ARRRRRGGHHH - Desperation, Panic, Anxiety...please help!

Help Help Help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Been on my 'lifestyle change' eating plan since jan 5th, lost 11 n half pounds.  Then Valentines weekend happened, knew id go bit off but didnt panic too much, anyway both me n ma bloke came down wi flu n chest infection.  I didnt eat for 3 days, felt awful n sick.  Weighed myself n had stayed the same....presume the val wkend n 3 days of nothin had evened it out.

Anyway after those three days my appetite came bk n it was a case of 'i havent eaten for three days i'l have this n that'  so i had kebab meat n chips one night n sweet n sour chicken balls the next, then a maccys on the sat n a chinese again on the sunday!!!!  im totally depressed, down n totally effin stuck!!!!  i cannot seem to find the frame of mind i was in before!  i tried monday to 'get bk on it' as such but to no avail, i must av had about 3000kcals, drinkin has come bk....used to be a BIG thing for me n cut it right out, ive drank loads last week n over val weekend.  Had a bacon n tom sandwich yday for breakfast n now ive just ordered one today!  Even though i said id start afresh today!!!

Why cant i do it, whats wrong with me, why why why am i doin this when ive worked so hard???  i have only put on 2lb, however i know if i do not stop this it will all go back on, please somebody out there motivate me.....please someone make that something click that has to to stop this binge!! 

I am desperate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I thought id cracked my bad habits, i thought i'd 'done it' this time....naively i know....how could i think 11 years would be undone in 6 weeks, im totally totally in a rut, spiralling out of control, each mealtime that goes by, each day it goes on i lose another meal, another day, another chance to get bk on track yet i dont, i carry on...the freedom of eatin what i want is just unreal i cant cant stop.  I feel so bloated again, i just want this to stop, i want to get back to where i was, i have another 33lbs to lose, im not even half way!

Please please help!!  Cant let this happen again!

Take a deep breath, calm down and think....   Your 'lifestyle change' that you started out on was obviously too radical or too rigid and so two things happened.  First, you jumped ship at the first opportunity.  Second, you don't want to get back on that ship because it was too nasty the last time.  (I'm guessing)

I always recommend that you map out your next day's eating as a way to break the cycle.   One solitary day.   Work out three square meals, a few snacks.... tasty, healthy, enjoyable food  (dull, tasteless, dry or miserable food is off limits) and write it down.   The act of writing it down makes it more likely to happen than some vague idea of waiting for a 'frame of mind' or for something to 'click'....  Then you go shopping,  make sure you've got that food there ready to put together and then you go with your plan to the best of your ability.  You eat what you planned to eat.  You enjoy it.  You feel good.... then think about the next day..... 

What you don't do is plan on something stupid like 1200 calories.... that's a miserable amount of food and completely impossible for most people.  Go for 1800-2000 so that you're not hungry and then trim it a little when you're back in a good routine.  You don't say 'I'm never eating chinese food/bacon sandwiches/maccy d's/chocolate/alcohol again' because that is setting you up for instant failure.  As you carry on planning ahead you work in a little of your old favourites from time to time...

Calm down... make a plan.... fresh start.  Dead easy. Good luck

After a month of hard work, it is normal to relax a bit. Some people relax after a few days, some after a few weeks, some after a few months. Yours was inspired by a holiday and like many of us, it can be difficult at first to consent to a day of excess and then get back to our healthier ways. Don't sweat it. You realize that where you are in this very moment ISN'T where you want to be. The good news is two-fold: 1) you've only put on a few pounds and much of this could be water; 2) you have caught yourself after only 2 weeks and don't like what you see.

CC is a lifestyle change, as you said. It's not just about losing (or gaining for some) weight. It's about learning to have a healthy relationship with food and our bodies. And this can take time.

Start today. Eat well, stay on track, feel good about yourself tonight. And I bet tomorrow will be easier.

Last thought: I find it helps me to have a picture or a motivation tool present. I have a picture of a woman with INCREDIBLE abs (cut from a magazine) in my bathroom that I look at every day. Helps me stay focused.

Quite a few of us have the problem of "it's all or nothing." Once we fall off the deep end discouragement sets in. You're doing the right thing: sending out an SOS. It reminds me of swimming in the ocean. Sometimes a wave grabs you and tumbles you around, slamming you against the bottom. You feel powerless beneath the force of it. But it will pass. You'll come up for air and see clearly again from the surface. Just hang in there!

You've been at this less than 2 months.  I've been at it for 3 years.  I can tell you, it takes a long time to form good habits.  I can also share my experience that you can only change one thing at a time.  Try to tackle too many and you set yourself up for failure.

So, use the tools to determine what your calorie intake should be, then make sure you get a balanced diet, like THIS ONE.  Then make a list of eating and exercise habits you would like to change and arrange them in priority order.  Then work on one at a time.  It took me a year to break the habit of eating large portions - a whole year of measuring and weighing.  Finally, I'm able to just go ahead and eat and I automatically choose the right amounts and am satisfied. 

You need to slow down and relax.  You're going to be just fine!