SPORT What to do if there is a breakdown in diet and training

What is a "breakdown"

I was on a diet, ate right, counted calories, didn’t allow myself anything sweet, not even buckwheat or pasta, if we were talking about low-carb or keto, and then - BAM! - darkness... And then you find yourself on a mountain of candy and chocolate wrappers, an empty bucket of ice cream on your head, a half-eaten piece of cake in your hand, your stomach is so full of sweets that it’s hard to breathe. Congratulations - you've nailed it! Happens.

This also happens with training. You go like hell 4-5 times a week to the gym and the stadium, and then you can’t force yourself to get there. Even kick and drag. Of course, in this case the breakdown does not occur as sharply as in nutrition, but the thing is no less dangerous.

I missed a workout once, I missed two, and then I didn’t even notice how a couple of months flew by without jogging or “rocking.” This has happened to me once in the 20 years that I have been training with weights. One time that turned into an eight month break.

That is, a breakdown is a sudden overeating on a diet and an unexpected break in training, which can be dangerously prolonged.

How not to cross the line

Often a breakdown is preceded by obsessive thoughts about food and lack of interest in usual hobbies. There may be a reluctance to communicate with family and friends. The decisive impetus is almost always a strong feeling of hunger. What to do if you want to break all the rules while standing in front of an open refrigerator?

Drink warm water

If you lose control of your hunger, you can slowly drink a glass of warm water. It will fill the stomach and create an imaginary feeling of fullness.

Take a walk

Being dangerously close to the refrigerator at home, it’s hard not to freak out. Is your hand already reaching for the treasured shelf with sausages? Go outside immediately. Preferably without money. This will protect you from buying street fast food. A walk will distract you from insidious thoughts, saturate your body with oxygen and burn off hundreds of extra calories.

Allow a snack

During the diet there should not be a strong feeling of hunger. If you want to sweep away everything tasty in your path, snack on something healthy. Sour fruit or bread with low-fat cheese will help curb your appetite and calm down.

Go to bed

Perhaps the most reliable way to avoid a breakdown. The main thing here is to fall asleep as quickly as possible. Read a quiet book and turn off the lights. Before going to bed, it is useful to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth. The mint taste of toothpaste will muffle the feeling of hunger.

Arrange an unscheduled training session

Intense exercise at home or in the gym will make you completely forget about food. Completed training will add confidence in yourself and your own abilities.

Remind yourself of the goal

On the verge of a breakdown, take another look at the new dress, a beautiful swimsuit 2 sizes smaller. Review photos of yourself at your ideal weight and compare them to the image in the mirror. Is there something to strive for? This means you need to pull yourself together and continue working on yourself!

Why does a breakdown occur and how to avoid it

There are many reasons: fatigue of the central nervous system (CNS), basic instincts, physiology and even psychology. Moreover, failure factors are usually intertwined.

If we dig really deep, we get to hormones, biochemistry and the basic reward system. Most readers will put such details to sleep, so I’ll limit myself to a simple, albeit exaggerated example (don’t do as it’s written there, don’t organize bad marathons with unbalanced and hungry mono-diets).

The man decided to go on a diet and, as often happens, tightened all the screws to the maximum. He eats nothing except buckwheat, grass and a strong belief in his own abilities. And this is after total food debauchery in the form of uncontrolled consumption of sweets, pickles, beer, hamburgers, ice cream and other tasty, but unhealthy things.

On the one hand, bad things happen to the body, because such a drastic change in diet and reduction in calories is a big stress for it. On the other hand, the body does not care that the owner wants to lose weight, it only cares about survival and having an energy reserve in case the stressful situation repeats.

First of all, it pumps the body with hormones, forcing it to increase search activity in order to feed itself. I think those who have lost weight remember this feeling of euphoria and vigor in the first few days, or even a week after starting a cruel diet. A person thinks how strong he is, he does everything right, the diet works - life is wonderful. But in fact, this is only a basic defense mechanism, working on instincts. Something akin to a powerful release of adrenaline in a critical situation, so that a person can either quickly run away from danger or confidently attack the enemy.

What happens after a period of hyperactivity in a critical situation? Right! A period of severe loss of strength. The same thing happens during thoughtless manipulations with the diet, only the time intervals are different. In the first case, we are talking about minutes or even seconds. In the second - about days or about a week and a half.

That is, the body turns on energy saving mechanisms, reducing brain and motor activity. You feel sleepy, sluggish and at the same time struggling with a constant feeling of hunger and the desire to devour everything that is not nailed down. Moreover, it is desirable that the food be higher in calories, fattier, and sweeter - these are also instincts.

Thus, at first the nervous system was inflated by hormones that forced it to increase activity, which greatly affected its resources. And then she is exhausted by hunger. Like muscles, the resource of the nervous system is not infinite. When it ends, a breakdown occurs. For some it is earlier, for others it is later, but it happens.

At a basic level, all this is also regulated by hormones, including serotonin (the so-called happiness hormone), which is associated not just with the desire to eat, but to eat harmful sweet treats. A large portion of sugar releases more serotonin than lean buckwheat or boiled chicken breast.

How to solve a problem?

In terms of logic, it’s simple, but implementing the solution in reality is more difficult, but nothing is impossible. Judge for yourself, if you can’t live without serotonin and other happiness hormones, you just need to find another way to get them. After all, they are released not only in response to the intake of certain nutrients.

You were praised by friends and acquaintances - this is the release of a small portion of serotonin. Finished a difficult task - another release of happiness hormones. I saw in the mirror the result of 4 months of work in the form of six-pack abs and powerful biceps - a little more serotonin for the piggy bank. I published this result on Instagram, received enthusiastic comments, and the body again responded with a portion of good hormones. You got behind the wheel of an expensive car or entered your own well-furnished new apartment, for which you have worked in the last months or several years - receive encouragement from your body in the form of a pack of happiness hormones.

Of course, it’s easier to eat something delicious than to follow a training and nutrition regimen day after day for months or to work on your own business (or even work in both directions at once), but the final result is completely different, it differs by orders of magnitude. Get a little here and now, or a lot, but after some time.

Yes, you will have to spend more energy, but in addition to a powerful portion of happiness hormones and a large amount of them, you also get other advantages. A beautiful, strong and healthy body, financial independence, recognition and gratitude from other people if you do something useful for them. Plus, in the process of achieving a big goal, habits change and what was previously difficult and stressful becomes a way of life, and you also begin to enjoy it. From a balanced diet and a feeling of peace in the stomach, from training and a feeling of strength, muscle tone, from a job well done, from order in the house and in the family.

It takes an average of three weeks for any habits to form or disappear - good and bad. By systematically moving towards a big goal, there is a chance to form a pool of good habits by getting rid of bad ones.

That is, the solution is the following - set big, but realistic goals and focus on them, and not on momentary pleasure. It’s hard, you want quick pleasure here and now - at this very moment, think about what you will achieve in the end if you don’t fail. That is why it is important to set clear goals so that you can imagine a real result, which will help you not go astray and not be distracted by trifles. And if you get lost, then a big goal and a clear idea of ​​it will help you get back on track .

The most important thing is that you should not overestimate short-term efforts (lose 20 kg in a month) and you should not underestimate long-term efforts (get yourself more or less in shape in 4-6 months). When you do a little, but every day for a long time, the final result will be impressive. This is what I slowly achieved in 2013 as I worked toward my goal day after day.

One of my inspirations then was Denis Borisov , whose work I recommend for study to those who want to replenish their knowledge base about what is important and useful for self-development (website, YouTube, Instagram).

Since then, I have developed a number of useful habits, continued to develop in the chosen direction, after which I set the goal of achieving peak form for myself (and really understanding the issue deeply, I was tired of experiments and searching for pearls in the information manure). This took 4.5 months of systematic work (the first photo on the left is the end of March 2021, weight - 104.5 kg; on the right and a couple of photos below - the end of August 2021, weight - 96.5 kg):

This time I was inspired by the works and direct help of Yaroslav Brin (Instagram, YouTube, website) - I also highly recommend studying it.

Don't forget about my own column on healthy lifestyle and sports . What is this for? Everything is simple when it comes to self-development in any area - no one will give you a ready-made recipe , but you can find a lot of useful information that adapts to your own realities. You read, adapt, take and do . Little by little, but every day and over a long period of time.

Nevertheless, as I wrote at the beginning, everyone has breakdowns and it is important to minimize the consequences.

Keep yourself busy

When you are sitting at home, you are bored, and you amuse yourself by watching videos on YouTube, then of course it would be a sin not to drink a cup of tea and eat some delicious food during this “important” task. Usually, overeating, consuming extra calories and, of course, diet failures occur precisely because you have nothing to do with yourself !
I know from myself that when I sit at home and am idle (once a year and the stick shoots), then my legs themselves carry me to the refrigerator, and my arms and head are already there =). At such moments, it is important to realize that you don’t feel like eating, you just want to snack on something out of idleness, so that the happiness hormone is released, and your soul feels warm and good. But I assure you that the “warm and good” will last exactly 5 minutes, then you will be overcome with a feeling of guilt for eating this piece of cake or finishing all the chops that were prepared for your husband. The solution is very simple - YOU NEED TO KEEP YOURSELF BUSY WITH SOMETHING! Come up with a hobby, call a friend and go shopping with her, or simply read a book. It will be a thousand times more useful than eating a pie while sitting at the computer!

The first signs of an alcoholic's relapse

In fact, an alcoholic relapse is not a one-time use when a person already starts drinking. First, the disruption process starts. If you do not know how to monitor it and correct your condition, a relapse occurs - this is the direct consumption of an alcohol-containing drink.

Relapse begins long before relapse and is a process that does not always begin noticeably.

The following symptoms help to recognize its approach:

• The person becomes more irritable;
• Mood swings occur;
• From time to time there is a feeling of fatigue, apathy, depression;
• Stressful conditions that often arise even because of trifles;
• Feeling of discomfort, gloomy state;
• Feelings of loneliness and isolation;
• The desire to drink;
• Persistent thoughts about alcohol;
• The so-called “dry hangover”.

The last phenomenon is associated with the mental side of the problem. A person has dreams related to drinking alcohol, and the next morning he wakes up in a depressed state, similar to a normal hangover.

Even one symptom from this list should make you wary. It is important that you have the necessary support during this period. When you detect the first alarm signals, you should contact a psychologist and visit Alcoholics Anonymous groups more often. During this period, there is a high risk of relapse if nothing is done.

If these signs are not detected in time and it is not understood that this is due to withdrawal, further transfer and association of one’s condition with the outside world occurs, with those reasons that actually have nothing to do with it.

Withdrawal

Most of the above symptoms are very similar to signs of simple depression or overwork. At first glance, it seems that this is due to everyday stress, family problems and other external factors. However, it is not. The main reason is past drinking. If the true cause of a negative condition is not determined in time, this can lead to relapse and worsening of the condition.

Main phases

The process of developing a breakdown has its own stages. At first, the alarming symptoms that were mentioned earlier are revealed. Then the breakdown develops, and an increasingly destructive state manifests itself. After the situation is determined and the person understands that a breakdown is occurring, the state becomes stably negative, and then a decrease is possible.

If a person stops connecting his current state with other reasons, thereby not aggravating the situation, the stage of decline begins.

Symptoms of an approaching breakdown

Mental and physical exhaustion is a dangerous symptom. A person tries to compensate for his condition with achievements. He begins to work more, spend money thoughtlessly, and build relationships with the opposite sex. This helps to somehow increase the number of neurotransmitters responsible for pleasure and joy. Despite all the achievements, due to the depressed state, a return to psychostimulants occurs. Therefore, if a person close to you is overly active and is very excited and agitated, you need to be careful.

The other scenario is completely opposite. After long-term rehabilitation, a person returns to the real world and cannot adapt, despite the socio-psychological adaptation carried out. It is difficult for him to contact people, work in a team, and build relationships. Every day, from morning to night, he wants to drown out his internal pain with psychostimulants. Therefore, depression and increased aggression are alarming symptoms.

The environment changes 100%. A person does not communicate with alcoholics and drug addicts who used to be “close friends” for him. After therapy, relatives are wary of the family member, continuing to remember the unpleasant actions that he committed while intoxicated. Accordingly, he has no one to talk to - he has no friends, and his relatives cause distrust. It is much easier to establish old contacts, which will provoke repeated use. Remember that any reproach towards a person can push him to breakdown and destruction of his own life.

Sweets - for joy

Most people who lose weight indulge in sweets. They gobble up chocolates, cakes, cookies, waffles. And there is an explanation for this. Sweets contain serotonin, a mood hormone. During a diet, its amount decreases sharply, hence the sharp craving for chocolate and desserts.

What should a girl do if she has gone off her diet and ate too much sweets? Universal rules apply. Drink more, reduce your caloric intake and, especially, reduce your carbohydrate content.

Important! If a sugar craving occurred during the Dukan diet, then increase the duration of the “Attack” phase by 1-3 days. Remember that the maximum duration of the phase should not exceed 10 days.

After an indulgence in sweets, you need to make small adjustments to your diet. Add dried fruits, replace sugar with honey, eat more fiber.

What are the types of diet failures?

Overeating on a diet has its reasons. There are one-time violations of the regime: you succumbed to temptation and ate fried food; I didn’t have time to have a full lunch and fast food was used.

There are breakdowns that last many days, when you constantly want sweets or can’t sleep without a snack.

We ate sweets

A common reason for failure in the struggle for a slim figure is an uncontrollable desire to treat yourself to something sweet . This is explained by the fact that the body, feeling hungry, urgently tries to eliminate the lack of calories. A quick way is to absorb carbohydrates, which is what sweets actually are.

Sweets promote the production of pleasure hormones. Receiving a minimum of carbohydrates, those losing weight become sad and irritated. It is not without reason that experts compare sweet foods with narcotic drugs based on the similarity of their effects on the body.

Sweets promote the production of pleasure hormones.

How to overcome addiction to foods containing carbohydrates:

1. Get rid of your stock of sweets at home. Not a single chocolate bar, even in anticipation of the arrival of guests.
2. Get enough sleep, as lack of sleep leads to energy deficiency. The body, urgently replenishing energy, requires carbohydrates.
3. Avoid emotional eating. Feeling emotional instability, those losing weight again resort to carbohydrates, which cause a rush of endorphins. Medical research has established that joy hormones are also produced in the body during physical activity. Try castling.
4. Pay attention to the information on product labels. Harmless sauces and juices may contain excess carbohydrates and an abundance of preservatives.
5. Cook at home more often, treat yourself to your favorite dishes. If the recipe you like contains mayonnaise, replace it with sour cream or yogurt, and mustard-lemon sauce can be an alternative to vegetable oil.

Be sure to read: What herbs reduce appetite and promote weight loss, TOP 10 natural remedies

We ate fried food

Undoubtedly, fried food is very tasty. But is that the only thing? Experts say: the desire to eat slightly burnt food, which has a characteristic fried crust, indicates a lack of carbon and chromium.

Lentils will replenish carbon reserves. Chromium deficiency will be eliminated:

• oysters;
• liver;
• cheese;
• peas;
• Melissa.

Fed up for the night

There is a saying: “There is strength, there is will, but there is no willpower.”

There is no point in turning your last meal into a feast of gluttony.

This is what usually happens with vows and promises “Don’t eat after six.” The reasons for nightly deviations from the diet lie in physiology: the scanty caloric content of the daily menu, together with excessive physical activity, lead to overeating.

Violation of the regime is facilitated by unreasonably long breaks between meals. Those who are losing weight often go to bed long after midnight, refusing dinner after 18:00 in the evening.

Nutritionists insist: by depriving themselves of a late dinner and going to bed hungry, people activate the production of cortisol and adrenaline. The effect of these hormones on the body is such that every calorie goes into reserve. As a result, diets stop working.

There is no point in turning your last meal into a feast of gluttony. Listening to the recommendations of nutritionists, you should drink a glass of kefir or eat an apple at night.

Without fear, you can enjoy foods with so-called “negative calorie content”:

• spinach;
• cabbage;
• ground cucumbers;
• pumpkin;
• zucchini;
• celery.

Nutritionists consider foods with a negative calorie content to be food that takes more calories to digest than it contains.

We couldn’t resist at the festive table

Nutritionists consider foods with a negative calorie content to be food that takes more calories to digest than it contains.
Do you want to avoid such eating disorders in the future? The answer is obvious - eat in advance. Eat complex carbohydrates that will keep you full and energized for a long time.

Hunger will be under control. Agree, it is difficult to control your appetite while sitting at a festive table full of delicacies.

What to do if you fall off your diet?

First of all, calm down and analyze: what foods were most attractive during overeating?

Our body periodically tells us about a lack of vitamins and microelements. Perhaps during a breakdown you unknowingly ate something that was in short supply.

Be sure to read: Why there is no appetite: physiological and pathological reasons, what to do, medications, folk remedies, nutrition

Overeating prohibited foods, consume foods that have a fat-burning effect:

• grapefruit;
• green tea;
• ginger;
• turmeric;
• hot pepper