I went to my health check yesterday. I was a bit worried about weight gain (not exercising and regular ice-creams over the summer). I had gained a couple of pounds. I was happy it wasn’t more, but found myself wanting to restrict today to get back to original number. I went for a run, so made sure to have a protein shake after, and the leftovers from last night that I had for lunch were small (I was planning to just have that), so I had some fruit as well. Reminding myself to focus on the big picture of balanced and reasonable lifestyle rather than numbers on a scale.
@Jana1988 There is never a good or bad time to go cold turkey on sugar when it comes to external circumstances. But it has to be a good time for you. So if this is the time you want to ditch sugar, pick up the fight and do it. If this is not the right time for you, then don’t. The right time will come @Misokatsu I believe being aware of these kinds of thoughts and thought patterns around weight and behaviour is the most important part of recovery. The number on the scale does not say much about your health or well being. Great job on awareness
63 days no takeaways.
59 days no ice cream.
2 days no sugar.
0 days no crisps, no binge-eating.
This morning is not so nice, because I did binge crisps last night. The addict in my head is so loud when it wants something, and convinces me I need crisps to watch TV on my phone, on my bed. Despite being able to watch those 2 final episodes of the programs I was watching earlier this year, it was not enough to silence him. I know that continuing to “give in” is perpetuating the behaviour, and the voice too, but when I can’t sleep, it’s like I have no control whatsoever.
The voice is also telling me to stop checking-in here due to the shame, until I’ve built up a week streak or something, but really, I think it’s good to remain accountable, even when I’m not doing well.
One positive is that I didn’t buy or eat anything obviously sugary. There were items in my basket, from the reduced to clear section, but I put them back. Then I went to look at their desserts options, and lingered there for a while, but I managed to walk away.
Also, I’ve been listening to an audiobook called ‘defeat your cravings’. As much as it all makes sense, as with other recovery related books I’ve read or listened to, I think it all has an opposite effect on me, and actually makes me crave.
Stop listening to those voices. Here is where you should be. You don’t always see me but I am with you everyday and read your posts. I cannot offer advice on your bingeing but thinking QUIT GOING DOWN DESSERT AND CRISP AISLE! Put blinders on. Keep fighting!
I have a day and 11 hours without binging. I didn’t eat in the way I would like to and I still overate yesterday in the evening. I may reset my clock because of it. I just want to get it right
But today I listened a podcast “Defeat your cravings” which I found after reading your previous post and I quite like it so far. Especially an episode 2 called “How to escape common food thinking traps” was very insightful for me and I shall listen to this one again. The episode gave me lots of hope that cravings are ot only possible to over come but it also gets easier eventually as opposed to being constantly tortured when acting on them
I also do my best to do the mindful meditation recommended by @acromouse and I like it
@Jana1988 wow, I didn’t know there was a podcast too, I’ll listen to that as well. It gives me hope too
65 days no takeaways.
61 days no ice cream.
4 days no sugar.
0 days no crisps, no binge-eating.
I’m really struggling to fall asleep this week, I have always suffered with insomnia to varying degrees since I was a child, so I know it will pass I just hope it’s soon, as it seems to be the determining factor as to whether I binge or not.
Resetting my clock now.
I went to exercise class with my friend today and I didn’t eat my dinner because I didn’t want to feel sick during the class. So I just binged now. Not badly but I am not exactly happy about it either
I don’t think I can do exercise in the evenings. I usually fail with food afterwards and I was too hungry to not to eat at all
66 days no takeaways.
62 days no ice cream.
5 days no sugar.
0 days no crisps, no binge-eating.
I’ve finished the ‘defeat your cravings’ audiobook, and I’ve made a committment to myself that I will not binge again. I’ve had no control at all this week, willpower and determination have been nowhere to be found. I’ve only had 3 semi-successful attempts, the first ever one was for 2 months in 2018, then at the beginning of this year, 56 days, then until this past week or two, 34 days.
I already feel sad and depressed, but I just have to ride it out and stay strong, and it will pass.
Good morning,
Today I woke up with the same thought like the one I have lately every morning… “Oh no, I binged again, yesterday.” It’s an unpleasant feeling of a failure first thing after I just opened my eyes. I remember my thoughts from when I didn’t binge the previous day and how great that felt!
So today, I decided to have a slow morning and allowed myself an extra hour of sleep. I wrote my diary whilst having a coffee, did my daily mindful meditation and then listened to an episode 2 from a new podcast which I mentioned here before for a couple of times.
The most successful people are those who had the most failures
You have to keep trying for as long until you get what you want - don’t give up (if a baby stopped trying to stand up and walk after many unsuccessful attempts, we would never walk, children would never learn to ride a bike, etc.)
You couldn’t so you can’t and you can’t until you can; The route to permanent success goes through repeated failure
Instead of beating yourself up, ask yourself: What did I do right? What will I do better next time? (It’s good to write your answers down, because it distracts you from eating more)
Some food (e.g. biscuits) still have some micro nutritions, so when you eat them, your brain starts to panic that it wants more nutritions, instead of craving nutritionally rich food, it will crave more of the biscuits because it’s distracted by their taste and that’s why you can’t stop eating them
→ as unnatural as it can feel, you can intervene this by eating some vegetables
People believe the idea that it’s too hard to overcome cravings (now and future ones), and if you try, you’ll be tortured forever, so it’s easier to give in
→ it can’t be hard forever because our brain doesn’t like wasting energy (that’s why we binge on autopilot). So if you don’t act on your cravings, they will go eventually away
→ it takes approximately between 21-30 times to have less cravings from a habit which you used to enforce on daily basis (e.g. driving every day around a pizza place and stopping each time to have a pizza)
When you’re exposed to something new, you will experience it with the highest intensity which will lower with every each day you’re repeating it (e.g. the chocolate taste awesome the first day, but less and less as awesome as it did more you eat it, eventually people claim that they need the chocolate just to feel normal)
It works the other way too, if you stop eating chocolate, it takes approximately 68 weeks until your taste adjusts and you get more intensive taste from natural sugars (e.g. from fruit and vegetables)
The journey isn’t like walking down the mountain when you’re descending all the time, don’t expect have less cravings in each day, learn that it will be challenging and have a plan how to overcome the cravings (e.g. eat enough nutrients, eat enough calories, plan your meals in advance, social more…etc.)
Remember that the only way how to keep cravings forever is to keep indulging them
There’s not a 100% right diet, you must find your own way, but better than changing diets too often is to stick with one for at least a month or two (the most suitable one) and then do small adjustments to it. If you’re changing your diet too often you are distracted by it and keep binging in between the diets
The grass isn’t greener at the other side but there whre there’s water
Don’t start tomorrow, next week, etc. Start TODAY as it’s the only time that is.
If you’re postponing the start, you’re re-enforcing the thought to occur again and the cravings
@Jana1988 This is some very usefull stuff. I think I am going to reach for that book/podcast. Thanks for writing all that down for us
About eating and exercise: I know the problem. What helps me a bit, is to eat a smaller meal or have a smoothy/shake in advance. Even if this is not a whole meal, it will not ruin my class and I won’t feel like a starving T-Rex afterwards.
