Zig zag eating to the extreme

funkygas
funkygas Posts: 191 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so I admit my week this week really hasn't been too good with food choices. I've been away from home, work is stressing me out, so I've headed to the kitchen and baked. And baked. And eaten, both the dough and the finished goods. Too many of each. I just looked at the weekly comparison of calories eaten and realised I've done a zig-zag eating pattern this week - to the extreme.

Obviously I realise that really low calories (<1200) on one day is likely the reason behind the really high calories (>2500) on the next day, but in my mind I justified the baking ... not because I was hungry, but because I had gotten glutened one day and needed to stay on my feet otherwise I would have felt terrible and I wanted to use up some ingredients in the cupboards and try a new recipe. The next day I wanted to try some wheat-free oats to see if I would have a gluten reaction from them, so I made oatmeal choc chip cookies. But then I just ate. And ate. And ate some more.

I guess what I'm asking is (obviously I need to even out my eating habits a bit) but if you could look at my diary and see if there's anything obvious that I'm lacking on the days where I haven't logged the high number of cookies and slices? I didn't track over the weekend, but there's a few weeks worth of tracking there (I hope!).

Any opinions gratefully appreciated!!

Replies

  • tayloryay
    tayloryay Posts: 378 Member
    I don't think the macros are really your problem here. You're overeating in reaction to the previous day's extremely low intake. Start hitting your 1500 calorie goal and you should even out!
  • marcellomoo
    marcellomoo Posts: 107 Member
    Baking aside, you seem to be doing pretty well and making good choices.

    If you're finding baking relaxing then by all means bake. If you're only going to eat them that day, make smaller batches. If you want to even out your calories then try to spread out what you bake over at least a few day. You can pre-log a couple of cookies a day over a few days and know in advance what number you're going to be eating at instead of making day by day justifications to go over/ under.
  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
    Nothing really sticks out to me on your "under" days, and they are probably just a result of overeating / binge eating on the other days.

    Most binge eating will involve simple sugars and other naughty things (ex. baked cookies) that spike and crash your blood sugar quickly without creating fullness. So you cat eat more but the food is unsatisfying. Over the course of a few days your body doesn't know how to handle so many extra calories. For me at least the next day usually follows with unpredictable cravings and low hormonal triggers around food. The lack of hunger following a binge day could lead you to seriously dip calories for the next 24 hours, which will set off more triggers in your body to crave calorie-dense foods, especially simple sugar. It's a terrible cycle.
    This is not a sustainable or pleasant way to eat. It's not zig zag eating, it's intermittent binge eating and will inevitably lead to weight gain with unpredictable and unpleasant side effects. Try to stay away from baking if it's such a problem or portion cooked food for use later and freeze them later.

    Also keep your calories fairly steady each day, varying them based on activity. I used to cycle between 1200 and 2500 calories (not on purpose!) each day and it was the most miserable way that I ever gained weight. I wish I had simply eaten what I wanted at the time and eaten a similar number of calories per day, instead of cycling between deprivation and binge eating.
  • funkygas
    funkygas Posts: 191 Member
    Thanks for all your advice - greatly appreciated!

    Anyone else - please feel free to chime in and tell me I'm an idiot for this way of eating this week!!
  • alycetaylor
    alycetaylor Posts: 1
    Nothing really sticks out to me on your "under" days, and they are probably just a result of overeating / binge eating on the other days.

    Most binge eating will involve simple sugars and other naughty things (ex. baked cookies) that spike and crash your blood sugar quickly without creating fullness. So you cat eat more but the food is unsatisfying. Over the course of a few days your body doesn't know how to handle so many extra calories. For me at least the next day usually follows with unpredictable cravings and low hormonal triggers around food. The lack of hunger following a binge day could lead you to seriously dip calories for the next 24 hours, which will set off more triggers in your body to crave calorie-dense foods, especially simple sugar. It's a terrible cycle.
    This is not a sustainable or pleasant way to eat. It's not zig zag eating, it's intermittent binge eating and will inevitably lead to weight gain with unpredictable and unpleasant side effects. Try to stay away from baking if it's such a problem or portion cooked food for use later and freeze them later.

    Also keep your calories fairly steady each day, varying them based on activity. I used to cycle between 1200 and 2500 calories (not on purpose!) each day and it was the most miserable way that I ever gained weight. I wish I had simply eaten what I wanted at the time and eaten a similar number of calories per day, instead of cycling between deprivation and binge eating.

    Couldn't put it better myself. I used to do the same. I stopped baking all together and dont have binge foods in my house. My dietician said to me that I need to think of baked goods like cake, brownies, cookies etc as well as chips, lollies, icecream and such as "Party Food", not everyday food. That has helped me alot, and she is right.

    Without looking at your diary another suggestion I have is to eat more protein, dont skip meals. Try to make sure you are having a good serving of protein at every meal, and have high protein for your snacks. Protein is the best thing to keep hunger at bay. I wish I knew that 10 years ago! Oh, and dont bake! I think theres something ingrained in us to always lick the spoon and the bowl! I just dont do it. Keep yourself busy with something else.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    Only thing I'd add is you don't eat much in the way of veggies. I love loads of different veg roasted together - low calories, tasty and really filling. I'll have squash, carrot, leek or onion, courgette (Zucchini if you're the other side of the pond ;-)), celeriac, mushrooms and cauliflower all chucked into a roasting tin with a bit of spray oil and some seasoning (either just salt & pepper or chilli & cumin are my favoutites) bung that in the oven for 45mins and I'll have that with typically fish, turkey or chicken breast.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Thanks for all your advice - greatly appreciated!

    Anyone else - please feel free to chime in and tell me I'm an idiot for this way of eating this week!!

    You are not an idiot. You just have to practice at better eating and tracking. Everyone is entitled to a day just don't give up. Make sure your calorie deficiency is adaquent and watch your macros.
  • funkygas
    funkygas Posts: 191 Member
    Only thing I'd add is you don't eat much in the way of veggies. I love loads of different veg roasted together - low calories, tasty and really filling. I'll have squash, carrot, leek or onion, courgette (Zucchini if you're the other side of the pond ;-)), celeriac, mushrooms and cauliflower all chucked into a roasting tin with a bit of spray oil and some seasoning (either just salt & pepper or chilli & cumin are my favoutites) bung that in the oven for 45mins and I'll have that with typically fish, turkey or chicken breast.

    Thanks for your comment, but did you really look at my diary? I have carrots and celery as a snack every day. Most days I'll have a salad for lunch and veggies with eggs or some other protein for dinner or other way around. I didn't think I was doing too bad on the veggie front?
  • funkygas
    funkygas Posts: 191 Member
    Baking aside, you seem to be doing pretty well and making good choices.

    If you're finding baking relaxing then by all means bake. If you're only going to eat them that day, make smaller batches. If you want to even out your calories then try to spread out what you bake over at least a few day. You can pre-log a couple of cookies a day over a few days and know in advance what number you're going to be eating at instead of making day by day justifications to go over/ under.

    Thanks for your comments - and for saying I don't have to give up baking!

    I am trying to only bake half-recipes now rather than the full ones, and if I do make a full recipe (like earlier this week), I took the majority of the cookies into the office - where they were gone before lunch time. And yes, I do extra exercise either the day of pigging out or the following day to try to limit the damage.

    Overall I think I just need to keep myself busy around the late afternoon time, which seems to be the trend time of when I head to the kitchen and bake ... and eat. If I work late and only get home in time to cook dinner, I don't seem to have the same urge for baking cookies/slices etc.

    Thanks to everyone for their advice ...!
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    Only thing I'd add is you don't eat much in the way of veggies. I love loads of different veg roasted together - low calories, tasty and really filling. I'll have squash, carrot, leek or onion, courgette (Zucchini if you're the other side of the pond ;-)), celeriac, mushrooms and cauliflower all chucked into a roasting tin with a bit of spray oil and some seasoning (either just salt & pepper or chilli & cumin are my favoutites) bung that in the oven for 45mins and I'll have that with typically fish, turkey or chicken breast.

    Thanks for your comment, but did you really look at my diary? I have carrots and celery as a snack every day. Most days I'll have a salad for lunch and veggies with eggs or some other protein for dinner or other way around. I didn't think I was doing too bad on the veggie front?

    I did look but it didn't seem that much - maybe its because I eat loads LOL. I'll usually have at least 5 or 6 different types of veg for dinner plus a mixed green salad, sometimes with a bean salad for lunch. I know it fills me up which is why I suggested eating more as to me it seemed low, but if its working for you then go for it :flowerforyou:

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