Best way to lose for an emotional eater

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Elisabuffy19
Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Having trouble convincing my head to stick to the calories/stay in the green. I don't have a lot to lose - last 5 lbs. But I just can't convince myself to NOT go for the snacks, wine, treats, etc. i am not gaining but not losing either. I think i am just frustrated that I have to give up things that genuinely bring me pleasure...and don't say "just eat a serving of ice cream" and allot for it. :-)

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  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    Elisabuffy19 wrote: »
    and don't say "just eat a serving of ice cream" and allot for it. :-)

    But that's how it works...

    I'm down to my last couple kilos, and honestly, I know it's gonna be a slow process. I preplan my days each morning and do my best to stick to it. I do cardio for my treats.

    Sometimes I fail. My biggest problem is anxiety eating, and just the other day I ate all the rest of my (large) tub of yoghurt in a state of miserable anxiety. Can't beat myself up about it, just gotta keep going. Each day that I stick to my defecit is another day closer to goal.
  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    I know that is how it works but what I am getting at is what kind of awakening did you have that made you think - it's worth it. I guess right now, day to day, i don't have a strong enough desire to lose.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    Maybe take a break then? With only 5lbs to go it can't be too pressing to get it done ASAP. Maybe take a month or so off, see how you go maintaining, and you might find renewed energy for the last slog to the finish line. I kind of treated January as my month off, was a bit slack with my logging, over indulged more often than usual, and found when February came around I had a new drive to get back to it.
  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    Thanks Katem999...i appreciate your feedback. You might be right. Also maybe I am too tough on myself day to day. Sometimes I have to have a couple indulge days in order to get serious for a couple days more. Does that happen to you?
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    Elisabuffy19 wrote: »
    Thanks Katem999...i appreciate your feedback. You might be right. Also maybe I am too tough on myself day to day. Sometimes I have to have a couple indulge days in order to get serious for a couple days more. Does that happen to you?

    Absolutely. Sometimes it's even a matter of realising I'm not really missing out, as I often feel a bit rubbish after a few days of going off course. So it kind of confirms that I want to do this not just for weight loss or even fitness, but because I feel better when I'm keeping things in moderation.

  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,388 Member
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    I think maybe you've answered your own question really.

    If you are an emotional eater, maybe figure out why food is that "go to" thing. Or at least figure out if you can substitute something else in place of it that doesn't cause slowing of a goal or anything of that nature.

    Beyond that, I do agree that sometimes a break might be in order. I think some people get so obsessed with a certain weight goal, that they stress over it and it becomes that much more difficult. And like many things, if it becomes a burden and it's a thing of choice it's easy to just quit worrying about it. Taking an intentional break for a short period might allow you to indulge a little bit and start fresh before you get too frustrated with the process.
  • ldowdesw
    ldowdesw Posts: 222 Member
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    Just a thought from someone who has a long way to go, but have you considered that your mind has already lost those 5lb but your body still needs to catch up. Has your mind already started to focus on maintenance.. Good luck x
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Get counseling to find different ways to deal with your emotions perhaps?

    I had to do that.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    You are not supposed to give up things that give you pleasure, not even food/treats. But if you eat too much and too often, you'll have trouble losing/maintaining weight. Maybe you can tell yourself that you can have whatever you want, "later"? Train yourself to delay gratification? Do you have regular special occasions (oxymoron, I know, but I mean something that's occuring not often, but with a somewhat regular frequency) that would be natural to regard as a form of "celebration"? Those are traditionally coupled with calorific treats.

    Also, find out if you really are eating because of "emotions" or just because you like the taste/pleasure from what you eat, or if you eat ot of habit, or because it's there. Real "emotional eating" may need professional treatment; bad habits can be dealt with just by change of attitude and an incremental restructuring of environment/daily life.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    Elisabuffy19 wrote: »
    Having trouble convincing my head to stick to the calories/stay in the green. I don't have a lot to lose - last 5 lbs. But I just can't convince myself to NOT go for the snacks, wine, treats, etc. i am not gaining but not losing either. I think i am just frustrated that I have to give up things that genuinely bring me pleasure...and don't say "just eat a serving of ice cream" and allot for it. :-)

    Your thread title says you're an emotional eater but your posts don't talk about this - you're just talking about eating things you think you shouldn't have. This makes me wonder if your calorie deficit is too aggressive - how many calories do you eat per day and how tall are you? What's your weekly weight loss goal set to?

    With only five pounds to lose, it shouldn't be more than 0.5 pounds per week or you could eat at maintenance for your goal weight.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    allenpriest wrote: »
    Get counseling to find different ways to deal with your emotions perhaps?

    I had to do that.

    +1
  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Elisabuffy19 wrote: »
    Having trouble convincing my head to stick to the calories/stay in the green. I don't have a lot to lose - last 5 lbs. But I just can't convince myself to NOT go for the snacks, wine, treats, etc. i am not gaining but not losing either. I think i am just frustrated that I have to give up things that genuinely bring me pleasure...and don't say "just eat a serving of ice cream" and allot for it. :-)

    Your thread title says you're an emotional eater but your posts don't talk about this - you're just talking about eating things you think you shouldn't have. This makes me wonder if your calorie deficit is too aggressive - how many calories do you eat per day and how tall are you? What's your weekly weight loss goal set to?

    With only five pounds to lose, it shouldn't be more than 0.5 pounds per week or you could eat at maintenance for your goal weight.

    Yes maybe not so much emotional eater but like after a long, hard day I lose will power around 3pm and i'll have some chocolate chips, but too many on purpose, then when my kids eat at 5 i pick on their food or am legitimately hungry and start eating but continue to eat more when mu husband gets home and then after dinner i still crave a sweet. So it's like I am "good" between 7am-1pm but the second half of the day is hard.

    My current calorie allottment is 1450 and I am almost 5'9". I also am at the tail end of breastfeeding and give myself 150 cals extra for that burn. Still 1600 cals a day seems VERY hard to stick to. My body feels like it wants 2000. Currently I am 140 but would like to 135 because mu waist is still not fitting into my pre-pregnancy dresses.

    Thanks for all your help!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    Sounds like you lose your willpower at 3 PM because you're not eating enough.

    A 0.5 pound per week weight loss goal will give you 1520 calories before your breastfeeding calories. Maintenance calories for 135 pounds is 1750 calories before breastfeeding.

    The Mayo Clinic recommends an additional 400 to 500 calories a day — to keep up your energy while breastfeeding.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Elisabuffy19 wrote: »
    I think i am just frustrated that I have to give up things that genuinely bring me pleasure...and don't say "just eat a serving of ice cream" and allot for it. :-)

    But you don't have to give up these things. I'm not sure why you think you do. (<<she said, after eating an Oatmeal Currant cookie).

  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Sounds like you lose your willpower at 3 PM because you're not eating enough.

    A 0.5 pound per week weight loss goal will give you 1520 calories before your breastfeeding calories. Maintenance calories for 135 pounds is 1750 calories before breastfeeding.

    The Mayo Clinic recommends an additional 400 to 500 calories a day — to keep up your energy while breastfeeding.

    Ok so maybe this is true. I am not letting myself eat enough and then go overboard bc i feel deprived. I am going to switch to .5 lbs a week and see what happens!
  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    Elisabuffy19 wrote: »
    I think i am just frustrated that I have to give up things that genuinely bring me pleasure...and don't say "just eat a serving of ice cream" and allot for it. :-)

    But you don't have to give up these things. I'm not sure why you think you do. (<<she said, after eating an Oatmeal Currant cookie).

    Ha ha! I know! I just don't like seeing only 800 calories left after lunch. It doesn't seem like enough to get me through afternoon with kids, dinner for kids, 2 kids bedtimes, my own work, cleaning, etc! And i am not a single mom, props to those women, but my husband works a lot. I am grateful but i don't know how people do it with 3 or 4 little kids!
  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    By the way, thanks all for your help. I just switched to .5 lbs a week and i already feel like i'll be able to stay in the green.
    If anyone wants to be friends, please add me!
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    The Mayo Clinic recommends an additional 400 to 500 calories a day — to keep up your energy while breastfeeding.

    That's a bit ott for someone at the tail end of breastfeeding. If, like me, that means OP is feeding a child well established on a solid food diet, and only doing one or two feeds a day (I may do more but that's just lazy resettling of a bad sleeper), I'd say a couple hundred should be enough. 500 would be more when breastmilk is the only/main nutrition of the child.

    Op, glad to hear you feel more positive about sticking to your goal. Slow and steady trumps fast and unsustainable every time.
  • Elisabuffy19
    Elisabuffy19 Posts: 130 Member
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    katem999 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    The Mayo Clinic recommends an additional 400 to 500 calories a day — to keep up your energy while breastfeeding.

    That's a bit ott for someone at the tail end of breastfeeding. If, like me, that means OP is feeding a child well established on a solid food diet, and only doing one or two feeds a day (I may do more but that's just lazy resettling of a bad sleeper), I'd say a couple hundred should be enough. 500 would be more when breastmilk is the only/main nutrition of the child.

    Op, glad to hear you feel more positive about sticking to your goal. Slow and steady trumps fast and unsustainable every time.

    Katem99 - yes that is why I give myself 150. I am feeding about 4x per day still and my son is 8.5 months old. I used to feed a lot more so I know I am not burning what I was at the start. Thanks for your help!

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