Workouts + Diet = Guilt?

No_Knock
No_Knock Posts: 52 Member
edited November 19 in Motivation and Support
Ok, it's not exactly like it sounds in the title. For some, workouts are everything and diet..eh, not so much. For others, diet is everything and maybe a workout happens a few times a week.

But, for me...

I actually find that I have more success with my diet if I'm working out on a regular basis, because GUILT. Knowing that I managed to roll myself out of my warm bed, propel myself to the gym, and have a kick-*kitten* workout actually guilts me in to eating better. What the hell am I going to the gym for if I'm just going to ruin it by eating like crap for the rest of the day? I feel so absolutely guilty about even thinking about eating garbage that I can't bring myself to do it.

I'm not sure if anyone else experiences this, but it's a weird little hack that I discovered with myself not to long ago. In health and fitness a few things absolutely have to happen, but the order of operations depends on the person. For me, the gym helps me make sure the horse stays in front of the cart.

Replies

  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
    Hmm...I am trying to make my weight loss journey more positive than making myself feel guilty, but that may just be me. I am doing this to add more to my life, not detract from it so that makes everything feel more positive to me. But that is just what works for me, not saying that it works for everyone. :smiley:

    I find that I do better with my eating when working out because too much less nutritious food makes me feel worse during my workouts then when I am more nutritionally balanced and adequately fueled. Not to say I don't still eat pizza and Taco Bell...I just don't eat it quite as much. I feel good when I have balanced water, sleep, nutrition, and exercise- it just feels awesome and that is my big motivation to work on all four aspects. And accomplishing mini goals I set for myself with exercise feels amazing as well.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    I can relate to this. I've found that getting some exercise every day does help me be more compliant in my eating.
  • No_Knock
    No_Knock Posts: 52 Member
    Penthesilea514 wrote: »
    Hmm...I am trying to make my weight loss journey more positive than making myself feel guilty, but that may just be me. I am doing this to add more to my life, not detract from it so that makes everything feel more positive to me. But that is just what works for me, not saying that it works for everyone. :smiley:

    @Penthesilea514 Think of it as reverse psychology rather than something that's detracting. Obviously, getting in to (better) shape and eating healthy are going to add positive to my life. I just notice that my way of avoiding making poor food choices is to consistently get to the gym. I want my workouts and results to be top tier. After I've hit the gym, making a bad food choice makes me feel super guilty. I don't want to, I just do. It helps me keep from eating that piece of cake. :smile:
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    I think guilt is an awful motivator. I try to think more positively. My body can do amazing things, I want to nourish it so I can continue to live my life to the fullest. Exercise is for taking care of myself (so I can care for others) not punishment. I can also enjoy food and events without feeling that guilt and/or punishing myself for it.
  • kfizza1
    kfizza1 Posts: 48 Member
    It's the other way around for me. I feel guilty for eating so I MUST hit the gym to burn it off. Then I walk out of the gym feeling like a goddess. I never go over my calorie goal even on cheat days, but I still feel guilty sometimes for eating, let's say, something with high sodium. I know it's an unhealthy attitude, but whatever it is, it's working lol. Guilt really does keep me accountable.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    While it's not a good idea to wallow in it- a little self flagellation can go a long way.
  • No_Knock
    No_Knock Posts: 52 Member
    Guilt is the exact word I wanted to use, because if I screw up a great workout...I feel guilty. I kick myself for the rest of the day. It's the word that best describes how I feel in response to my actions. Not all motivators are based on positive thoughts. I would consider it to be in the same boat as a 'necessary evil'. Guilt is negative and there really isn't much getting around that. However, for me, I found a way to take an inherently negative emotion and spin it to my benefit. I know just how much it's going to mentally mess with me if I step out of bounds with my eating.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    IDK...this doesn't really seem good.
  • No_Knock
    No_Knock Posts: 52 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    IDK...this doesn't really seem good.

    Somehow, I feel as though the point was missed. I certainly don't sit and cry about falling off the wagon. However, if *feeling bad* isn't guilt then what is it?

    Take whatever word you want and fill it in to generally describe how you feel when you spend a ton of time working to achieve a goal and then ruin it. If I use the avoidance of that feeling to motivate me in some aspect...where is that negative? Wouldn't it be turning a negative in to a positive if I used that to my advantage?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    No_Knock wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    IDK...this doesn't really seem good.

    Somehow, I feel as though the point was missed. I certainly don't sit and cry about falling off the wagon. However, if *feeling bad* isn't guilt then what is it?

    Take whatever word you want and fill it in to generally describe how you feel when you spend a ton of time working to achieve a goal and then ruin it. If I use the avoidance of that feeling to motivate me in some aspect...where is that negative? Wouldn't it be turning a negative in to a positive if I used that to my advantage?

    I think the thing is though- one missed workout or one bad meal won't ruin it.

    It's very easy for guilt to become a negative/consuming thing that trips into REALLY unhealthy habits.

    I no longer feel guilty about missing workouts- because they aren't missed. they are just shifted.
    I no longer feel guilty about bad food days- because one day out of thousands will not ruin my work.

    So IMHO- guilt isn't the right way to go- to easy to get caught up in the issues of it all. it's why people have problem with calorie counting- they wind up feeling guilty over *kitten* they shouldn't.

    Shrug- I can see where you are coming from - but so many people trip to the other side of that line which is very thin and very grey- I tend to steer people away from it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2017
    No_Knock wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    IDK...this doesn't really seem good.

    Somehow, I feel as though the point was missed. I certainly don't sit and cry about falling off the wagon. However, if *feeling bad* isn't guilt then what is it?

    Take whatever word you want and fill it in to generally describe how you feel when you spend a ton of time working to achieve a goal and then ruin it. If I use the avoidance of that feeling to motivate me in some aspect...where is that negative? Wouldn't it be turning a negative in to a positive if I used that to my advantage?

    I workout on the regular because I love it...I don't feel that my training is ruined because I had something "junky". I eat some little thing for desert most night...usually have pizza every week or two at some point. My diet is about 80%-90% pretty awesome...I don't feel like some "junk" here and there is ruining anything with my training...no guilt.

    ETA: @JoRocka explained it better...
  • kfizza1
    kfizza1 Posts: 48 Member
    No_Knock wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    IDK...this doesn't really seem good.

    Somehow, I feel as though the point was missed. I certainly don't sit and cry about falling off the wagon. However, if *feeling bad* isn't guilt then what is it?

    Take whatever word you want and fill it in to generally describe how you feel when you spend a ton of time working to achieve a goal and then ruin it. If I use the avoidance of that feeling to motivate me in some aspect...where is that negative? Wouldn't it be turning a negative in to a positive if I used that to my advantage?

    I totally get that and agree 100%. I feel the same way and it works out for the best for me.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    It's not a guilt thing for me, but if I workout consistently then I eat healthier. It isn't out of self guilt to do so, just my body craves healthier options when I'm exercising consistently.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,534 Member
    Guilt has its uses.

    I think your logic makes perfect sense.
  • chibir1ku
    chibir1ku Posts: 6 Member
    edited June 2017
    I agree 100% with this. If I work out, I am not going to ruin my results by eating garbage.
    BTW, I enjoy working out... but if I ruin my diet afterwards I feel like I missed the opportunity to look and feel better. Guilt might be a way to put it though
  • CoueCoue
    CoueCoue Posts: 69 Member
    I totally get where the OP is coming from.

    I think there is too much negativity around negativity.
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    No_Knock wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    IDK...this doesn't really seem good.

    Somehow, I feel as though the point was missed. I certainly don't sit and cry about falling off the wagon. However, if *feeling bad* isn't guilt then what is it?

    Take whatever word you want and fill it in to generally describe how you feel when you spend a ton of time working to achieve a goal and then ruin it. If I use the avoidance of that feeling to motivate me in some aspect...where is that negative? Wouldn't it be turning a negative in to a positive if I used that to my advantage?

    I think the thing is though- one missed workout or one bad meal won't ruin it.

    It's very easy for guilt to become a negative/consuming thing that trips into REALLY unhealthy habits.

    I no longer feel guilty about missing workouts- because they aren't missed. they are just shifted.
    I no longer feel guilty about bad food days- because one day out of thousands will not ruin my work.

    So IMHO- guilt isn't the right way to go- to easy to get caught up in the issues of it all. it's why people have problem with calorie counting- they wind up feeling guilty over *kitten* they shouldn't.

    Shrug- I can see where you are coming from - but so many people trip to the other side of that line which is very thin and very grey- I tend to steer people away from it.

    I like how @JoRocka stated it- and I see your point too, OP. I am not mindlessly ignoring negativity- it is just negative or angry thoughts about MY progress or perceived issues has not been very beneficial to me (and in some ways, more harmful) in the past (very thin line she mentions) but some people do need a little kick in the butt to get going. I am not saying you, OP, are advocating to beat yourself up to keep yourself on track, it's just that's what I tend to do when I go down that route.

    I am not saying what you are doing can't work for you and some others, I just happen to look at it a different way. Thank you for your response to my point, OP and I wish you luck with your work :smiley:
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