Self Control and TTOM

Okay, so normally I have self control when it comes to junk and I do really well.  If I want something, I'll have it, but just a little and I'm satisfied.  But this week has been my week, and today was the worst for self control.

I did pretty well all day, other than getting a (huge) oatmeal cookie with my coffee in the morning.  I thought nothing of that cause normally I can eat a half or a quarter of it and save the rest for another day.  But today, I ate the half at break in my first class, then I wanted more but ate dried apricots instead; then I wanted it still so I finally ate it.  Then once home I was still craving junk... this time greasy food.  I had leftover pizza in the fridge, so for dinner I grabbed a piece.  All good, right?  Nope, I grabbed not one... but two more!!! And the whole time I'm fighting it in my brain but I just kept getting driven back to it because I could concentrate on nothing else till I got it.  Then once I had what my brain/body wanted I could study perfectly fine.  The same thing happened with chocolate, even after I settled for just 1 (turned into two) Andes instead of a huge-cal one and since I was craving buttery/greasy stuff again I had a couple of Danish butter cookies; even though normally one (or half of one) would suffice.

 

Just wondering if anyone else has this issue, cause it is annoying the heck out of me.  On a normal day I exercise at least once, eat mostly clean, and near my calorie target.  This whole week I've not felt like exercising as much as usual, with my run this morning I had to keep cutting my intervals short cause my body didn't like it, and then the food issue has been slight all week, but horrid today.  I hate hormones.

It could be a hormone issue.  More likely it's a combination of 'hunger' and 'opportunity'.   Make sure your calorie target isn't set too low and eat plenty of good foods.   Simple lack of energy and low blood-sugars will make exercising difficult and will also trigger cravings for sugary/fatty foods.  And if you don't want to eat chocolate or pizza then don't keep it around you.  Good luck

I could go for the text book advice - go for a walk, don't keep in within reaching distance etc, but I'm the same.

The first 2 days that I'm on are the worst, I lose the taste for anything decent and everything sweet has to go in my mouth. This weekend has included a box of fudge, a peanut butter kit kat, a bar of kit kat senses, nutella from the jar, I've lost count of how many biscuits and  Chicken Korma.

I don't worry about it anymore, I just have 2 days off and get back on track with the Bran and sultanas on the 3rd day.  It's 2 days out of 30 for me, not a major disaster.  And TBH, there's enough hormones making me miserable and snappy without depriving myself of chocolate - I'd probably kill so it's best all round that i just eat.  :o)

Yeah, that's how I've been doing it Sunnybra just doing the whole be extra healthy the next couple days thing.  I can do that pretty well, though in the moment it just frustrates me.

 

gi-jane My calorie target is 1500+ then adding for any exercise I do.  Def not too low, sometimes even too hard to get to (which is why I allow myself some normal snack food on regular days anyways.)  The whole 'don't keep it around' method doesn't work while living with others though.  Oh I've tried. chucked all the junk into the garage... if everyone wants that they may as well have to walk a couple extra steps for it, right? But it all migrates back into the house and always with more coming back in with it from shopping.  That's why my self control is normally a great thing, beyond this time I don't really touch any of that.

Ah, self-control.  The worst for me isn't going for the fatty food over the healthy food, it's more like people around me will like, order in Chinese and pizza and I'll be like, no, I don't want any... then it comes and my eyes are like marbles, I'm just staring at it and probably drooling all over the floor, and someone'll go, OH JUST EAT IT, YOU'RE NOT FAT!  And I'll go, well, just a piece, then... but y'know a piece never does it - it's like there's a chemical in that stuff that leaves you wanting more and more... damn I must have some self-control, 'cause I never eat more, but it's like when it's there, you can't stop THINKING about it, ne?  That's the worst.  I thank the Lord that I don't have insane cravings at that TOM, but... I do retain water and get really nasty cramps, so who knows whether that's any better.  I dunno.  Junk food is ALWAYS within reach here.  The cafeteria sells cakes and pies and cookies as big as my head every day, but after the first week and a half or so I never cared.  I think the worst for me is like... the chicken fingers... I haven't had any since I got here but DAMN do I want some!  ;)

My cycle is becomins a bit irregular but the issue with cravings is a sure clue that TTOM is just around the corner! I am usually really seeking chocolate! Since this has been a non-issue most of the time, and I have chocolate when I want it, I think the sudden "need" for it that comes out of no where must be hormone related. I don't deprive myself of anything so ANY craving really stands out!

I don't overeat, however. I always keep room in my intake for what I might want and then, if by the end of the day I have a couple hundred left and I haven't had a treat, I just end up eating a bit less in general. It works out to be a natural way of zig-zagging, I've found, since I'm never exactly sure what number I'll end up on at the end of the day!

Good luck.