What do you trigger your diet failures to?

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dmor
dmor Posts: 33
in Health and Weight Loss
If you look back at the times you have fallen off the wagon--can you identify any consistent problem areas that you associate with the fall?

For me, I look back and I can think of three primary culprits:

1. When I'm stressed out.
2. When I'm in an atmosphere or environment where eating healthy isn't possible--or should I say easy? For example, going on vacation where I have no access to a kitchen and others are preparing family style meals. I have failed a few times on these types of vacations. I will pack jerky and power bars and do good for a day or two, but by day 4 I'm weak and give in. Sadly, I have the worst attitude about failing. Once I fail once, it is hard to bounce back.
3. I acutally fail when I'm doing well. Meaning, I get too confident and I think--I have burned 1000 calories this morning running, I have eaten well and why not eat one of those cookies my wife just pulled out of the oven. Unfortunately--it is game over for me as I never eat just one.

Fortunately for me, yesterday my wife had a big luncheon at our house and she halfed the recipe to avoid having extra cookies lying around as she knows they are my kryptonite. Yet, I walked downstairs and the cookies were lying there on our coutner begging to be eaten. I started the justification of one cookie is less than 100 calories and easy to justify when I burn thousands of calories a day. For me, the best personal victory I have experienced in months came when I declined the cookie and drank a lot of water instead. Honestly, it seems small and not significant as it was less than 100 cals--but seriously, the slope is slippery and I'm thrilled I'm still eating clean.

Replies

  • dmor
    dmor Posts: 33
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    If you look back at the times you have fallen off the wagon--can you identify any consistent problem areas that you associate with the fall?

    For me, I look back and I can think of three primary culprits:

    1. When I'm stressed out.
    2. When I'm in an atmosphere or environment where eating healthy isn't possible--or should I say easy? For example, going on vacation where I have no access to a kitchen and others are preparing family style meals. I have failed a few times on these types of vacations. I will pack jerky and power bars and do good for a day or two, but by day 4 I'm weak and give in. Sadly, I have the worst attitude about failing. Once I fail once, it is hard to bounce back.
    3. I acutally fail when I'm doing well. Meaning, I get too confident and I think--I have burned 1000 calories this morning running, I have eaten well and why not eat one of those cookies my wife just pulled out of the oven. Unfortunately--it is game over for me as I never eat just one.

    Fortunately for me, yesterday my wife had a big luncheon at our house and she halfed the recipe to avoid having extra cookies lying around as she knows they are my kryptonite. Yet, I walked downstairs and the cookies were lying there on our coutner begging to be eaten. I started the justification of one cookie is less than 100 calories and easy to justify when I burn thousands of calories a day. For me, the best personal victory I have experienced in months came when I declined the cookie and drank a lot of water instead. Honestly, it seems small and not significant as it was less than 100 cals--but seriously, the slope is slippery and I'm thrilled I'm still eating clean.
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    1. Stress, it's my main killer.

    2. When the temptation out weighs my determination. Can we say family reunion this weekend...ugh.

    3. PMS
  • cnolovechild
    cnolovechild Posts: 179
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    The bad days that I've experienced were mainly because of 'peer pressure' :laugh: I know that sounds so cliche' and lame but I have a few family members that seem to think that if you're getting healthy you're starving and they will not stop bugging you until you have whatever they are offering...and then more of that. Luckily I haven't had too many of those days and I've tried to avoid those family members when I haven't just eaten :wink:
  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
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    stress stress and more stress!! Anything to get you out of your normal routine.. for me..with my son being in and out of the hospital..routine goes out the window..and so doesnt the healthy food sometimes!! Sometimes not even by choice..... when I am staring down the isle of the hospital cafeteria just looking at everything like must taste like cardboard.. I don't have a choice! I also think for me Boredom.. when I get bored..I eat. At night when I'm watching tv is when I eat the most! That is why I try to limit my snacking during the day so that I can have that serving of pretzels to munch on while watching tv at night.... or cherries..when they are on sale of course LOL!!
  • time2wrk
    time2wrk Posts: 773 Member
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    PMS for sure but also, I agree with your #3. I'll have a fabulous week and then blow it. I have found (just last week, actually) that alcohol is involved. I try to unwind on a Friday night, wind up having too much to drink and then don't watch what I eat. :mad: So, I am going without any alcohol now (which makes it easier on my calorie count, anyway) and we'll see what happens! :smile:
  • michlingle
    michlingle Posts: 797 Member
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    Being out with friends, family at restaurants, etc. Usually there's alcohol involved and there's yummy appetizers...they always get me. Nachos, fries, spinach artichoke dip...u name it, I love it. A beer or two usually makes the failure easier to commit...
  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
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    Being out with friends, family at restaurants, etc. Usually there's alcohol involved and there's yummy appetizers...they always get me. Nachos, fries, spinach artichoke dip...u name it, I love it. A beer or two usually makes the failure easier to commit...

    LOL.. yeah I hear ya..esp the appetizers! we haven't gone out to eat in a while and thank goodness..because when we do..we really splurge..
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Wow, we are all soooooo similar!! Sometimes I feel like such a failure but listening to you guys I realize that we are all the same. I definitely agree on all the triggers you mentioned. But such is life, right??? :flowerforyou:
  • milomoose
    milomoose Posts: 11
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    1) PMS

    2) Taste. oh my....taste taste TASTE! it's the only reason I eat. Because things taste good. I just love to taste things. :love: My palate will never be appeased. When I'm sick with a cold and my sinuses have blocked & my sense of taste is gone, I don't eat at all.

    3) Watching other ppl eat. Seeing them enjoy food makes it nearly impossible for me to stay away. I often eat at separate times from my family just so I don't witness the yummy-ness. :sad:
  • ohthatbambi
    ohthatbambi Posts: 1,098 Member
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    The mindset of "all or nothing". If I eat one cookie then I might as well eat the whole box. I have a hard time finding the grey area when it comes to eating healthy. It is a big issue for me, not a fun one either. It really stresses me out. I started a big long thread about it in the motivation and support area b/c I was having a really bad morning. I am better now and hoping to find some grey in a black/white world.
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
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    -Family gatherings
    -Situations where I feel it will be rude to turn down food (business dinners, dinner at the girlfriend's parents' place)
    -When it means wasting food

    I get super guilty about all of these things. However, that usually makes me work out extra hard to make up for it.

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