Beginning and first binge in a week. Advice & help?

stingap

Hello,

I registered here on the 28th and began logging everything.
I am only discovering the calories value of things, and the diets i have done before were not based on calories at all. More on nutritional things or behaviour.
It's about a week now, and i had yesterday evening my first binge of food in a week. After a rough day, i had a dinner a little bigger than i needed, and then, at home, i ate that cheese i had bought for later. Nearly whole and alone.
My day was rough, with a news that rendered one week of work useless and a lot of stress all around - no real holiday since summer of 2011 is a part of it.
It is not justification, just an explanation on why i ate that much for no hunger-reason.

I didn't lose any weight during the week before the binge, at all. Now with the binge i am sure i won't for quite a while. This behaviour is regular for me, related to stress, and i am not sure how to handle it?
Should i just let it go? I forced myself to come here and log that too, and now the excess is stunning... more than 4000 calories in a day.
I am also not even sure i log accurately all the time. It is not possible to weigh things always, even less when eating at the job cafeteria at lunch.
Anyway. I am not sure how to proceed about all this now?

pixish

I think that by logging the calories from today anyway, is a good sign. I also think that it is very important to not beat yourself up too much over it. Tomorrow is a new day, so just go back to your normal calorie count & continue as normal.

I am finding that by logging my stuff throughout the day that I am more able to stick to it. I try to make decisions that will fit into my calorie goal. After dinner, sometimes I'll go and fill out my calorie intake for the rest of the day and see if I have enough calorie 'points' to 'spend' on a yoghurt or something. If I don't then it's no big deal and I have a cup of tea instead. (IT's become one of my major 'snack/dessert' alternatives and it's just as satisfying!)

For meals, I have printed out some mock daily meal plans with suggestions for breakfasts and lunches so I don't have to really think about it. Lunches are typically the same for me most days. I have a low calorie cup-a-soup and a vegemite sandwich some days, or a noodle cup & a salad on other days. Also, I have a water bottle beside me most of the time. If I get feelings that I'm hungry, I will have some water. Sometimes it's just my body telling me that I need water. If the feelings of hunger continue then I know I'm probably hungry. You can definitely get through it, it's about making healthier choices for yourself. You might not be able to do it all at once, but one day it will just click for you! Good luck, you can do it

laurie571

Everyday is a new day. And everyday is a chance to learn about food. It will get easier and it will become habit soon.

ldholcombe

Hello,

Don't beat your self up too bad!! I have a had a similar problem for YEARS with getting out of bed in the middle of the night and eating random things out of the fridge and cubboards.

Here are things that have helped me:

Log through out the day
Drink more water (especially when the hunger feeling is setting in)

Also look into seeing a dietitian, I did and I learned more about portions that will help you make good choices and not go over your calories.

Also sometimes it takes time to lose weight. You body just might need more time to respond. Some people start losing instantly and others slower. Give it a good changce. One bad day shouldn't ruin everything. You are at least logging the bad days and seeing how it effects you.

GOOD LUCK

haribobabe

Hello hun
listening to your story is so much like myself, I only joined yesterday but had a bad day and went over by 1000, its very early days and we are changing habits of a lifetime and learning the true value of things, this is no faddy diet, its plain and simple calorie counting...sounds easy but when you have done a million diets in the past counting points or carbs or combining food it can screw up the way you think.
I think, well I hope, it is just a case of dust yourself down, today is a new day, make small changes and log everything. I bought myself a sports drinking bottle to fill with water, which I intend to keep with me all the time, hopefully I will drink that instead of blindly reaching for food when I don't need it. I also realised that yesterday I had high calorie foods to start with and that left me with very little and then I got some worrying news about a family member and it made me reach for comfort in the shape of fish and chips..
I won't beat myself up if you don't ;-)
dont give up
add me as a friend if you like...I am low on those and could do with the company and support :-)
good luck, you can do it, we can do it :-)

stingap

My main fear is that when i binge-eat, it is not at all about hunger. I don't feel hunger, so i can't reorient to water or tea. My problem is about emotions. In those moments i am too overwhelmed to be able to think of not eating mindlessly.
I will try again. Thanks for your support.

bathsheba_c

Honestly, this is not a rare problem. Because you know when you binge, you've already taken the first step to getting it under control. I've heard a several people say that they can minimize the damage by logging everything they are eating during the binge before they eat it. Another thing that helps is finding a new way to deal with the stress. If you want to be super-angelic, you could learn to relax by exercising, but even something like a hot bath would be a good replacement for mindless eating.

Also, know that not losing weight one week doesn't necessarily mean anything. Many people's weight loss graphs look more like EKGs with a slight downward trend, especially for women.

stingap

Thanks for the message. Maybe logging before eating in a binge, if i remember that, would be nice, but you're right about other alternatives like a bath.
Thanks for the support.