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Emotional Starvation
Since I started ordering the food, my focus is not on food anymore. So when I'm mad I can't just open the fridge and eat. When I'm anxious, I can't just open the fridge and eat. With this plan comes other issues. I have focus on my emotions and what drives me to eat when I am truly not hungry. I now have to deal with some really hard and raw emotional issues. When I'm lonely I can't just open the fridge and eat. It difficult. I also think that is the down fall of most my diets. Emotionally I starve myself. Physically sustained, but emotionally starved. This week, I have been totally off the plan. I have 14 meals waiting. But this week, emotionally sucked, so I ate and ate. Now what do I do? I go back to the plan, but then what? What happens when I get pissed off and want to eat a pint of ice cream ( Ben and jerrys chunky monkey) ? How do I prevent emotional starvation?
Spring Break Self-Sabotage!
Man, oh man, but I struggled over my Spring Break cruise and was wondering if anyone else felt the same way. I don't know why I used this vacation as a license to eat poorly, but I did, even though I didn't feel good about my body out by the pool. This has been my problem with sticking to a diet in the past, a few slips and I figure I might as well just forget it, even though I know that I would just feel so much better healthwise and confidence wise if I lost weight. All my friends ate healthfully, why couldn't I? But alas I let the cruise buffet win.
I came home itching for my D2G meals. I am trying to tell myself to get back into the saddle, to let go of the guilt, and to do better next time. Coming home to D2G meals in the fridge has already helped, and I feel determined to let the program work for me, because I know how I felt when I followed the plan closely, and I saw the results on the scale. Nowhere to go from here but down (on the scale!). Thanks D2G!
Give yourself a break - you were on a cruise!
I hear the echoes of my own perfectionism in what you said. I was always one of those people who was either perfect, or unworthy. Since it is impossible to be perfect (unless you are the Almighty), I suggest you accept that you are always doing the very best that you can - regardless of the conversations in your head OR other people's mouths.
Come to think of it, when Jesus was among us as a man, even he wasn't "perfect" - in Gethsemane, he asked God if he couldn't avoid the horrible fate that was upon him. That's human, not perfect. The perfection lay in his accepting what had to be. What some would call the "imperfection" is his wanting to avoid it. Really, can you be more perfect than Jesus? That is heresy. Sorry for the religious digression, but it is Holy Week for the Christians.
You were on a CRUISE - a 24 hour restaurant with really really good food - if it is like the cruises I've been on you were in being flooded with temptation - and all for free. Of course, you overindulged. If your friends did not overindulge (which I am suspicious of - did you watch them 24 hrs a day?), then hooray for them, they are in a different place than you are. Hooray for you for making all the efforts that you made - even if you weren't perfect! You were the best you could be in those circumstances and that's all there is to it.
It's a great sign that you were itching for your D2G meals. It means that your body is getting accustomed to eating in a healthy way. Maybe you should plan a cheat every other day - a mini-sundae, a couple Hershey kisses, whatever is your favorite thing. Then you could see how that works. 100 calories of anything can't erase the good you are doing.
Sorry for going on and on. Good luck. By the way, I've lost 35 pounds in my imperfect way. It does work.
Christine
Good advice Christine!
Wow, you've dropped 35 pounds? Congratulations. Would you be interested in a "success story" with me, John McGran, Diet-to-Go's chief editor? If so, please drop me a line at jmcgran@diettogo.com.
And thanks again for taking the time to post here!
Start over
I believe your issue is the same for so many of us. I have come to my own conclusion that any thing in your life that you overindulge with is a symptom from other causes. Although over eating is not as destructive as other addictions it still not good for you. Forcing yourself to deal with the cause is not easy when you diet, but if you keep fighting for yourself for a better life then you will find the strength to achieve your goal. I would suggest journaling. I know it may seem silly that writing will help, but it allows you to put some words to your feelings (try writing an email to yourself if you don't like pen and paper). I find that if I read how I react to a situation I mind find the root cause to my problems.
If you find yourself 'falling off the horse', dust yourself off, look back and say, "Well whatever I just did, it sure didn't work." If you don't know why just get back on the horse and keep moving forward. You will find your way as long as you keep going. Not to say too many cliches, but it is true that the only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Have faith in yourself that you will figure your emotional issues out. After all, if you really didn't have faith you would not have the desire to change.
seek help with emotional eating
According to weight loss experts like Dr. Roger Gould, emotional eating is the #1 saboteur of weight loss efforts. There are times when having the right food on hand just isn't enough to get a dieter to stick to a plan. I urge you to seek out the support that can help you get to the root of why you can't stick to a diet or why you binge.
You can start by reading the features Dr. Gould wrote for Diet-to-Go. They can be found at http://diettogo.com/blogs/dr-roger-gould
Good luck Jen.
emotional eating..other option
Hi Jen, I'm sorry for your struggle. I wanted to at least offer another option. If you are person of faith, or want to consider Faith in your life, "Thin Within" by Judy Halliday has really helped me with that side of my overweight situation. I have chosen Diet to go for conveinence as I stuggle with health issues and i want healthy choices in my fridge as I continue to work on my emotional eating issues! This is a book written by a Christian Woman and also an RN and her husband an MD. I know that there are other options out there in the world, but I just thought I'd mention that there are other ones too.
I lost 25 lbs going to God with my emotional needs and, using the incredible conveinence of the very "healthy choice" food from D2Go. I plan on finishing this and being a much more balanced, thinner person in the end.
I hope you find the best choices for you and that you will continue to press on and not give up.. you're worth it!
Linda Spangle has a couple of
Linda Spangle has a couple of books that deal with emotional eating you might be interested in.
1) Life Is Hard Food is Easy: The 5-Step Plan to Overcome Emotional Eating and Lose Weight on Any Diet, and
2) 100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan
I love Linda Spangle
In fact, as an editor in the diet business for 10 years now, I have worked with Linda on several occasions. Dr. Gould and Linda are two of many good choices out there. The point is you can get help for your emotional eating -- and you should do so. Good luck!