Can't seem to stay on track :(

I don't know what's wrong with me. I have two days of eating my calorie goal and exercising, then the third day I binge-BAD, like 1,300 cals over my goal! :( I can't seem to stay on track for even THREE days and I have eighty pounds to lose! My doctor wants me to lose five pounds by July 3rd but I keep gaining back what I've lost so far with these binges! :( On my "off" days I sleep till 11:30 am (I'm unemployed right now and live with my parents) and my whole schedule for the day gets thrown out of whack vis a vis planned meals and workouts. I am so upset right now I am just about ready to throw in the towel and get a gastric bypass, that's how upset and jealous I am that my brother lost 35 lbs. in 10 months on MFP and at this rate I'll be Jabba the Hutt by this weekend! :( I was all excited today cuz I got my hair cut for locks of love and I was doing something good and now I just feel like crap! :( Sorry for the real long rant just had to get it out. Any suggestions for how I can re-motivate myself? I used to take walks after dinner so I didn't binge and then brush my teeth when I came back. I guess I had fallen out of the habit of doing that as of late. I have all these hobbies and crafts I'm in the middle of but never finish. And when I wake up late I never remember to drink as much water as I should during those days. Well, I'll leave it here for now and see what people offer for suggestions. Than you. xo sari

Replies

  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    There is the possibility you have set your calorie goal too low, and therefore are ending up famished resulting in a binge.
    There is also the possibility that binge eating has been a part of your routine so long, that it has become a habit.
    Also, I found that when I cut totally back on refined sugar/wheat, and ate lots of things like hard boiled eggs, fruit, cottage cheese, greek yoghurt(with things stirred in), vegetables and fish...basically pretty clean foods, I stopped having so much desire to binge eat as these things really filled me up.
  • kittymoney
    kittymoney Posts: 115 Member
    try keeping a consistent routine every day. once something becomes habit it just starts to become a normal part of what we do. for example - i use to wake up at 5 and go to the gym 3 days a week starting last august - became such habit I did it 5 to 6 days and then I moved my time to 4:30 to get more time in. even on days I want to rest or workout in the evening my body gets up at 4:30 wanting to go.
  • MintheWing
    MintheWing Posts: 22
    I've totally been there! And trust me - you can do this you just have to keep going! I started my diet/lifestyle change about a year ago, and there's been sooo many times where I've messed up, binged, sometimes for days at a time and at one point went nearly 2 months without exercise or eating right. It really sucks when your having a down time, you feel like "what's the point? I messed up so bad today it won't mean much if I eat healthy tomorrow" But if you just do what you know you have to do, and keep trying, things will fall into place. Sometimes I will be so hard on myself, like if I'm eating with my family and eat wayyy too much food and cake and whatever, but then I'm like "hey! I lost 53 pounds this year!" so you just have to look at the big picture I guess... anyway! that turned into a long reply but you get the idea lol

    Also you should make a weight loss inspiration folder on your desktop or something if you haven't already :) I have one that I just save anything that inspires me to keep going, then when I'm having an off day I look through it. I hope I helped a little :O
  • sunnyskyjb
    sunnyskyjb Posts: 258 Member
    I can't seem to either! I'm with you!!
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    I had exactly the same problem when my goal was 1200 calories per day. It was not sustainable for me and I ended up with huge binges that totally derailed my progress. I usually aim for about 1600-1800 calories per day from food. I burn 500- calories per day at the gym, so I am still maintaining a substantial deficit and making steady progress.
  • britaut2
    britaut2 Posts: 19
    Hi, Hang in there! Maybe you are depressed about being unemployed and living with your parents. This could be adding to your binging. I am a stress eater. As soon as I get upset, I want to grab something sweet to eat. I am not a drinker or a smoker so, I will eat to relax me. Get some healthy snacks in the house. Force yourself to go out and walk even if its at the mall. Take one day at a time. This is a process. It doesn't happen over night. I am afraid of gastric bypass. A friend's neice just died at the age of 26 from complications from this surgery. You have support. One Day At A Time!
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    I had exactly the same problem when my goal was 1200 calories per day. It was not sustainable for me and I ended up with huge binges that totally derailed my progress. I usually aim for about 1600-1800 calories per day from food. I burn 500- calories per day at the gym, so I am still maintaining a substantial deficit and making steady progress.

    ^^ This. If you are seriously hungry when binging, then I would agree that it is your body panicking about you underfeeding it.
  • Bryanslady
    Bryanslady Posts: 161 Member
    You just don't give up. I use affirmations and quotes to help out ,here are a few.

    It's not whether you get knocked down, its whether you get back up.

    Success doesn't come to you, you go to it !

    Success is not a race ,be patient !

    The first and best victory is to conquer self !

    Believe in yourself !

    I just started my weight loss journey, But so far these are working for me.

    I am the only one that can make the change !!!
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    You have 80lbs to lose, and you are trying to survive on 1200 cals a day!! Recipe for serious failure! It will not work! I have ten lbs to lose, and I eat 2000 cals a day....
    Go take a look at the eat more to weigh less group - if you up your calories you won't be starving and won't have the urge to binge...
    Please take the time to look at that group - you will not be sorry, and you will be successful!
  • xsaribarix
    xsaribarix Posts: 26 Member
    You have 80lbs to lose, and you are trying to survive on 1200 cals a day!! Recipe for serious failure! It will not work! I have ten lbs to lose, and I eat 2000 cals a day....
    Go take a look at the eat more to weigh less group - if you up your calories you won't be starving and won't have the urge to binge...
    Please take the time to look at that group - you will not be sorry, and you will be successful!

    I did, and sadly there is no new information. My BMR is still 1,247 as I am only 4'9" tall. :|
  • CaSome11
    CaSome11 Posts: 38 Member
    I do the same thing! I'll have a really good week, and then the weekend comes and I binge like crazy! I think I am trying to subconsciously sabotage myself. Working on getting back on track right now.
  • maciec
    maciec Posts: 10 Member
    This happens to me when I am not totally committed. I can say that I am all that I want, but there is a definite difference when I am truly committed and when I just say I am.. It's hard to explain. You can do this, you can. You just have to find what works for you. Counting calories may not be the way for you to start out. It wasn't for me. I did Weight Watchers first. I found that Weight Watchers was easier actually than counting calories. I got very hung up in the numbers when I started my weight loss journey. Once I really was really into dieting I began doing the Couch to 5K progam and now I have switched over to counting calories. I am only really on day 3 I think eve though my journal here goes back much much further. I guess what I am saying is that MFP isn't for everyone just starting out. Weight loss and getting fit is hard, but you can do it if you put your mind to it!
  • bilzprincess
    bilzprincess Posts: 107 Member
    Don't accept the new habit of "every three days I binge". If u pursue it, won't ur brain think it's a goal? Routine cld be your best friend or worst enemy. What about waking everyday at same time as if u hv to go to a place...and make that place a very long walk?I just know I get in behavior ruts and it makes me slack.
  • LindaLouLu
    LindaLouLu Posts: 271 Member
    You have 80lbs to lose, and you are trying to survive on 1200 cals a day!! Recipe for serious failure! It will not work! I have ten lbs to lose, and I eat 2000 cals a day....
    Go take a look at the eat more to weigh less group - if you up your calories you won't be starving and won't have the urge to binge...
    Please take the time to look at that group - you will not be sorry, and you will be successful!

    I did, and sadly there is no new information. My BMR is still 1,247 as I am only 4'9" tall. :|

    Check out Fat2Fit.com?
    Put your current stats in their calculator and see what they say. At 5'9" and 160, to survive a coma my BMR is 1500+change and during super active phases it's closer to 3000. I'd have to guess and say you're under eating even if you think you aren't right now.
    Also, try changing your loss goals to a smaller number per week.
    Big changes have a tendency to freak us out. Don't try and do it all at once. Pick one thing to work on at a time. My big issue was breakfast. Had to teach myself to actually EAT in the morning. Took about 4 weeks to get the hang of it. Now I think I'm going to die of starvation if I go more than half an hour with no food after I get up.
    Anyway, not trying to "preach" to you, just give some suggestions and personal experience.
    Best of luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    You can't think of it as a diet you have to take the bull by the horns and make a lifestyle change all together. (in my opinion)

    It seems like maybe you need to eat more ( I know this sounds ridiculous ) , have 5 small meals a day ... at 3 hour intervals, when you wake up have breakfast within 1 hour of waking up. Don't wait 2 or 3 hours your body is starving for nutrients from not eating for 8 hours. this will boost your metabolism and you will lose weight just simply from eating less but more often. (If your not hungry within the first hour ... to bad eat, your body needs it your minds just not use to it). After a day or 2 you'll find your starving around that 3 hour mark and have to eat.

    I could give you more advice but I'm not sure what your current diet is like and what you are "binging" to on your off days. And to be honest I'm not even sure how to check this is my 2nd day on the site and I just found the forums like 10 mins ago lol. Something that helped me concur my drinking problem was watching this video everyday ... every time I felt like a drink ... Maybe you can use it to help you with your binging idk. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4b4DJFStVQ&sns=fb
  • Elena1964
    Elena1964 Posts: 4
    Read everything that you ranted about and make the change for YOU. You have to make this happen. You can really do it. No excuses to binge. Find healthy snacks. Carrots are my favorite now. Wake up and drink water first, eat meats, vegies and fruits. Stay away from breads and pasta they make you want to crave later. Take a deep breath and go for a walk. Track your meals and make it fun and act like your working. When you see what your eating you'll also see what kind of day your going to have and you can just walk to use more calories during the day. Make this fun and you will see a change and its gets exciting when you see results and feel better about yourself. Read Eat Right For Your Bloodtype or just look up blood type diet and you will be amazed on how foods effect our bodies. I was really sick and in alot of pain,gained weight the last couple years and now I feel so much better and Im pain free and losing weight. Good Luck
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    So you have a low BMR. Me too. Do youknow what your TDEE is?

    If you're having impulse control issues, I would suggest making small changes first. For instance, decide to change what food is allowed into the house. You can't eat what you don't have. Do that for a few weeks, until it becomes habit. Then decide to be diligent about drinking water, and to drink a glass first, then wait 10 minutes before eating if you are eating for the sake of it, and not because you're hungry. Keep adding healthier habits so that they become more sustaining.

    One other thing you can do is to log the food you plan to eat before you eat it. That will show you what the bottom line is for the food choices you make. Everone has bad days. Don't let one bad day or one bad meal derail you. That would be a real shame.
  • SoozeE512
    SoozeE512 Posts: 439 Member
    I'm in agreement with those who suggest finding a routine for yourself. I know that can be tough when you don't have a job but the routine doesn't necessarily have to mean getting up at the same time every day and going to bed at the same time every day -- if you just make planning your meals and snacks ahead of time a routine, that would be a good start.

    I took a peak at your diary and noticed that when you eat lots of veggies, your day generally seems to end up with better numbers. Veggies are healthy, filling, low / no sodium (if you're eating fresh or frozen), low sugar / natural sugar, and definitely will be a great aid in your weight loss journey.

    I think a big change you could make is cutting out creams / spreads / gravies / etc. Knowing the difference between the healthy and non-healthy fats that you're putting in your body is really important. The type of fat you are getting from those items is saturated which make your blood thick and makes it more difficult for your heart to pump the blood through your body. Start checking for food items that promote polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, or antioxidants to improve your blood flow which will in turn help you lose weight. If anything has any amount of trans fat (anything hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated) on the label, avoid it. Trans fats are the absolute least healthy fats.

    Also, learn from the foods/drinks you've previously logged. If something was loaded with sodium, limit it and force yourself to drink more water when you eat foods with sodium. Or, instead of using salad dressing which has a lot of sodium, use olive oil which has no sodium and also has lots of healthy fats (don't be afraid of fats in general, fats do have their function, you just have to choose the ones that your body needs, not the ones that your body craves).

    Cut down on all of your drinks and stick to lowfat dairy and WATER. Don't drink fruit juices which are loaded with sugar and oftentimes have added sugars -- choose the actual fruit over the juice, the fruit may have a lot of sugar, but it will be natural sugar and probably about 1/2 the amount in the juice. Also, the fruit itself will be more filling than the drink. Diet soda is a controversial topic but regardless of whether or not it helps or hurts weight gain, the fact is that your body simply doesn't need it, so don't drink it.

    Plan ahead. Stick to the "My Plate" diet which is like the new Food Pyramid:

    - Veggies (buy a bunch at the start of the week, cut them up and stick them in containers in your fridge and then you'll always have them prepared for quick go-to snacks when you want something to munch on)
    - Fruits
    - Whole Grains
    - Lean Meats and Nuts/ Seeds
    - Lowfat Dairy

    Allow yourself to cheat a little everyday with something extra that you enjoy, but limit the amount of calories / fats / sodium you cheat with. Make your cheats a part of your plan. 1,200 seems really low as far as calories go (if I go under 1,200 a day, MFP tells me I'm not eating enough to fuel my body, and I suspect it's the same for everyone). Maybe try 1,300 or 1,400 instead but make sure to fill them up with good, healthy, natural choices!
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    You have 80lbs to lose, and you are trying to survive on 1200 cals a day!! Recipe for serious failure! It will not work! I have ten lbs to lose, and I eat 2000 cals a day....
    Go take a look at the eat more to weigh less group - if you up your calories you won't be starving and won't have the urge to binge...
    Please take the time to look at that group - you will not be sorry, and you will be successful!

    I did, and sadly there is no new information. My BMR is still 1,247 as I am only 4'9" tall. :|

    Well, then you still need to eat more - if you are sendentary - as in not doing any exercise and sitting on your bum all day, your TDEE is 1496 - if you take 15% off that, you can eat 1271 cals per day...

    If you can exercise, which I think you said you do, you can eat 1457 cals a day - and that is if you are lightly active...

    If you exercise 3-5 hours per week, you can bump that up to eating 1642 cal per day and not eating your exercise cals back.....

    I think you will find that if you eat protein rich food, good fats and lots of fruit and veggies, you won't have too many urges to binge on 1642 cals a day!
    Good luck!