.

dmwiseman

Wow, I relate too! First off, you do NOT suck. Be able to identify all those triggers for your eating proves that you really want this. I had a bad day at work today and came home and took a nap instead of walking, then I got up and raided the relish tray my husband brought home from work. Just writing that makes me laugh. I would have raided the ice cream drawer before. To worry about some pickles and olives seems a little silly. Anyway, it is a transition and small steady changes. You can do this!!

I think I'll go for a walk now.:happy:

ashleymichaud

I think it gets easier as you go. I had to slowly wean myself off the calories and trigger foods before I could even think about trying to eat at my target amount. Maybe try slowly whittling the calories down. It will get easier, especially when you start learning appropriate portion sizes and nutritional contents of different foods. Just give your body a little time to adjust, you'll do just fine

Kebby83

Log your food the night before (include something bad for you - I did at first....and still do...but it gets easier to decide healthy instead of junk!).

tami101

Don't feel bad, my first day on here I had a bacon cheeseburger for lunch, when logged it in I was out of calories for the day!!! I didn't eat again but I was so hungry!!! The next day my boyfriend brought take-out chinese over for dinner! I had no idea how many calories were in general tso's chicken! It was something like 1800 cals!!! Not counting the eggroll and the rice! It's a learning experience. You will soon learn portion size and how to work foods in your daily calories. (exercise, exercise, exercise) Btw, I lost 2 lbs. my first week.

sunnie326

Everyone is giving you great advice. I have days that I go way over. I just start fresh the next day. So what? I am doing better than I was before I started this. As you become aware of how many calories are in certain foods, you will begin to ask yourself.... do I REALLY want that? Do I want to waste that many of my calories on that one thing? I filled my fridge with fresh cut fruits and vegetables. I just took a couple hours and cut everything up all at once and now when I feel like I need to snack, I just go grab some fruits or veggies. If I just have to have chocolate, I have one small piece. Don't be so hard on yourself. It is a gradual process and you will get there. I wish you luck!!!!! Not to mention....This is a great source of support. So many on here have been where you are now and understand. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

cessnaholly

When I started I ate like normal and just logged whatever it was. That gave me a starting point to start making changes to my foods. Slowly I started replacing items and lost 20 lbs. Now I am doing a lot better. It takes time and it gets better. Don't give up. Give it 6 months.

rjo921

OK...first of all you are way too hard on yourself. This is a journey...a change of life...it is not going to happen in one day.

Regarding stress eating....I can totally relate. It is something that you just have to work on....try to find other things to get you through those tough times....drink some water....take a brief walk....talk to a friend....something to get your mind off of food.

You have made a positive step in joining this website...so first of all be proud of yourself for that. There are plenty of people here who want to see others succeed! It really is a one day at a time process. You will get there....you have to believe that. :flowerforyou:

rjo921

Everyone is giving you great advice. I have days that I go way over. I just start fresh the next day. So what? I am doing better than I was before I started this. As you become aware of how many calories are in certain foods, you will begin to ask yourself.... do I REALLY want that? Do I want to waste that many of my calories on that one thing? I filled my fridge with fresh cut fruits and vegetables. I just took a couple hours and cut everything up all at once and now when I feel like I need to snack, I just go grab some fruits or veggies. If I just have to have chocolate, I have one small piece. Don't be so hard on yourself. It is a gradual process and you will get there. I wish you luck!!!!! Not to mention....This is a great source of support. So many on here have been where you are now and understand. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

WELL SAID! DON"T GIVE UP!

jarredondo

I also have had binge eating problems. A couple of things I do.... I keep my "trigger" foods out of the house. Also, someone mention brushing your teeth.... Mint chewing gum works for me, as well. It gets easier with time if you put in the work to start. Stick with it.

pattyhild

First of all, this is just day one. You did not put the weight on in one day, nor will you take it off in one day <---good news/bad news.

Secondly, remember that you are in the process of learning how to eat healthy and take care of your body. See first statement; it takes some time to learn something new.

Finally, I'm an emotional eater, too. I am always in danger of eating during the exact times you describe. Now, before I put anything in my mouth that is unplanned for the day, I make myself count to 30, all the while reminding myself that it will taste good for 5 seconds, but after that the memory will be fleeting. It takes a little while to retrain your thinking, but this is a good place to start.

Oh, and what others have already said: plan out your meals, especially if you won't be near MFP to check caloric count for things you're not sure of.

Good luck! You can do this...I promise you.

Qatsi

The reason many of us got to where we needed this site was because we didn't realize how MANY calories we were taking in before. So when you first start logging everything you eat and drink, it's a real eye-opener. ("Wow - that Cinnabon is really 880 calories?")

What this site does is make you AWARE of your daily intake and helps you to identify where you need to make better choices. Once you've done it for a few days, you'll get a better feel for how to plan your meals so that you can hit your target easier.

ddky

I have the same problems. I have been having the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch. That way I know what the calories are, and I tend to eat less if I eat the same thing every day. I also compulsively eat, but since I have been doing this, I have only had one really bad day. I think that just knowing that I am going to have to type it all in gets me to pause and think about it. It's your first day... give it a week and see if it makes a difference.

meryl135

A rule of thumb that seems to work for me: 200 calories is an amount I'd eat if I was feeling peckish but not full on starving.

Take nuts, for instance. If I'm feeling peckish, I'd have a small handful of nuts, not a massive bag. That's about 200cals. Or mini scotch eggs: I might have 3 or 4 if I were peckish. About 200cals again! A packet of crisps? Well, if I'm peckish, a 25g is just under what I'd want to eat... I'd rather have a bag and a half... 1 bag is about 125cals!

Hi there, forgive me for checking out your profile, but you've mentioned that you're a Type 1 Diabetic, which means the sugar that is carried in your bloodstream does not actually get into your cells and tissues very well. Sugar is your body's preferred energy source so if your cells/tissues aren't getting enough, your brain will force you to eat, because it thinks you're starving - your brain will make you binge (you may even feel a bit of anxiety if you try to resist - sweaty palms, the shakes, heart racing, etc).

This may be a factor with what's happening in your case. Keeping sensible snack portions handy (as many people have mentioned) is the best way to combat binge-eating, so you don't let your body get to a point where it thinks it doesn't have enough. Also check with your doctor about the dose of insulin you are on; it may need to be adjusted as you increase your activity levels.

And no, you do not suck. You are an incredibly brave person who has decided to take her health and her future into her own hands. Good on you! and much love as you continue.

vsay215

Don't get discouraged. If u have never dieted before u can make better food choices. If u are eating whole fat items switch to low fat/ fat free choices. White grains to whole wheat, bake instead of fry.. Since ur profile says u have diabetes r ur sugar levels under control? Do u have diabetic friendly recipes. I lost weight for the first time 20 yrs ago in college. Even though it is hard to lose weight it was much easier when I was in the 20's then it is now 19 yrs later and two kids. Also weigh and measure ur food. Start again tomorrow and don't give up. You can do this. I wish you luck on your journey.

manderson27

For my first week I just ate normally and logged everything horrifying though it was to see how many calories I was going over. Then I went through the diary day by day and looked at where the highest calories were and where I could make changes. Seeing how many calories you eat normally will help you make better choices in the future. It is a slow process but as other posters have said you will get better at judging cals and making better choices.

As for the binge eating I can do the same but since I started logging I find it is not so bad, I am more aware of what sparks it off and that way it helps me to avoid it. Use the notes part of your diary when you binge to record what started it that way you can see the patterns and hopefully change them.:flowerforyou:

PS I still have bad days from time to time but I don't let it stop me and you shouldn't either just keep going and you will see results.

frosty73

Congrats on making the decision to live healthier! Yes, it will get easier--- I promise! Just keep at it.

As long as you don't give up on yourself and your goals, every little bit will help.

Some people feel they need to do everything perfectly all at once. Other people make gradual changes, one at a time--- maybe starting with drinking more water every day, or changing up a snack, or skipping dessert. It's OK if you go over your calories at first, the important thing is to learn from it. You are learning how many calories are in various foods, and how hungry you feel after eating something. All this will help you later on. You only suck if you give up on yourself! :flowerforyou:

mistyladidah

Only 700 over on your first day logging? Seriously, that's awesome! You are here, trying and learning, and even if it had been 2000 over, you would still be taking the first step.

I spent like a month getting things figured out, just look at my diary a month ago vs now... About a week or two not changing anything much, then as I was seeing what I was eating too much of, I decided to make better choices one by one. After that month I felt like I was on track and could even be held accountable for my choices, so I joined a " challenge" on here with a group of people and it's really kind of fun! At first I left the bad days off all together (not wanting to see a big red -1000), but after the first couple weeks, I was logging every day and getting closer and closer.

Just stick with it... Things will almost seem to work themselves out.