Can't stop thinking about food

kitkat940

Does anyone else have this problem?
It's all I think about all day and I crave food that I shouldn't be eating! I have come so far and need to get past this so I don't go back to my old habits.

ElliPartridge

I heard that it is okay to give into your cravings- just a bit, once in a while. Psych blabber on a T.V. reality show says this. Otherwise it becomes like the forbidden fruit and gets too hard to resist the fellow said. I don't know...life seems just too short to deny yourself everything...all the time. At end of our life we normally become just a bag of bones anyhow, it seems.

Myhaloslipped

Definitely been there! The holidays are particularly difficult with all of the vacation time. Find something to keep you busy---preferably something outside of the house. I worked from home last year, and working with a fully stocked refrigerator a mere 20 feet away did not help. It will help keep your mind off of food until you get used to it.

mathandcats

I think about food a lot when I'm not busy. But there is no food I feel I shouldn't be eating - if I really want something, I figure out how to make it fit. That might help you. When I am busier and my mind is occupied, I don't have any problems. Christmas break was kind of hard that way.

LAWoman72

Me neither. Food, food, yummy food! Mmmm.

But for me, food has its place...and its time. I reserve a few calories to enjoy at night while watching goofy TV shows with my husband. (Right now it's Miami Vice. Please don't ask.) Other than that, it's three meals a day...and that's it.

And somehow that seems to be keeping eating what it should be (IMO): a nice occasion, a place to sit down with family (except for lunch), a quiet bunch of minutes. Its very own thing. Three times a day. Just like we did things when I was a little girl. It was three squares a day, and a little snack (I do mean that...a LITTLE snack) before bedtime if we were starving. (We were kids, after all.) Somehow we all survived. A few nice mommies on my block gave their kids two cookies or thereabouts after school. Generally, in my household we didn't do that. But that's what it would be. A cookie or two.

Of course, these were the abusive 70s when society was, you know, not overwhelmingly overweight.

Then the 80s hit and "grazing" became the big thing and it was advised that humans were "natural grazers" and we should be eating "six small meals a day." Somehow that seems to have morphed into...well, just constant eating. At least for some of us. I honest to God do not know one other parent besides myself who doesn't bring snacks "just in case" for the kids to every occasion. Every. Occasion. I was meeting a friend and her kids at the park recently. She brought one granola bar, one Gogurt, one juice pouch and one mini Goldfish crackers for each child. We planned to meet for ONE hour. I guess this was all so that her kids could survive that hour without falling into a dead faint. I said, "Why didn't you guys just eat before you left home?" She looked at me as if I were a child abuser.

I know that works for some people, so I'm not knocking it. But for me, it translated to: ANY time might be a time for food. I mean that. ANY time. A pre-bath snack. Seriously. And somehow...that made me think more about food than I ever had in my life.

Since going to three actual meals (as much as possible...there are distractions...and I know eating at work can be quite distracting indeed; I always ate at my desk when I worked - bad idea, for me), where I sit and take a breather, where I actually know what it is I'm eating, rather than constant "Luna bars" and this, that and the other thing with one hand while doing something else with the other, I have gained control of my constant hunger. That's interesting to me. And also of my constant thinking about food...I still think about it (yum! Ah, food) but more in a planning way v. "I'd better get SOMETHING in there. I thought about food, so now I'd better do something about it." So far I've lost 20 lbs.

Maybe make your food times special. Let them stand out. Set a nice place for yourself. If you have the time, make a wonderful meal. If you don't, because, say, you're at work, make a bunch of really fantastic stuff on one big cooking night (that's what I used to do as a single parent working full-time). Sit down. ENJOY it.

And then once it's over...it's over.

Sure, you can still think about food during the rest of your day. We're animals. We're living beings. We need food. We're supposed to think about and plan for where our next meal is coming from. But if thinking about food is taking over your life...who knows, what I do now may just work for you too. It can't hurt to try.

I know that's all really vague and I've gone on way too long, as I generally do, but hopefully it's at least some food for thought, so to speak.

khearron26

I'm with you. Whenever someone on tv mentions cake, that's all i can focus on. Also, OP, your name makes me want a kitkat.

nutty192

How I agree. I find I am thinking about food all the time. Although I crave really sweet stuff,
I try to substitute something fairly healthy, like fruit, or nuts, but it is all too easy to eat too much because they all have loads of calories. I find meals are easy, it is everything else that is the problem.

JudyDarwin

Yes, I do, but..... I have come across a relaxation pod cast. The podcast puts you onto a hypnotic state. Then, it proceeds to introduce your mind to remove snack cravings and insert healthy choices. As crazy as it sounds, you're mind is a powerful tool. I have noticed I can very easily say no to food I otherwise would crave.

Francl27

2 years later... still think about food all the time. I just try to think of what I'm going to eat at my next meal/the next day instead of what I want to eat now, but I don't think it's ever going away.

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ellisboyd1

yeah, its reverse psychology. if you tell yourself not to think about a pink elephant, you'll think of a pink elephant.

I tell myself what I'm "going to" eat, not what I'm "not going to" eat. meanwhile any bad stuff that comes my way is going to get binned.

EDIT: would also add that i kind of got out of it by eating fruit between meals. I used to eat a meal, then just hang on until the next meal time. mentally that was tough. by allowing myself fruit, i never go hungry. not even a little bit. the anxiety around maybe going hungry then evaporated.

ellisboyd1

Francl27 wrote: »

2 years later... still think about food all the time. I just try to think of what I'm going to eat at my next meal/the next day instead of what I want to eat now, but I don't think it's ever going away.

I think there's just so much temptation. tv, adverts, the people around you. constant cues to eat bad things.

ana3067

I'm assuming you are either not eating enough or you are unnecessarily restrictive wtih your food choices. Or both. If I see something on TV that looks appetizing, I eat it at the next chance I have available for me. If you cannot eat the things that you plan to eat when maintaining your weight right now, then you are probably not going to be very successful in weight maintenance. It's all about sustainability, and this is obviously not sustainable.

Lost 25ish lbs and I eat donuts and chocolate frequently.

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sophomorelove

I've had this problem ever for 15+ years, and it's only been exacerbated by restrictive crash diets. At one point I was clenching my jaw so much, while thinking abut food, I got jaw cramps and began having problems with my teeth. I guess it was part of me hitting rock bottom, because I had tried EVERYTHING besides sensible eating. Even though I still think about food a lot, at least it's more mental now than physical. I am learning moderation and to eat as much as I can while still losing weight. There's not really a food you shouldn't be eating, unless it puts you over your calorie goal. I don't know when you started MFP, but try experimenting with combinations of foods at each meal and see what makes you most satisfied. Also, I'd like to thank to all the commenters for motivation and helpful reminders.

ketorach

LAWoman72 wrote: »

I honest to God do not know one other parent besides myself who doesn't bring snacks "just in case" for the kids to every occasion. Every. Occasion. I was meeting a friend and her kids at the park recently. She brought one granola bar, one Gogurt, one juice pouch and one mini Goldfish crackers for each child. We planned to meet for ONE hour. I guess this was all so that her kids could survive that hour without falling into a dead faint. I said, "Why didn't you guys just eat before you left home?" She looked at me as if I were a child abuser.

Lol. I complained about "snacks" during soccer when the kids were six. They are "playing soccer" (i.e. every kid swarming the ball or ambling aimlessly) for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Why do they need Gatorade and orange slices and pretzels?

Ohmygod. You'd think I suggested we lock them all in closet without food and water for 2 days.

Since going to three actual meals (as much as possible...there are distractions...and I know eating at work can be quite distracting indeed; I always ate at my desk when I worked - bad idea, for me),

I also eat three times a day -- and maybe a little snack in the evening if I'm hungry. I changed MFP settings from Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner to 7:00AM, 12:00-2:00PM, and 7:00-9:00PM, plus Snacks/Supplements. It's helped a lot to have that structure.

LAWoman72

ketorach wrote: »

Lol. I complained about "snacks" during soccer when the kids were six. They are "playing soccer" (i.e. every kid swarming the ball or ambling aimlessly) for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Why do they need Gatorade and orange slices and pretzels?

Ohmygod. You'd think I suggested we lock them all in closet without food and water for 2 days.

Our kids got TWO "snack periods" for soccer. Two twenty-minute periods (these are the pweewees). After the first twenty minutes of, as you said, basically two "soccer stars...soccer is my life" little ones jumping all around and the rest following somewhat aimlessly, they got fruit and a juice box. After the second twenty-minute period - end of game - they got the "bigger" snack. A juice box and then usually a granola bar and pretzels, or one parent brought cupcakes. Most of the after-game snacks were more than one item. Plus, of course...the friggin' juice box.

Because it's impossible for water to "rehyrdrate" children.

This was for every single game.

Francl27

I'm suddenly glad I haven't signed up my kids for soccer. The snacking enabling in this country is a bit much. Sheesh.

AmyWebb2

I think about food, too. Especially dried fruit and Asian trail mix with wasabi peas. I actually dream about it sometimes. I am not going to give in and give up, but why can't it be carrots that are bad for you?!!!

Maxematics

I love food, but I've noticed the only times I think about food nonstop is when I haven't eaten enough. This usually happens to people who try to lose weight on 1200 calories, so if that's you OP you should increase your calories. Also, unless you have allergies, there are no foods you "shouldn't" be eating. I promise.

kommodevaran

I think a lot about food, food I have eaten, food I want to eat, and food I just crave, but I don't think of it as a problem anymore. There is no food I "shouldn't" be eating, but some foods are easier to fit into my plan, namely those that I can eat to satisfaction. I plan my meals, fill the plan with delicious food, and try my best to follow the plan, which poses no problem as it's filled with food I like and want.