Is this a deeper issue? Help!*Long post*

UGW50KG

This is probably going to turn into quite a long post but I don't know how else to explain the situation without it being long!

I'm 19 in a week and have dieted for about the last 5 years, yo-yoing up and down. For around 1-2 of those years I went through a 'phase' of starving/bingeing/over exercising. I had counselling but those behaviours just fizzled out on their own.

I'm still desperately trying to lose weight but I just can't seem to stick to anything for very long before I fall back into my 'natural' over-eating habits.

Last year I went from 176 to 160 before hitting a
hardcore plateau! I hovered around 160 until Christmas where I went back up to 173.

I definitely notice a pattern, there have been three times where I have lost a decent amount of weight between 15-30 lbs then plateau and eat all the weight back.

These days I feel I have no control over my eating, it's like even thinking about a diet makes me eat more. It feels as though there are short bouts of time where I can stick to a calorie goal but they last a few days at most, the rest of the time I'm just stuffing my face with crap and feeling bad about it.

1200 calories is where I've lost the most weight and stuck the longest but I either plateaued or lost control. I've tried eating less and more than this but still, it just resulted in me over eating and giving up.

I can't tell if I need a kick up the backside or if there's a psychological side to it?
For example, I notice eating more when I'm angry or upset...as well as being bored, or no reason at all

Is there any use in carrying on trying to do this or do I need some help?

And just in case:
Current weight: 174lbs
Goal weight: 130lbs(Originally this was 110lbs but I realised this probably isn't suited to my frame)
Height: 5' 5"

Thank you in advance to anyone that read the whole of this!

deksgrl

The only way to break a yo-yo pattern is to make this a lifestyle change, not a "diet".

psuLemon

You plateau or binge a lot because you never learn how to eat, IMO. Each time, you probably set an aggressive per week weight loss goal, which will lead to a binge due to under eating. What you haven't realized it what to eat and how to optimize the amount of calories you can eat and still lose. Heck, most young women I know eat around 1900 calories. They do a combination between weight training and cardio 5-6 days a week, and eat foods high in protein and fats. They also realize, it's ok to splurge occasionally, pending you get past the one day and move on. When you start realizing that food is fuel and not the energy and realize that you can eat a lot and still lose, then you will break your cycle.

Based on your stats, if you exercise 5-6 days a week, you can eat around 2000 calories a day and still lose about 1 lb per week. It's not about fast weight loss, it's about sustainable fat loss.

BabsyGirl

I agree with the first reply, there. You don't need to change how much you eat, or deprive yourself of carbs, or this or that... diets don't work. You need an overhaul. Look into clean eating; you don't count calories as much as make sure what you're eating is what you SHOULD be eating! You can cut back to 1200 calories, but if everything you put in your mouth is full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, MSG and GMO's... well, you're going to have a hard time of it.

Here are some links on clean eating to give you more info:
http://www.eatcleandiet.com/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/284737-clean-eating-rules/
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/

katy_trail

even 130 might not be suited to your frame.

it's not going to get better until you do some serious self reflection.
log your food, in the notes or in a paper version, note how you feel
during, after, before, the end of the day whatever is relevant for you.

this is always something bigger than just control over your food.
there is something you're not happy about, or even severely depressed about
you may not even realize it until you really evaluate your feelings.

look up inside out weightloss
it's a podcast, if you do the homework, it might help
you also may need to seek counseling

DO NOT expect to be losing weight during this period
take a diet break, just keep doing the homework
and try to maintain your weight abstaining from over reacting to eating.
try to accept that food is for energy. that is all. just food.

psuLemon

I agree with the first reply, there. You don't need to change how much you eat, or deprive yourself of carbs, or this or that... diets don't work. You need an overhaul. Look into clean eating; you don't count calories as much as make sure what you're eating is what you SHOULD be eating! You can cut back to 1200 calories, but if everything you put in your mouth is full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, MSG and GMO's... well, you're going to have a hard time of it.

Here are some links on clean eating to give you more info:
http://www.eatcleandiet.com/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/284737-clean-eating-rules/
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/

But even clean eating is not required for weight loss. I can help with satiety but many of us eat ice cream and candy and still lose. As long as you hit around 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass and .35g of fat per lb of lbm, then the rest is filler.

slkehl

I used to be in a cycle of overeating and under eating as well. Here's what helped me change:
-I moved out for college and lived in an apartment. I had to buy my own food. When I was at the grocery store, I wouldn't buy snack food that I would tend to binge on. If it wasn't in my pantry at home, I couldn't eat it! I also tried to make healthy transitions, like from eating white bread to eating wheat bread.
-I ate food that would keep me full for longer, like complex carbs and protein. Also, I stopped eating low fat foods. Fat keeps me full for longer. I find I actually eat more if I go for low fat since I get hungry more quickly
-Regular exercise has been absolutely vital in creating a caloric deficit!

Are you in college? If so, your school may have some resources, like free counseling and health information fairs. My college actually has support groups for binge eaters. Might be worth checking out.

elyelyse

For example, I notice eating more when I'm angry or upset...as well as being bored, or no reason at all

one thing I try to tell myself when emotional/boredom hunger sets in: what you are looking for isn't in there.

If you are bored, find something else to do that will occupy your mind and your hands.
if you are upset, deal with it. call a friend or go for a walk or have a bath.
The tendency to go to food for those things is a habit; it's really hard to just stop a habit, it helps to replace it with something else.