OMG...my day - stupid emotional eating - giving up

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AmyOutOfControl
AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
edited March 2017 in Motivation and Support
Had the worst day. You can't even imagine. What did I do when I got home from work? Went straight for the wine and chocolate. I was so good for 3 weeks!!! I am so disappointed in myself.

Okay emotional eating recoverers... what is your secret?

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  • llm161
    llm161 Posts: 14 Member
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    Log it and start over tomorrow. Sometimes, crap happens . . . you just restart. I'm usually such a bad emotional eater, I am just not keeping the stuff I usually eat in the house. No chips, pretzels. Take care and good luck.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    ^^^^This.

    Depending on your answers there might be a way to counter the damage.

    But most importantly do not let it derail you. Just get back on track.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
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    leanjogreen18 wrote: »
    ^^^^This.

    Depending on your answers there might be a way to counter the damage.

    But most importantly do not let it derail you. Just get back on track.
    annteja wrote: »
    I had 2.600 calories on Suturday (around 1300 normaly) and what I did was I said sh** happen and Sunday I was back on track. You had one bad day in 3 weeks, how many do you think you will have in the next 10 years? A lot!! Is that a good enough reason to stop eating healthy? Absolutely not! Being healthy and feeling good about yourself is a long process and a week from now this one day will mean nothing to you but all the other
    days you did good will make you proud! Don't give up :)

    Thank you for the words of encouragement. I have stopped and started MFP three times now. It seems like every time I have a horrible day I reach for extra calories - like 1000 calories over my 1800 a day baseline. I just get in this "well I already blew it and and just generally suck at diets - so why not eat all the things and make myself feel better" mindset. Don't mean to be "melodramatic".
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
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    Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »
    would you like to understand the math more? Cause that would probably stop the mind set.

    Sure. I am open to helpful suggestions
  • char71165
    char71165 Posts: 65 Member
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    I can't remember how many times I have started and stopped MFP, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Low-Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian, you name the diet I have tried it multiple times! Until the ketogenic diet. I am doing this now and it is saving my life mentally and physically. I have considered myself a food addict for years. Call it emotional eating, binge eating, etc. Basically food was my refuge for my life. I am so thankful to share that by eating the ketogenic plan (75% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbohydrates). It is the FIRST time in my life that I no longer have cravings and run to food because of emotions. I found out that really it hasn't always been my mental health emotions but it has been the physical response of my brain on sugar. Sugar works like heroin on my brain. When I am hurting I need sugar and I get an immediate hit of "it is okay, calm down, relax" which translates into dopamine being released into my system. This is the feel good hormone. I share all of this with you because if any of this you can relate to please do some research into the ketogenic way of eating. God bless and keep trying to find what works best for you. Remember this is about overall health and not being perfect. None of us is perfect. What would you say to a friend who did what you did? I am sure you would be so much kinder with your words than the ones you have scolded yourself with. Forgive yourself, have patience and just keep coming back for another try.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
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    How many calories is your daily calorie goal? 1500 calories a day + exercise calories
    How many calories were you over? 1000 calories
    How many pounds per week is your MFP set to? 1 pound a week

  • junodog1
    junodog1 Posts: 4,792 Member
    edited March 2017
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    amymoreorless wrote: »

    Thank you for the words of encouragement. I have stopped and started MFP three times now. It seems like every time I have a horrible day I reach for extra calories - like 1000 calories over my 1800 a day baseline. I just get in this "well I already blew it and and just generally suck at diets - so why not eat all the things and make myself feel better" mindset. Don't mean to be "melodramatic".

    Wow - I sounded a bit harsh. Sorry about that. I made a quickie post while I was navigating (for a driver) in traffic and rain. Mea culpa.

    But the idea is correct. We cannot make anything better beating ourselves up about it. When I go over calories - and I do - I log it as best I can. I watch my daily and weekly average calories using the app Nutrition page. I will try to eat under a few days to bring me in on track for the week. That and/or kick the exercise up a bit.

    I TRY. If I am not sucessfull one day I can't let it obstruct my progress.

    Please don't let this day stop you. It's said, "one day at at time" and "tomorrow is another day." Pithy statements, but true. Please don't let this get you down.

    What's your secret you asked? well that's back to my first post = Log it and move on.
  • fit_chickx
    fit_chickx Posts: 571 Member
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    No one is perfect at this...If they are I want to shake their hand. Many of us are all or nothing thinkers. When you make a mistake forgive yourself. No need to beat yourself up and quit.

    Prepare for life's stresses. An option is to find a replacement for stress/emotional eating. Hobbies or exercise. Find what is a good distraction from food for comfort.

    Wishing you the best,
    Jennifer
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
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    Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »
    Okay, Thanks.

    So when you have a bad day, its so easy to get to the end, log it all and see that huge red number at the bottom.
    The general replies by most is log it and move on, which is good advice but if you are anything like me, its bothering you, its hard to move on, because you don't know the damage you've done, thats why you keep starting and stopping, you figured you blew it all and why bother keep going.

    The nice thing about bad days is, as long as you wake up tomorrow just like the advice says and go back to 1500 calories the 1000 calories you were over yesterday is gone.

    So, with a 1lbs per week loss that is 500 extra calories that is invisible, it's your deficit and that means that you can eat those calories without gaining weight because your current weight needs 500 more calories to stay that size.

    So now you look at that 1000 calories you went over and you can immediately subtract 500 off because they are not putting you above maintenance.

    That leaves 500 calories left.

    So you wake up tomorrow, fresh start. You eat your 1500 calories + your gym calories and log the day just like you did the last few weeks. The remaining 500 calories from yesterday is now erased by your 1lbs per week deficit. and you are now at 0

    So.. we know that it takes 3500 calories to lose 1lbs

    you used your deficit to erase those 1000 calories BUT you still have 5 other days, so that means that 5 x 500 = 2500 calories left of your 3500 calorie deficit for the week

    half a pound is 1750 calories so when you step on the scale at the end of the week, you will probably see .8 pounds lost.

    Are you really gonna give up losing weight because .2 of a pound?? You don't wanna give up weeks of success because even though you went over by 1000 calories, you are still going to step on the scale and have success, you are still going to be less then you were last week, and thats the goal isnt it? to be less? and you then carry on and maybe you have 3, 4 , 5 more good weeks after that.. but the math is how you see you didn't fail because you have the buffer there.

    Weight does not instantly pile on when you are over on calories. Weight gain happens when we are over maintenance calories for a long period of time, because the body has no where to use the calories we are over consuming and decides to store them for later, but by returning to your deficit the next day, the body will use that extra energy before it becomes fat.

    @Look_Its_Kriss Thank you. This is what I needed to hear. Sigh, trying again tomorrow.
  • rubydrm
    rubydrm Posts: 112 Member
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    I have those days...when my emotions just take over and I indulge in not so healthy foods/drinks. This last time, it took me two and a half days to get back on track--and only then it was with the help of my best friend. I have noticed, at least for myself, that during the winter/colder months, it's harder to get back on track when the lows hit. During the spring/summer/fall warmer months when I feel the urge to emotional eat, I hit the pavement and get outside for run...even if it's just around the block. That helps curb the urge. If I can't do that, I try to drink a glass of water then cut up an apple to snack on or have a banana, both of which we always have at home. Sometimes it helps to jump on here and see all my friend's progress too. Helps remind me of the ultimate goal as well :)

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