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.

TeaBea

Keep busy, keep distracted. I don't eat in front of the TV any more, I play solitaire while watching. Knitting, crochet, crossword puzzles, anything to keep your hands occupied.

Chew gum, suck on hard candy, or choose very low calorie snacks (ie: celery sticks or cucumber slices).

Go for a walk. Earn some extra calories. "Spend" them on a 100 calorie bag of microwave popcorn.

If you are going to maintain, you are going to have to conquer this sooner or later. I know that I won't be able to eat mindlessly anymore.

Need2Exerc1se

TeaBea wrote: »

Keep busy, keep distracted. I don't eat in front of the TV any more, I play solitaire while watching. Knitting, crochet, crossword puzzles, anything to keep your hands occupied.

Chew gum, suck on hard candy, or choose very low calorie snacks (ie: celery sticks or cucumber slices).

Go for a walk. Earn some extra calories. "Spend" them on a 100 calorie bag of microwave popcorn.

If you are going to maintain, you are going to have to conquer this sooner or later. I know that I won't be able to eat mindlessly anymore.

All good suggestions ^^ Especially gum.

Sipping low/no calories drinks may help as well.

Danimri84

I have the same problem. I'm an over eater and a smoker mostly because I feel like I need something in my mouth all the time. Gum makes my stomach upset for some odd reason, so I use peppermints, and I have a water cup with a straw. Having the straw to put in my mouth is extremely helpful.

Ready2Rock206

Danimri84 wrote: »

Gum makes my stomach upset for some odd reason, so I use peppermints, and I have a water cup with a straw.

I can't chew mint gum because it gives me a stomach ache, but I am just fine with other flavors.

murp4069

Danimri84 wrote: »

I have the same problem. I'm an over eater and a smoker mostly because I feel like I need something in my mouth all the time. Gum makes my stomach upset for some odd reason, so I use peppermints, and I have a water cup with a straw. Having the straw to put in my mouth is extremely helpful.

Totally agree with the straw, it's really worked for me as well.

wkwebby

Maybe brush your teeth when you feel the urge to snack? Lots of foods taste horrible after you've brushed your teeth.

chelseakrenzke

Watch what mints/gum you eat though. Get sugar free mints/gum otherwise it can destroy your teeth! Got two cavities one year from eating so many livesaver mints. They now have sugar free though

cross2bear

This is the component to weight loss that is hard for everyone - breaking old habits. All good suggestions above, and I would like to recommend one more thing. Whenever you feel like you want to eat, make a production of it. Dont stand at the counter and eat, dont sit in front of the tv to eat, dont read a book and eat - get out your best dishes, napkin, cutlery. Set a place with a placemat - you know, as if someone important is coming for a meal - because its TRUE - YOU are!! This way, through behavioural modification, you break the connection between mindless eating, and training yourself to eat only in the appropriate environment. If its important enough to eat at that time, its important enough to set the stage. After awhile though, if you are diligent, doing this for every time you want to snack can get annoying and the theory is that you will then stop doing it (and stop the eating because the value of the snack has been diminished). I did it for awhile and it did make a difference. It helped break the habit of responding to "head hungry" instead of real hunger.

Another thing you can do is to just write down all the times that you snack, and where you snack. Dont try to control it, just write it down. Do it for maybe a couple of days. then have a look at your log and maybe you can see some triggers in your environment. You could also add a column about how you feel at the time, so you may be able to see the emotional cues to which you respond.

As I said, old habits are hard to break but it can be done. Good luck!

brenda303039

Thank you everybody for the great ideas!