Logged every bite of my binge today and I feel absolutely awful.

TenderBlender667
TenderBlender667 Posts: 78 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
My 33 day streak went out the window 2 days ago. Telling myself today would be a new day didn't work. I was doing good until this huge indulgence happened:

6 slices of chicken breast
2 tbsp yogurt
1 protein bar
1 apple
8 ginger candies
1 clif bar
1 bottle of beet juice
1 whole package of gluten free cookies
1 whole bag of popcorn
Several tablespoons of dark chocolate spread
4 rice thins

Came out at approx 3400 calories for the day. I'm feeling shaky, nauseous and incredibly guilty. I don't normally eat this much sugar and crap. What should I do to offset this feeling?

Replies

  • amyloutoyou
    amyloutoyou Posts: 37 Member
    It's fine. It's over. No negative self talk. You owned it. You are human. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to the person you love most in the world. Have a reasonable plan for tomorrow. Don't punish yourself. Consider some nonfood reward for having a great day tomorrow.
  • alicebhsia
    alicebhsia Posts: 178 Member
    honestly if that's your picture in your profile pic i'd say a few extra calories won't hurt you. i guess if you really feel bad why not do a workout, maybe that will help you feel better and lower your calorie binge some.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,787 Member
    edited October 2017
    If you have an eating disorder or suspect you have an eating disorder, please see a professional - posting here isn't going to help you. Your portrait picture makes me wonder if maybe there's some body dysmorphia going on for you - if anything, you look too thin in that picture. You might find Tribole and Resch's "Intuitive Eating" helpful:

    http://www.intuitiveeating.org

    If I'm not going to be on my diet for a day (say, because of a big holiday dinner) I won't log what I eat. It's a day when I'm NOT on my program and logging would only be discouraging.

    What should you do to offset it? Just start back on your program, put it behind you, and if it happens again don't bother logging that day. You need to burn about 3500 calories to lose a pound of weight (I'm coming up with 2600 calories for the foods listed in your binge, not 3400), so worst possible scenario is you're one pound behind where you were before the binge. So what would be the purpose of logging, other than to make you feel bad, despair, and say "forget it"?

    In other words, nothing "went out the window" -- that's destructive thinking grounded in your feelings about yourself and food, not a reflection of reality. It's what we think about what we do that does things like kill diets. A realistic counter to that kind of thinking would be something like: "it's only one day, at the most a pound off my plan, and I can get right back on the program tomorrow".
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    vingogly wrote: »
    If I'm not going to be on my diet for a day (say, because of a big holiday dinner) I won't log what I eat. It's a day when I'm NOT on my program and logging would only be discouraging.

    What should you do to offset it? Just start back on your program, put it behind you, and if it happens again don't bother logging that day. You need to burn about 3500 calories to lose a pound of weight (I'm coming up with 2600 calories for the foods listed in your binge, not 3400), so worst possible scenario is you're one pound behind where you were before the binge. So what would be the purpose of logging, other than to make you feel bad, despair, and say "forget it"?

    In other words, nothing "went out the window" -- that's destructive thinking grounded in your feelings about yourself and food, not a reflection of reality. It's what we think about what we do that does things like kill diets. A realistic counter to that kind of thinking would be something like: "it's only one day, at the most a pound off my plan, and I can get right back on the program tomorrow".

    I dunno.... logging my "binges" helps me stay accountable and becomes sort of a reference point. It's a good way to look back for trigger foods or to see what may have made me feel less than awesome.

    I think a lot of this is finding what works best for you.

    I do agree on pretty much every other point, though. Move on, and use this experience as a motivation to find a sustainable diet plan and to stay on track.
  • ABabilonia
    ABabilonia Posts: 622 Member
    In hindsight 3,400 calories are not the end of the world. Use this as a learning experience and move on. I've been there and I know that is a horrible experience that make you feel powerless, but to be honest your foods choices were not all that bad.
  • TenderBlender667
    TenderBlender667 Posts: 78 Member
    edited October 2017
    sardelsa wrote: »
    First off.. one day will not make or break you.
    Second.. that doesn't look like a bad day at all. I personally wouldn't feel bad about it if it was me.. maybe a bit low in protein, but not a total wash. You should see my weekends.. I have eaten my weight in pancakes and pasta before. Got back on track.. didn't even make a dent (if anything it helped my gym performance that's for sure!)

    What are your goals? You look pretty lean in your photo, so if you are maintaining, big deal. Just get back on track tomorrow.. don't try to cut cals, do extra cardio, just eat normally, maybe have more protein, more water, whatever.

    I would really work on dropping the food guilt. Food is food. Does this happen often? Are you being overly restrictive with your diet? Do you have a history of food issues?

    My goal is to basically do a recomp and slowly gain some muscle over a long period of time. I've been in maintenance for several months now, but I've actually gone below my goal weight. Add to that the fact that I've been getting comments from family that I'm a little too thin, which only gave me a bigger excuse to binge. I do have a history of fasting and over-exercising after my binge episodes, which usually happens 3 times a month, sometimes less sometimes more. I don't think I'm being overly restrictive on my normal days. Thanks for the input. I'll definitely try to get back on track without letting the guilt get to me.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,153 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    Well, the food choices were pretty good and you logged it, congratulations on that. I have to say, my binges usually revolve around a full loaf of toasted white bread and a stick of butter. I think you shouldn't feel bad.

    Mine too :D

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Move on. What's the alternative? My calories yesterday came up to 4200 something (had a day of insatiable hunger). So what? Unless one day turns into a year it won't break your diet.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    doesnt really look that bad, or even that much food TBH.

    log it, move on.

    maybe have a think about why you binged though, was it because you were eating your feelings, or have been restricting too much recently?
  • Unknown
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  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,545 Member
    Recomp. You lift? I've lost my mind not properly fueling workouts.

    Count macros? If working with close margins, calorie counting may not be enough. You might do better with more dietary fat.
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