Day after a binge

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I slipped up last night.
I was lonely and bored and totally overrate (medium pizza for one). I didn't have true hunger at the time- it was total intentional overeating.
Writing this and sharing helps... but I'm feeling so shameful. I only have about 8 lbs left to reach my goal and this behavior will not help me reach my goal at all!

What's the best way to "recover" from a binge? I'm thinking of being extra mindful and maybe reducing calorie intake by 200 calories a day for a few days to balance out.

Replies

  • aquablue_1111
    aquablue_1111 Posts: 40 Member
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    I'm dealing with this same exact thing today! Birthday party for my niece last night and we went out to eat. Ate cheesecake AND ice cream. I was planning on having a teeny bit of the cheesecake and no ice cream. =(

    I'm not sure what to do here either...The least I will be doing is to eat as I normally would. I wish I could reduce my calories even further but I'm barely staying at my calorie deficit as is.

    I'd love to hear what others say too..
  • kissedbythesunshine
    kissedbythesunshine Posts: 416 Member
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    I had a terrible day Friday. It seems like I ate any and everything not nailed down. I logged it (so I can visually see how terrible it was) and moved on. Meaning yesterday I woke up and continued on as usual. Didn't try to "make up" for it. It's over, it's done. Good luck on those last 8lbs. You'll get there. We are all human. Every day is not going to be perfect.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,737 Member
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    Just go back to your healthy routine. Consider getting a little more activity in your day, if you have time & it feels good, not necessarily anything extreme.

    I'd be cautious of cutting your eating to make it up, especially if you're already at a substantial calorie deficit. It can risk setting you up for a cycle of deprivation followed by over-eating.

    If any over-goals days are rare, and you go right back to your healthy habits, you'll see little impact on your overall progress. There'll be a temporary blip of water weight, then you'll lose any tiny extra amount you may've gained, just like you've been losing all along. (Remind yourself: You'd have to eat around 3500 calories above your maintenance calorie level to gain a pound. Master the weight-loss math so you can estimate it in your head, and put things in perspective: If you eat 1000 calories over maintenance - not just over goal - one day, and are at a 500 calorie daily deficit, that excess is gone in two days. The related water weight shouldn't be much slower to go.)

    If you have an over-goal meal, just get back on track for the rest of the day, and the following days, and stay there. You'll be fine.

    I've lost 1/3 of my bodyweight (65 pounds) over the past year, and am at goal weight. There have been probably a dozen days during the process that I ate way over calorie goal (I'm talking up to 2000 or more over maintenance!). When I could plan for it (like parties), I would bank a few calories in advance via extra exercise, maybe a 100/day cut for a just a few days in advance, and I'd eat more lightly at other meals on the day of the event. Otherwise, I just went back to my healthy routine afterward.

    Just keep it rare. And don't beat yourself up about it.
  • slw19
    slw19 Posts: 513 Member
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    first of all, don't beat yourself up, it happened and it's over. the biggest thing that causes binges, outside of emotions, is not eating enough throughout the day. i would just carry on and drink a lot of water the next few days. make sure you are having a lot of protein and good fats, make you feel satisfied. it is good to deviate once in a while both mentally and physically.
  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
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    Just resume normal eating.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
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    Are you in this for life or not? If yes, what's one day's decisions in the long term? If no, how long do you think you'll keep the weight off when you decide "dieting" is over?

    There are no bad days or good days, just days. And you have a set of eating decisions to make for every one of them ... for as long as you live.
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
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    One thing that I find helpful when I feel like falling off the wagon is to really REALLY savor the fantasy. That is, if I'm going to eat pizza, I want the best I can find. I wouldn't settle for crap like Domino's or Papa John's. I would go for a great Italian pizzeria here in Queens or Brooklyn, and get meatball, sausage, black olive, onion, mushroom, extra cheese. A really great crust, crispy at the edge, chewy and melt in your mouth. Phenomenal sauce, fresh ripe Roma tomatoes, good olive oil, heavy garlic.

    Really fantasize about it! The best slice of pizza on earth!

    A lot of times, when I get that urge, by the time I finish fantasizing about it, I can move past it without actually ordering it or driving to get it.

    Works for me...

    If I actually find myself confronted with the opportunity and can't resist, I make sure I enjoy it fully, and realize that I am eating either too much or something off-plan. AND...I log it in MFP. Then I say, "Whew! Glad that's over!" and go back to eating the way I do the rest of the month.

    Good luck everybody! I know it ain't easy sometimes, but as a dear friend used to tell me when she was struggling to lose 50 lbs., "Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels."
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    Another vote for just resuming normal eating.

    I used to be an emotional eater, but regular exercise helps tremendously with that.
  • christinephillipstoronto
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    I did the same thing but ate a crap load of cake! I felt like crap afterwards but today I woke up and ate my eggs for breakfast and told myself I'd never do that again. Although I probably will once in a while, so long as it's not often....you will be ok.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
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    The best thing to do is recognize you made a bad choice in what you ate and move forward and do better with the next meal and so on. We are all human and will slip up at times!
  • pickyreverb
    pickyreverb Posts: 24 Member
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    No need to punish yourself and further reduce your plan's calories. What's done is done, and it doesn't change the nutrition you need on a day to day basis.

    Just follow the plan you were already on and having success with, and use the experience to help keep you on track in the future. Next time you consider calling the pizza place, keep in mind how bloated and guilty you felt after last time.
  • yoplait311
    yoplait311 Posts: 56 Member
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    Thanks everyone for great suggestions.
    I went for a long run - which I really enjoyed- and thought about my slip up and how I can try to prevent it moving forward.
  • dustedwithsugar
    dustedwithsugar Posts: 179 Member
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    One thing that I find helpful when I feel like falling off the wagon is to really REALLY savor the fantasy. That is, if I'm going to eat pizza, I want the best I can find. I wouldn't settle for crap like Domino's or Papa John's. I would go for a great Italian pizzeria here in Queens or Brooklyn, and get meatball, sausage, black olive, onion, mushroom, extra cheese. A really great crust, crispy at the edge, chewy and melt in your mouth. Phenomenal sauce, fresh ripe Roma tomatoes, good olive oil, heavy garlic.

    Really fantasize about it! The best slice of pizza on earth!

    A lot of times, when I get that urge, by the time I finish fantasizing about it, I can move past it without actually ordering it or driving to get it.

    Works for me...

    If I actually find myself confronted with the opportunity and can't resist, I make sure I enjoy it fully, and realize that I am eating either too much or something off-plan. AND...I log it in MFP. Then I say, "Whew! Glad that's over!" and go back to eating the way I do the rest of the month.

    Good luck everybody! I know it ain't easy sometimes, but as a dear friend used to tell me when she was struggling to lose 50 lbs., "Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels."

    I'm doing same thing. Sometimes I think it's too much obsessing but it helps me. If I want something - most of the time it's pizza- I think about best pizza possible. Double cheese, delicious sauce and perfect crust... After that food porn in my head i won't settle down for dominos, so I just enjoy fantasy.