I hate myself right now

This has happened to me lots of times - more than I would like to admit.

But, you just have to move on. From what you've said, this sounds like merely a drop in an ocean.

Don't worry too much, and try to remember how you're feeling now, the next time you're tempted to binge.

Here are few thoughts running through as I read this..... #1. LOG IT.... look at those painful numbers see what you just ate.
#2. Remember this for next time, perhaps this "addiction" is stronger then you think. (Sugar is mine, I will binge till sick, so I don't do it) I have not had a sweet of any kind since summer... So if McDonalds is a trigger don't go, you can make a burger at home, you can make homefries at home (baked with olive oil and seasoning salt).
Just a thought and this is what I think about, you don't give a recovering alcoholic a bottle and tell him one drink. So why go to McDonalds and allow yourself one burger and one fries????
I know the two are not the same but they are similar.... someone was once dependant on it for some sort of relief, joy, or coping mechanism.....

I just a week off this - but it helped me to keep track and keep logging my food anyway - I still learn from it, and it made it easier to go back to the healthy way the next day

I can totally relate! Went on a mini vacation in November and was bad (not horrible at least). We probably all have those days. All you can do is try to be better tomorrow.

I am feeling bad that I didn't workout (was so good the last 3 days) but my back is giving me problems.

We just have to try our best and realize that we are only human... here's to a better day on Saturday!

ok, you can have a brief freak out then re-group.

this was a learning experience. and the longer you go between visits to fast food, the less and less appealing it will be. especially if you eat healthy good food the rest of the time.

The things in fast food- sugar, salt, fat- have been shown to be as addictive as crack (well...ok...that might actually be a hyperbole). Your body craves those things. It's built in evolutionarily.

So don't be so down on yourself. I was lucky enough to have parents that refused to buy me fast food growing up (I have actually thanked my mother for that) so I have no cravings for it, but I have my own problem foods. Everyone does.

Keep making the positive changes you've been making. Don't let this trip you up. If you decide you can't have fast food semi-regularly without binging or abusing it, then cut it out. I'm a big fan of moderation, but for some people, that just won't work.

Also, be aware of your emotions when you binge like that. Figuring out a trigger (mine is boredom) can be extremely helpful.

That's all I've got. Just keep calm and carry on!

You should be proud of everything you've accomplished so far! Three months is a long time to be tracking your calories. This was one overeating/junk food session. ONE. Perhaps you used to eat this on a regular basis, and *most of the time* you no longer eat this. (Some people even recommend occasional "cheat days" to confuse your metabolism.) Fast food is really designed to be addictive (fatty, sugary, salty, caffeinated), so it triggers all the reward centers in your brain. Don't beat yourself up. Old habits die hard.

Maybe you can keep a motivational picture or quotation in your car to remind yourself of what you've fought for and that you will not give up. Most streets that have McDonald's have a Subway as well. You could get one of their leaner sandwiches next time you want convenience food. Or perhaps, if you *must* have McDonald's, just get a burger or fries in the drive through, and go home, so that it would take more effort to go back. If I have a french fry craving, I make roasted red potatoes with herbs and eat them with ketchup. It satisfies that crispy-potato-and-ketchup craving, but you only need about 1 Tbsp or so of olive oil to roast them. They're super easy and tasty.

Don't worry! It sounds like 1 day of 90 that didn't fit your plan. Just use your frustration as motivation to be a beast in the gym again tomorrow!

I have been doing this program for over 3 months now and i just had my 1st real binge episode. I have gone over my calories a few times but never out of bingeing. I went to McDonalds for dinner and i was getting one sandwich or one medium fry which would have been in my calorie range. I ate that and then proceeded to go out to my car and go through the drive thru and order a bunch more stuff. I feel so stuffed right now, and so ashamed for doing that. Fast food was always my weakness; it was like a drug to me. I thought i could handle having it every couple weeks since before MFP, i would have it once or twice a day. I even went to the gym today. I did not see this coming, that's what scares me because before, my binges/compulsive overeating was always planned. I know in my head, i will get back on track tomorrow. I hope this is an isolated incident, but i do worry that my "addiction" is just looking over my shoulder waiting for me to fail. Without me failing, my addiction cannot exist. I can't let it "win". I have worked too hard to lose what i have lost so far. Thank you all for your feedback and support

Maybe you were just really hungry? I'm not sure painting yourself as an out of control addict is necessarily the path of wisdom insofar is it places the locus of control outside of yourself, empowering these foods to have an almost magical power over you. You're a guy that got really hungry so wanted to eat highly rewarding foods. That's actually pretty normal.

Realistically an occasional binge like this isn't going to amount to much. The only thing I'd suggest is, if you feel out of control, to direct your hunger towards healthier food sources. I.e. there's no reason you had to eat the Mcdonald's. Eat a big *kitten* protein shake and as many bagels as you can physically tolerate next time. You'll probably feel 1/10th as gross, you'll help refill any depleted glycogen stores, and your workouts will even be awesome for the next few days.

Even people who have never had weight or eating issues, binge sometimes. Though they probably don't refer to it as a binge. They think to themselves, 'ugh, not doing that again in a hurry' and carry on with life.

We are all flawed humans. It happens to all of us. Now kick yourself in the bum once.......now it is over, done with, gone. Start a new! Remain Calm and Carry On! :happy:

Even people who have never had weight or eating issues, binge sometimes. Though they probably don't refer to it as a binge. They think to themselves, 'ugh, not doing that again in a hurry' and carry on with life.

Everyone has overeaten at some point in their lives, and a lot of people call it 'binging' but there is a difference. Taken from another post, it's pretty simplified but it's a start:

Good post. The other thing I'd offer is that the desire to over-indulge (probably a better term than binging, as per the graphic above) frequently can have something to do with how you're going about dieting. I.e. if you're eating in a way that leaves you consistently somewhat hungry, it's probably only a matter of time before you go bananas, so to speak. Dieting like this is tantamount to holding your breath - you will occasionally have to resurface.

If there is a trick to permanent body recomposition, it's figuring out a way to eat that leaves you full and satisfied in general while still representing a lower intake of calories. This is where food choice and quality becomes a factor - vegetables, fruits, lean meat, fish and such are all very nutrient dense, but not very calorie dense. You can eat ad libitum (as much as you freely want) of foods like this within reason and you'll still eat a level of calories that will tend to move you towards the body composition you want.

Getting to very low body fat levels (for you) may require comparatively greater feats of mental strength, but really shouldn't be the goal for the average person, in my opinion. To me, it's a lot more important to get to that place of balance, a place where you maintain healthy levels of body composition/fat and know you can eat happily for the rest of your days.

Even people who have never had weight or eating issues, binge sometimes. Though they probably don't refer to it as a binge. They think to themselves, 'ugh, not doing that again in a hurry' and carry on with life.

Everyone has overeaten at some point in their lives, and a lot of people call it 'binging' but there is a difference. Taken from another post, it's pretty simplified but it's a start:

As someone who has suffered both anorexia and bulimia on and off for over two decades, and who has had binges totalling 7000 calories, I am fully aware of what is classified as a binge, my dear, so I don't need your classroom instruction.

I have been doing this program for over 3 months now and i just had my 1st real binge episode. I have gone over my calories a few times but never out of bingeing. I went to McDonalds for dinner and i was getting one sandwich or one medium fry which would have been in my calorie range. I ate that and then proceeded to go out to my car and go through the drive thru and order a bunch more stuff. I feel so stuffed right now, and so ashamed for doing that. Fast food was always my weakness; it was like a drug to me. I thought i could handle having it every couple weeks since before MFP, i would have it once or twice a day. I even went to the gym today. I did not see this coming, that's what scares me because before, my binges/compulsive overeating was always planned. I know in my head, i will get back on track tomorrow. I hope this is an isolated incident, but i do worry that my "addiction" is just looking over my shoulder waiting for me to fail. Without me failing, my addiction cannot exist. I can't let it "win". I have worked too hard to lose what i have lost so far. Thank you all for your feedback and support

Don't get back on track tomorrow, get back on track TODAY with your next meal or snack. IMO see that as a learning experience, something that will help you move forwards and make this change for life. Nobody is perfect all the time, it's not even healthy to be that obsessed, but too many people see one binge as a whole failed day, a whole failed week a whole failed diet instead of ONE isolated binge. They use it as an excuse to stay off the wagon.

Think how many days and how many meals you did NOT binge - you've had maybe 90 successful no binge days days, maybe 270 successful no binge breakfast lunches and dinners, of that ONE binge meal is just 0.004% 'failure' rate. Are you saying you hate yourself for not being perfect? Am I wrong to be impressed by your 99.99% success rate?

I remember when I was on the "Carbohydrate Addict's Diet" about 15 years ago... the end of it was one midnight I got off work and the car drove me to McDonald's! I remember afterwards a coworker telling me she was always jealous of the salads I had been packing for lunch. Me? I loathed the salads! The deprivation drove me bezerk and the failure was just too much for me. Now I'm trying to eat a more balanced lifestyle including fast food that fits into my calories (like you). Some days you have a craving ... Hopefully you have a better day tomorrow.

It happens. I feel self-indulgent and had Mexican for lunch and pizza for dinner. Thank goodness my stomach doesn't hold as much as it used to! I'm probably not too far outside of my calories for the day.

Then again, I might be.