WTF is wrong with me???

Could simply be that you don't want to lose weight bad enough. You favor the short-term satisfaction of eating something that tastes really good over the delayed satisfaction of losing weight and looking better. That makes you similar to a large portion of the population that cannot muster the will power to do what is difficult. This isn't easy. You aren't trying hard enough.

Or would you prefer we make excuses for you?

I'm not an expert, but I know what has started working for me. You're hungry when you wake up in the morning, don't wait until you get to work to eat (whatever you decide to eat) and have to pass by every McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Denny's and Panera (plus the gas station markets) on your commute. It's just too much temptation when you're already hungry. Eat before you leave home.

There's nothing wrong with you! This is a normal and very human thing to do. One thing you can try is to really figure out how you're feeling when you eat. It sounds silly (and sometimes it feels silly) but when you're going in for those donuts, instead of focusing on how much you shouldn't eat them, try focusing on why you feel like you need them.

I'm an emotional eater. I eat when I'm stressed or unhappy or just bored. I eat to feel better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just makes me feel worse. Try journaling if that's something that works for you.

Or you may just be on too strict of a diet and your body is telling you it needs a change. Experiment. See what works for you.

Awesome advice

Figure out what your triggers are. I eat like that when I have had a bad day or if something "negatively extra" happens in my life. Sometimes I eat like that when I am overly hungry, so like someone else said planning ahead is a big help (a skill that I have yet to master). Sometimes I just wanna eat it all. I let myself have a day where I just let it all hang out. That way I don't feel cheated. I love sweets and am gonna eat them. I am just trying to exhibit some self control and eat them one day out of the week instead of everyday. You'll figure it out. Hang in there:)

bump

We are wired to want sugar and fat. It's in our genetic makeup. You have all my sympathy, seriously!! We are faced with so much easily obtained poor food choices.
Now, how to overcome? I love some of the advice above:

*Don't try to shoot for too low a calorie goal- it will make you eat out of control.

*DO (DO IT!!) the Whole 30 program, start now, don't wait, you'll be so happy that you did. http://whole9life.com/start/
That program has helped countless people to kick cravings and get on a better way of eating.

*Unless you're doing the Whole 30, don't completely deprive yourself (unless cold turkey is better for you) because it makes you want to binge later. For example- i love chocolate. Total chocolate *kitten*, here. If I buy milk chocolate I will eat all of it, right now. I have discovered I can't do that with dark, dark 80% chocolate. I can ration it out much easier.

*PROTEIN, and GOOD fat (like coconut butter, coconut oil) helps you to feel satisfied so you can cut back on the super sugary processed carbs.

*Make a rule that if YOU didn't make it, you can't eat it. That includes desserts! Then train yourself to make dessert foods that are healthier, like things made with apple sauce instead of sugar, etc. Because it takes so much work, you'll be cutting back on how much you take in.

Be gentle on yourself. The harder I try to lose weight, the more crazy my binges get unless I follow all my own advice, above. You can do it. Set a goal, let yourself have some wiggle room, and make a promise to yourself to cut out processed foods so you can stop craving them.

I used to do this because I had a literal chemical addiction to dairy and gluten-containing products because of my intolerance to them. Maybe you have a sugar addiction, maybe it's emotional eating...it can be hard to say. I personally had to just go cold turkey and stop eating foods that I would mindlessly binge on. I threw everything away in my apartment and went shopping and only bought good foods - no junk was allowed in my place. Now that I have a handle on my eating habits I do have the occasional treat and it doesn't even bother me anymore (so long as I have the dairy/gluten free version so I don't get sick).

I agree with some other suggestions here though. Eating when you are hungry will help you. And good job on portioning out stuff to take with you instead of a whole bag/box of something to keep at work. I can't do that either or I would snack when I'm bored at my desk. I would do that a lot as well at home when watching TV or movies - just eat, even if I wasn't hungry.

Every time you feel an urge to just eat junk, force yourself to stop and remember how you feel about it. Will that food taste as good as you will feel when you get the weight off you want to lose? I don't think it will!!

I can relate! Since I started eating a lot of good fats and nearly eliminated refined carbs, my cravings are pretty much zero. I'm not saying it will work for you, but it has done wonders for me. Working out hard also helps because I don't want to undo all of my hard work by stuffing my face with things that make me feel terrible.

Why do I binge? Today, I had yogurt and cheerios waiting for me at work for breakfast. But what did I do? I had to stop for gas, so I went in and bought 2 bakery donuts and stuffed them in my face on the way to work.

Last week, I brought a box of Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies to work. Thinking I would keep them in my desk and eat ONE when I had a craving... NO.. They were gone in two days.

I am learning from my mistakes.. I know now that I cannot bring an entire box/bag of anything to work... I portion everything and only bring one portion...

But what gives?? Why oh Why am I like this? Why can't I just STOP eating!!!!

maybe it's because you're stuck in a pattern. have you tried changing your routine (breaking your pattern)? eating at home for breakfast instead of waiting until work (or eating half your breakfast before leaving for work and finishing your breakfast at work). instead of leaving the box of fiber one brownies at work just bring in one brownie (if it's not there you can't eat it).

the most important you did make though is you are learning from your mistakes. and hey sometimes we just need to eat the darn gas station donut. cut yourself a bit of a break. you're learning and that's the most important. you didn't put on the weight overnight and you won't loose it overnight either. if you stop beating yourself up over slipping eventually you won't feel the urge to overindulge.

You could just be bored at work, too. I tend to eat the little treats if they're around and I've got nothing better to do for a moment. I do my best to try and substitute that with a big gulp of water though.