Need HELP please

brenda303039

Hi my name is Brenda. I am doing good but one thing that keeps me sometimes going back to bad habits. My brain is always telling my mouth that I need to be eating or chewing something. How do I stop this or how do I fix this problem? Even if I am full or not hunger it does it. Please I need help. I feel like a smoker trying to stop smoking please help.

ktekc

Gum or a diet soda keeps my face occupied when I feel I need something and I know I dont.

NikkiMichelleS

Drink water or tea to help fill you up.

Get up & move, or otherwise find something to distract yourself. Even watching TV, do simple walking exercises.

Keep healthy snacks available when you just "must" snack (yogurt cups, dark chocolate pieces, plain popcorn, etc)

Self control. Im sorry, but if you want to lose weight, control your eating habits

lemonlionheart

You need to break a habit, and it takes practice. I'm a snacker too, but when I really committed to the program I found that after a week or so I had gotten used to not constantly having something to put in my mouth. I tried the gum thing, but honestly I found that it made me want to snack more and didn't help me break the habit. Try pre-logging your day, and see if you can stick to that for one week. Also, I've found that activities that are mentally stimulating or physical help with distraction.

bellabonbons

By chewing your favorite gum keeps your mouth busy and your brain satisfied. Try it. I was amazed how well this works.

Crazyfighter99

Gum, and water. If you have a bottle, I find the action of opening and closing it when I take a drink satisfies my brain's need to "do something"

Sued0nim

Tell your brain

I have just eaten, I am going to go for a 20 minute walk round the block and if I want to eat something when I get back I will

Then do it

It gives you a break; it changes your focus; retrains your brain and if you really want to eat something when you get back gives you more calories to do just that

Sued0nim

Also analyse the urge ..is it hunger? How does it feel? In my mouth, throat, stomach, how does my body feel? Is this real hunger? Is this something I can ignore. Have I just eaten a big meal? Then it can't be true hunger, so what is this? Is this different from when I haven't eaten for hours, in what way? Hunger is not a bad thing that needs sated every time..let your rational brain take over from the urges

There's nothing wrong with feeling hungry once in a while ...

You have objective data of calorie counting to prove you're not "true hunger"

Sued0nim

I think gum and water are tricks that work occasionally but to be long term successful you need to get the kink out of your think

That's how I approached it anyway ...and I've been at goal for a year now and don't really get those hunger signals any more

eldamiano

If you find yourself buying a chocolate bar, put some ketchup on it. That will put your tastebuds off...

Sued0nim

eldamiano wrote: »

If you find yourself buying a chocolate bar, put some ketchup on it. That will put your tastebuds off...

this offends me

runrascal

Keep your hands and mind busy. I do handicrafts - you can't be eating and sewing/knitting at the same time. Also jigsaw puzzles work for me and my friend does grown up colouring books!!

But I know just how you feel, often I stand and look in the fridge because my mouth wants to eat and have to tell myself that I am really am not hungry and walk away. But oh, it hurts...

siobhancollins90

lemonlionheart wrote: »

Try pre-logging your day, and see if you can stick to that for one week. .

I have to agree with this, as someone who has only just started a few weeks ago i log my food the day before to make sure i am at a deficit. If i have calories remaining i know im ok to have a snack and if not i have the opportunity to swap the food i have in my diary to allow for one. Theres still the odd occasion i just cant help myself but generally speaking i dont get the mad urge for chocolate ive had for years!

Janehds0284

I was the same with you before but for me I feel like I commit to this MFP so I will change my habit and I have to make this work for myself!

If you really wanna do this you just have to be strong, find something else to do, if night time just off to bed

thatshistorical

If you need (and I use that term figuratively) a sweet fix, try semi-sweet or dark choc chips. Give yourself 10 of them. That's all. For salty, sunflower seeds in their shell. Again, 10 of them. I used to get a daily snack from my stash at work--a fiber one cake or a chocolate covered granola bar. Still only about 100-120 calories, but I'm tricking myself into not wanting them. If I open up a 120 calorie brownie, I'm going to eat the whole thing. But if I give myself 100 calories of something small and numerous, I can wean off while still getting some flavor and not wasting money or food.

After a couple of weeks, try giving yourself 5 for the fix. Drink 8-16oz water each time you "need" the fix--but drink it before you consume. After a couple of weeks, give yourself 3 for the fix. Now you're down to a third of what the fix calories were.

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

Just read though topics on my fitness pal until your brain goes numb.

tojo_73

I had this issue as well (big reason behind my weight gain) sitting at a desk and computer all day I would snack constantly, eat my lunch by 10:30 and then go out for lunch. Two things that work for me are:
1- Pack veggies and snack on these. They get you through and are crazy low calorie that the bottom line impact on calories is pretty low (and its not like anyone says eat less veggies)
2- Water - I have a bottle with me at my desk and have a deal with myself that I need to drink 1L/hr - you pee alot but it really does curb appetite.

21 days to create new habits. Everyone finds it hard for the first few weeks. Don't aim for perfection just improvement. So long as you are improving week to week you will get there. Remember it took a while to gain the weight it should take a while to lose it too (as astoundingly frustrating as that is )