I'm here, and I'm a piggy.

dontbeapig
dontbeapig Posts: 9 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I need to lose weight before things get worse. I'm an active person with a relatively healthy diet, but I'm a binge eater with an uncontrolled under active thyroid (endo every 3-4mos, but no success yet). The weight has piled on and it will continue unless I change asap.

I started Sunday, I ate too much Monday (I highly under estimated the calorie content of the lunch menu at Chili's) and I binged today. I'm almost 4,000 over my calorie goal (1800). I ate a tub of cashews, about a pound of cherries, a package of chocolate chips and some other stuff. I ate dinner just a couple hours later. I don't know why I do it. The food tastes good, I get into the zone and just keep eating.

I wish I had a better reason than "it's yummy," then I could change much more easily. I'll try again tomorrow. Conquer or fail, perhaps if I just keep counting, I can slowly lower my numbers, put one more day in between each pig out, then another... just keep trying.

I thought if I just put it out there, it might help me succeed. I've said it, people know about it, now I have to do it.

Replies

  • ridingo
    ridingo Posts: 4
    One thing that helps me is planning my meals. If I go into the day knowing what my snacks and meals are going to look like, it helps me stick to it and not grab whatever I see.

    Even planning 'unhealthy meals.' I knew before I got home today that I was going to eat two cheesy slices of Domino's goodness, and that if I ate three it would put me over my calorie goals for the day. Planning gets easier the longer you use the resources available on this site.

    Hang in there, it gets easier. And we're rooting for you!
  • uvonne610
    uvonne610 Posts: 29 Member
    I do the same thing! Planning really helps but I plan my next day on a full stomach, it's like going to the store hungry your just asking for trouble. I have a bottle of water in the morning when I get up so as I'm getting ready I already have something in me and I've heard drinking water right as you get up is good for you. I really had to work on it but I took the time to research food I liked and found the healthy option of them. If you take that time you will be shocked with what you learn. Don't be to hard on yourself even if you make small changes its still going to pay off in the end :)
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    Hello - well i used to enjoy food like you. After 3 months now, its pretty much under control.

    First, fill out the GOALS section in MFP and see what you can eat.

    Then try to find the best food that will fit inside those numbers that MFP gives you.

    its going to take some effort, of course, and sometimes you might not be able to splurge on a tubful of something.. but to find something else that would be better for you.

    Remember it is not drudgery, but a way of eating for the rest of your life. Find that place and then enjoy it, and learn as you go along what works, what doesn't.

    now some people here beleive everything in moderation and others who believe you should not eat some of that food that got you fat. You will have to decide what you will eat, but aim to keep within the MFP numbers.

    When things get hard, instead of turning to food for comfort, think ahead how you will handle it.

    When you start mindless eating like a robot and get in the zone, (I know what you are talking about, almost like your under hypnosis). so be mindful of what you are eating. if you catch yourself doing that, then distract yourself, and maybe even leave the room, anything to awaken you out of the zone.

    so these are few things that can help.
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    Yeah! Well, I don't think your thyroid has anything to do with your weight gain...yet another excuse.If anyone eats over 4K calories a day or even 3 times a week, they will be morbidly obese. You also MIGHT want to RE-THINK that "I eat relatively healthy" thingy too, after a while on this Journey and doing some research and daily logging you will get a good picture of what you are REALLY doing
  • dontbeapig
    dontbeapig Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you guys :) I do need to plan more, not only for calories, but just to make the "whats for dinner" conversation less painful! We can never decide.

    You have given me some nice suggestions already, I didn't know what to expect when I posted. Thanks, and I do hope this will not be complete drudgery ;) My biggest hope is that I can get things more under control before it gets too cold to be outside - it all goes downhill when I'm sitting around at home!
  • Wrreck
    Wrreck Posts: 99 Member
    You should also look up the word binge in groups. There are always support groups to join on here that will fit your needs.
  • rowanwood
    rowanwood Posts: 509 Member
    First, don't think you can shame yourself into not eating. If that worked, you'd probably be thin already.

    When it comes to binge eating, you will probably need professional help -- or at least the support of those who've fought it too. You body will NOT like this. I know I've felt anxious and horrid as I've gotten past it. But the logging helped me significantly. It gave me a framework to work in. And make sure to log even when its terrible. Get some MFP friends to watch you and let them help you...
  • Tessyloowhoo
    Tessyloowhoo Posts: 504
    First off your not a pig your a wonderful, interesting, valuable human being.


    That's all...
    :flowerforyou:
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    I really love that you have this "keep trying" attitude. Don't ever lose that. It could save your life. I wish you the best of luck. :)
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
    Maybe just try and take it day by day instead of week by week... maybe even meal by meal...

    Something that took me a while to be ok with was the feeling of hunger... If I plan my meals and I eat all my calories and I'm still "hungry" I don't eat, I go to the end of my diary and hit the complete button. Hunger for me is a mental emotion with physical effects (growling stomach, anxiety, etc). The only amount of food to physically satisfy my hunger would be a 4000+ calorie binge, I had to realize being hungry wasn't going to kill me and I will be able to eat again soon.

    Easier said than done but my binges are far less than they were when I was 40 lbs heavier. Feel free add me for support!
  • mcmcmcshane
    mcmcmcshane Posts: 32 Member
    You sound like me! The first time i ran a 5K, I was miserable & declared that I was only doing so in order to eat more that night. It was Thanksgiving & I was being serious but it got a chuckle out of my fellow runners that were in ear shot.
    On thing that helps me is logging tomorrow before going to bed today. That way, I wake up & already know what I can eat & I don't start looking around for ideas. (I can come up w/some pretty unhealthy stuff!)
    Then I got in the habit of eating similar things all week so grocery shopping became a cinch! Run through MFP, make a list of what i need, DO NOT DEVIATE from that at the grocery store... It's amazing how fast I can get in & out of the store each Sunday night AND how much money I save not perusing.

    Good luck!
  • Jsneel
    Jsneel Posts: 24 Member
    Take a light walk or do a little house cleaning (dont do to much so it don't make u hungry just enough to busy your mind). Also make sure to drink your 8 glasses of water daily or close to it. And b sure to get enough fiber. Set your mind to it and go for it!!!
  • _Katya_
    _Katya_ Posts: 6 Member
    You made me laugh with your topic :) I have struggled on and off for years with binge eating. Once I changed to only whole foods, no processed foods and no gmo's it became easy. Now I have to force myself to eat the calories mfp says I need to. Good luck and if you need a buddy, I'm here :)
  • susank0688
    susank0688 Posts: 9 Member
    Log your food before you eat it. If you knew a pound of cashews had over 2,500 calories, would you really eat so many?

    You might try making some small changes and fully commit to them. Plan for breakfast, lunch and a snack that fit well within your calorie plan, and then eat your normal dinner for awhile. If you commit to some amount of discipline in your eating during the day, you may soon find you can be more thoughtful at dinnertime.

    It has to come from you though, no one here can make you eat right.

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