I can't stop over-eating and I'm gaining rapidly. Halp?

Question

It's kind of crazy, I lost over 20 kilo's and tracked my calories every single day on myfitnesspal for over two years and made heaps of friends on it etc, got super into fitness like cycling and running, ran a marathon and walking over 100k steps a week on my fitbit etc. 

But suddenly without warning I began to start just eating too much. I'd increase my calories but nothing worked and now I've quit logging entirely and can't seem to stop myself just eating so much crap food beyond the point of being full (which is what I used to do before when I was overweight) anyway so I have put on 9 kilo's or a bit over that, since Feb. I have tried getting back on the wagon but failed again and I am trying to keep active as well (still training for a race in a few months) but the eating is still out of control so it's showing, I probably eat what calories I burn from workouts, and I physically feel full and feel disgusting-I was 9 kilo's lighter when I met my boyfriend compared to now, and its effecting my confidence in the bedroom and in general. 

What should I do? I really want to lose this 9 kilo's and stop doing this.

meowcow · Accepted Answer

The simplest way to lose weight is to watch what you eat.

NOT eating that 1800 calorie fast food is a LOT easier than running for 5 hours.
I've made a few modifications to my diet and I've lost about 10 pounds in 2 months. I'm not overweight (see profile pic), I just wanted to slim down a little because I noticed I'm getting a bit tubbier as I am getting older. Here's what I did...

1. Skipped meals sometimes - Not recommended, but I can go without either breakfast or lunch on a regular/permanent basis.

2. Eat the same crap, but just less of it - I've stopped stuffing my gut with delicious food. When I eat, I eat until I'm no longer hungry. Not until I'm about to burst.

3. Eat less energy-dense foods - Most processed foods are very calorie dense. The average adult eats 3-4 pounds per day. So if this is 3-4 pounds of burgers and fries, there's no way you are going to lose weight with 4000+ calories eaten every day. Instead, replace half of that weight with unprocessed food, like fresh vegetables and fruits.

So that you eat the same weight of food, but fewer total calories. I've committed to eating either a bowl of salad, melon or vegetable soup every day. It diverts my attention from eating junk food, and accounts for only a fraction of the calories as junk/processed food.

Kiwedin · Accepted Answer

Honestly, it just sounds like you've been restricting for too long and your body is forcing you to eat now. Cravings don't just happen for no reason, they happen for the following reasons (these aren't even all of them, but they are the most likely):
1. You've been restricting calories, meaning anything less than 2000 per day.
2. You've been starving your cells of their primary energy source, glucose, for far too long. We get this energy from carbohydrates, first and foremost. Low carb diets often result in cravings because of this.
3. You are deficient in one or more nutrients. Consider switching to cronometer. com instead of fitness pal, because it tracks your nutrient intake on top of counting calories and macros.
My advice is to just start including as many whole, plant foods as you can. Eat fruits and vegetables abundantly and stay away from restrictive eating. Start consuming enough calories for your body and allow it to heal. Many people don't realize how damaging losing weight can be on the body, so I'm not surprised you're crashing now. Focus on long-term health, treat your body right, and your weight will come down eventually. Slow and steady wins the race.

eanubis89 · Accepted Answer

I have been going through the exact same situation you are going through. I was on Weight Watchers for a year I lost 15 lb the first year gains it all back. So I did myfitneas pal started out well, over exercised but logged in every day. Than it all stopped I relized that when I over exercised and what I do for a living is I'm a dog walker. Really made me tired and I injured my knee. After I began to eat more, super tired, and felt upset about myself. I decided I needed professional help. I'm going to a nutritionist 3 times a month. She has helped me I was lucky enough to to find one that takes my insurance. Maybe that is one step you should start off with. Drink water I cut off my soda and alchol to a minimum a day. Still you should find someone so they can help you plan ahead what you want to buy at a grocery store, daily workout and maybe limit yourself to a certain amount of hours of sleep. I'm walking in the same shoes as you are. Best of luck if you need advice message me and I'll be able to help out. 😀

Azara · Answer

It's not that out if control. It's abut three hundred extra calories a day out of control. 18 pounds in 5 months is less than a pound a week. Just stop eating junk. Can't you make sure it's not around?

Force yourself to go back to logging. No one needs extra food. If you want it but it's not the same as needing. Just figure out how much you need and stuck to it. Don't make any more available.

KittieCat · Answer

You're most likely cutting out foods that you seriously love. Always eat stuff in moderation. I can't eat dairy but I love milkshakes to death, so I allow myself to have them every once in awhile just so my cravings don't get the best of me. Good work on the weight loss, hopefully this helps! :) <3

BellePepper · Answer

Have you thought about asking your doctor about getting help for binge eating?

kimmy87 · Answer

Stop buying the junk food is one way to help.

I can't stop over-eating and I'm gaining rapidly. Halp?

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