Self Sabotage

Hey Guys! This is my first time actually writing a post on here but I need some help with this weight loss journey that I am on. For the past two weeks, I have been eating all sorts of food that are really bad for me. I have had french fries, pita wraps, cake, whole bags of popcorn and every junk food I could put my hands on. I still workout between 3x to 4x a week for a hour but for some reason I am still eating like crazy. I feel like I am sabotaging myself. I go in the gym and work so hard and then get up the next morning and stuff my face. I originally lost 20 pounds but have gained back 10 of those by my horrible eating. Has anyone else out there felt this way? I have been trying to figuring out what may be triggering this binge. I could definitely use some help with this.

Replies

  • prium01
    prium01 Posts: 306 Member
    I have done all of that then realized diet is the key...only exercising and not controlling diet- eating food with less nutritional value and high calories- doesn't result with fat loss...I am trying to be wise now...
  • prium01
    prium01 Posts: 306 Member
    Its very difficult to understand why are you binging. Have you been in low calorie diet for long?What about your stress levels?work pressure?
  • 23kat23
    23kat23 Posts: 62 Member
    Yeah I've been there. What I do now is give myself a bit more leeway on weekends so I don't feel as bad if I eat something that isn't quite so healthy. It's easier for me to stay on track during the week if I know that I can have a couple beers and that slice of pizza once Saturday rolls around.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    80% whole foods 20% tasty treats. Maybe you fear restriction or never having those treats again. Fit a treat in every day.

    Also, if your calorie goal is too low it will cause binge eating. Try setting your goal to a pound a week if you currently have it set to two pounds a week. Might be slower progress, but it's better than binge eating cycles.
  • Tammy_1971
    Tammy_1971 Posts: 93 Member
    First off.... drink a big glass of water when you wake up.; curbs the hunger and gets the body ready to go for the day. Second, when you are bingeing out on that stuff... are you really hungry, or are you bored? Upset? I figured out that a lot of my funky eating were during times of boredom.
  • Dancing_Laeti
    Dancing_Laeti Posts: 752 Member
    Hi Nikkia,
    It may be that you have been restricting your calories too much when you first started out and that you are now trying to make up for it? Also, and I admit that I haven't checked your diary, maybe you've also restricted your foods too much? When I first started out I wouldn't eat anything that was 'bad' for me, no sweets or anything like that. About 3 months in, I cracked and binged for a whole week. I upped my calories slightly and started eating the odd bit of chocolate (or other treat) and it worked!
    Good luck with it all!!!
  • andysport1
    andysport1 Posts: 592 Member
    May I give you an example
    person A is quite good at say running, they compete at local events along with regular running friends, person A does ok for his size and cannot get any better whilst he is the size he is, guess what he never loses weight, why not ? because if he loses weight but doesn't get better results at the running competitions it means in his head he is rubbish at running and he is a failure, so to avoid failing he secret eats so as to never lose weight.

    He realised this after 15 years of doing it, he gave up running altogether and lost the weight in 7 months.
  • Thank you guys for responding. I am in school currently and working full time. Although both of them can we stressful at times, I assumed that the working out would help me to counteract that stress. I have been watching my calories but the eating has gotten out of control. I have been heavy all my life and I feel like I should be more motivated to eat right. I don't know if I am scared of the change and I am purposely making myself overweight or what. This journey has definitely been a struggle for me. I think I am be fearful of what is going to happen once the weight is off.
  • Thank you all again for your responses. I think I may have been restricting myself to much. I will switch it from two pounds a week to one and see how that works out for me. This is an amazing community of people. Thank you all again for the help.
  • jennyjaree
    jennyjaree Posts: 19 Member
    edited October 2014
    You should look into flexible dieting and counting macros. You just have to work things into your daily macros. It allows you to eat the things you like in moderation of course, but it has really helped me stop from binging on crap foods. I eat salads, fajitas, pizza, cheese, veggies. But the key is to hit your macro nutrients (carbs, protein & fats)
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
    I've found that it all boils down to will power. If you exercise it, you track your calories and stay under goal. If you don't, like I haven't for the last several months, you track calories all day and then let yourself go at night. I'm not seriously gaining, but I'm not losing and it's frustrating to exercise this much but not lose weight. Exercise that will power!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    You might need more protein so that you stay full and satisfied. a couple of eggs in the morning, with 1/4 cup of shredded lowfat cheese scrambled in, would be an example of starting the day off with protein.
  • 23kat23
    23kat23 Posts: 62 Member
    Yeah you don't want to restrict yourself too much and follow a diet that would be impossible to maintain in the long run. I always think of it as a lifestyle change as opposed to a diet. Something that could be maintained easier and improves health.
  • thebejota
    thebejota Posts: 8 Member
    My goal is 1 pound/week, with a specific emphasis on lowering my cholesterol. It is crazy stuff for me as well. I have been stair stepping my diet changes. Started with french fries, then all fried food, then high fat food, etc.

    The biggest difference for me has been putting my snacks in an inconvenient location, eliminates the drive by snacking that was ruining my diet.
  • For the life of me I cannot lay off chocolate. I'm under the spell and I... can't... stop...
  • CassieR6
    CassieR6 Posts: 280 Member
    I have been there in a way. I recently found out I have depression and that is probably what contributed to my past with food and what not. But I am having a problem with getting motivated to get my butt back out there and workout. I do great eating all day at work but ruin it once I get home and on the weekends. So I am struggling with all that but I defiantly know where you are coming from . And for the comment about chocolate I agree! :D
  • jessilee119
    jessilee119 Posts: 444 Member
    Nikkia19 wrote: »
    Thank you all again for your responses. I think I may have been restricting myself to much. I will switch it from two pounds a week to one and see how that works out for me. This is an amazing community of people. Thank you all again for the help.

    Yes, being less restrictive does help. I hit points where I feel like I'm sabotaging myself. I'll eat more than I should even though I feel full. Once I sit back and evaluate, I can get myself out of it. I've really been trying to stick to my calorie allotment which has helped get me back on track and start losing weight again. If I feel the urge to binge and I've already had something, I'll reach for a piece of fruit or tell myself I'll get a snack after I do ___ and usually when it's done I've forgotten about wanting something to eat.

    As far as workouts, I found Tae Bo is a good one to burn calories and relieve stress. The punching and kicking release tension for me. And, it's fun!

    Good luck on your journey!

  • Nikkia19 wrote: »
    Thank you all again for your responses. I think I may have been restricting myself to much. I will switch it from two pounds a week to one and see how that works out for me. This is an amazing community of people. Thank you all again for the help.
    I've been there with you! This time around I'm allowing myself my favorite foods but watching quantity, and not eating out as much!