Well I remember before how weight-loss programs used to talk about noting your trigger factors, or things that you associate with eating. One very important thing that I've made sure I do this time is work out what are the trigger factors or danger zones that are going to make me prone to overindulging...!
As I've already mentioned, the biggest one is not having eaten enough recently (i.e. when yu are losing weight!) - and that will always be the biggest challenge that you have to face! And there unfortunately isn't much you can do about that one, other than eat a bit more of nourishing foods (without going overboard!). But how you stop yourself from going overboard depends on how you manage the other factors that trigger overindulgence.
A couple that I've previously noted are stress (uni, or even doing too much exercise and not compensating with food!), PMS, and alcohol - those are three big ones for me, that I've had to work to get under control. The stress and PMS i get through by recognising when I am going through them, so that I can counteract it. I will always eat a bit more before TTOM, but there's a difference between a BIT more and a LOT more! Most of the time, the best way to get on top of stress is a nice walk in the fresh air outside - and then I get back and try to deal with the stress (e.g. if its uni, i'll do that assignment!). Alcohol: i set myself a limit of no more than 3 SDs in one night. And i've actually stuck to that pretty well...!
But recently I've just discovered a new trigger factor. Yes, i didn't have a very good day last week :(. But I didn't go back into my old cycles of excessive restriction the next day to force myself to counterract the 'damage', i just kept going on as usual and naturally ate when i was hungry, stopped when i was full. But this trigger factor was LACK OF SLEEP. I had about 1-2 hours of sleep the night before, and i wasn't feeling very well at all. I had a late breakfast, and then came home and passed out on the sofa for a few hours... before i knew it it was 5pm, i was still tired and i was RAVENOUS! Absolutely uncontrolleable hunger! And it hit me when I woke up - i sort of went, "Oh damn, i've gone past the 'safe' zone for eating... I'm now in danger...!" So i whipped up a large tuna salad in the hope that that might do something. But no, it was too late - my body wanted calories, and it wanted them FAST so all it wanted was sweet/fatty/processed foods... sigh, at least they were homemade anzac biscuits (meaning i know they were made with 100% butter as opposed to some funny animal/vegetable fat...!), and I still went for nuts/cheese (though too much of!) in the hope that it might nourish me...! And then, haha, i went straight back to sleep for another 15 hours!!!
So I'm going to watch out for that sleep demon... :P I mean i expected that sleep was very important (lack of sleep --> production of 'cortisol' stress hormone --> hunger, lethargy, etc), but i didn't realise how much of a nasty trigger factor it could be!
So I guess: I can't stress how important it is to KNOW your trigger factors. and to KNOW your binge prodrome: i.e. the set of 'symptoms' you go through just BEFORE you go into a binge period. Knowing the prodrome is the most important tool you can have, as it will help you halt binges before you get to the danger zone (once in danger zone, there is no going back!). If you need to, keep a diary and note your moods/feelings/cravings/relationship-with-food each day - so that when the binges happen you can see the same feelings happening in the few hours before.
:) Nikki
As I've already mentioned, the biggest one is not having eaten enough recently (i.e. when yu are losing weight!) - and that will always be the biggest challenge that you have to face! And there unfortunately isn't much you can do about that one, other than eat a bit more of nourishing foods (without going overboard!). But how you stop yourself from going overboard depends on how you manage the other factors that trigger overindulgence.
A couple that I've previously noted are stress (uni, or even doing too much exercise and not compensating with food!), PMS, and alcohol - those are three big ones for me, that I've had to work to get under control. The stress and PMS i get through by recognising when I am going through them, so that I can counteract it. I will always eat a bit more before TTOM, but there's a difference between a BIT more and a LOT more! Most of the time, the best way to get on top of stress is a nice walk in the fresh air outside - and then I get back and try to deal with the stress (e.g. if its uni, i'll do that assignment!). Alcohol: i set myself a limit of no more than 3 SDs in one night. And i've actually stuck to that pretty well...!
But recently I've just discovered a new trigger factor. Yes, i didn't have a very good day last week :(. But I didn't go back into my old cycles of excessive restriction the next day to force myself to counterract the 'damage', i just kept going on as usual and naturally ate when i was hungry, stopped when i was full. But this trigger factor was LACK OF SLEEP. I had about 1-2 hours of sleep the night before, and i wasn't feeling very well at all. I had a late breakfast, and then came home and passed out on the sofa for a few hours... before i knew it it was 5pm, i was still tired and i was RAVENOUS! Absolutely uncontrolleable hunger! And it hit me when I woke up - i sort of went, "Oh damn, i've gone past the 'safe' zone for eating... I'm now in danger...!" So i whipped up a large tuna salad in the hope that that might do something. But no, it was too late - my body wanted calories, and it wanted them FAST so all it wanted was sweet/fatty/processed foods... sigh, at least they were homemade anzac biscuits (meaning i know they were made with 100% butter as opposed to some funny animal/vegetable fat...!), and I still went for nuts/cheese (though too much of!) in the hope that it might nourish me...! And then, haha, i went straight back to sleep for another 15 hours!!!
So I'm going to watch out for that sleep demon... :P I mean i expected that sleep was very important (lack of sleep --> production of 'cortisol' stress hormone --> hunger, lethargy, etc), but i didn't realise how much of a nasty trigger factor it could be!
So I guess: I can't stress how important it is to KNOW your trigger factors. and to KNOW your binge prodrome: i.e. the set of 'symptoms' you go through just BEFORE you go into a binge period. Knowing the prodrome is the most important tool you can have, as it will help you halt binges before you get to the danger zone (once in danger zone, there is no going back!). If you need to, keep a diary and note your moods/feelings/cravings/relationship-with-food each day - so that when the binges happen you can see the same feelings happening in the few hours before.
:) Nikki
2 comments:
It's like reading about myself! If I'm tired, stressed or hungover I'll go straight for the energy dense foods! The only cure is a walk to the park with the dog (and leave the wallet home!). Your before and after shots are great, you look so much happier and more confident in the second shot. Congratulations!
Hi there
I have loved reading your blog, but see you haven't been around for a while. Hope your doing well. Come back and share some of your great tips and advise. You definitely hold a wealth of knowledge =)
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