Help! Two days strong, then crash and burn

Ah, I was doing so well to...anyway, I've decided to put my self on a pretty restrictive diet, but one that I've maintained before, and was hoping to go for again. The day before I started, my friend and I made a bet to see who could win the most weight, she's in the same boat as me. This got me really pumped and so the first days days after I rocked it-ate as I should have been, walking, swimming, but not too much. Anyway, on the third day there bascially was nothing the house I could eat (I don't control what food comes into my house)...the whole day I was starving, I guess it was just terrible planning. I had no way of getting the right food, and my parents weren't home to get dinner until around six. When they finally had come home, they decided to go and get take out. This in itself was bothering me, I told myself no chinese food. Then while I was waiting my friend called me and was joking around, 'hey, got any donuts? You should try some...' same stuff I had been doing to her, but as I waited...and waited...those donuts were looking awfully mouth-watering....and I broke. I told myself I was only going to eat one. Then the chinese came, I scoffed down a big plate of spare ribs, and chicken on a stick. I was feeling really guilty later and kept telling myself I wasn't going to eat anymore, that I wasn't hungry. And it was true, after the chinese I wasn't hungry but I was compelled to eat more. I'm one of those all or nothing people...if I'm going to diet, I'm going to do it perfectly without cheats...if I cheat, I'm going to cheat hard.

So, I cheated hard. I had another donut, and some ice cream, and some peanut butter. I don't know if it would qualify as a binge, perhaps a small-scle binge, but it was what it was. Before I went to bed I read the silly contract me and my friend had made. I said, ok, one mess up, it won't happen again. But then it did happen again, I have this crazy sweet tooth and it hit right after dinner just like it use to before I went on my diet, so I indulged. Today I made it as far as dinner, I thought that I was going to make it...and then I fine myself indulging again, ice cream. This mental thing is really crazy too, right after dinner I said to myself that I should go fro a swim, a bike ride even because the craving would come back...and I just didn't do it.

I really feel terrible about this, for those two days I was doing so well and I was really proud of myself..and now this. My friend just sent me a text saying that she lost another pound from the other day...I really want to get back on it tomorrow, and I don't want to indulge, I don't even want to think about it or else its going to turn into another binge.

it's okay!! it was only one day, and while this may slow down your weight loss for a short time it isn't going to have any devestating effects. if you gain weight its probably mostly water weight anyway from the sodium in the chinese.

you said that you were starving on the third day, so maybe you weren't eating enough to begin with. make sure that even while you are eating healthy you are getting enough calories for your body to function.

good luck with your competition!

Ugh - I understand all of this. Every bit. Especially the whole 'it's either all or nothing' motto. In fact, I binge a lot, too. I tell myself that it's the last time - and yeah, I tell myself I'm not hungry. But once I give in to just one thing, I've got to give into everything else.

I mean, it's not even like you're hungry. I don't even know why it happens. But, slowly, I've learned to ignore the temptation. I normally find out that I overindulge because I overreact. I'll have some Chinese takeout for dinner, and then I'll freak 'cause I've just let myself go. And then, it just rolls downhill from there and before you know it - hey the whole Oreos package is gone.

Slowly though, I've found out the secret to defeating this is to look at what you're eating - and really think about if you're going to let yourself put this in your body. Think about how it's prepared, etc. That's how I got over my steak, fries, McDonald's, anything fried + chicken obsession.

Sometimes I find myself eating when I'm just bored. I'm not even sure how I picked that habit up. But then, another epiphany, I found out that some vegetables actually taste great. So, next time I go to a buffet, I head straight to the vegetables because, yeah, they're yummy and they're great for you.

And whenever I find myself bored and wanting to eat something, instead of reaching for the whole bag of popcorn, I try grabbing some veggies - because I realized that it wasn't about what I ate, just that I ate something and felt full. So, hah, I pick up celery whenever I feel like eating, because, yeah, it burns calories, and 'cause, yeah, it gives me a full feeling so whenever I want to eat sweets later - I find my stomach can't stand it.

Also, don't try to eliminate sweets totally. Have a little bit every now and then, because if you do take it out of your diet completely - then bam, you're gonna fall. Hard.

So, good luck to your dieting! c:

*hugs*

it happens.  Up your workouts for a couple of days, DONT WEIGH, increase how much water you dirnk, and all will be well.

Thank you all, thats more or less what I needed...tomorrow I do plan on upping my exercise, mainly because shortly after a work out I don't even think of food. Not weighing myself may be a bit harder, I've gotten into the unfortunate habit of weighing myself daily, when I should weekly.

i also have to have the odd days like this too - then i make sure i dont weigh for a while to make sure the scale goes down (hopefully). the only reason i do it is to give me a reminder that its not right to eat like i used to all the time - which was not very nice i can tell you.

i had a day like it yesterday - due to totm i could not stop crunching crisps - ones with lower saturated fat - normally its chocolate but i managed to stay off that.

today i have got to be good but as its my day off dev (hubby) is taking me out so it will be a sensible lunch but not accurate calorie count = just an  estimate