1 Week of big binging - Any help?

I don't significantly cut back on calories I eat for the first day back to exercising. I find that just saps me of energy and leaves me unable to push as hard while exercising, so it's counterproductive for me. I do go heavy on protein the first day back, but I still have some carbs and fats at least 2 times during the day (out of 5 or 6 meals/snacks). And I make sure I drink tons of water since sodas and salty snacks during the binge leave me prone to dehydration. I usually exercise a little more, and try to push 45 minute workouts into an hour. I try to get an extra workout or two in during the week too, but usually not the first day.

For the scale, it looks way worse the first day back to exercising than like 2 days later. No matter what happens, the main thing is to get back on track. Even if you don't look at the scale, you can still get back on track with exercising and eating right and logging your food and exercise. And tell your support system when you get back below your pre-binge weight. Setbacks are inevitable, and it's nice to hear when your friends overcome those bumps in the road. If you need support, add me and/or ask others on MFP.

Good luck.

Just be gentle to yourself. All or nothing is the enemy of health (mental and physical)- and fasting just feeds back into that. (I actually think fasting is a great tool for resting your body/cleansing, but NOT losing weight). I like to keep my focus on what I plan to add- not take away. Add water, add veggies, add fruit, add some great workouts and you will be back on track before you know it.

And then what do you do after your fast? Binge again?
The best thing to do is Eat Normal. Every Day. If you f$ck up, even for a week, then you fix it by Eating Normal again starting ASAP. You never compensate shtty eating with more shtty eating. That is the cycle of the loser.

Let's give some examples:
Situation: You overate by 5000 calories one day
Next day: Eat Normal

Situation: You underate by 1800 calories one day
Next day: Eat Normal

Situation: You had the perfect day of eating and absolutely hit all your macros and felt great all day
Next day: Eat Normal

I feel ya, I binged hard over the last 4 days. It was a long weekend, I was staying at my boyfriends place so I had no regular groceries and there were Natal Day celebrations - but those are just excuses, I could have done better.

Anyway, the MOST important thing, more important than anything else, is to remember: that was then, this is now. Don't ever let your past mistakes dictate how you live today. Get back on track, eat your calorie goals, keep exercising, don't try to cut extra calories this week. Just eat at your regular deficit and look to the future.

My other two pieces of advice: drink way more water than normal, and don't weigh yourself for a week or so. If you have been binging like I know I do, I ate way, way more salt than I ever normally would. If I were to step on the scale right now, I know some of that weight would be gained back from my binge, but I also know a lot of it would be water weight from the excess sodium. If you drink a ton of water, and stop eating the excess salt, your body should stop retaining that water. I find this is the easiest way to get back on track scale-wise.

For the next week, I will eat at my goal, drink 8 - 9 glasses of water a day, and I won't weight myself until Saturday morning. There is no need to weigh yourself right away.

Good luck, stay strong!

A one week binge won't ruin you any more than one week of "being good" would make everything better.

Just stick to the plan. If you mess up, come right back. If more weeks are good than bad, you win.

And then what do you do after your fast? Binge again?
The best thing to do is Eat Normal. Every Day. If you f$ck up, even for a week, then you fix it by Eating Normal again starting ASAP. You never compensate shtty eating with more shtty eating. That is the cycle of the loser.

Let's give some examples:
Situation: You overate by 5000 calories one day
Next day: Eat Normal

Situation: You underate by 1800 calories one day
Next day: Eat Normal

Situation: You had the perfect day of eating and absolutely hit all your macros and felt great all day
Next day: Eat Normal

Great post. I agree 100%.

As brutally honest as it is, this.

It happened. You can't change it, it's in the past.

Move on and do better. I'm not going to tell you it's okay that you didn't exercise control in willpower, but you can only do better in the future so quit worrying about what you can't change.