Weight-Loss Diet sabotage!

Weight-Loss
T

treehugger

New member
Does anyone sabotage their own diet when they see progress! I should stay completely away from the scale because as soon as I see some real loss, I go on a binge every time. I don't know why I do this, but I do it every time!

Does anyone else do this to themselves or am I just a big freakazoid!:banghead:
 
I have the same problem. I weigh in on Friday and then eat so much I can't believe it.
 
treehugger said:
Does anyone sabotage their own diet when they see progress! I should stay completely away from the scale because as soon as I see some real loss, I go on a binge every time. I don't know why I do this, but I do it every time!

Does anyone else do this to themselves or am I just a big freakazoid!:banghead:
Click to expand...

OMG do I ever.... its been a battle with me forever. When I get near 300lbs I want to go eat... I seem to just get under a few and self sabotage soon after.
I am trying sooooooo freaking hard to push through it but am trying to break the cycle. You are not alone
 
Yeah, definitely a bad habit of mine. I tend to look at my progress and think, oh I did so well this week that ... whatever ... won't hurt. And then I go overboard. A habit I'm trying to break! :)
 
I did do that, now seems I have gone the other way with not enough calories. Either way I know it is wrong way wrong and it is sabatage because I know better!!:svengo:

Also my wonderful husband tries to sabatage and I LET myself be sabataged. I wish he would get on the band wagon with me and lose weight.......
 
The issue underlying the sabotage is a faulty belief. When you think of yourself as an "overweight individual who has dropped a few pounds" you still see yourself as an "overweight individual" our beliefs have the power to create evidence. Tell me where I'm wrong, but I suspect you still think of yourself as an overweight individual. If you are wondering what the alternative thought is, here it is: think of yourself as a healthy individual becoming leaner and fitter. This will only work if you believe this is true (positive thoughts are only as powerful to the extent that they are true for YOU). So if you believe you are healthy, this thought should feel at least a little better than the thought "I'm an overweight individual." If you have a hard buying that you're a healthy individual, perhaps you can just see yourself as an individual (drop the overweight part). The thing with our belief systems is that our belief systems seek proof. If you believe you can't lose weight, or that it is a struggle, that will be what is reflected to you in reality (as in this case, you lose a few pounds, your belief system says "that's not possible, remember, you can't lose weight!" oh yeah, I better go eat and put on some pounds . . .this is usually unconscious thinking, btw).

Another example of this belief seeking proof situation would be someone who believes they will never have enough money, even when they win the lottery, sign a huge record contract, etc., over time their reality catches up with their belief system that they are poor--their belief system causes them to act in ways that fall in alignment with someone who has little or no money. Sabotage. Same goes for someone who attempts to stop smoking, if they see themselves as a smoker who hasn't smoked in a month, that is very different from seeing themselves as a non-smoker. Non-smokers don't smoke, smokers smoke.

So, you must first change your belief that you are an overweight person. Can you absolutely know that you are an overweight individual? Maybe you are a lean, fit person who has just put on some weight. Challenge your beliefs and thoughts, especially the ones that cause you the most stress and anxiety. The scale is not driving you to eat, your weight is not driving you to eat--your THOUGHTS about what you make the number on the scale mean creates a feeling (and, I daresay, not a good feeling) that is driving you to eat. Most likely, your binge-driving thoughts are not totally conscious thoughts--drive them out and question them, I cannot tell you how liberating this process is. The key to lasting weight loss isn't primarily what's on or missing from your plate, it resides in your mind as a thought and you TOTALLY have the power to change that! I call it mental hygiene and I wouldn't skip doing it any more than I would skip brushing my teeth (and I'm super on top of my dental hygiene).

There are two great sources for thought questioning and thought dissolving work, I love both of them and they are free! They are and . Stop the sabotage--you deserve way better :)
 
I do this too. I feel like it is sooo surreal and that it cannot be true, than I eat, even after doing so well for myself.

I am guessing like Emiko has stated in the above, that I think of myself as still being over weight. Which is absurd. Since my mind is still battling with me what the truth really is. (sub-consciously)
 
I don't feel like sabotaging things really. I usually weigh myself on saturday, which is my cheat day anyway. So if I feel the need to eat more, I can do so without worrying. By Sunday, I go back to normal. I can honestly say I haven't 'binged' or gone over 2500 calories since August last year.
 
Whenever I hit a new goal I somehow always find myself boozing big time the next weekend. Just adding more problems to tinker with :)
 
San said:
I don't feel like sabotaging things really. I usually weigh myself on saturday, which is my cheat day anyway. So if I feel the need to eat more, I can do so without worrying. By Sunday, I go back to normal. I can honestly say I haven't 'binged' or gone over 2500 calories since August last year.
Click to expand...

San, are you feeling that you are not getting enough to eat on days except Saturday? or holding out for your treat day? If so, consider having a "pleasure eat" daily and make it only 10% of the food you eat, 90% of the time eat for fuel. Then you can take "worry" out of the equation. In fact, take worry out of your eating experience altogether--if you make-up your mind to eat something, eat it and enjoy EVERY bite. If you really don't want it, skip it. Either way, you win b/c you are giving yourself what you want.

Mindful eating is a great practice (especially for eating your "pleasure eats"). You slow down your bites so you really suck the marrow out of your eating experience, for example: next time you sit down to a meal have a paper and pen with you, take one bite and really notice how the food tastes and feels in your mouth. Chew slowly, write down every detail of the bite (it's tedious, but so worth it). Then take another bite, write down the details . . .repeat the process until you no longer enjoy the food or you are physically satisfied. You will notice that your enjoyment of the food diminishes with each subsequent bite (the first bite is THE best!) I am always amazed at the impact this practice has on people. One of my clients told me she thought if she were allowed to eat her favorite food until she was satisfied or stopped enjoying the food, she would never stop eating. She took one bite of her pleasure food (seasoned fries from her fave restaurant) and paid focused attention to her experience and discovered she didn't even like it! She no longer binges on seasoned fries, not because she "can't" eat them but because she honestly doesn't "want" to. This practice also lets you enjoy foods you truly love without hoarding/bingeing on it. When you know your favorite things (not just food, btw) are abundant and there is enough good stuff for YOU, you feel the need to overeat less and less, because you trust it will be there for you whenever you want it--if you want it. Obviously, this is not necessarily practical for every meal, but try this exercise for a few meals this week. It is super powerful and enlightening.


Great news, btw, that you are no longer binge eating . . . does it feel like a struggle not to, or is it pretty effortless for you at this point?
 
RunningGirl said:

I am guessing like Emiko has stated in the above, that I think of myself as still being over weight. Which is absurd. Since my mind is still battling with me what the truth really is. (sub-consciously)
Click to expand...

RunningGirl, this realization is HUGE. If you keep shining the light of your conscious awareness on this truly absurd thought, you will continue to weaken it, you have already created a gap between you and your (absurd) thought, exploit that gap, keep chipping away at it and one day you will wake-up and not only intellectually know the thought is absurd, but you will feel it, believe it and live according the truth that you are not overweight. Remember that you are not your thoughts, you can only believe or disbelieve them, that's all. The only power your thoughts have is the power you give them. YOU are not overweight, but your thoughts can get pretty hefty, right? (a common problem among the human race ;-) ) Does that feel truer for you?
 
You slow down your bites so you really suck the marrow out of your eating experience, for example: next time you sit down to a meal have a paper and pen with you, take one bite and really notice how the food tastes and feels in your mouth. Chew slowly, write down every detail of the bite (it's tedious, but so worth it). Then take another bite, write down the details . . .
Click to expand...

This just gave me the biggest smile (remember, I'm a mom to 2 little guys) We just watched Ratatoui and he does this, and now my little guys do too, eyes closed and all)

I have a mental picture of me still being overweight too. Sometimes, I shock myself when I look in the mirror when I see that I'm actually not. Isn't it funny the tricks the mind plays on oneself? I was a bit too "thinky" not too long ago and thought long and hard as to why I let myself get so far out of shape and actually figured out that I had done it on purpose! (Easier to be invisible than to deal w/ people...oye!)
 
I do this too!! I realized that getting a great number in the morning cannot control my day and I realized that getting a crappy number in the morning cannot control my day!! This morning I had a huge woosh and I'm like oh boy oh boy!! BUT I know that if I don't keep my emotions in check, I start to REWARD myself for my such great behavior in that past by REWARDING myself with "food freedom." It's definitely psychological, you have to put your excitement engine into a lower gear to hold itself back. I've learned (too many times) that you can be PLEASED with your progress, but you still must maintain control of your happiness :)
 
I haven't had brownies in a while, but this makes me want to go get some brownie bites just so I can try it. ... If I wrote down what it's like eating them in my imagination, I think it would be food porn though.
 
Jeanette401 said:
I haven't had brownies in a while, but this makes me want to go get some brownie bites just so I can try it. ... If I wrote down what it's like eating them in my imagination, I think it would be food porn though.
Click to expand...

This comment seriously made me LOL, my imagination would lead to the same result, Scary isnt it...lol
 
Emiko said:
San, are you feeling that you are not getting enough to eat on days except Saturday? or holding out for your treat day? If so, consider having a "pleasure eat" daily and make it only 10% of the food you eat, 90% of the time eat for fuel. Then you can take "worry" out of the equation. In fact, take worry out of your eating experience altogether--if you make-up your mind to eat something, eat it and enjoy EVERY bite. If you really don't want it, skip it. Either way, you win b/c you are giving yourself what you want.

Mindful eating is a great practice (especially for eating your "pleasure eats"). You slow down your bites so you really suck the marrow out of your eating experience, for example: next time you sit down to a meal have a paper and pen with you, take one bite and really notice how the food tastes and feels in your mouth. Chew slowly, write down every detail of the bite (it's tedious, but so worth it). Then take another bite, write down the details . . .repeat the process until you no longer enjoy the food or you are physically satisfied. You will notice that your enjoyment of the food diminishes with each subsequent bite (the first bite is THE best!) I am always amazed at the impact this practice has on people. One of my clients told me she thought if she were allowed to eat her favorite food until she was satisfied or stopped enjoying the food, she would never stop eating. She took one bite of her pleasure food (seasoned fries from her fave restaurant) and paid focused attention to her experience and discovered she didn't even like it! She no longer binges on seasoned fries, not because she "can't" eat them but because she honestly doesn't "want" to. This practice also lets you enjoy foods you truly love without hoarding/bingeing on it. When you know your favorite things (not just food, btw) are abundant and there is enough good stuff for YOU, you feel the need to overeat less and less, because you trust it will be there for you whenever you want it--if you want it. Obviously, this is not necessarily practical for every meal, but try this exercise for a few meals this week. It is super powerful and enlightening.


Great news, btw, that you are no longer binge eating . . . does it feel like a struggle not to, or is it pretty effortless for you at this point?
Click to expand...

Emiko I was wondering if you practice DBT? Dialectical Behavioral Therapy? Because of the practices in which you have mentioned above as to being Mindful & and slowing things down. I did a lot of that exercise in the group therapy that I was in, whilst eating something.

We usually did it with a piece of candy. Feel what the candy feels like, smooth, or bumpy, see if it has a smell, put the candy in your mouth, and try to notice not if the candy tastes good, but rather if the candy has a texture, or is hard, if it makes a bubbly effect on your tongue, if it is chewy, than sense if the candy is sweet, or sour, ...now either take the candy out if it is not tasting particularly good, or enjoy the candy. LOL Takes patience and practice, but is a GREAT MINDFULLNESS Exercise. :) :p
 
Emiko said:
RunningGirl, this realization is HUGE. If you keep shining the light of your conscious awareness on this truly absurd thought, you will continue to weaken it, you have already created a gap between you and your (absurd) thought, exploit that gap, keep chipping away at it and one day you will wake-up and not only intellectually know the thought is absurd, but you will feel it, believe it and live according the truth that you are not overweight. Remember that you are not your thoughts, you can only believe or disbelieve them, that's all. The only power your thoughts have is the power you give them. YOU are not overweight, but your thoughts can get pretty hefty, right? (a common problem among the human race ;-) ) Does that feel truer for you?
Click to expand...

Oh Definitely I have BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) so I am naturally by nature very sensitive to everything including my own thoughts, which I am always telling myself if I never listened to my thoughts, I would be completely fine, and with doing so in the past have gained a lot more & gotten much more accomplished.

My Mind Chatter: is known as the *Shittty Comittty*, sometimes what I think isn't always bad, but most of the time it isn't very useful. :)
 
treehugger said:
This just gave me the biggest smile (remember, I'm a mom to 2 little guys) We just watched Ratatoui and he does this, and now my little guys do too, eyes closed and all)

Cute! I love it . . .

I have a mental picture of me still being overweight too. Sometimes, I shock myself when I look in the mirror when I see that I'm actually not. Isn't it funny the tricks the mind plays on oneself? I was a bit too "thinky" not too long ago and thought long and hard as to why I let myself get so far out of shape and actually figured out that I had done it on purpose! (Easier to be invisible than to deal w/ people...oye!)
Click to expand...

Something to investigate is what being overweight means to you. And also why you wanted to (do you still want to?) avoid people. What would happen if you showed up in all your healthy weight glory in front of all these people you want to avoid? What is THE worst thing that could happen? My guess, and tell me where I'm wrong, is that you may be picturing just a type of person (or maybe even one specific person) who is not particularly kind or supportive (or maybe even downright toxic). Many times just by acknowledging this, you can start to see that not everyone is this person (though we tend to think, based on this one person, that "everyone" is judging, criticizing or otherwise being blech, when really it tends to be one or two people we IMAGINE are being so yucky). See if this might be true for you.
 
spootiee said:
I do this too!! I realized that getting a great number in the morning cannot control my day and I realized that getting a crappy number in the morning cannot control my day!! This morning I had a huge woosh and I'm like oh boy oh boy!! BUT I know that if I don't keep my emotions in check, I start to REWARD myself for my such great behavior in that past by REWARDING myself with "food freedom." It's definitely psychological, you have to put your excitement engine into a lower gear to hold itself back. I've learned (too many times) that you can be PLEASED with your progress, but you still must maintain control of your happiness :)
Click to expand...

You are so on the right track! And you can control your happiness by deciding to be happy no matter what--this means you are being internally controlled. Depending on a piece of metal to tell you whether you're going to be happy or not means you are allowing yourself to be externally controlled--you are attached to the numbers you see on the scale and you make interpretations about what those numbers mean (the numbers themselves are totally neutral). Waiting for good situations, people or things to come into your life before you will be happy is another way you allow yourself to be externally controlled. You can also use whatever feelings come up for you while standing on the scale and trace them back to the thoughts that caused them. Then you can actually look forward to standing on the scale and feel the feeling of "disappointment" or "frustration" or whatever comes up for you--you can observe them like a scientist collecting data, without emotional attachment. Your lab work is questioning the thoughts that caused you to feel the crappy feelings. Absolutely enjoy your successes, but don't cling to them and don't rely on them to make you happy. The real "secret" to weight loss and maintaining it is to be happy first, then the weight lets go of you. So many of us have it backwards :)
 
Jeanette401 said:
I haven't had brownies in a while, but this makes me want to go get some brownie bites just so I can try it. ... If I wrote down what it's like eating them in my imagination, I think it would be food porn though.
Click to expand...

Hahaha, and I say indulge, sister, indulge! I think you will be very surprised by your response to and findings with this exercise. If you approach this exercise as the compassionate observer, as someone who can witness without judgement (that piece is very important), you will learn oodles about yourself and your eating patterns. For chronic dieters, this is the challenge: they are so used to labeling food as "good" or "bad" or as having a "good day" or "bad day" based upon what they ate or how much--if you can, step back from this idea and see how ludicrous this is! Approach this exercise with compassion for yourself and with curiosity, it's a way different space than when you are being harsh and judgmental (and you learn zero about yourself from this place). Be very present with the food you are practicing with, non-judgmental and just observe.

The worst thing that could happen, I imagine, in your mind is that scarf all the brownie bites down. So what? Give yourself permission right up front to do just that, but pay close attention to your thoughts as you do it. Now you are not bingeing, now you are learning what thoughts make your binge tick--that's pure gold, get a hold of those thoughts, question them and they really do lose their power, and food loses its charge. Give it a go. Do the tedious work of documenting each bite,from beginning to end it's texture, it's taste and even it's smell if you can detect it. Rate your enjoyment of the bites on a scale from 1-10 (one being "blech" and ten being "totally pornographic"). I would love to know what you discover if you care to share :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top