My 94 Days of Cold Turkey!

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XwhiskX
XwhiskX Posts: 3
in Getting Started
There are 94 days until my birthday. I want my birthday gift to be that I can prove to MYSELF that I can do this. That my impulsive indulgences will not control or affect my LONG TERM GOALS. I am writing this here to be held accountable, to have somewhere also that I let free some of my frustrations about my comfort eating and binges. I have tried many times to incorporate the bad foods in moderation. My family, however, make my life VERY hard and encourage cheating. It is my fault for giving in to them and the voice in my head. The only time I was ever successful was when I abstained from all the bad stuff for nearly a year, lost over 3 stone but gained it back and more due to a rotten relationship. Now its time to change the way I think and deal with stress. But first...

About me:

Gender: Female
Age: 24
Height: 5'6
Current weight: 14 stone 6 lbs (202 lbs total)
Current size (UK): 16/18
Goal weight: 9 stone (126 lbs) I was 9 stone 4 lbs in the past and it looked good on my frame
Weight to lose: 5 stone 6lbs (76 lbs)

94 Days of No:

- chocolate - (pack twirl bites 760kcals)
- biscuits - love chocolate boubons (980kcals) used to eat a pack in a go
- cakes - eats about 5 mini rolls in a go a day (580kcals total)
- drinks that aren't water/squash/green tea
- takeaways including: chips, mcdonalds, kfc, subway, dominoes, chinese, burger king and other fast food
- ice cream - 1 sitting ben and jerry's 500ml chocolate fudge brownie (1050kcals)
- crisps
- BIG PORTIONS - I can eat like a horse, easily 4/5 fistfuls.
- eating before bedtime (3 hours before at latest)

94 days of YES to:

- do some of my own cooking!
- snacking on fruits and veggies!
- excersize! *to get healthy and to keep the calories in balance, eating back calories that would make my intake -1200. 3 sessions of 30mins a week MINIMUM
- getting out of the house more! To take more pride in my appearance and enjoy some sunshine for once!
- stress protocol: write down the stress. Anything that isn't eating. Walking dogs, cleaning, posting at MFP, having a shower, a conversation.. have yet to figure this out properly.

Obstacles:

- FAMILY. My family have always been over weight. I share the mortgage at my age but have little to no say in what foods are bought. I'm talking about DOZENS of packs of biscuits and crisps and cakes. My mother always grazes and my nan always puts food in my face.
- WORK: I drive a lot and exercise little in my job role. Even still, I am tired at the end. Tiredness is my enemy. I just need to push through it.

Wow this was a lot of detail. I mean - it's simple stuff, don't eat crap and exercise more. But its just so amazing how HARD it can be. Let the journey begin.

If anyone wants to share stories or progress or just wants a supportive friend feel free to add me :) Good luck everyone!

Replies

  • jeeplovin
    jeeplovin Posts: 96 Member
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    I'm with you, 90 days until my birthday. I have the same plan, cold turkey it is :) I woke up today, determined that I am going to give 100% for the next 90 days, period no excuses!!! Good luck.
  • justlana
    justlana Posts: 11 Member
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    Bites Licks and tastes BLT, add up...no one can change our bodies but us! Abstinence, is the only way. Good Luck
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
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    I applaud your determination, but everyone knows that if you deprive yourself of something, it only makes you want it more and WILL (not might) cause you to binge, and one big binge could ruin your whole week.
    Pick your calorie range to work in and just eat whatever you want as long as it falls into your range. That way you are far less likely to binge and stay on track. I've had a sweet or chocolate practically every day since I started and I managed to lose a good bit. Abstinence is not the only way, it's the only way to cause you to crave and overeat.
  • Beana217
    Beana217 Posts: 28
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    I also have a family that isn't too supportive of my weight loss. I also am going "cold turkey" on sweets (ie Easter candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, etc). I can't just cheat a little....I cheat a lot!

    Good Luck!
  • drewmmm
    drewmmm Posts: 130 Member
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    If you think you can do it, DO IT! Best of luck, I hope you get to your goal in no time! But for me, totally giving up candy would be next to impossible. I have another goal - that is my goal weight- that I will try to reach before my birthday in 85 days. Funny because today is day 85 of my logging in everyday here :) hehe
  • WillLift4Tats
    WillLift4Tats Posts: 1,699 Member
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    I would recommend *planning* for a small treat, if not daily, then at least weekly. I applaud your big goals, but as a fellow binger, I know that saying "not allowed" pretty much sets me up for a binge on that specific item. I find that if I want a small treat, I stick it at the end of my day, and just plan my other meals so I can fit that in. Win: Win. Best of luck to you :)
  • cnl91_W
    cnl91_W Posts: 89 Member
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    I would recommend *planning* for a small treat, if not daily, then at least weekly. I applaud your big goals, but as a fellow binger, I know that saying "not allowed" pretty much sets me up for a binge on that specific item. I find that if I want a small treat, I stick it at the end of my day, and just plan my other meals so I can fit that in. Win: Win. Best of luck to you :)
    ^This, this and all of this! There's no reason you can't plan to treat yourself. It'll make the whole process easier, and you won't resent it.
  • XwhiskX
    XwhiskX Posts: 3
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    I really get the whole treat thing I really do - and I've tried it MANY times over the last 5 years and it doesn't work. The treat turns into a binge. But looking back to the days I gave up all crap - for no reason really. I just found I was happier in general. Nearly a whole year I went without any crap and the longer it went the easier it was. But it was a terrible violent ending to that relationship and that's where I broke. I remember getting to the point about 2/3 months in where I didn't even crave the crap anymore. My sweet tooth had disappeared. But when I've tried "Treating" myself the treat never made me feel good. I don't want to use food as my reward. I want holidays, the ability to hike and go rock climbing or horse riding every weekend to be my treat :) I will still enjoy food but I need to break the addiction of using it as a coping mechanism is all. I certainly will have the fattest chocolate birthday cake of my life!!!! Thanks for all the kind words and support though :)
  • Spreyton22K
    Spreyton22K Posts: 323 Member
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    Hi there!!!

    Wishing you all the best for your 94 days......

    I was wondering if you had thought about writing out your lists of "No's" and "Yes's" , with more detail on the Yes side as to the ideas/substitutions that you like or would like to try over the next 94 days.

    I have written similar plans for myself in the past (not just to do with foods or exercise related goals either). Sometimes the 'Negative' side (for want of a better description) can be quite overwhelming and it can be a real boost to our confidence in achieving our goals if we pay more mind to the Positive side once we have truthfully looked at the whole situation.

    Anyhow...so I don't ramble on too much more.....I was thinking that you could expand the ideas about Cooking for eg. Into having a go at different Cuisines (maybe hit up the Internet for low cal alternatives, for inspiration), list out fruit and veggies ideas/combo's that are coming into Season (add in new one's, perhaps).

    Also, you have mentioned about stress and it's impact on you and how you are going to deal with it not using food, exercise is wonderful but sometimes I think we forget that we can do great things for our stress levels with Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi etc. High Cortisol levels play havoc with our bodies and high levels seem to encourage fat deposition ..... be careful that you don't wear yourself out in maybe 'running' from your food issues. I really believe it is possible to OVER exercise (I did and the belly weight clung on for dear life....stopped my routine for 2 weeks, meditated and started losing???!!!....maybe a fluke, I dunno).

    Good luck
  • EvanElric
    EvanElric Posts: 34
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    Sounds like hell, good luck :laugh:
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Since you are young and say you used to be much thinner, so this cannot be a case of weight slowly accumulating, have you figured out why it happened? If something is making you binge eat, even something as simple and common as stress, unless you address the cause or figure out other ways to deal with it, you always have the risk of it happening again.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Good luck on your 94 day journey.

    Normally I would only suggest a diet change to low carb if you were doing it long term, but 94 days may work.

    One obstacle you may get over the 94 day period is the cravings for sugar/carbs or just plain feeling hungry.

    I switched to Low carb the beginning of the year (I would normally pig out in the evenings and eat pizza, crisps and dips - toasted cheese sandwiches).

    Since eating low carb / high fat with moderate protein the cravings have stopped and I normally do not feel hungry until about mid day and can get by on 2 meals (nutritionally balanced), but do not feel the need to snack.

    Good luck with however you manage to do it, I'm sure you will manage though. :smile:

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