i have fallen back into old way... help!!

shonovo
shonovo Posts: 104
edited December 18 in Motivation and Support
it is so frustrating to say this, i have fallen back into my old ways and all i am doing is gaining (obviously!) i keep bingeing, finding excuses for working out and not sticking to any sort of plan! i keep saying today will be the day! and then i dont stick to it! so why should i even bother saying it if i cant even stick to my word?! i am so stressed, i have so much going on, its the last month of this semester and its crunch time and i cant really handle it! i am turning to food to comfort me! i need some real encouragement and i need it fast!! i cant balloon into a balooga whale again!!! i am still down 20 lbs from my highest and i cant EVER get back up there!!!! please help me guys!!

Replies

  • xcgirl078
    xcgirl078 Posts: 47 Member
    i was having the same problem lately!! i got back on track by doing a 3-day raw fruit and veggie detox... its so structured, so its easy to follow, and you can eat whenever you want and however much you want, so you don't feel like you're going from eating all the time to never eating. it'll make you remember what you are doing and why you are doing it, or at least it did for me!! :)
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
    If youre stressed right now I'd suggest just trying to maintain your weight until you can get to a place where you feel like you're ready to start losing again. Find out how many calories you need to maintain and start from there :)
  • PlainJade13
    PlainJade13 Posts: 22
    Take a step back and evaluate your situation. Write down things you dislike that you are doing and ask yourself why you continue to do them. Then write down reasons why you want to get back on track.

    I usually do this and then tack "Back on Track " reasons somewhere I can keep looking at them.
  • cowgirlashlee
    cowgirlashlee Posts: 301 Member
    I'm having A LOT of the same issues...finals for the semester are next week and I've been stressing them hardcore. What I recommend is just surround yourself with healthier food options (fruit, veggies, cereal, etc) and when you stress eat, grab a bag of carrots or fruit or a bowl of cereal. Filling and fewer calories. As for the exercising, I can't help there because I've slacked myself unfortunately. When you can breathe again after finals, pick back up with exercising more. And maybe take a walk to de-stress yourself with finals. This isn't going to be the end of the world for you! Good luck.
  • vonallena
    vonallena Posts: 34
    I have had the same issue too. You just really need to find that thing that made you want to lose weight and be healthy. Remind yourself of that. Mine was the feeling I had when I was thinner and the confidence it gave me. It was intoxicating and I want it back.

    Also it's so easy to lie to people about what you're eating/how much your exercising/etc. but at the end of the day, you're going to bed with you and you can't lie to yourself. It's what makes me go hard on this diet and everything. I can TELL people I'm eating well but I know I'm lying to myself and in the end, we only have ourselves to hold onto.

    Finally, turn to something else for comfort. Take your stress out by going for a walk or a jog. Find friends to vent to while you guys walk around the block. It'll really clear your head and keep you focused.
  • nlsalvatore
    nlsalvatore Posts: 519 Member
    I've been feeling the same lately! It's frustrating! I am going to friend you and we can try to keep each other motivated!
  • CooljulRN
    CooljulRN Posts: 7 Member
    Love roachhaley's idea. I have been the same way for 2 weeks and just got back on track this week. The only way I got back in is by recording all those binge calories and knowing I'll be back up to my old weight in 5 weeks if I keep it up. Gotta take it literally one day at a time. I eat my stress as well, having gum around helped and doing a 15 minute walk slowed down the binges. You can do ithis!
  • summaryzn
    summaryzn Posts: 113 Member
    XCG I have sooo been there - very recently- and I have to tell you that YOU CAN DO IT! step away from the situation - I know easier said than done and think it through rationally. Ask yourself if the food is really comforting you and hopefully you are LOGGING. If you are in the last few weeks of semester that means tons of studying is up ahead, the LAST THING you need is comfort food weighing you down - the dopamine levels are BEYOND high and your going to be less effective studying and concentrating. Take 15 mins sometime today and jot down and make a quick meal plan for just today alone - start with snacks and and then work your way into meals. Its summer (hopefully where you are) so there are tons more fruits in season... if not get fruit cocktail cups in water, not syrup. then back into your meals - sandwiches loaded with veggies and or brothy type soup. Do NOT fall victim to sabotaging yourself. If you are still down 20 you are NOT far gone that you cant pull yourself back.

    Check back in a few days to let us know how your doing.
  • tishajo
    tishajo Posts: 142 Member
    "If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not you will find an excuse". I love that quote. It's not easy, I know. I've been in the same boat. Heck, a lot of people have I'm sure but you CAN do this! The hardest part is getting started. You are important, so find that time to take care of your body! :flowerforyou:
  • Littlerunner0514
    Littlerunner0514 Posts: 42 Member
    being able to see that you are going through this is the first step (i think) and I just say one little baby step at a time. I am currently going through something like this and seeing that I am not the only one is really helping me become a little more motivated. Good luck
  • summaryzn
    summaryzn Posts: 113 Member
    @ coolJunRN - yes recording those binges totally put things into perspective! I didnt do that but when I RESET my MFP profile it asked how much weight I gained over the last 30 days and it was on the money with just how many calories Id been consuming - upwards of 3,000!! I was like WTF?!?@?@? - but KNEW it was likely spot on. I threw caution to the wind and was eating anything that was not NAILED DOWN! shuddering at that thought now, but we all go thru it unfortunately and we can ALL come back from it.
  • 1nsanity
    1nsanity Posts: 95 Member
    i hear ya. finals week can be a real *****!

    what helped me is finding healthy foods to snack on. individual packages of nuts and dried fruit is what kept me goin. i literally stopped buying junk food altogether. at first, i didnt snack at all because i didnt really like anything but junk food. so it was either i dont eat or i eat healthier food. eventually i came around to dried cranberries and dried pineapple to eat as snacks.

    as for the working out, try to set aside time in your day in advance. plan out a few days ahead to see where you might have time to work out. then when that time comes, just do it. dont even think about it. it is said that you have 3 seconds to make a decision. after this is when the thoughts and excuses flood your mind. but just get dressed as fast as you can, and walk right out the door. at this point youre already dressed and on your way, why not just go work out? even if its a 15 minute walk on a treadmill, its better than nothing.
  • Kimmer2011
    Kimmer2011 Posts: 569 Member
    I'm in the same place right now. Lots of stress - walking = binge + binge + binge. Not an equation I like. I need to deal with my stress and get back to walking, or I'll end up back where I started.
  • valwes04
    valwes04 Posts: 58
    I have been dealing with this same issue! I just got lazy- had no real excuse- but I ended up gaining back 7 of the 10 lbs I had originally lost. That, knowing I needed to lose 30+ lbs!!! This week, I've just gotten back on track but it's still a struggle. Sending friend request over! Hope you can continue to reach your goal!
  • kballard66
    kballard66 Posts: 87
    Oh, me too!!! I need help getting back on track as well. I hate it when I do that. We can all help each other. Let's do this!
  • dansls1
    dansls1 Posts: 309 Member
    If youre stressed right now I'd suggest just trying to maintain your weight until you can get to a place where you feel like you're ready to start losing again. Find out how many calories you need to maintain and start from there :)

    I agree with this ;)
  • aekaya
    aekaya Posts: 163 Member
    I just went through the exam same thing! The end of the semester is always a stressful time and it's too easy to not go work out + to eat a ton of food :( You've just got to find the strength to stop. Think of how you feel when you binge vs how you feel when you eat in a healthy, balanced way.
  • clareshard1
    clareshard1 Posts: 11
    you have a lot of stress in your life right now,, firstly be kind to yourself and stop the negative judgments of yourself. You are a normal human being and weight loss is a journey,, some of it a bit of a bumpy ride! You can decide to do a few things, firstly address the stress that is causing you to binge. Do you have distracting techniques such as deep breathing exercizes when you begin to panic? If this is going to be too hard to put into practise then you can take the advice of the last post and give yourself a break for a few days and go on a maintainence plan until this stressful period is over. I dont agree with so called "detox" diets,, the liver does that perfectly for us and putting your depleted energy into trying to follow a fad diet may make you feel worse. Especially if you cant follow it, depriving yourself of certain foods only aggravates cravings. Good luck, remember may people have this problem, you are not on your own. There is lots of information on the internet about emotional eating, be aware of your triggers and it will help you head the bingeing off at the pass before you go too far. Take care of yourself, believe in yourself and just take each day at at a time,, you will succeed!
  • Diandra81
    Diandra81 Posts: 128 Member
    I was in the same boat, over a week of not exercising and eat crap food = DOUBLE digit weight gain. I'm hoping the majority is water...as it is slowly coming off now. You just have to jump back on the horse and get back to your exercising and healthy eat plan! You can do it....I'd suggest exercising in the morning to get you motivated!
  • thekacers
    thekacers Posts: 68
    it is so frustrating to say this, i have fallen back into my old ways and all i am doing is gaining (obviously!) i keep bingeing, finding excuses for working out and not sticking to any sort of plan! i keep saying today will be the day! and then i dont stick to it! so why should i even bother saying it if i cant even stick to my word?! i am so stressed, i have so much going on, its the last month of this semester and its crunch time and i cant really handle it! i am turning to food to comfort me! i need some real encouragement and i need it fast!! i cant balloon into a balooga whale again!!! i am still down 20 lbs from my highest and i cant EVER get back up there!!!! please help me guys!!


    We have all been here before! I am also a binge eater when it comes to stressful situations. I have told myself the same exact things that you quoted in your post. The thing that I am trying to learn is that I don't have to let my emotions control what I eat. When I feel like I can't control anything that is going on around me (my crappy living situation, my job, school, friends), I find some comfort in knowing that I CAN control what I am eating and my physical activity. I know there is a little, evil voice inside my head that tells me it's okay to binge and be lazy, but I try to stop and think about what the voice is telling me before I act. I don't always succeed, but if I try hard enough, it tends to help me. And when I do fall off the wagon, I get mad that I have to pick myself back up, but you just have to get back on. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it.

    Everyone's advice so far is good, it's just hard to choose what is right for you. I suggest you just take some time to yourself to think about what's going on in hopes that you can find personal ways to cope.

    I wish you the best of luck with everything. Don't doubt yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to.
  • shonovo
    shonovo Posts: 104
    thanks so much guys! it means so much to me that you guys took the time to write to me and support me! i find that i can be my own worst enemy at times... if i am not sticking to it, or i binged that day i just refuse to go onto this site even though this is what is going to help me the most! i really need to record my binges but i know that each one is probably around 5000 calories or so... its actually horrifying!!!!! and i also find that since ive not been eating well this past week im breaking out and i am also getting interested in a guy i dumped in the past for him being morbidly obese and i thought i deserved better... and then this week i thought i deserved him b/c i feel so fat and upset... it is not a good plce to be... i need to get hotter and skinnier so i can get the best guy i deserve!! i need to write down why i want this b/c the list of why i want to get healthy and fit and beautiful is way longer than the list of why i wanna binge and eat all this crap ive been eating?!!?
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    You know what the problem is. I am sure you know how to fix it. Good luck!
  • jennifer52484
    jennifer52484 Posts: 888 Member
    I've had times when i just want to quit.. but then I just think of why I am doing this and how far I've come and then i want to give it another go.

    Don't give up on yourself. The cycle won't end unless you break it. Don't let failure be an option. Stay with it and it will be worth it.
  • shonovo
    shonovo Posts: 104
    it is so frustrating to say this, i have fallen back into my old ways and all i am doing is gaining (obviously!) i keep bingeing, finding excuses for working out and not sticking to any sort of plan! i keep saying today will be the day! and then i dont stick to it! so why should i even bother saying it if i cant even stick to my word?! i am so stressed, i have so much going on, its the last month of this semester and its crunch time and i cant really handle it! i am turning to food to comfort me! i need some real encouragement and i need it fast!! i cant balloon into a balooga whale again!!! i am still down 20 lbs from my highest and i cant EVER get back up there!!!! please help me guys!!


    We have all been here before! I am also a binge eater when it comes to stressful situations. I have told myself the same exact things that you quoted in your post. The thing that I am trying to learn is that I don't have to let my emotions control what I eat. When I feel like I can't control anything that is going on around me (my crappy living situation, my job, school, friends), I find some comfort in knowing that I CAN control what I am eating and my physical activity. I know there is a little, evil voice inside my head that tells me it's okay to binge and be lazy, but I try to stop and think about what the voice is telling me before I act. I don't always succeed, but if I try hard enough, it tends to help me. And when I do fall off the wagon, I get mad that I have to pick myself back up, but you just have to get back on. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it.

    Everyone's advice so far is good, it's just hard to choose what is right for you. I suggest you just take some time to yourself to think about what's going on in hopes that you can find personal ways to cope.

    I wish you the best of luck with everything. Don't doubt yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to.

    thank you so much! i really like what you have to say! it means so much to me! i like that, that the only thing i can control is my eating... i need to think like that too!!
  • Ariaeko
    Ariaeko Posts: 16 Member
    I understand as I am coming off the same trend myself. Overall you just need to remember we all have slip-ups and it's ok. Just try not to let it override all of the progress you have made. Try to remind yourself of your initial reasons for starting this way of life.

    @xcgirl078 - I have been thinking about doing a vegan fast/cleanse recently. Do you have a link to the plan that you followed by any chance?
  • DottieNewton
    DottieNewton Posts: 112 Member
    I know all about this from years of wrong choices. and being obese--I hate that word--the only thing I hate worse is to be labeled MORBIDLY obese! What a terrible label!! I shudder every time I see it. That instills great motivation-NOT!

    We can use/ and do use the excuse of stress as a reason/cause to overeat. We lie to ourselves every time we do. and I lie to myself often. In truth, we let ourselves fall back into a defeatist mode. We need to examine ourselves and our thoughts to find the answer. We must decide it does matter/ that we do matter/ that we are important enough to get healthy. It is the WHATEVER attitude that defeats us.

    I love what Dr Phil says "YOU NEED TO GET EXCITED ABOUT YOUR LIFE" Then make right choices for support that life.
    During this time of increased stress--and if we are breathing we are stressed- you would feel better if you were eating good for you food. So, do bring in a supply of fruits, veggies, high fiber bars, protein that is readily available. and eat up!!
  • mphlab
    mphlab Posts: 187 Member
    You have so much courage to ask for help- ou can do it! Do you eat at your Basal Metabolic Rate? i find that if I eat at my BMR. I lose my urge to binge. I can go over my goal but trying to stick to 1650 calories is easier than 1200. If you look into the Eat More to Weigh Less Movement, it may work for you! The weigh loss is about a pound a week but you will get there eventually!
  • jmiller8290
    jmiller8290 Posts: 1 Member
    I need of moral support, 2 pounds off 28 to go ! feel free to add me pllllzzzz :)
  • Ledgehanger
    Ledgehanger Posts: 125 Member
    it is so frustrating to say this, i have fallen back into my old ways and all i am doing is gaining (obviously!) i keep bingeing, finding excuses for working out and not sticking to any sort of plan! i keep saying today will be the day! and then i dont stick to it! so why should i even bother saying it if i cant even stick to my word?! i am so stressed, i have so much going on, its the last month of this semester and its crunch time and i cant really handle it! i am turning to food to comfort me! i need some real encouragement and i need it fast!! i cant balloon into a balooga whale again!!! i am still down 20 lbs from my highest and i cant EVER get back up there!!!! please help me guys!!

    I coach my daughter's basketball team. One of the first rules rules we talk about is that they are not allowed to say they *can't* do something. If you say you can't do something, you have already accepted failure as the natural course of things. In other words, if you insist on saying you can't... you are right - but only because you've chosen that.

    If you were on my daughter's basketball team, I would make you run a lap. ;o)

    You can do this. You have to decide that it's more important to you than the other stuff that's getting in the way. If you have recognized that stress makes you crave food for comfort, find something else to use for that comfort. Carry around a stuffed animal for comfort if you must - but make a decision not to allow yourself to fail.

    And then, if at some point you slip up, just give your stuffed animal a little hug and move on already.

    Good luck. :o)
  • cordianet
    cordianet Posts: 534 Member
    We all slip up sometimes. There was only one perfect person on this earth and He died 2000 years ago. You CAN do this, you may just have to break it into smaller and smaller increments. For example, instead of saying "I had a bad day and didn't follow my plan", think: "for the past 10 minutes, I did great." Next thing you know, you've been doing great for an hour. Then two hours, then four. Sooner or later, you'll find you did good for a whole day. Celebrate those successes and keep stringing them together! This journey to wellness won't happen overnight, but by taking it one day, or even one hour at a time, it CAN be done.

    One parting thought for you to ponder about when the cravings come: Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels!
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