When a snack turns into a binge...

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leeloo54
leeloo54 Posts: 112
in Motivation and Support
Ugh. I was having such a good week until this afternoon. Someone in the office left out treats on the front counter. I thought "well, I have been pretty strict all week. One Timbit won't be the end of the world". But with nobody else around, one Timbit (donut hole, for my neighbours to the South) turned into 6 Timbits and 2 chips-ahoy cookies. And now I feel sick. And grumpy with myself.

Should I regard sugary goodies like an alchoholic looks at drinks? How do I allow myself to enjoy a little treat now and then without feeling out of control? This has happened so many times and I keep looking back on it, but not being able to stop in the moment and think. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had this experience!

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  • hillsara
    hillsara Posts: 1 Member
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    This just happened to me yesterday! At home with my sick daughter, so we made Rice Krispie treats to cheer her up. I ate at least 4! I would also love advice on how to indulge just a little without going overboard. I can't seem to stop!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    I let myself have a little bit of a treat almost every day, depending on what I'm craving. I find if I try to completely avoid something I really enjoy eating, I will eventually break down and have it and when I do I will make a pig out of myself! If you know you have a small calorie allotment every day for a treat, it is easier (for me at least) to control the portion size.

    Regardless, don't let blowing it on one day derail you! Everyone has a day every once in a while where they fly right over their calorie goal. It's not that big a deal as long as you get right back on track :drinker:
  • robynw20
    robynw20 Posts: 16 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I know the feeling of losing control. I've found certain foods trigger a binge.... A serious binge. I've started attending Overeaters Anonymous. The best I've found so far has a website avision4you.info
    There are recorded speakers, and live phone meetings. The AA "big book" is the text book on how to recover from this non-normal reaction to certain foods. It's helping me to really see how out of control I can get. I also found an email OA group. TRG.org
    You are not alone. Whether you try OA or not, i'd love to support eachother.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    I am a big believer in not depriving yourself of treats...I make room for them almost daily. Heres the thing, there are certain foods that are like crack for me. Kettle chips, cheeze its, goldfish...I cannot stop at one serving. So I just dont go there.
  • astrose00
    astrose00 Posts: 754 Member
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    I won't even try it while I'm in weightloss mode. My fat a__ already knows what it tastes like. No thanks. In maintenance I will only eat that stuff when it's limited. If there are unlimited quanitites, I will skip it. I can't go down this fat road again.
  • radmack
    radmack Posts: 272 Member
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    Focus on how you felt when you were done. It wasn't really much of a treat if it left you feeling crummy.

    I try to slow down with treats and savor them. That way I am more likely to notice and stop when I am at the tipping point of eating too much. :)
  • getstrongkaylen
    getstrongkaylen Posts: 137 Member
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    one of the biggest things i had to learn is that stuff like that happens... i can't even count how many times. but you just move past it and eat good your next meal. you can't dwell on stuff like that! as long as your not doing it all time, a binge ever once in a while isn't going to hurt!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    timbit...hehe
  • leeloo54
    leeloo54 Posts: 112
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    Thanks everyone for your responses. I will try some of your tricks and strategies this week and see how it goes!
  • CrimsonDiva7
    CrimsonDiva7 Posts: 171 Member
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    I work treats into my daily plan. Nothing worse than feeling deprived.
  • volleygirl1980
    volleygirl1980 Posts: 121 Member
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    I make sure I don't eat treats when I'm hungry..otherwise I'll eat too much. I'll either eat them after a meal or pair them with a fruit salad...
  • Estefanita76
    Estefanita76 Posts: 2 Member
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    I just turned 39 and have been on a 40 lb-gain/loss roller coaster every few years since I was 25 (including suffering from binge eating!). During this last weight gain (after I got married two years ago), I reached my 2nd highest weight ever in my life. Living miserably and feeling completely uncomfortable with my weight, I jumped on the "weight-loss" wagon, as I always have done these last 14 years. After 21 days I was madly frustrated, busting my butt at the gym and eating healthy (and rewarding myself with a binge here and there).....MY WEIGHT WAS NOT MOVING, in fact I gained a few pounds.

    Accepting I didn't know my body anymore, I bit the bullet and sought professional help. I found this wonderful weight-loss clinic, joined November 10th. I have learned so much! I CAN lose weight!

    THIN FEELS BETTER THAN THAT TASTES! What works for me is complete abstinence of all cheating! Take away the "drug" that triggers the binge! You really get used to it; every day that adds to the next you get stronger! Every time I am thinking about cheating, I tell myself "why throw away all the days I have worked just to start over again?" HECK NO! I have been doing this 46ish days, and now I am to the point I don't even think about it anymore! All I focus on is WHEN I make my weight goal, THEN I can allow myself to live more like a "normal" person does and treat myself. Maintaining will be a lot more "easier" than 6 months of dieting! :smiley:
  • stlange72
    stlange72 Posts: 2
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    I was good all week and week-end until we hit the breakfast buffet at a cafe. When I logged everything I ate I should have quit eating for the day. NOTE to self.... Don't eat a buffet !! Good luck!!
  • Ooci
    Ooci Posts: 247 Member
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    Interesting points and I love the logging ahead idea! Helpful!
    I am always very very hungry - I have an abnormal amount of hunger genes, I'd say. I'm always ready for something to eat! I really have issues controlling the amount I eat and so I find shopping habits have had to change. If I buy a pack of low fat yoghurts, I could eat the whole pack over a day or two - likewise with packs of anything really. So I'm constantly looking to buy just one of anything and I shop every day.
    I really wish you could buy just one chocolate biscuit - just one tiny handful of sweets.
    Sometimes I go in the handmade chocolate places and get one and savour every mili second of it!
    It takes incredible strength to ignore the junk around you in the workplace but you have to. Sometimes just having the attitude "that's their food, not mine, I've got my food" can help. Sharing food when our needs are so different is a really bad idea.
  • valeriaandherbelly
    valeriaandherbelly Posts: 1
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    I know a good tip is to give in and have a small bite of a treat, let go and forget. But I cannot stop at one bite either (feels like if I don't eat it somebody will take it away)
    So I decided not to eat a treat at all (except for my cheat meal) give yourself reasons like" this donut won't disappear because I didn't eat it, when my goal is reached in some weeks I'll have this donut, it won't disappear. And it works wonders. "Save it for later" method I suppose, but then when you see the wonderful results on your body you won't want that donut no more.

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