Need some suggestions for not reaching for food

VolatileChocolate

My dilemma is when I'm at work. I lead a fairly busy life, I current work in an office from 7am to 4pm dealing with pension complaints. I then work 2-3 evenings a week running my own business as a Beauty and Holistic mobile therapist. When I can I do go to the gym but this has not been regularly enough due to literally only having one evening a week free.
I struggle in the office with food - I want to eat and eat and eat but majority of the time I'm not actually hungry. I believe its an emotional tactic to deal with complaints - or delay dealing with them lol. I even bring in low fat yoghurts, bananas and other fruit and a small chocolate biscult like a pengiun. I do struggle to bring a prepared meal like a salad etc if I've been working night before. I've even got my Mantra (see thread signature) on my PC to remind me but I still find myself buying chocolate bar or a cake from the canteen (there has been times when I've brought 3 a day). For instance today I brought lasagna with garlic bread for lunch and still brought a danish pastry with chocolate chips on it, even though I didn't need it.

I do drink at least 2ltrs of water a day mainly whilst in the office and will drink a glass before eating. Most of time if its after 3pm I normally tell myself I've only got an hour to go to home time so can get through it.

Over the next 2-3 weeks are currently quieter on the beauty front so will be able to get to the gym hopefully at least 3 times a week which I know will help with toning up.

If anyone has got any suggestions what I can do to get over these cravings or from buying this stuff, as its doing my head in that I can't get it out of my system. I have considered hypnotherapy as it did work last year with my potion sizes and cutting out full fat cheese and other items (except 'other items' have crept back in!)

At weekends I'm the complete opposite - I will eat 3 reasonably healthy meals and rarely snack inbetween as I'm doing other things (housework, beauty, gardening) and I don't need to reach for a snack. Again in evenings once I've had a meal I don't need anything else, very very rarely will have a dessert.

I have been going through of a lot of emotional issues surrounding finances caused by ex husband (only just divorced), current relationship. Over last 3 weeks this has set my weight loss back considerably, but now feel I want to get back to sorting myself out and have 4 weeks to holiday where I'd like to see some results. Also i've been through a rough patch at work as at age of 40 found out I'm Dyslexic and Dyspraxic which has resulted in additional support at work and new systems and training (nearly lost my job before finding out).

Thanks for taking time and reading. I know its a bit all over the place - but that me at the moment hahaha

VC

TropicalKitty

Nothing that I see in your snack list had stuff that will last in your tummy. No protein. No fat. Or at least very minimal amounts of either. You have tons of carbs in there (the banana and fruit). Obviously something isn't satisfying you, so change it. I went through something very similar earlier this year where I was eating a huge salad and turkey sandwich with berries for lunch. But 30minutes later I was hungry and I felt like all I wanted to do was eat all day. Why? I wasn't feeding my body what it needed. I found out that I do best on a fatty protein and hearty veggies meal (grass fed steak and broccoli, not chicken rice and carrots)

Try adding in things like almonds, peanuts, walnuts. Avocado. Cheese. Protein (soy if you are veggie, turkey, pork tender loin, grass fed beef if you aren't). Eat various things and see how your body responds immediately after, then 2 hours after. That way you can find out how to honestly feed your body.

You can still eat healthfully, but realize that sometimes the prescription for health doesn't always fit exactly for everyone.

Another thing, I had been having the cravings for chocolate milk and ice cream. Couldn't figure it out. Ended up being that I had been eating too lean for my body. I had myself a steak and the craving went away. Perhaps you are craving the treats because you aren't getting something else.

So don't be frustrated and fight your body. Talk to your body and figure out what it's really telling you.

PS - If it's an emotional thing, you at least are recognizing there's something going on. So before you go to eat something, ask yourself if it fits into what you want for yourself and why you are grabbing it to eat. Is the cookie going to help or hurt your cause?

PLUMSGRL

:flowerforyou: Hi VC,

Sounds like you're stressed out more than anything- 2 businesses, finance and relationship problems, and being dyslexic/dyspraxic doesn't help!

Exercise will help to relieve the stress, especially cardio stuff. There are all kinds of DVDs out there that you can do at home -
walking, dance, aerobics, ect. Shoot for 3-5 times a week 20-30 min is all it takes! I think once you get the stress under control, the cravings and binges will go away- also make sure you're taking a really good vitamin/mineral tab high in B vit complex (you need it right now)

In the mean time -stay out of the canteen! Go outside to eat, get some fresh air and a short walk- you'll feel better.

If the hypno worked for you in the past- then try it again, everything helps!

Good luck, and let me know how things go!

unocentavo

The getting back to the gym thing, is gonna be your best weapon. When you're on the treadmill, eliptical, etc., picture those bad food habits in your mind and keep watching the calorie meter on the equipment. You're gonna be sick when you see how long it takes to burn that one bad food choice off. When you are back at the office and the urge hits you to reach for the junk, ask yourself, "If I eat this thing, which will only take a few seconds to do, how long will I have to work to burn it off?"
I dislike cardio very much. This a great motivator when I'm running on the treadmill, seeing how long it takes to burn 600 calories and knowing I can blow that hard work, that I don't enjoy doing, with a few doughnuts.

VolatileChocolate

Thanks for all these suggestions, it is something that will look into. Hadn't considered taken Vits before as assumed that if eating healthy food would get enough from that. Will keep you posted.

Since lunch time been ok (now 2.50pm) but did spend 30mins typing out my post which kept me preoccupied!!. Just got to keep it up on a regular basis, my morning was good today as well, just the danish at lunch time.

Once I get to gym and changed I really enjoy working out, where I go its a small local gym where they're NASM trained and the training programs are nothing like they are a the commerical gym. They really concentrate on Core strengthing exercises (things like foam rolling and doing weights balanced on one leg etc), posture analysis etc you have your BP checked out, measurements and weight done when you have a new program carried out. Cardio is just 30mins which I do on treadmill, i'm currently working at increasing my time doing jogging (only on 10mins at mo).

I've started to wear a HRM at gym, as what suprised me is that my HR stays high for up to an hour after I've been on treadmill, which means while I'm doing all my weights I'm still burning loads and can be as much as 1500cals by time I take HRM off (about 2 - 3 hours wearing it).

I know what you mean about the slowness of cals going up on the treadmill - its a good incentive to rethink whether I actually need the chocolate/cake as its my daily 500cals deficit in a sense that I lose out on as I've eaten my daily cals and then some lol.

xVC

MzBug

If you can, I know it is sometimes very difficult to do, break your meals/snacks up to every 4 hours. Have a good hearty breakfast, a small mid morning snack if needed, a decent sized lunch, an afternoon snack (sounds like this is where you need one), and a smaller dinner, and an evening snack if you need it. Try to incorporate some sort of protein at every meal or snack (boiled eggs and string cheese are great for snacks) and at morning and afternoon snack eat some kind of fruit to satisfy that need for sweets.

Healthy eatting isn't always about NOT reaching for food, but a matter of what KIND of food you reach for. You should never feel like you are starving. When your body starts to tell you that it is hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes. Then reach for the good stuff, something your body can use instead of the empty calories that lead you to MFP.

Good Luck!

Kate_UK

Don't take your purse to work, if you need money have the exact amount with you, that way you wont be able to buy any of those tempting treats. \It helps to keep me on the straight and narrow anyway!

Suksabai

I'd like to echo two things that have already been mentioned here.

The first is the kind of snack you're eating. You're eating high carb/sugar snacks that play havoc with your blood sugar and lead to you wanting to grab another sugary snack when your blood sugar dips again. Protein is really key here as it keeps you full for longer with fewer calories. Nuts, especially almonds are the best!

Secondly, exercise is king! I realise that you're busy but you can always manage to squeeze 20 mins in. I work part-time as a teacher and have a 5-month-old baby to contend with, but I've found that there are several workouts that can be done at home in 20-30 mins. Slim in 6 and Jillian Michaels 30-day Shred are fab! I just put the baby down to sleep (at 10.30pm!) and did a 25-min home workout.

Good luck and don't give up hope!

JustBeckyV

I have anxiety issues and am a former smoker so I know how you feel. I have a candy dish that is full of hard candies and I tend to reach too much. For me sometimes it helps to chew gum. I do know that if I eat oatmeal in the morning instead of my usual Kashi bar it helps keep me fuller and even in stressful or anxious times I still dont grab the candy. I also keep a drink on my desk at all times. Either water or tea or a crystal light. Just something for the activity.

Joyjmb

Something with just a LITTLE fat in it will really cut the craving - a glass of milk, a cube of cheese, small circle of salami, handful of nuts.
In other cases, I brush my teeth. I HATE eating right after I brush my teeth.

Suksabai

You might find this useful/interesting...

http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/5-ways-to-calm-hunger-pangs.aspx