Self Sabotage

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Replies

  • dkirkling
    dkirkling Posts: 48 Member
    I've suffered from this problem for as long as I can remember. What works for me is reaching for a bottled water or a healthy piece of fruit or raw veggies. Hope this helps!
  • pkinblue
    pkinblue Posts: 140 Member
    I am an afternoon/night eater..so I tend to shift my calories towards the night and then I find if I am actually FULL I can resist most times.

    But--on the times when I can't I play a game with myself. If I really eat that bowl of chips, cookie, ice cream (yes, I have kids in the house) then I trade it with something physical. Not always calorie for calorie---but for example if I want a bowl of chips I go walk the dog for 10 min. or I do 35 jumping jacks, 10 burpees and 20 pushups. Sometimes just thinking of the effort I need to do makes the craving go away.
    But not always...

    So I figure if I messed up at least it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
    Also- it helps not to sit near the kitchen.
  • nmeeks81
    nmeeks81 Posts: 9
    what i ve been doing is measure out the junk i am going to eat after i make breafast and log it before i eat it . i carry it in my purse or bag all day. so at least it controlled cheating. i can see what i have to do all day long to be able to eat that later .most of the time i dont eat all of it .
  • fabulara
    fabulara Posts: 94 Member
    bump
  • jdhoward_101
    jdhoward_101 Posts: 234 Member
    I used to have the EXACT SAME PROBLEM. What's worked for me is eating little and often, so instead of having three large meals, i have several small meals over the course of the day. I found it really helps. And i try and keep the majority of my calorie allowance for the evenings, with exercise i usually have about 1000 calories left, just in case i do feel that binge coming along. Good luck!
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    soup..i love trader joe's latin style bean soup.. 70 calories for a cup..add chopped onion and a little low fat greek yogurt.. and boom! cravings gone.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    I hear you. I can do fine all day long and then blow it by eating junk, and too much of it, in the evening.

    Here are some things that have worked for me:

    - I'm finding it's better for me to have some protein/complex carbs in thel ate afternoon - 5pm or so - and then eat my evening meal later at about 7-8pm. That way I'm not starving late in the evening.
    - I make sure I get enough protein for the evening meal.
    - If I want a snack, I'll look at the calorie count first. Sometimes that's enough to at least have me looking for a healthier lower-calorie snack.
    - Keep my brain busy. Crafts, cleaning, etc.
  • Kareemelnaggar
    Kareemelnaggar Posts: 17 Member
    I used to always struggle with the evening and nighttime munchies. I found that doing a quick 5 k run in the evening or after work helped me curb my appetite and keep my goals in sight. The other benefit is that the run allows me to eat another small snack while still being within my daily calorie allowance. When in doubt, always exercise more. Also, drinking tons of water throughout the day helps keep you feeling satiated.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Ask yourself;
    Do I really want to sabotage myself?
    Do I really want to keep losing the same weight over and over?
    Do I really want to feel guilty over a few minutes' pleasure?
    Do I really NEED to eat this?
    Do I, deep down, really WANT to eat this?
    Do I really want to set my self up for feeling and looking like a failure?

    I'll bet every answer is "No".
    If you answered yes, then go for it, regret later.Your choice, up to you.
    And if you answered no...why do something that you DON'T WANT TO DO?
  • Mdcgc
    Mdcgc Posts: 28
    This happens to me all the time!!! I drink a lot of water, eat fruit and go to the gym late.. for some reason when i leave the gym around 10 pm i dont want to eat.. I think it is because when i eat is not really because i am hungry but with anxiaty, and i just leave all of that in the workout.. if a feel like eating after working out i just have watermelon, i lve it, it hidratates me and fills me! Dont worry.. we are a lot with ths problem, the important thing is to keep trying every night!
  • Jen_niferH86
    Jen_niferH86 Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks everyone! Some great advice here for me :)

    So the main things are:
    - Eat more protein
    - Save as many calories you can during the day so I can eat more in the evening.
    - Eat several smaller meals instead of 3 larger ones
    - Drink more water

    I also like the idea of the 'maintenance week' where I go up to 2000 cals a day just for one week so I can really refocus - as I have been on 1200 cals a day for 6 months now. But I will save this for a complete emergency!

    Thanks for all your support :)
  • amatxuof5
    amatxuof5 Posts: 40
    I find that if i brush my teeth i'm less likely to snack :happy:

    I was going to suggest the exact same thing. I don't do it, but a friend of mine has been doing it and she says it helps. I usually just go to bed when I'm starting to feel like bingeing at night. I'm always tired anyway, and usually I think I'm probably more tired than hungry. That helps...sometimes. I also try to save some calories during the day so that I can "cheat" at night - it's not really cheating if I don't go over my calorie goal. And you know, sometimes at night I eat baby carrots and hummus or yogurt ranch and it does the trick! But sometimes I just HAVE to have chocolate :-).
  • amatxuof5
    amatxuof5 Posts: 40

    I also like the idea of the 'maintenance week' where I go up to 2000 cals a day just for one week so I can really refocus - as I have been on 1200 cals a day for 6 months now. But I will save this for a complete emergency!

    Maybe 1200 calories aren't enough and that's why you feel like bingeing! I was stuck at a plateau and took everyone on MFP's advice and raised mine from 1200 to 1250 and boom, I lost 2 pounds. Maybe you are actually depriving yourself too much - especially if you are exercising. I also just read an article that talked about how important it is to get a lot of protein - and to spread it out evenly thoughout the day. I knew how important proetein was, especially as we get older, but I guess I never thought about WHEN I get it. Apparently it is really important in the morning (breakfast) to jump start your metabolism. Bad news for me because I'm not a breakfast person - other than coffee.
  • Scubanana7
    Scubanana7 Posts: 361 Member
    everning snacking is what got me from 125 lbs to 245 pounds! There is something about sitting down in front of the tv and putting your hand in a bag of something crunchy over and over and over. It is a horrible habit which I am going to blame my mom for! I grew up in a house where there was popcorn and nuts almost every single night. And when it wasn't popcorn, it was ice cream. My family was skinny cause it was back in the 60/70's before we ever ate out so this snack did not hurt.

    This is my biggest DAILY BATTLE. I am winning the War, BUT I am still losing battles....which slows my losses. The only thing that really helps is continuing my night snacking! Now hear me out......

    I sit down, put my feet up, and turn on the tv with a dinner plate FULL (so I don't feel deprived) of:

    sugar snap peas, celery, lean turkey, pickled jalepenos, slice of dill pickle, cherry tomatoes
    2-4 tbs of hummus, 1/4 cup salsa

    Then I happily SNACK my way through my favorite tv shows. This feeds the 'hand-to-mouth' SNACK MONSTER and it tastes great. I also discovered Lentil Chips and they are awesome! I just have to be VERY careful and count out the portion and put the bag away. I have lost my battle on occasion and eating the whole dang bag......the WAR never ends. Right now, I am obstaining from the lentil chips cuz I got carried away.....

    I guarantee a plate full of those goodies will make the Snack Monster pretty dang satisfied. This HABIT is as hard to beat as any drug addiction. Our bodies and minds get so used to eating in the evening after YEARS of conditioning to do exactly that.......that is why we got overweight!

    So dieting and exercising and wanting to be healthy are AWESOME plans.....but sometimes we gotta feed the Snack Monster....for me, it is the CRUNCH MONSTER.

    Good luck. You can friend me if you want and scream for help with a message. I am usually checking in a lot in the evenings and I will offer support. We all need some "drug rehab"!
  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
    Ask yourself;
    Do I really want to sabotage myself?
    Do I really want to keep losing the same weight over and over?
    Do I really want to feel guilty over a few minutes' pleasure?
    Do I really NEED to eat this?
    Do I, deep down, really WANT to eat this?
    Do I really want to set my self up for feeling and looking like a failure?

    I'll bet every answer is "No".
    If you answered yes, then go for it, regret later.Your choice, up to you.
    And if you answered no...why do something that you DON'T WANT TO DO?

    Exactly. Why? I literally am hating myself while stuffing food in my mouth, it's horrible.
    I'm still struggling with this but I find having lots of protein during the day helps.

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