Lost 50 pounds - hate the guilt I now have around food

[Probyus]

Over the last year I have very slowly lost 50 pounds. No jabs. I’m much happier in myself. But I just feel so so guilty around food. For example I’ve had a healthy breakfast and lunch today. But had some birthday cake (looked up calories and it’s roughly 450!).

I rarely “indulge” as it’s just not worth the guilty feeling. im not able to go to the gym (would make me feel better mentally to “offset” cake) but i feel absolutely horrendous. Like it’s a full gone conclusion that I will get fat again. I know rationally one day of going ever so over won’t undo my work.

But I’m so sick of feeling guilty. I’m only mentally happy if I’ve done well for that day food wise. It’s exhausting 😢

Keep reminding yourself that a little indulgence is necessary for balance and for keeping the spirits up.
losing 501bs can’t have been easy so congratulations 🎉

I'm the same. I get really angry at myself too. Sometimes i reminisce about when I didn't care and just ate whatever and life seemed so much simpler then. This is my normal now and I love I lost weight but it feels so militant. Sorry that's no help...

Don’t forget you would have to eat 3,500 calories on top of your daily calories to put on just one pound so a slice of cake now and again is going to make zero difference. Well done on losing 50 pounds!

Maybe do 15 mins walking on the spot tonight just to make yourself feel better mentally - although you have done nothing wrong - you just had a treat xx

That feeling is rubbish 😒
I honestly think it's fine to have everything in moderation though, there is nothing wrong with eating shite occasionally, it only matters if you have it constantly.
Don't be hard on yourself, you've done great so far, remind yourself of that.

Bloody well done btw! You are AMAZING. Remind yourself of this when you feel low. I'm currently on month 5 of my "diet for life" and coupled with bereavement grief, there's days I just feel so sick of constantly thinking about what is healthy and what's not. A wee treat now and again is fine.

I'm also going the slow and steady way (no jags) and it was a bit depressing the other month when I met up with a big group of friends I've not seen since before Christmas and nobody noticed my weight loss (a stone so far) yet my other friend in the group who has gone down the jag route has lost 4 stone and everyone was exclaiming at how amazing she looked. She'd started off slimmer than me as well, so i just felt a bit deflated. But it's baby steps. Well done for losing so much.x

I also lost weight but it meant cutting out all sugar, processed food and processed carbs. I really feel the physical and mental impact now if I eat something like cake, especially with icing, and especially if it's shop made rather than home made.

I could eat 450 calories of avocado and prawn cocktail (and I'd probably wish I'd only eaten half of it) but it would be a short term acceptance of a delicious indulgence, and move on. But I won't get the awful bloated, sluggish, depressed feeling that I do after cake.

I wonder whether your horrendous feeling is also partly to do with the sugar and simple carb hit that your body is not used to.

Are there ways that you can indulge that don't make you feel like that - my prawn cocktail example above, or rollitos (cheese rolled thin ham or salami), or a small portion of cheese, nuts and olives. The protein will satiate you and the fats make it feel quite rich, so i can keep to one small amount and don't crave more.

amazing! well done to you. It’s such a hard balance when you’ve struggled with weight, as the guilt can often be a part but you equally don’t want to become obsessed and restrict too much! So hard.
Any tips on how to lose when you’re coming to the end? I have my last 14 lbs and just can’t seem to do it!!

Have you reached your weight loss goal?

I could have written this except I’m 55lb down. Well done on your weight loss, that’s awesome.

It’s so hard, I lost the weight by cutting out sugar and refined foods over a year but I’m maintaining now and I needed to reduce my level of restriction as I know it’s not sustainable or healthy. I think with hindsight my diet has been too restrictive. I know moderation is the key and I need to be able to eat sugary or snack foods if I fancy without feeling like I’ve failed and then spiraling in to overeating.

I struggle so much with moderation though, I’ve had a few days of losing control and overeating sweet foods and it’s been awful. I hate myself for it and it feels like I’ve learned nothing when I know I’ve done so well.

I do go to the gym and that does help balance my thinking. I am also in training for a 50k walk and did a 16 mile hilly walk today which helped my mental state and helps me justify a bit of chocolate.

I lost my weight through intermittent fasting and I’ve started doing 16:8 again and I think I’ll keep up with the app even if I reduce the fasting window because starting my fast after evening meal on the app stops me snacking in the evening. Ridiculous that an app can have that effect on me but it works wonders for me.

Most important though is to understand that you need to be able to have unhealthy foods, the more you allow yourself when you really want it, the less appealing it will be and with time, you will find a balance. That’s the theory anyway and I really do think there is something in that.