WTF is wrong with me

TrailRunner61

Nothing is wrong with you! We are human and eating is enjoyable!
Gradually wean your kids off the junk too. They don't need it either or they may end up struggling to lose weight too. They will find enough junk at school, friends homes, etc. anyway. Maybe see a nutritionist for help as they have a lot of good ideas and ways to do it gradually and fit it into your family's lifestyle. Also, have a treat day! But when you do, buy a single serving for yourself or enough to share with your family so it will be used up immediately. You can't totally deprive yourself of foods you 'crave' or you will have cravings for sure. I pick a day of the week, usually Friday, and we will have something we normally wouldn't. It's also an incentive for me to do well during the week, knowing I get the treat on Friday. Good luck and <hugs>, don't beat yourself up about it.

dianer75935

You're human.

Amen!!!

DominiqueSmall

I'm not really looking for answers...this is more of a vent. But if you have any words of wisdom or support, please feel free to share!

Last night I had a binge (on Cheez Its and Tootsie Rolls of all things...nice...sometimes I think weight loss would be so much easier if I didn't let the kids have any junk food in the house but I don't know if that's fair). The good news is that I logged it all. The bad news is that it still happens once every couple of weeks...I keep thinking I am finally beyond it all...and then it happens again.

I've been at this weight loss journey for almost 3 years and I'm down about 65 lbs--struggling, struggling, struggling to get the last 30 lbs. off. I exercise hard 5-6 days a week, including strength training. I have learned so much about myself, nutrition, behavior changes, triggers, etc...and yet I still have these periodic binges. WTF is wrong with me?? It's like I sabotage myself and I have no idea why.


I'm gonna get hated on for my point of view but I don't care. This has been my personal experience so I will share it with you and maybe it will help.

I don't think the issue is necessarily with you.

First of all, food (especially junk food) is designed to make us crave it. So unless you detox your body every 3-4 months those chemicals are in your body and you will continue craving them.

Secondly, our food is now devoid of the nutrients our bodies need and so we will crave things because the body is trying to get those nutrients.

Thirdly, when our body needs a nutrient or micro-nutrient, we get cravings. It's our body telling us that it needs something.

For instance, many times I will go for something sweet thinking I need that but often my body is telling my I need water.

Or I will crave a banana cuz I'm really low on potasium.

There is this saying, we are what we eat. I hate that saying ... or I used to. But I have learned since my brain injury that it is totally true.

The better quality food I put into my body, and the more consistent I am with detoxing, the less my body craves the bad stuff.

I actually walk into my kitchen now (after a year of raw eating and Amazing Grass shakes) and look for veggies, cheese, nut butters, tuna, sauer kraut (sp) chocolate (organic kind) and high quality foods.

And I can still splurge from time to time but my body rarely goes there and when it does it doesn 't like it so much.

Anyway, perhaps the issue here isn't that your bad, - cuz your not - , but that your body needs something your aren't giving it.

Feel free to friend me if you would like. I'm here if you need me.

Dominique
I examine myself for emotional triggers, psych factors, etc...can't see a pattern. It is just SO D*MN FRUSTRATING.

Okay, vent over. Thanks for listening...

KMS5308

But you logged it!!!! I am a junk food fiend.....I love junk food. This is a big fault of mine.. I would eat junk food all day long everyday if I allowed myself. I have not cut myself off completely. I just moderated it. I will allow myself a bit once a week, that way I will feel okay about it and still cure that craving. If I don't do this, I end up bingeing on it and go way overboard. Sometimes I will also portion stuff out. Example if I get a box of cheeze its....I immediately open the box, and portion it all out into baggies....then if I want something I know how much I am having right there....and I am not eating out of the box (which leads me to eat the WHOLE box). And this is a great way to teach your kids portion control (overweight or not, portion control is great taught early on!).

No matter what though, do NOT beat yourself up over it. You are entitled to your mistakes and in the end I think that is what makes us stronger. Be proud that you logged it.

chenrytc2

So let me get this right - you have lost 63 pounds and binge every couple of weeks?! WOW. You go girl. That is not too bad. Unless you have a hard deadline to lose those last 30 pounds - which would bring you to a total of 93 pounds - then continue what you are doing because it is working or you wouldn't have your current weight loss. I wouldn't rush those last 30 pounds because you may have a yo-yo dieting effect.

I would recommend having a cheat meal once a week. That may help reduce/eliminate your all out binges. Who really wants to stick to a diet where they can't eat food they like? If you are going to have Cheez Its and Tootsie Rolls - plan for it. Adjust your calories for the day and be sure to measure the amount you are eating.

Also, I partially agree with REDUCING the amount of junk food you may have around the house. I wouldn't eliminate it because kids NEED fatty foods for body and brain development. Kids are growing and the fat helps with keeping resources readily available. Remember, if you don't buy it, you can bring it home.

The bottom line is you are successful at losing weight. YOU just need to decide how aggressive you want to be in losing those last thirty. You can continue what you are doing they will be gone or you can ramp it up and lose them in a few months. Either way you have demonstrated your ability to stay committed (3+ years). I have no doubt you will get to your goal!

Keep up the great work.

graciemom828

I completely get this - crackers, chips, ice cream are all horrible. I am alone so that should not be an issue but every once in a while I just cave. I buy the baked Cheetos occasionally and sometimes the Special K crackers but it is so hard to portion control. Can't have a container of ice cream - there is absolutely NO portion control with that. Just came from having a dietitian do a metabolism test today and this states my calories given me here on MFP are too low and I s/b eating more. I also need to change up exercise routine. That is just downright scarey to me. My age of 59 and being post-menopausal is also against me. I work 2 jobs and live 40 miles from my gym (am working on moving) also is a problem.

Guess we just have to say that on occasion we can fall off the diet wagon and have a brief fling and get back on the wagon. I have fought my weight my entire life and I really am sick of it. It is good there is a place like this we can vent and where others understand. If you have not fought a weight issue, you have no understanding of the magnitude of the problem!!

diddyh

I would say if those foods are a real treat for you, factor them in. Get the single serving pouches of cheezits and really enjoy your serving. Count out a reasonable amount of tootsie rolls and enjoy them. You don't have to eat them everyday but I wouldn't worry about it. I can't deprive myself of things I love or I will give up. I factor things in and eat less. Over time, I find that I need those things less and I don't need to eat as much.

Behavior_Modification

For anyone struggling with disordered eating behavior, I encourage you to join our group and participate in the daily discussion thread. This is a non-judgmental place to share thoughts, ideas, experiences, successes, lapses, etc.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/376-binge-eating-support

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/582481-may-june-bed-conversation-thread

:flowerforyou:

bytemeeeeee

You justified having Cheez Its and Tootsie Rolls because your kids need the junk food. Your kids DO NOT need junk food. What's not fair is that you haven't found healthy alternatives that they could love too. You are setting them up for bad eating habits by having foods like this in the house. So not only are you allowing trigger foods that set you off / but you are allowing yourself to give harmful food to your kids.

Instead of Cheez It's and Tootsie Rolls why don't you find other healthy snack alternatives that you and your family can enjoy. Natural / Organic ones that do not have preservatives and are processed junk.

Once you get the junk out of your house you will have less of a binge issue.

Hell, if I had pizza sitting around my house 7 days a week you'd bet your *kitten* I'd be eating it or wanting to. But I choose not to have it in front of me because i'll want to eat it.

My househould does not have that junk. People love snacks, but I will make a healthy brownie. And i cook the brownies in muffin pans so that they are already measured out and i know i can have one... and if i'm really feeling hungry i'll have two. I make my brownies with yogurt or apple sauce and NOT butter / oils / eggs.

You need to stop telling yourself you are struggling struggling struggling. Same old story you are telling yourself. Move on. Be someone different. Be strong. Be happy with your progress. Stop complaining about your failures!!!

good luck.

I LOVE this post and totally agree~....You are taking your children down the same path that you are trying to change...Have heathy alternatives...

castlerobber

Last night I had a binge (on Cheez Its and Tootsie Rolls of all things...nice...sometimes I think weight loss would be so much easier if I didn't let the kids have any junk food in the house but I don't know if that's fair).

I used to feel that way when my kids were younger, but then my daughter started putting on weight when she was 9. As a teenager, she's 5'1" and was up to 165 lbs. until we changed her eating habits a couple of months ago (I'm doing it with her). I wish now I had gotten rid of the junk food sooner, and only let my kids have it occasionally instead of keeping it in the house.

lindaschultz45

You definitely are not alone! I think we all feel this way at times. Something that works for me and my teenager is that I keep the 100 calorie packs around for us. There are times I crave sweets....rather than going to buy a cake or something like that, I grab a 100 calorie pack of brownies or cookies just so I don't feel like I'm denying myself everything that others can have.

I know it can be more expensive this way but it's help my teenager to watch how much she is eating as well. If she is starving when she walks in from school, she'll grab one and it satisfies her.
You have done great! Keep it up and that is what we are here for....to help encourage one another when we have those crappy days! Wake up and start over! ; )

Seminolegirl97

If you won't eat the "junk food" why do you serve it to your children? Eliminate it from the home period. My parents keep one item considered junk food in the house Lays Potato Chips. And they were strickly a lunch treat. Otherwise it was fruit fruit fruit! Everyone has a bad day. But eliminate the junk from your family's life not just yours. Good Luck.

kjerstenkipp

Maybe you would just like to taste the food?
Alot of the time i find myself eating just because i want to taste it.

Wow! This is the most helpful thing I have seen all day...seriously...I thought it was just me. There are times when I am full and I have a taste for a specific food...weird stuff . Like the other day, I HAD to have watermelon sour patch and popcorn (wth?)...I ate it, and logged it. I have found that when I want a certain food (and generally it isn't "clean" food) I allow myself to have ONE serving. Portion out the serving, put away the box, and go to another location BEFORE you start eating it.

So, OP, let's look at your cheez its (which are fabulous) and tootsie rolls (the combo makes total sense to me :-) )

Assuming regular sized cheez its (not the gigantic ones) and the mini tootsie rolls and assuming that these snacks are kept in a cabinet or pantry in or close to the kitchen...it should go down like this...

1. Grab a bowl/plate/napkin whatever...
2. Count out 27 cheez its
3. Count out 6 tootsie rolls
4. Put everything away (back in the pantry, cabinet, whatever).
5. Gather your delightful snack...
6. Go to another room...living room, dining room, back porch, bathroom (ok, that is a little much)...most importantly NOT in the kitchen by the snacks where refills are readily available.
7. Have a seat and enjoy your snack...you will likely be satisfied and you haven't done any real harm...Cheez It- 130 cal, Tootsie Rolls 140 cal...all said, a 270 calorie snack...not a binge to beat yourself up about.

Hope this helps!

taraatwood

My househould does not have that junk. People love snacks, but I will make a healthy brownie. And i cook the brownies in muffin pans so that they are already measured out and i know i can have one... and if i'm really feeling hungry i'll have two. I make my brownies with yogurt or apple sauce and NOT butter / oils / eggs.

I'm not trying to hijack, but I'm interested in this recipe! I've been slowly adapting my children's diet to be more healthful. It was never shockingly bad before, but I am always looking for ways to help them develop good habits.

Would you mind sharing this recipe or telling me where I could find it?! THANKS SO MUCH! :flowerforyou:

Sure... I got a few requests so I posted it on a blog ---- here it is http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/583327-craving-chocolate-no-guilt-brownie-recipes

taraatwood

You justified having Cheez Its and Tootsie Rolls because your kids need the junk food. Your kids DO NOT need junk food. What's not fair is that you haven't found healthy alternatives that they could love too. You are setting them up for bad eating habits by having foods like this in the house. So not only are you allowing trigger foods that set you off / but you are allowing yourself to give harmful food to your kids.

Instead of Cheez It's and Tootsie Rolls why don't you find other healthy snack alternatives that you and your family can enjoy. Natural / Organic ones that do not have preservatives and are processed junk.

Once you get the junk out of your house you will have less of a binge issue.

Hell, if I had pizza sitting around my house 7 days a week you'd bet your *kitten* I'd be eating it or wanting to. But I choose not to have it in front of me because i'll want to eat it.

My househould does not have that junk. People love snacks, but I will make a healthy brownie. And i cook the brownies in muffin pans so that they are already measured out and i know i can have one... and if i'm really feeling hungry i'll have two. I make my brownies with yogurt or apple sauce and NOT butter / oils / eggs.

You need to stop telling yourself you are struggling struggling struggling. Same old story you are telling yourself. Move on. Be someone different. Be strong. Be happy with your progress. Stop complaining about your failures!!!

good luck.

Wow! What a great response... I hope you don't take offense to what she said and really take her advice. I know I'M going to!!

Tough Love!

nebraskasam14

I think you nailed it when you said that you have been on this JOURNEY for three years. Weight loss is a journey, not a destination. Much like any journey in life there will continue to be setbacks and bumps in the road. I suggest trying to be your biggest fan, not critic. Leave the negative comments for other people to make. In my own journey I have found there is enough negativity surrounding my weight without me adding to it. Just approach with a positive attitude. So yesterday wasn't great, no one can go back and change it, just make today better. Add in some exercise and forgive yourself. As others have suggested, remove temptation if you can not control it, and when you fumble again (which experience has taught me WILL happen)...KEEP GOING!! The journey does not end and as long as you don't give up you will arrive where you want to be one day. I joined this site to track my progress, I know I'm eating healthy and exercising as I should, but because my body it's a yo-yo it can be frustrating when others don't see the progress I am making. Slowly but surely we will both get to our goal. And if my reading has told me anything I can imagine the journey will not end there. MAINTAINING goal weight will be difficult too...just remember it is a journey one day at a time. Celebrate small victories and continue to be honest about the hiccups. You WILL get there, you CAN do it...NOTHING is wrong with you.

thomassd1969

Dont be so hard on yourself, if you were not aware that you were doing this then there would be an issue.
I think sometimes I get caught in the thinking that I am doing so well that I will treat myself with a reward (twinkie, doritos, fatty cheese) then I realize that it isnt that I cant have these foods anymore I just need to have them in moderation. It doesnt sound like you do this all the time so dont freak. If you really like these items them have them but count the serving out first. You account for it so whats the harm. If I know Im going to a party or wedding where I cant choose the food I will make sure and earn extra calories from exercise so I dont freak out.
Also I think it is very fair not to have junk food in the house. We always had junk food around for snacks and boredom when I was a kid and now Im fighting the buldge battle.

bilzprincess

Can u get ur kids on board? Ask them to not bring the junkies in the house? They're like having cigarettes lying on the coffee table when ur trying to quit smoking. It's too soon, and too tempting. It's not like ur asking them to quit eating frsh veggies in front of u. It's junk food. They don't NEED it, and can indulge elsewhere. Or cut back.

romach79

Don't know if this will help or not - did you know that sugar has a structure very similar to alcohol? (c6-h12-06 vs.c6-h12-OH) and does have addictive properties? In addition, the release of insulin by your body actually inhibits the metabolism of fat. So when you eat sugary substances - cheez-its and tootsie rolls, your body reacts quickly to address the blood sugar rise by dumping insulin into your blood stream - which will metabolize the sugar rather quickly meaning you will be hungry again in a short period of time, yet it will prohibit you from burning any fat as the insulin will persist in your bloodstream for hours. Its kind of an addictive cycle. So if you can break that sugar-insulin cycle you can probably lick that last 30 pounds. I am not sure why we are programmed that way when it comes to sugar, but it sure is a pain to weight control in a society that dumps sugar (in all its varieties - like High Fructose Corn starch) in just about everything we eat.

Luandanielle1979

I dont have junk in the house full stop because I would eat it. If my son wants a treat I will go and buy him one. Having junk in the house for him to eat freely isnt making me a better mum.

If we're out and about I will buy him what he wants. It keeps me from eating it and him from being greedy. I seriously wouldnt have a supply in if your tempted to eat it. Even a few mouthfuls will make the difference to your weightloss over time.

I do treat myself occasionally but then I just go and get some thing from the shop and buy x1 if I had a multi pack I will most certainly eat more than the one. You can do it you just have to keep temptation out of the way :O)

I have 8 lbs left to reach my goal and those last lbs are deffo the hardest to get off :O)

BradT1974

There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, everybody knows they put some sort of drug in every box of Cheez Its , it's not our fault they are so goddamn delicious.

Linbo93

I wonder if this would help you. I have the same issue from time to time. I'm familiar with the feelings you get pre-binge, so when I start eating whatever food it is I'm craving, I'll grab 1 (sometimes 2) serving(s) of that food, and I will also grab another, healthier food that is filling (such as air popped popcorn or carrot sticks)

I'll try to eat the craved food as slow as possible to taste it as much as possible. Once I'm done, I take the rest of my binge out on the other snack food. Its still not addressing the big issue, but it minimizes the damage.

sammniamii

Triggers..... triggers gets everybody and it's normal. Mine are similar to other people's: boredom, sadness, thirst is one that I found out recently effects me a good bit.

Plus, I'm doing low carb, I'm still craving them. I try not to keep anything in the house that I would consider "cheat" foods, cleared out the cupboards on day 2, but my hubby isn't as restrictive in his diet, so his yummie (I'm not allowed to eat) foods still are there .... and watching him eat a corndog is maddening!

This is why I am trying to keep healthy snacks, yes eating too much of anything can become back, but if I'm muchie, I rather nom on cheese sticks & pepperoni pieces before I turn to microwaving a corn dog or drinking his soda.

Don't beat yourself up over it, just keep going and try to figure out what is triggering you and keep a good selection of "healthier" alternative snacks in the house. It really does help. Good luck.

madyncaden

hang in there, look how far you have come!!! i have not read other responses but just a side note and not to be mean, just something to think about. you talked about having junk food in the house and it not being fair to you kids not having it............do you want to have your kids eating junk food? crazy analogy i know but i could almost guarentee that if you drove up to the pump at a gas station and there was regular gas and junk gas there is NO WAY you would put junk gas in your car! so why do we put junk food in our bodies or in our kids. i am by no means "there" yet, i still get into the "junk" food and i am trying to wean my family as a whole off of it and it is going pretty good, and i do not crave it, i only eat it when i am in a tight situation so i need to plan for that but it is just something to think about. i am trying to lose weight AND be healthy AND have my fam be healthy so this is where i am coming from. just some food for thought......best wishes:)

Campbellsmith

You justified having Cheez Its and Tootsie Rolls because your kids need the junk food. Your kids DO NOT need junk food. What's not fair is that you haven't found healthy alternatives that they could love too. You are setting them up for bad eating habits by having foods like this in the house. So not only are you allowing trigger foods that set you off / but you are allowing yourself to give harmful food to your kids.

Instead of Cheez It's and Tootsie Rolls why don't you find other healthy snack alternatives that you and your family can enjoy. Natural / Organic ones that do not have preservatives and are processed junk.

Once you get the junk out of your house you will have less of a binge issue.

I agree 100%. I don't allow junk food in my house.

hula808

I have a binge every once in awhile too.
I think of it like this.
Its ok to go out every once in awhile, go to a party, eat the appetizers, have a drink or 2 too many, do some innocent flirting, have a good time and go home and sleep it off...no harm done.
But if you do it everyday you become a fat, alcoholic, tramp ; )

Moderation is key....

Think of it as your body calling a "party night".
Its ok once in awhile, but dont make a habit out of it : )

jj2step

oh babe look how much you have lost give yourself some credit ive lost nothing yet lol big hugs youll get there xxxxxxxxxx

christenwypy

You've lost 65 lbs. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!

You have done more than most others can do. Do you want to be perfect? Because nobody is.

It's a cycle you are in. Eat,, guilt eat. Don't feel guilty and don't punish yourself and the pattern will stop.

I am very close to getting rid of my kids' junk foods as well!

But losing all that weight, working out almost every day, maybe it is OKAY for you to treat yourself now and then.

Drawberry

Everything in moderation, that goes for your children as well.

I think most people fight against their cravings so hard that they end up consuming more then they would have if they'd allowed themselves a small snack to begin with. Instead of keeping a bag of candy in the house try once a week allowing you and your children to pick out a single candy bar (no-not king size!) and that is the treat for the week, for ALL of you.

It may seem natural to give children the unhealthy foods and I truly don't feel like on their own they're horrible to have as a once in a while snack, but that doesn't mean that you should or need to keep that kind of food stockpiled just for your children. For one, it is putting all the bad habits you're trying to get rid of onto your children, and secondly it's an unwanted temptation to you.

Much of my issues surrounding food have stemmed from how I was rewarded with it by my parents. If I got a good grade in class I was taken to Taco Bell (a personal favorite of mine) and allowed to eat three tacos, cinnamon swirls, and a bowl of potatoes COVERED IN CHEESE. Pop (soda) was always in the house, and growing up being part of the 'clean plate club' was something that was rewarded with...more food!

Moderation is the key to what will save you, and your kids, from these binges. Going to Taco Bell once in a while and getting one or two taco's is okay, going every single day (which I just about did in the summer months off from school) and getting a whole helping of tacos, cheese potatoes, and cinnamon twists is clearly NOT okay. Keeping a whole bag of potato chips, candy bars, and the like is NOT necessary. If you want chips, buy a single serving bag like the sizes they sell near the check out registers in grocery stores. Decide on a single serving of candy for each person (or splitting a bag of something like skittles or M&M's) once in a while instead of having the bags always at home.

We can live a healthy life without depriving ourselves of what we like, it's just learning to take that in moderation and being conscious in knowing what we will cave for.

Also, please, to any parents out there....drop the 'clean plate club' routine with your children. You have NO idea the kind of shame and guilt I have if I don't accept everything offered to me, and god forbid I don't eat EVERY SINGLE THING on my plate...it truly developed a sense of guilt and shame in me that's lasted into my 20's and something I still struggle with.

christenwypy

There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, everybody knows they put some sort of drug in every box of Cheez Its , it's not our fault they are so goddamn delicious.

Love this! LOL