Help, I keep sabotaging my week!

LioshaM
LioshaM Posts: 129 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I have this problem,

I have a great week, I work out several times from Monday to Thursday, but when Friday hits, something evil clicks. I feel the need to "reward" my great week with a slice of cake and ice cream. This is how I convince myself I'm OK: for dinner, I have a salad, and then I go to the very familiar table at the check out counter where they have individual slices of cake. Then I mosey on down to the ice cream section and buy a small (6 oz) container of Eddy's ice cream, wait for my two little ones to go to sleep and I enjoy me treat while scanning Facebook.

I felt it happening again. I saw two small cookies and usually that's how it starts.

I don't want to do this again. Have you ever had this problem? What did you do to overcome?

Replies

  • MissStatement
    MissStatement Posts: 92 Member
    Honestly, I don't try to overcome it. If at the end of my week I've tallied a 3500 calorie deficit, including whatever indulgences I may have had, then I'm OK with it. If I were a competitive body builder or model I would stress over a weekly piece of cake or a bowl of ice cream. I'm not, and if I couldn't have one or two "bad" things each week I would be less likely to make the effort to be "good" the other six days.

    Think about it this way, you ate and exercised your way to a 4,500 calorie deificit for the week. Having a piece of cake or an ice cream cone would add back probably 300? 600 if it's a huge piece of cake? You've still created a deficit over time and will still lose a pound for the week. Think of it not as sabotage, but as sanity :)
  • stfuriada
    stfuriada Posts: 445 Member
    http://www.frugalphillymom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/reward-with-food.jpg

    Is my mentality.

    Also, STAY AWAY FROM TEMPTATION. Stop going to the ice cream and cake sections of the grocery if you know you have no self control.

    Learn to control, or portion control, if you really can't avoid it. Having some is fine, MODERATION IS KEY. Stop making excuses.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Two pieces of advice I'd give, not knowing anything else about your situation. First, find a way to reward yourself without food. I give myself a sticker on the calendar every day that I'm good. It's silly, but it's a small daily reward and a visual reminder of the days I cheat so I can keep them to a minimum. Maybe there's something out there you want that you can use as a reward instead if you skip the ice cream?

    Two, I'd suggest thinking about whether or not there's something else behind those cravings. I get pretty self-sabotage-y when I'm dieting and that's usually what my cheats are about. Emotion trumps willpower every time for me, so I have to be in the right emotional state to stick to my diet. Obviously I don't know anything about you or situation, so this second bit of advice may not apply, but it might be worth consideration.
  • BomberGirlFit
    BomberGirlFit Posts: 3 Member
    As an athlete and nutrition/fitness guru as well as a food lover I am pretty familiar with this cycle. However, you are not sabotaging your week, and if you think of it that way you probably eat more because you feel you've already ruined it. You are allowed cheat meals, preferably one a week. Friday is a great one because you have been working so hard all week. I call them "fatty fridays."

    With that said, if you are eating a clean diet, with foods that keep you full and have useful calories, you will eventually lose the urge to binge. I know it seems foreign but it happens. Don't worry, I'm not a saint, I don't know that I will ever lose the desire for a dark chocolate square (which is a great sub for cake by the way), but the desires do come less frequently as time goes on.

    Remember, by cutting out those foods your body was addicted to it is going through withdrawals, be reasonable.
  • ndblades
    ndblades Posts: 233 Member
    I hear your pain! I have struggled with simiilar things -- here is a few of my successes:

    1) A drink -- ok- I'm not a drinker by any means, but I found those nights where I am making supper in a frenzy with hungry kids, I nibble and munch too many calories. Finally I decided to grab a 5oz glass of wine (100) calories. It calms me down and satisfies my appetite at the same time. I dont' do this every night, but when I feel frazzled I grab that instead of 400 calories of food -- it helps!

    2) once supper is done, I log my food and "total for the day" -- that way it has shown up on my post, and when I think I want some snack - I think - ugh, I don't want to have to log in and "re-post" for the day, so I avoid it!

    3) Plan your BAD food, just like your good food. If you know Friday you want a reward, plan ahead what you will eat, how much, and what you have to eat or exercise BEFORE you eat that treat so that it won't through you off target. I think we are all good about planning what healthy thing and what exercise we are doing, plan for the bad as well --- this isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle!

    Good luck!
  • Young28
    Young28 Posts: 57 Member
    This is the story of my life! Lol. Its not too bad if its only 1 small slice of cake and 6 oz. of icecream once a week. As long as you are keeping up with your exercise and staying within your calories the rest of the week....in my opinion.:happy:
  • AwesomelyAmber
    AwesomelyAmber Posts: 1,617 Member
    I hear your pain! I have struggled with simiilar things -- here is a few of my successes:

    1) A drink -- ok- I'm not a drinker by any means, but I found those nights where I am making supper in a frenzy with hungry kids, I nibble and munch too many calories. Finally I decided to grab a 5oz glass of wine (100) calories. It calms me down and satisfies my appetite at the same time. I dont' do this every night, but when I feel frazzled I grab that instead of 400 calories of food -- it helps!

    2) once supper is done, I log my food and "total for the day" -- that way it has shown up on my post, and when I think I want some snack - I think - ugh, I don't want to have to log in and "re-post" for the day, so I avoid it!

    3) Plan your BAD food, just like your good food. If you know Friday you want a reward, plan ahead what you will eat, how much, and what you have to eat or exercise BEFORE you eat that treat so that it won't through you off target. I think we are all good about planning what healthy thing and what exercise we are doing, plan for the bad as well --- this isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle!

    Good luck!

    ^^^This is fabulous!
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