Low carb bingeing...why?

Hey, :wave_cry:

I've been thinking about this for a while and I don't know what to do, wondering if you ladies (and gents!) could impart some wisdom...

I am coming to the end of week 4 on LL (my session is on a tues night) and I am getting into a bad habit. Every tuesday night after my weigh in I binge on a whole box of Atkins breakfast bars (5 bars, 2grams of carbs each) and it doesnt even make me feel guilty!

It's what keeps me on the straight and narrow of abstinance 99% of the time, knowing I have that to look forward to. After I've done it I feel so much better too. I know I shouldn't, I know I should beat myself up about it abd try and change it, but I dont seem to be able to.

I'm not sure I could stick 100% to abstinance and by not allowing myself this low carb binge once a week I know I might end up having a mega CARB binge like in week 2 :cry:

It knocks me out of ketosis slightly, but I can get myself back in, in less than 24 hours. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and train hard. I know I am trying to justify this to myself, but really know in my heart I would fail if I didn't allow myself this moment of weakness every tuesday night.

Anyone been through this? Thanks

Chubby x
 
Hi Chubby,

Not been through this myself, but I would say that as you are asking for advice maybe you're not as comfortable with what you're doing as you think you are?

Have you spoken to your LLC? I would see what she/he has to say on the matter. If you don't want to tell them, then it probably means deep down you know that you shouldn't be doing this to yourself. It sounds like it is a form of sabotage and I just know that you WOULD be able to do the diet without this habit. I think making the commitment to doing this diet shows great strength of charater, of which you should be proud.

Please, please talk to your LLC about it.

Best wishes and hugs,

Carla
 
The blight of the bar!

Hi Soontobeskinny,

It sounds like "the weightwatchers phenomenon" to me. Get weighed in, have a good result and then straight down to the chippy! :D (I'd kill for Haddock and chips - and maybe a pea fritter!).

Do you buy the bars in preparation? Have you considered not getting them in?

It's great that you are still managing to lose weight but I think you know that allowing yourself a planned binge each week is not the way to go :sigh: .

It's not easy, is it? but I'm sure you'll work it out ;) X
 
Cor - FP - I had completely forgotten that I used to do that after my Sunday weigh-ins at WW! I used to figure that at as it was a week until anyone would know I could be as naughty as I liked on a Sunday and catch up the rest of the week. And then on Monday. And Wednesday. And so on.

But Carla - you may want to look at the Thought Records part of your green book and try to think about why you're doing it. You are being very controlled about it - but there's something going on and part of the LL journey is about getting to the bottom of this type of behaviour. Have you raised it with your group or LLC? (I know it can be hard)
 
Welcome! Umm...you kow the answer to this deep down! LL at this stage is about NOT eating! The reason for this is that it allows you to look at your behaviours and learn afresh about a new relationship with food. What you are doing is continuing to yoyo diet and on such a drastic regime going in & out of ketosis cant, in my opnion, be good for you! You can stick to this without the binges but you are choosing not to! I do wonder whether CD 790 I think its called where you have 2 packs and 1 meal a day may be better for you if you really dont think you can do it but then you will loose weight slower! You can do LL but it takes a huge focus and commitment and its not for everyone. Really its only you who can do it and lets face it you have to want to really badly to stick to it - the only way I have managed is to take it a day at a ime! At the end of the day you are paying £66 plus a lot more no doubt for the atkins stuff! Just aint worth the money if you're not going to stick to it!! Hope this doesent sound harsh? I just think you need to either change focus and stick to it or consider another option...big hugs :)
 
Hey, :wave_cry:

I've been thinking about this for a while and I don't know what to do, wondering if you ladies (and gents!) could impart some wisdom...

I am coming to the end of week 4 on LL (my session is on a tues night) and I am getting into a bad habit. Every tuesday night after my weigh in I binge on a whole box of Atkins breakfast bars (5 bars, 2grams of carbs each) and it doesnt even make me feel guilty!

Don't feel guilty about not feeling guilty!! Have you thought about how you can change this routine? Do you buy the bars straight after the class or do you already have them in preparation? How about having a lighterlife bar and a muffin, ( you could make the muffin before hand to have later?) I realize this isnt breaking the habbit because you're still eating after the group, but it's all lighterlife stuff so all ok)

It's what keeps me on the straight and narrow of abstinance 99% of the time, knowing I have that to look forward to. After I've done it I feel so much better too. I know I shouldn't, I know I should beat myself up about it abd try and change it, but I dont seem to be able to.

You'll suprise yourself, once you manage to break the routine, once you can do it again the next week... You don't have to beat yourself up about it. Have a look as to why you are doing it...Is it a reward for getting through the week? reward yourself with non food things instead....

I'm not sure I could stick 100% to abstinance and by not allowing myself this low carb binge once a week I know I might end up having a mega CARB binge like in week 2 :cry:
You wont know tho for certain unless you try it. Your'e a lot stronger than you think. If you can go 6 days without the Atkin bars,bet you could do 7 :)

It knocks me out of ketosis slightly, but I can get myself back in, in less than 24 hours. I go to the gym about 5 times a week and train hard. I know I am trying to justify this to myself, but really know in my heart I would fail if I didn't allow myself this moment of weakness every tuesday night.

Anyone been through this? Thanks

Chubby x
Breaking the boundaries set out, ie having things other than 4 foodpacks and water, can be a very slippery slope, as you may start to add in other things...

Perhaps you could think about this question, which I was once asked! 'What is it about Abstinenace You don't understand?'

Def have a chat with your Counsellor and group, and together you'll sort something out. She can't help you if she dosn't know!!

Hope you manage to find some answers

x

Remember too - 'Abstinenace is not forever, but the rewards will last you your lifetime' :D

Have a good weekend :)
 
Hi there.
I just want to say that I really sympathise with you. Don't feel bad - I am sure that most of us are 'guilty' of similar things ourselves and we all have things we could beat ourselves up about. The problem with eating the atkins bars, as I am sure you know, is that this means you haven't changed the way you feel about food emotionally, and this means (sorry to be blunt) that the weight will not stay off in the long run. It therefore is something that definitely does need to be dealt with and not ignored. You need to try to get into a new routine. Maybe you could arrange to meet up with a friend or something after your class so that it breaks your pattern of bingeing on bars. Or organising something else / giving yourself something else to look forward to that night. It will be hard, but you can do it!!! xx
 
Hi STBS
Hope you've got a lot from the helpful posts. I'd mirror a lot of Geri's comments...what would happen if you didn't have the bars? you really don't know until you try it!
After 4 weeks I bet there have been plenty of other challenges that you wouldnt have imagined previously that you could have done, but have now overcome. Make a list and I bet you'll be amazed!
I recently spent 10hours in business class on a flight in complete abstinence. I never EVER thought this would be possible, bearing in mind business class is almost like a lesson in force feeding and comfort eating. But I did it.
Please let us know how you're getting on. Lots and lots of luck :D
 
Hi Chubby

I want to echo everyone else's sentiments here, including the WW ritual. Been there, done that and the comments made me smile!

You're still at a relatively early stage of the programme - it probably doesn't feel like that now - but each week you will be given tools and techniques to help you with situations just like the one you describe.

Is it co-incidental that you binge after your LL session? Does it bring up difficult emotions for you that you have to suppress? Or, maybe that is not the case and you just time them strategically, hoping they won't show on next week's results!

The other thing that struck me was your comment:

I'm not sure I could stick 100% to abstinance and by not allowing myself this low carb binge once a week I know I might end up having a mega CARB binge like in week 2

For many of us, LL becomes so much more than a food diet. We learn about ourselves and to trust ourselves. I wonder if you don't believe that you can stick to abstinence 100% and therefore it's just as easy not to try 100%. For me, it was all about fear of failure and the fear was monumental (still is on some days); maybe YOU need to have faith in yourself that you can do it. No, correction, you ARE doing it.

Get out your green book, talk to your LLC and minimins and I hope you find a way to manage - without the bars, of course and without feeling deprived.

Let us know how you get on.

Take care.

Mrs L xxxxx
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your comments, I have to say I was nodding reading most of them. I know you're right.

I think the reason I do it after my LL sessions is because I know it gives me the most possible time for it not to make a difference on the scales for my next weigh in. I agree to WW phenomenon...I too did WW and after every weigh in would binge as a "reward" for being so strict the past week. Knowing that as long as I got straight back on the wagon the next morning, it was my version of damage control.

After reading all your posts I think I've finally come to a decision to wean myself off these binges. I know I can't go cold turkey because it will swing right round and hit me the ass and I know from previous experience - it'll blow bigtime and I'll fall off the wagon properly.

I have decided to try and buy the single Atkins bars rather than a multipack (otherwise you get the the "well I might aswell finish the box and then they're out of the way") then I can start to control the amount - rather than eating the whole box. I don't usually want anymore than two, but still eat the whole box!

Then I can go down to one bar, then hopefully the next week I can see if I can go without and just imagine how proud I'll be of myself - having not succumb to the urge to binge.

Thanks guys, without you lot. I think I might have continued with my planned binges, going back to hiding food, overeating for the sake of it and using food as an emotional comfort/crutch. I would have deluded myself that this was ok, as long as I was still losing weight but I have realised that losing weight is only one small part of my LL journey and unless I break this "habit" it will be with me forever and I then have no chance of a normal relationship with food.

I love this site - its my saviour - thank you guys!

Chubby x
 
After reading all your posts I think I've finally come to a decision to wean myself off these binges. I know I can't go cold turkey because it will swing right round and hit me the ass and I know from previous experience - it'll blow bigtime and I'll fall off the wagon properly.

I have decided to try and buy the single Atkins bars rather than a multipack (otherwise you get the the "well I might aswell finish the box and then they're out of the way") then I can start to control the amount - rather than eating the whole box. I don't usually want anymore than two, but still eat the whole box!

Then I can go down to one bar, then hopefully the next week I can see if I can go without and just imagine how proud I'll be of myself - having not succumb to the urge to binge.

Chubby x

Good Plan you have there :p Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.... :)
 
Sounds like a great plan :D
One of the biggest things to crack I've found is breaking the cycle around rewarding yourself with food. You will feel amazing when you've broken it.
Good luck and let us know how it goes :D
 
I've just caught up with this thread and it is full of great advice for you STBS. I can't add any more except to say, well done for taking the advice and finding a way to solve the dilemma.

It is vitally important for your long term success that you deal with this, as you know I think. I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your journey!
 
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