how do i overcome calorie triggers?

Options
ashleymcquown
ashleymcquown Posts: 80
in Motivation and Support
i stopped logging for a while because the calorie ticker was triggering a lot of my binges. I've been writing my food down in a journal but i really miss logging into MFP. I tried to see if there was a way to hide the calories but I think it's even more important to address why the calories are triggering me in the first place. I was doing well for a while but every time i went over my calories I would binge. I even tried increasing my calorie goal and it still didn't help. Does anyone else struggle with this? I want to be aware of what I eat without obsessing over the numbers.

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
    Options
    Binge eating or any compulsive behavior is triggered by any number of factors. It is a process to learn to dettach your emotions from the behavior.

    You need to log your food, regardless of how it makes you feel. The numbers obsession will lessen as you begin to understand nutrition and your condition.

    Logging food is really the only way to keep watch over your calories accurately. This is just one step in the process. You can do it. As with everything, practice leads to success. Breathe.
  • cameralinds
    cameralinds Posts: 239
    Options
    I have had this problem in the past...it's that "all or nothing" mentality. I try to remind myself that even if I do go in the red, that it isn't the end of the world. Try to remind yourself that going in the red does not make you any less of a person, and you shouldn't punish yourself more by digging the hole deeper because well, "I'm already there anyway, so why bother?" That's a defeatist attitude. Try to see why it is you're going in the red in the first place (some days, it honestly just happens), see if there are any stressful situations in your life, and always remember that tomorrow is a new green day.

    As for overcoming them, take it one day at a time. It's all you can do. *hugs*

    (I'm speaking to myself in the paragraph above as well).
  • fae713
    fae713 Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    Some people on other topics have suggested planning your meals and snacks for the day ahead of time and logging everything in the morning. That way you already know what you are going to be eating and can plan accordingly - when to have snacks so you don't get too hungry and over-indulge or overfill your stomach, etc.

    If that doesn't work for you, you could always try logging the calories at the end of the day based on the journal you are currently keeping. It may not be ideal the first few days/weeks, but you would then have the chance to plan ahead for the next day or week to get the numbers to work out better for you.

    Like the poster above stated, if you go over, it is not the end of the world. I was thinking about it the other day and realized that even if I go over by 100-200 calories per day, that means I am just going to lose 1/4 - 1/2 a pound rather than 1 - 1 1/2 pounds like I have set for myself. It's not ideal, but going into the red is no reason to tell yourself "gah! I'm already there, so it doesn't matter how much over I go." That's faulty thinking. It takes time and a lot of good self-talk to overcome, but it's not impossible.

    Good luck! I know it's not easy, but it is something you can overcome with persistence and a wee bit of stubborness.
  • ashleymcquown
    ashleymcquown Posts: 80
    Options
    Binge eating or any compulsive behavior is triggered by any number of factors. It is a process to learn to dettach your emotions from the behavior.

    You need to log your food, regardless of how it makes you feel. The numbers obsession will lessen as you begin to understand nutrition and your condition.

    Logging food is really the only way to keep watch over your calories accurately. This is just one step in the process. You can do it. As with everything, practice leads to success. Breathe.

    I think perhaps you misinterpreted the original post (I say this respectfully too, not out of frustration fyi). I am in fact logging my food, just not on mfp. I am prioritizing dealing with my eating disorder over losing weight right now. It's been scary but i'm starting to realize that i have to get the binging and ED thinking under control before I can tackle losing weight. I've been following a program to restructure my eating WITHOUT tracking calories because my focus is to restrict less, not more. I've struggled with bulimia and binge eating since i was about 15, and the habit of restricting and obsessing over calories is really difficult to break. I'm finally in a place where I'm starting to stabilize and i'm worried tracking calories again will backfire. I'm debating if i should bite the bullet and start logging again or continue my program until i am in a good place to track cals again.
  • ashleymcquown
    ashleymcquown Posts: 80
    Options
    Some people on other topics have suggested planning your meals and snacks for the day ahead of time and logging everything in the morning. That way you already know what you are going to be eating and can plan accordingly - when to have snacks so you don't get too hungry and over-indulge or overfill your stomach, etc.

    If that doesn't work for you, you could always try logging the calories at the end of the day based on the journal you are currently keeping. It may not be ideal the first few days/weeks, but you would then have the chance to plan ahead for the next day or week to get the numbers to work out better for you.

    Like the poster above stated, if you go over, it is not the end of the world. I was thinking about it the other day and realized that even if I go over by 100-200 calories per day, that means I am just going to lose 1/4 - 1/2 a pound rather than 1 - 1 1/2 pounds like I have set for myself. It's not ideal, but going into the red is no reason to tell yourself "gah! I'm already there, so it doesn't matter how much over I go." That's faulty thinking. It takes time and a lot of good self-talk to overcome, but it's not impossible.

    Good luck! I know it's not easy, but it is something you can overcome with persistence and a wee bit of stubborness.

    Planning meals ahead isn't for me, though I do stick to a strict plan in terms of when i eat (no longer than four hours between meals and snacks). I like the idea of tracking my cals the day after. I'm hoping it wont be as triggering to see the numbers after the fact. Maybe I'll give this a try and see : )
  • BobbyClerici
    BobbyClerici Posts: 813 Member
    Options
    My binges are all planned events, and I enjoy them much.
    I am not triggered into one, but I did have a major challenge to overcome.

    Eating a huge meal at bedtime.
    I used to love that stuffed feeling as I went to sleep - ahhh,,,,LOVE IT!

    And when I sought to lose the fat, this was a huge burning every night I thought would never go away. I went to sleep MISERABLE.
    Over time that hunger went away, and today, I have a small snack an hour before bedtime, and all is well.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Options
    I agree with you that it's so important to do the work in our heads in order to get the relationship with food, body, exercise and being healthy under control. You can do it! Sounds like you are seeing the connection. I don't understand the calorie count triggering your overeating but we all have our own triggers. Keep in mind that when you exercise you raise the calorie and macro numbers for that day plus gain all the benefits of moving and exercising.

    Good luck!

Categories