It’s all in the title, I keep falling off the wagon. Giving in to “cheat days” then those days turn into a 3 day binge including binge drinking. I know I want this, I want to change and lose weight for the better. I just can’t get it together. So ashamed in myself. I’m tired of being overweight and ugly, Can’t stand the sight of myself these days. But when it comes to shit food and discipline I don’t even care about my goals, It all goes out the window. HELP ME
I’m so sorry that you’re going through that. I understand your frustration - I’ve been there. One of the reasons I started IF was because I hated looking at myself on the mirror - I don’t even own a full standing mirror.
If I may suggest, talk with a therapist (if you have not yet) about these cravings. I’ve learned in my own journey that some of my issues with food stemmed from certain traumas in my childhood. Not everyone is the same, but it may help you understand why you’re having difficulty in controlling cravings.
Another suggestion is change your mindset about food. Before IF, I’ve put food in different categories, with desserts and junk food as something special. That was how I was taught, so when I got access to these “special” food, I ended up binging them to compensate for the times I didn’t have them.
So when I started IF, I still have mad cravings specially for desserts. Then I got a lightbulb moment: dessert is just food. There’s no law that says I can’t eat desserts together with my meal. So that’s what I did.
You can try it too. Include whatever you are craving with your main meal. In time, you’ll realize that you’re satisfied by the healthy meal that you’ll only consume a little of the craved food. And then maybe, there’ll be a time you won’t crave it all.
It’s a slow process, honestly. I’m a year into IF and I still do this sometimes. But progress is progress, even if you need to take baby steps to do it.
And if you happen to fall off the wagon every now and then, get back up and forgive yourself. You are in control of your journey to better health and self-love. You have the power to do this. Don’t give up on yourself.
Ultimately, you have to learn to enjoy the feeling of being hungry. Every pulse of hunger you feel has to be interpreted as a cleansing pulse. Deprivation has to become something you enjoy.
I would often drink some bone broth with lemon juice and a few other seasonings to get myself through a fast. It might not be “perfect” fasting, but if you fillingYour belly with water and broth or coffee, it’s better than eating.
Enjoy the hunger and find ways to fill your belly that get you to your next sleep cycle. Bone broth pisses in the morning sunlight after a couple days of fasting feel good.
Try using an app to track your fasting if you aren’t already. And be honest with it/yourself. For me, having that record every day and having it ask “are you REALLY SURE you want to break your fast early!?” Makes me hold firm when I’m tempted to break. And it has a mechanism for earning cheat days but it takes a while to get some saved up, so I don’t spend them frivolously.
Once you get some inertia it can become self sustaining. You don’t want to let yourself down after everything you’ve done so far!
I could feel what youre saying…I myself do not drink but food is really taking tall on me, I have never been so big…Dieting since age 16 am now 39 almost, never get back to 70kg for 10 years… i am 95 today and did lot in the past few years to get rid of fat but I guess this is a real process …. I just do IF / OMAD/ longer fast and Keto I have lost 20 kg but now gained 6kg back, Someday I just feel like a crap, like am totally losing control over food, but I always choose me because I certainly know if I let myself again, I’ll be 100 + even if though am right there already….. I have started 2mad since few days (I’ll do it for a week) and then will switch to OMAD (week) and I would do 36h 2 times a week…. I am doing this all patterns before xsmas. Diet wise would-be wholesome foods & normal eating. Gosh it is hard
What are you eating when you are not cheating? I would not be able to live off of things like chicken and broccoli everyday. Fat has been the answer for me. Don’t try to cut too many calories at first. Get your fasting schedule down, then cut out snacking, then adjust what you are eating.