No Binge January!

Ohh I'm definitely in! Binge eating is a huge part of why I've been struggling with my weight. Today was my first day actually and I'm happy to report that I did not binge eat (btw I'll be adding you guys as friends since I'm new here).

HI, i will try and do this too. I go in cycles, depending whats going on in my life. Normally binges are stress related but sometimes just boredom. Trying to up the exercise, in a bid to feel better and less stressed!

I'd love to join y'all! Thanks for this challenge.
Today I can say that "I did NOT binge!"
Linda

alright -- today is Jan 3rd... last night was my first and last binge of 2012 !!!

well, hopefully!! let's start small and say last one for the month of january

Hi girls,

I'd like to suggest a new, positive way to manage your calories, and stop using the "b" word.

Here's an idea: schedule a weekly rest and refueling day where we take the day off of exercise and eat up to 1500 extra calories. How? Think of your calories on a weekly, rather than daily basis and let's manage them just a bit differently.

Start by looking at your weekly loss goal. Please don't try to lose 2 lbs/week. You can't really do it consistently, and it will only lead to frustration. Instead let's take a reasonable goal like .5 or 1 lb per week. BUT set the MFP weekly goal to .5 lb more than we just decided on (stay with me, here).

So . . . I want to lose .5 lb. per week (that would be a weekly deficit of 1250 calories, or daily 250). Now I will set up MFP for weekly loss of a full 1 lb. -- that is a weekly deficit of 3500, or daily 500. For 6 days of the week, I will eat at this lower deficit (250 fewer calories than normal). I will exercise each of the 6 days, and EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES. Then on the 7th day, I will REST, and eat 1500 extra calories. What? Yes, I said eat 1500 extra calories on my rest day. Why? Because during the previous 6 days I was saving 250 calories a day (250 x 6 = 1500). Now on my day off, I treat myself to extra goodies without feeling guilty -- I am still at a net deficit for the week of 1250, and that is still a .5 lb. loss for the week.

My body gets a rest day, my tummy gets a treat day, and my metabolism gets a spike day -- to store up energy for my 6 days ahead of exercise. You've heard of tricking your metabolism? This is it. This is how, and because you stay at your TRUE weekly goal for overall calorie consumption, you still lose. You don't have to binge, bc you have a spike day built in. On your 6 exercise days, you are incented to exercise bc you use those exercise sessions to earn extra calories to eat. You always have energy bc you are not starving yourself!

Even if you go "over" a few of your 6 days, it's no biggie bc you have such a deficit built in. Let's say you went over by 500 over those 6 days. Just have 1000 on spike day instead of 1500. Boom. Done! Weekly management instead of daily frustration. Guess what-- you can move your spike day too--special event on Wednesday? Make it the spike day this week.

Give it a shot, I think you will be pleased.

EDIT: I want to put a note here for those of you who object to eating exercise calories, or otherwise think it's a waste to exercise if you just eat them back. MFP has an automatic deficit set up for you, whether or not you exercise. So when you DO exercise, you still have that deficit there, now it is even greater bc you burned calories. It is wrong to think you will lose extra weight if you don't eat the exercise cals. You won't. Instead you will have less energy, maybe have a headache, maybe be cranky, definitely slow your metabolism, but you will NOT lose weight faster. Check the link at the bottom of this post for an eye-opening case study that explains this much better than I.

Note for those of you who are currently starving yourself (eating fewer calories than you know you should on a daily basis, only to blow up in frustration, weakness and starvation after some period of time and binge)--take a look at this link and read about how that behavior keeps you fat--it is truly eye-opening):

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

many blessings and best of luck to you in 2012.

Hi girls,

I'd like to suggest a new, positive way to manage your calories, and stop using the "b" word.

Here's an idea: schedule a weekly rest and refueling day where we take the day off of exercise and eat up to 1500 extra calories. How? Think of your calories on a weekly, rather than daily basis and let's manage them just a bit differently.

Start by looking at your weekly loss goal. Please don't try to lose 2 lbs/week. You can't really do it consistently, and it will only lead to frustration. Instead let's take a reasonable goal like .5 or 1 lb per week. BUT set the MFP weekly goal to .5 lb more than we just decided on (stay with me, here).

So . . . I want to lose .5 lb. per week (that would be a weekly deficit of 1250 calories, or daily 250). Now I will set up MFP for weekly loss of a full 1 lb. -- that is a weekly deficit of 3500, or daily 500. For 6 days of the week, I will eat at this lower deficit (250 fewer calories than normal). I will exercise each of the 6 days, and EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES. Then on the 7th day, I will REST, and eat 1500 extra calories. What? Yes, I said eat 1500 extra calories on my rest day. Why? Because during the previous 6 days I was saving 250 calories a day (250 x 6 = 1500). Now on my day off, I treat myself to extra goodies without feeling guilty -- I am still at a net deficit for the week of 1250, and that is still a .5 lb. loss for the week.

My body gets a rest day, my tummy gets a treat day, and my metabolism gets a spike day -- to store up energy for my 6 days ahead of exercise. You've heard of tricking your metabolism? This is it. This is how, and because you stay at your TRUE weekly goal for overall calorie consumption, you still lose. You don't have to binge, bc you have a spike day built in. On your 6 exercise days, you are incented to exercise bc you use those exercise sessions to earn extra calories to eat. You always have energy bc you are not starving yourself!

Even if you go "over" a few of your 6 days, it's no biggie bc you have such a deficit built in. Let's say you went over by 500 over those 6 days. Just have 1000 on spike day instead of 1500. Boom. Done! Weekly management instead of daily frustration. Guess what-- you can move your spike day too--special event on Wednesday? Make it the spike day this week.

Give it a shot, I think you will be pleased.

EDIT: I want to put a note here for those of you who object to eating exercise calories, or otherwise think it's a waste to exercise if you just eat them back. MFP has an automatic deficit set up for you, whether or not you exercise. So when you DO exercise, you still have that deficit there, now it is even greater bc you burned calories. It is wrong to think you will lose extra weight if you don't eat the exercise cals. You won't. Instead you will have less energy, maybe have a headache, maybe be cranky, definitely slow your metabolism, but you will NOT lose weight faster. Check the link at the bottom of this post for an eye-opening case study that explains this much better than I.

Note for those of you who are currently starving yourself (eating fewer calories than you know you should on a daily basis, only to blow up in frustration, weakness and starvation after some period of time and binge)--take a look at this link and read about how that behavior keeps you fat--it is truly eye-opening):

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

many blessings and best of luck to you in 2012.

I am going to try this !!!!!

Hello Bighters! (Binge + Fighters = Bighters! Get it? okay...) Just wanted to report as promised that today was success and I did not binge eat! I really hope that everyone was successful and if not, well keep fighting the good fight and remember that tomorrow is a clean slate

day 1 of not binging = success !!!

on to day two!! we got this guys

I almost posted on this thread, yesterday, that I was successful, again. But, then... thought. Wait until tomorrow because that is only fair.

Now, I'm glad that I waitied...

After I totaled out my log... late night just before bed. I binged! Argghh! Why? I think it is because I didn't like my dinner, so didn't eat as much as planned & didn't find something else to eat... kept procrastinating on that. Then, started mindless snacking just before I went to sleep while I was on the computer. I wasn't horrible, but still added on 280 more calories. It was 2 kinds of potato chips.

Couldn't even make it 2 days!


So, I am trying, again! New start, right! Not giving up yet!
Linda

Hey Linda,

That's not even a binge! What a good logger you were! Girl, 280 ain't nothin'. That is perfectly within control. good job.

i need to start now too, i am finding it really hard to stop eating its so hard !

I binge as well. I definitely want in. A month is a long time for me but I am determined!

i LOVE the idea of this day by day! i haven't binged yet this month so that feels great i've figured out what a lot of my triggers are which helps, also if i don't have the food in my house in the first place and surround myself with healthy snacks that is so helpful. seems obvious but i know most of the food that i'm not able to practice moderation with so for right now it's easier for me to just not have them haha, anyway i'll definitely be back here!

i"m in!