Binging and coronavirus

cindy9766

I am starting to have a problem, could not over eat and amost constantly under it for about two yrs after my last holiday something snapped i could keep my food but i slipped few times and over ate now as the situation is the way it is and gyms are closed i am sitting at home went for jog outside and tried to do home workout although it is not the same, sitting at home i ended up slipping more and overeating much more this weekend when i shouldnt have done at all... i am really mad at myself although i might be an wmotional eater.... i am stressed about it now, any remedy for this problem?

springlering62

I am determined not to put on weight during this event, and all I can share is what’s working for me.

I created a list of chores. I’m the kind of weirdo who revels in check marks when lists are being completed. Some of it is just “make work”, but it keeps me up and keeps me running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I’ve cleaned out my closet, put away winter clothes, pressure washed the porch, cleaned baseboards, taken down pictures, completely dusting and wiping the glass and rehanging, I even bought paint and am painting a room every couple of days and then deep cleaning the room afterwards. I’m halfway through the fourth room. The garage needs a serious reorganization, as does a row of cabinets holding a very large collection. I even spent an hour scooting around on my butt, trimming a giant hooked rug the cat turned into his play space. Rug looks like new.

I make elaborate (for me, and within goal) meals that keep me standing and washing dishes (and not missing restaurant meals). Right now I have bacon crisping in the oven, and bread dough rising. I’m making “Dresdener Handbrot” for dinner, from scratch, after enjoying some at a German Christmas market.

I’m trying new recipes and learning to use a Ninja Foodi that thankfully came arrived a couple of days before the mess hit. It is, BTW, amazing, but the learning curve to use it has kept me off my butt, too.

I make up reasons to go up and down the stairs. I’m washing things that don’t really need to be washed. Putting away one piece of laundry at a time to keep moving.

My local yoga studio is broadcasting sessions, and I find it very soothing and more comfortable to have familiar voices with the same old “patter” I’m used to, rather than trying to find new stuff online. I do a couple of those a day.

We can still go out for walks here, so I walk or run our local bike path two or three walks a day.

My husband is in heaven with all the food issuing forth from the kitchen, and he’s even quickly gotten in the habit of walking a couple of times a day because he sees me doing it, and he feels compelled to, too, lol.

The wierd thing is, once you make up your mind to keep moving, it becomes habit almost immediately. I go to bed exhausted, my move ring is turning as much or slightly more, and, to my utter amazement, my steps are WAY higher than they were a week ago.

I’m drinking a lot of hot drinks, even though we were briefly in the 80’s here. Hot drinks curb my appetite.

I didn’t stock up on snack foods, and don’t plan to when we make the next grocery run. I’ll stick to my usual fresh fruit. (Sure will be glad to restock on that! )

I made a choice to cut my calories from 2300 (I was in recomp) to 1900 til this is over. That’s been a challenge, but I’ve been able to be reasonably close on average. Today will be slightly over because I just *ahem* got into that bacon I was crisping.

Find stuff to do. Idle hands tend to head towards the mouth. Busy hands are preoccupied and the time will zip by so fast you’ll be back to a planned meal or snack time before you know it. Having a schedule for those helps, too, as does oreplanning your food diary. )

yirara

Try to find regularity, regardless of what you're doing at the moment. Make a day plan and live by it. Don't allow too much time for doing nothing. If you're bored then learn something: a programming language, Chinese, doesn't matter what. Just keep on doing it every day at the same time. The same for eating: eat at roughly the same times. Having a schedule makes dealing with difficult things just easier.

ReenieHJ

I'm at the same place as OP. And for some strange reason, it's the weekends that are getting to me?? The past 2 weekends, they've been spent stuffing my face mindlessly. Then once Monday a.m. comes, I'm back on track. I'm not sure of any ideas but just know you're not alone in this.
It's also been cold, windy, and now they predicting either rain or snow for the rest of the week. And all I can think of is gardening and green grass. Spring weather would help with the mood, which might help with the over eating. At least getting outside more would help.
If you've been spending time at the gym, you now have to get creative with your exercise. Did you see the video of the guy who ran a marathon on his balcony?
I think we could all seriously use some positive thinking right now. Take care everyone!

cheryldumais

If you find yourself out of control (as I have) the best thing I could think of was to eat at maintenance until I got past the stress. I feel like I'm more in control now. I'm back on my regimen but it took a while to get the new routine in place with working from home and not going out to exercise. The worst thing that happens at maintenance is you don't lose but don't gain. Try not to have an all or nothing attitude. Do the best you can and don't beat yourself up. We are all feeling it but we'll get through it eventually.

kshama2001

I'm stress eating too, and the recent bad weather didn't help. I'm getting ready to go garden for an hour. When I get back I'm going to write to my psychiatrist and ask what's up with my referral to the behaviorist and if it can be done remotely. (My medical care is through the VA.) Actually, maybe I will do that first...

lightenup2016

Let me just say, coronavirus pandemic/stay-at-home + PMS is not a good combo! I've eaten a LOT the past several days, and now my period finally started, and my eating is kinda' going down a little...

cwolfman13

I typically lose my appetite when I'm stressed, which has been the last couple of weeks. I'm starting to get my appetite back. One thing that's keeping me from snacking is that most of that kind of food is for our kids...we snack on it too, and in normal times it's no biggie, but a lot of that stuff is hard to find right now in the stores so I would kind of feel like an *kitten* eating my kids' snacks and whatnot. We also don't want to be running to the store frequently to replenish the pantry and whatnot...we're trying to keep that to a minimum of once per week so we're doing a bit more rationing than we would in other times.

I'm exercising and getting in more activity than I normally would going to the office as I am minus my 2 hour commute. We usually do a family walk or bike ride for an hour in the morning and the boys have fresh air/exercise time in the afternoon usually spent on the trampoline while my wife and I take turns getting some afternoon exercise...she usually goes for a run and I've been getting in some good rides.

grentea

I think a lot of people are in the same boat right now. I spent several days without eating all day and then eating everything at 10 pm. Give yourself permission to breathe. We all have to get used to a new normal. Try sticking to a routine.

lightenup2016

Thinking about it a bit, I think for me, there's also a sense of "Well, who is going to see me? Who will notice if I gain back a few pounds?" I mean, we can't go anywhere, can't meet up with anyone socially, so it's kind of like, I don't care quite as much. I'm having to remind myself how great I feel when I'm lighter and not overeating. But, some of my motivation before was also some running races I had coming up, which are now canceled.

All in all, not the biggest problems to have considering all that's going on out there, but it's kind of nice to have this forum here and hear that I'm not the only one struggling with the eating/weight thing!

kshama2001

kshama2001 wrote: »

I'm stress eating too, and the recent bad weather didn't help. I'm getting ready to go garden for an hour. When I get back I'm going to write to my psychiatrist and ask what's up with my referral to the behaviorist and if it can be done remotely. (My medical care is through the VA.) Actually, maybe I will do that first...

In a win for what is essentially socialized medicine, health care through the Veterans Administration, I emailed my psychiatrist yesterday requesting a consult, got a call from Behavioral Health today, and have a tele-health appointment for next Tuesday.

Strudders67

OP, what are you over-eating on? If you're eating for the sake of eating, do you have any lower-calorie snacks that you could steer yourself towards instead? Perhaps look at your diary and see what you're eating that could be changed up for something else. Next time you go food shopping, get more things that you can pick at without blowing the calorie budget.

Or, keep yourself busy, as suggested above, to stop you thinking about food. Or go cold turkey and banish all treats from the house so that you're not tempted.

Not being able to go to the gym is hard if you're used to doing that. But my gross calorie intake has actually gone down because I don't have cakes, snacks etc at home and, as I'm not in the office, the constant supply of goodies that's usually available isn't there.

wsusan162

Please turn off the news (and wash your hands). I finally had to turn off the news because I was getting depressed. It is all coronavirus all the time. Now I go outside and walk (alone), or paint my nails (can't eat with wet fingernails), or read, anything to get my mind off what is happening. I find I eat more if I am down and depressed, so you are not the only emotional eater out there

alexmose

Anybody going to bed at 7pm to stop snacking 😂😂

NicoleinVegas

I actually have the opposite issue. I made sure that I didn't stock up on any snacks. It helps that I have no children at home that would want them. I also am now working from home and have more time to work out (beachbody online programs) and take the dog for long walks. I think in the last 2 weeks I have lost about 4 pounds.

Untilproud11

Thanks for this post
It helped me to know im not alone 👍
Good luck to all ❤️

privy95

I have to consciously pay attention to what goes in my mouth. I have kids who snack and leave yummy snacks out. It would be so easy to mindlessly take a bite of this and that and start that cycle if eating! I too go to bed early or go to my room and “restrict” myself from the kitchen or I want to snack on everything. I am not binging, but definitely overeating on licks, bites, and tastes when I am not careful. I had to count 5 (frozen) candy corn. I found a bag in the freezer door....

brenn24179

I heard about response cards, wrote them in my phone, notes to remind me. Notes saying You wont be able to fit into your clothes, do you want to be overweight? , you will be sorry tomorrow if you eat this. For some reason this has helped, reminds me of the consequences. So far done pretty good, stayed at my maintenance weight.

kshama2001

wsusan162 wrote: »

Please turn off the news (and wash your hands). I finally had to turn off the news because I was getting depressed. It is all coronavirus all the time. Now I go outside and walk (alone), or paint my nails (can't eat with wet fingernails), or read, anything to get my mind off what is happening. I find I eat more if I am down and depressed, so you are not the only emotional eater out there

Yes, I'm normally a big consumer of news but had to cut way back.

I remember after 9/11 my friends who stayed glued to the TV for days afterwards suffered more mentally than those of us who did not.

gothchiq

There are various therapists who have free videos on Youtube for dealing with stress, eating poorly, getting through a crisis etc. I recommend that you watch less news and avail yourself of these resources. Unplug as much as you can. Read books, walk if feasible, do something artistic even if you draw terribly give it a try. Like a still life with some stuff you have in the house.

Cat0703a

alexmose wrote: »

Anybody going to bed at 7pm to stop snacking 😂😂

wsusan162 wrote: »

or paint my nails (can't eat with wet)

Bath (again hard place to snack and in my case a different floor than the kitchen is on) and then climbing straight into bed, has been working for me most nights...though I don’t go to bed until at last 9pm. 😂