Fallen off the healthy eating wagon! Ahh!

[Suzanne123]

I had been doing great, eating loads of veg and drinking water but the last two days I seem to be trying to reverse all my good work!  I have had Burger King and chocolate by the ton!  What is going on??   I have gone mad for grease and sugar.   I need to get refocused and back on the veggies again...

[MikeBuck]

Its hard.  I have problems when those around me are eating garbage.  I have to just look at a meal at a time.  Get me through breakfast.  Then get me past the donuts someone brought to work.  No, I don't want to go out for pizza for lunch (right?).  There's cake in the breakroom for someones birthday.  Do you want to go to Burger King for dinner. No!!!  We know what we should do but sometimes we don't do it.  What matter's is what we do after we stumble.  You can make excuses, I ate bad now so I might as well have bad food later also.  Or we can make the right choice and eat what we know we should.  So... get back on the **ahem** wagon and eat your carrot sticks.  Yes, a little ranch dressing won't kill you.

[SunsetRunner007]

It is HARD... One thing that has really helped me is to realize my eating poorly for a meal, a day, or a week only has the power I give it. What I mean is that is one  (or even a few) bad day of eating isn't going to ruin all of my hard work. It is a setback, but only for as long as I allow it to be. Try to learn from it and move FORWARD. You can NEVER change the past, but you can influence the future.

You can do this!

[lyro]

Yes, I too have suffered from eater's remorse.  The key is to not get derailed long term.  Have your bad day or days here or there and just keep logging your food.  It is important to own up to it and then move on.  If you find your strength and get back on track you will feel good and be proud that you did.  I find that when I feel like I have messed up and then get back on track, I come back even stronger.  Good luck...you can do it!!!

[Maxit]

"eaters' remorse" <---great term.  When I was PMSing, I would get grease/salt/chocolate cravings pretty predictably.  Back to veggies with ya 😄

[Wallyworldgal]

The thing that helps me is ALWAYS logging my calories. Even if I go to a fast food place and splurge I always log it so at the end of the day I know just how many calories I ate and try to at least break even. Also, when I do eat out I try to prepare before I go by looking online to see what lower calorie options there are so I will get a grilled chicken salad or will go with a basic cheeseburger rather than a quarter pounder and fries.

[SunsetRunner]

how dare you!!!  😉

Only human so don't beat urself up too much! 

My put, typically happens when one takes on a diet mentality -- depravation of the 'good' stuff creates the urge to binge out on the stuff you're not allowing yourself.

BUT, that said, going from eating SAD (Standard American Diet) to eating clean -- I think there's some additiction traits to processed foods/carbs.  Having access to them can trigger impulses/weaknesses.  Me, cookies...but I don't avoid them all together, just try to moderate it when they're around.

FYI, chocolate is not bad for you!  Esp for women apparently it has some additional benefits than it does for men.

But the downfall was pulling into that BK...that ones all you. 

Often is the case though that your cravings are linked to your body telling you it needs something that your past 2 days nutrition was lacking.  Without fiber, and good carbs/protein sources (quinoa, nuts, chia, etc.) you'll go into some pretty good withdrawals and your meals won't be satisfying your bodies needs.

By 'veggies' what kinds do you mean?  All veg aren't created equal.  And you can eat a ton of them without remose.  What is your usual meal plan?

(And -- seriously, let it go.  $hit happens to us all and we all have our vices.  Get back on that horse!!! We got your back!)

[betpchem]

I don't think it's possible to totally eliminate those "bad foods" from our diets. At least, I'm not capable of it. "Moderation in all things" is my motto. Depriving ourselves of stuff we like just leads to binges. So I say, it's okay to have stuff you know is bad for you once in a while. Just don't have too much of it, and don't make it all you eat. 

[mcfloozy]

You are not alone. One of my biggest challenges is getting up after falling down. And, Lord only knows I get enough practice falling down. The WORST thing (which I have practiced for years) is falling down, and giving up. I am trying hard to acknowledge that some of the decisions I made aren't the best. I try to notice how I feel. Do I have energy? a headache? stomach distress? hangover? I try to really notice the results of my bad decisions, and let that awareness help me make a better choice next time.

Falling down is normal. Accept yourself. Honor your effort. Hone your awareness, and maybe next time, you won't get tripped up by the same trap!

You CAN do this. We're all in it together. Creating a healthier world, one bite at a time.

[Anna]

This is something that happens to nearly everyone I think, it's really hard for me to work out why I sabbotage myself sometimes but, as mentioned in earlier posts it probably matters more that you acknowledge it and then let it go and move on. I'm much gentler on myself than I used to be when I slip up, even as the last of the too-many cookies goes down I think, okay, enough, shouldn't have done that but I have, too bad but from now, right now I'll get back to better habits (I don't, as a rule, try to make up for lost ground. I think that turns all too easily into feast and famine type cycles making myself overly hungry).

Chin up, all is not lost. You're in good company and clearly know how to do it right. Onward and upward!

[Suzanne123]

Thanks for all the motivation and good advice!  Had a much better day today.  Need to rememebr how much better I feel after eating healthy food, more energy, less letargic etc.  Also great to have such good fedback and know I am not alone in this. 

[keegansmommy]

I have found that simply not keeping unhealthy food in the house helps me. If it is not here, I have a harder time eating it as I have to go get it. Also, if you have not synced with My Fitness Pal I highly suggest it. Just logging my food BEFORE I eat has a huge impact. 

Now I will say I look at the total calories allowed, which for me is 1800 and MFP will give me calories back due to fitbit activity and I do not eat them. I just look at my total for the day and eat those, maybe a bit more if I am really hungry,

Also a trainer at the gym told me to eat 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat and that seems to be helping me. I am down almost 20 pounds since March 3. 

[fccsret]

It happens to all of us.  The thing to remember is that it takes time for something to become habit.  By maintaining a healthy meal plan it will get easier.  Occasionlly reward yourself with something you enjoy as special treat but watch the portion size.  I have found that when you completely deprive yourself of everything that causes the major cravings.

You mention veggies.  What about fruits?  Fruits make a good snack and can help fill you up with their fiber content.  

I find avoiding things with artificial sweeteners helps also.  

What are you doing for exercise?  Find ways to distract yourself when the cravings hit.

Most importantly, don't beat yourself up when things don't go according to plan.  We all have our moments.  Just remember the progress you've made and the commitment to yourself to live a healthier life.

[Kaes]

Don't beat yourself up!
And don't focus on the negative.
Refocus on the reason why you were eating healthy and exercising. Check to see if there has been any recent change or stressors in your life that may have triggered your recent slip.
Then take the slip as an experience and move on! Get back on track and tweak your exercise routine to balance yourself out.  To stay motivated, change around your diet because you have food fatigue and got sick of eating the same item over an over.  To stay on tra look at pictures of your progress, change up your workout music,  try on all the clothes that fit you now!  Remember that you have come this far so don't give up now.

[SunsetRunner]

Good responses from the community!!!   🙂

Just listened to podcast today on way to dog walk/hike at Castlewood Canyon.

One option....every 10-15 days (no more than 2x per month)....set your goals to give yourself an 'earned' meal.  4hrs for eating crap.  We know we all have our vices!!!  🙂

But, key is to earn it.  Set a reward date...today is 24 August so for examples sake, set it for 3 Sept (radom, would be better to me to set it for like Labor Day)...that said.  Between now and then, eat clean.  eat lean.  To get to that earned meal, set high but achievable goals, for example, if you're easily knocking out 10,000 step days, between now and goal day you MUST make 12,500 steps per day.  I'll up the challenge, starting tomorrow, how many pushups can you do?  Then by 'earned' meal day, you have to do >5 to get your earned day.

Get it?  Set a goal.....push for it.  Reach it.  Reward.  (theory is, that as you progress in eating clean, eating lean...inspite of the brain's messages that I want to eat ________ (pizza, burger, oreos, etc....)....your body will grow to reject the crap.  Upset stomach.  Low energy.  Diarhea.)

But Goal/reward mentality will get established. 

It is a 'diet' that prevents you from having 3 friggin oreos for dessert.  A 'lifestyle' allows you to plan ahead, healthy breakfast, lunch, long walk with some other exercise (pushups, chair squats, yoga, etc.) reasonable dinner....EARN dessert!!! 

Scratches that 'itch' for the bad stuff....but still allows it....

[Jacky1957]

Hi Sue,

I am having serious issues with dieting and nutrition. Before my heart surgery I was around 180-185. After my weight was 159 and I was walking all the time. I did fall off track I started drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Since last july I've been alcohol free I quit smoking maybe 6 or 7 months ago. Right now my weight is at 209-210.ever since Market Basket been on strike I have not don't a full shopping. Another thing is I live 2 minutes from a dozen different restaurants. Honestly in the end if I don't change my diet and nutrition it could kill me. Perhaps I should become a vegetarian and throw in some baked chicken. Honestly I have no idea what I am doing. I just started walking again I am only up to 4 to 5 thousand steps a day. Anyway if you can sheed some light on this subject it be appreciated thank you

[mcfloozy]

Keep that focus. And reading this thread helps ME keep a focus.

We can do this, and we all struggle. Doing a good shopping must be a help, but I too am a disorganized shopper.  You might enjoy the Engine 2 Diet. This is an amazing book about being healthy, eating well, while being vegan. No need for the chicken, to be honest.

I'm not strictly vegan, but do aspire to that. That was when I felt the healthiest.

Now that I've said that, why don't I do it? We sabotage ourselves with rationales, inconvenience, and social norms. Every day, I try to be mindful. That's a start.

Your focus is good. Keep it up.

[Suzanne123]

Hi Jackie,  I feel your frustration.  I started in Feb with my fitbit and was only managing 2 to 4000 steps a day.  I am now averaging about 72,000 a week.  Little by little.  take the long way around where possible!  As a healthy diet, I am back logging what I eat which if I am honest with myself really shows up where  and what times of the day I am snacking.  I am using a smaller plate for meals and not limiting my veg.  I dont think you need to be a vegatarian but the more vegatables the better.  If you enjoy meat stick to lean grilled meat.  I also try to cook from real ingredients, I shop on Sat and spend a couple of hours cooking three or four meals for the freezer for the week.  Means coming home from work I have dinner ready and try to avoid tucking in to the biscuit tin.  Since Feb I have lost 14 lbs and could really do with losing another 14.  I am trying to tell myself to be patient, that this is a lifestyle change and slow and steady will do the trick.  Changing habits is certainly not an easy job!  I have been studying change as part of my job and the two things you need for any change is a sence of urgency (which you have for your good health) and a vision of where you want to be. 

[betpchem]

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@Suzanne123 wrote:

Hi Jackie,  I feel your frustration.  I started in Feb with my fitbit and was only managing 2 to 4000 steps a day.  I am now averaging about 72,000 a week.  Little by little.  take the long way around where possible!  As a healthy diet, I am back logging what I eat which if I am honest with myself really shows up where  and what times of the day I am snacking.  I am using a smaller plate for meals and not limiting my veg.  I dont think you need to be a vegatarian but the more vegatables the better.  If you enjoy meat stick to lean grilled meat.  I also try to cook from real ingredients, I shop on Sat and spend a couple of hours cooking three or four meals for the freezer for the week.  Means coming home from work I have dinner ready and try to avoid tucking in to the biscuit tin.  Since Feb I have lost 14 lbs and could really do with losing another 14.  I am trying to tell myself to be patient, that this is a lifestyle change and slow and steady will do the trick.  Changing habits is certainly not an easy job!  I have been studying change as part of my job and the two things you need for any change is a sence of urgency (which you have for your good health) and a vision of where you want to be. 

---

Nicely said, Suzanne!

[Wiwina]

Hi, keep it up! i was so good past 2 weeks and I gain my lost weight in last 3 days:( ugh... let's start again and be stronger!!!