I miss food

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Replies

  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I could, and have, easily eat a quarter gallon of ice cream at one sitting. That's two normal sized bowls for me. Nothing to it. And I'd eat that for desert after dinner.

    So could I. I once ate 12 quarter pounders when I was 17 on a bet (and had an amazing metabolism).

    I choose to eat differently because I like the way I feel, the energy I have and what I can do when I'm at a good weight for me.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Alcoholics and gamblers CHOOSE to indulge. It has been shown that, given enough incentive (monetary in one study), an alcoholic can abstain just fine.

    Any addict chooses to indulge.
    It's not the same. Alcoholics can live without drinking alcohol. Food addicts can't live without food.

    And gambling addicts can live without gambling. What's your point?
    I'm saddened that you aren't ready to try yet.

    You must have missed this:

    3D3XQ0x.png
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    I am confused why not chick peas & Hummus (which is made of chick peas). It is very low calorie and nutrient dense.

    :noway:
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Maillemaker, can you just avoid having those foods in the house and if you must indulge in those foods, make a special trip just for them (and don't buy the jumbo size container). For example, if don't have a giant bag of M&M's sitting around the house, you don't have the option of eating an entire bag of M&M's unless you get in the car, drive to the grocery, and buy a large bag of M&M's first. To that end, just buying a smaller bag and treating yourself to those if you have to indulge may be the way to go. I suspect it will be a lot easier to resist eating more of a particular food if you have to drive out and buy more of that food first, versus putting the giant bag of M&M's back in the cupboard.

    It's one thing to say you are giving up Oreos entirely (although personally I'm not convinced that's the worst thing you could do, but that's a different discussion), but even if you eat them in moderation, I wouldn't advocate stockpiling them in your house if you know you have a problem with them.

    That's how I succeeded over the first 5 months. Halloween rolled into Thanksgiving rolled into Christmas and I just blew it. I've gained back 21 of the 30 pound I lost.

    I'm just waiting for an effective appetite suppressant to finally come along.
  • I really don't know what to say about your comments that you have to eat an entire bag of oreos or an entire container of ice cream if you have even a little taste. I don't have that problem, with really any food. I am one of the ones who believes it is possible to eat all the same foods you ate before starting this journey/lifestyle change/diet and just eat smaller quantities of them or eat the same quantities but less frequently. An entire gallon of ice cream or a bag of cookies doesn't even sound appealing to me. After lunch today I wanted chocolate. I could have had an entire candy bar. I could have had 3 of them. I went to our candy store at work and chose one fun size hershey bar, and now my chocolate craving is gone. Going back to get more doesn't even occur to me.

    This is why I think a lot of people in these forums don't understand or believe in the idea of food addiction. The idea of eating for pleasure, and trying to maximize the pleasure by maximizing the eating, simply does not compute for them.

    You see when I go to the store and break down and buy candy I'm going to make it the biggest bang for the buck I could get - I'd go for the King Size. The whole attitude has always been "in for a penny, in for a pound".

    It's never just about "satisfying a craving". It's about once you've given into the craving maximizing the pleasure.

    I could, and have, easily eat a quarter gallon of ice cream at one sitting. That's two normal sized bowls for me. Nothing to it. And I'd eat that for desert after dinner.
    This is an issue with trying to find emotional satisfaction or validation through food. This is something that you may need to talk with a professional about.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    I was at 2300 when I was 215 and I was losing more than a half pound a week. I was also not starving and cold.

    You must be doing a lot of exercise then.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Wow this thread has now turned into excuse central Whatever happened to willpower and personal responsibility. What a sad and tragic thread. Stop making excuses and do something about it if you cant control your food intake go and see a health professional that can help you.

    I don't believe any professional can give you willpower. You've got to come up with it on your own. Over 90% of the people who try to lose weight don't have the willpower to do it long term.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You being cold means you are not eating enough. It is common for people doing IF to feel cold during a fast, but it shouldn't be something you notice when doing a reasonable calorie deficit.

    I was following the MFP guidelines for a target of 2-pounds per week. Over 213 days I lost 30 pounds, or an average of 1 pound per week.

    This seems reasonable to me. I think if I ate much more than that I would be at maintenance.

    So, MFP says that your needed calories not including exercise would be 2690 and it is subtracting 1,000 calories for you to lose 2 pounds per week.

    Yes, I think that is too low. I went to the Scooby calculator and this is what a person your age/size comes out to with light exercise:

    BMR 2432 (the amount you would be fed if you were in a coma)
    TDEE 3344 (the amount where you would maintain weight)
    20% cut 2675

    Of course if you exercise more than "light" it would be more than that. Right now you are at a 50% cut. This is really unhealthy, unless under the direction of a doctor.

    15-20% below maintenance calories = conservative deficit
    20-25% below maintenance calories = moderate deficit
    25-30% below maintenance calories = aggressive deficit
    31-40% below maintenance calories = very aggressive deficit (risky)
    50%+ below maintenance calories = semi starvation/starvation (potentially dangerous and unhealthy if not medically supervised)
  • Wow this thread has now turned into excuse central Whatever happened to willpower and personal responsibility. What a sad and tragic thread. Stop making excuses and do something about it if you cant control your food intake go and see a health professional that can help you.

    I don't believe any professional can give you willpower. You've got to come up with it on your own. Over 90% of the people who try to lose weight don't have the willpower to do it long term.
    They can help you find what it is that the food is replacing, or what issue you are soothing through the food.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Maillemaker, can you just avoid having those foods in the house and if you must indulge in those foods, make a special trip just for them (and don't buy the jumbo size container). For example, if don't have a giant bag of M&M's sitting around the house, you don't have the option of eating an entire bag of M&M's unless you get in the car, drive to the grocery, and buy a large bag of M&M's first. To that end, just buying a smaller bag and treating yourself to those if you have to indulge may be the way to go. I suspect it will be a lot easier to resist eating more of a particular food if you have to drive out and buy more of that food first, versus putting the giant bag of M&M's back in the cupboard.

    It's one thing to say you are giving up Oreos entirely (although personally I'm not convinced that's the worst thing you could do, but that's a different discussion), but even if you eat them in moderation, I wouldn't advocate stockpiling them in your house if you know you have a problem with them.

    That's how I succeeded over the first 5 months. Halloween rolled into Thanksgiving rolled into Christmas and I just blew it. I've gained back 21 of the 30 pound I lost.

    I'm just waiting for an effective appetite suppressant to finally come along.

    Or start logging again... you are on here, spending a lot of time on this thread. If logging what you ate helped keep you on track, then why not spend your time on MFP logging what you've eaten the last day, 2 days, 3 days, as far back as you remember...

    Or continue with the self fulfilling prophecy of believing you will fail...
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    So, MFP says that your needed calories not including exercise would be 2690 and it is subtracting 1,000 calories for you to lose 2 pounds per week.

    Yes, I think that is too low. I went to the Scooby calculator and this is what a person your age/size comes out to with light exercise:

    BMR 2432 (the amount you would be fed if you were in a coma)
    TDEE 3344 (the amount where you would maintain weight)
    20% cut 2675

    Of course if you exercise more than "light" it would be more than that. Right now you are at a 50% cut. This is really unhealthy, unless under the direction of a doctor.

    I doubt your numbers. If eating 1700 a day only netted 1 pound of loss per week, then eating 2675 would net me much less weight loss.
    They can help you find what it is that the food is replacing, or what issue you are soothing through the food.

    I really don't think it's anything that dramatic. It's just an issue of "if it feels good do it". Eating is pleasurable and easy. Like any pleasurable activity done to excess, it has engrained pleasurable pathways in my brain triggered by eating.
    Or start logging again... you are on here, spending a lot of time on this thread. If logging what you ate helped keep you on track, then why not spend your time on MFP logging what you've eaten the last day, 2 days, 3 days, as far back as you remember...

    OK. I don't know what purpose it will serve to record failure, but I will.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Wow this thread has now turned into excuse central Whatever happened to willpower and personal responsibility. What a sad and tragic thread. Stop making excuses and do something about it if you cant control your food intake go and see a health professional that can help you.

    I don't believe any professional can give you willpower. You've got to come up with it on your own. Over 90% of the people who try to lose weight don't have the willpower to do it long term.

    Will power is over-rated.

    What you need is a working plan and a commitment to develop some sustaining habits so all this isn't so much EFFORT.

    You also might try reading the book "The Will Power Instinct"

    http://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Instinct-Self-Control-Works-Matters-ebook/dp/B005ERIRZE
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member

    I doubt your numbers. If eating 1700 a day only netted 1 pound of loss per week, then eating 2675 would net me much less weight loss.


    Run them yourself. Look up TDEE calculator on the internet. This is the one I used:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Your body will resist losing weight when you cause too much stress on your body by restricting calories too much, or overtraining. Google cortisol effect on weight loss.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Wow this thread has now turned into excuse central Whatever happened to willpower and personal responsibility. What a sad and tragic thread. Stop making excuses and do something about it if you cant control your food intake go and see a health professional that can help you.

    I don't believe any professional can give you willpower. You've got to come up with it on your own. Over 90% of the people who try to lose weight don't have the willpower to do it long term.

    'Addicts' do what they do to soothe themselves and reduce psychological pain. It has nothing to do with 'learning' will power and everything to do with figuring out why you are self medicating with food. :flowerforyou:
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    You see when I go to the store and break down and buy candy I'm going to make it the biggest bang for the buck I could get - I'd go for the King Size. The whole attitude has always been "in for a penny, in for a pound".

    I was intrigued by your comment "in for a penny, in for a pound" and maximizing your bang for you buck. I went a different way with it. At my work, we have a community candy store - treats are purchased at Sams, sold to anyone who wants to purchase them, profits used to adopt needy families for the holidays. It's nice to give my money to something that directly benefits others rather than just sinking it into the vending machines we have in our cafeteria.

    Anyway, we have fun sized and regular sized candy bars available.
    Today I had a fun size hersheys bar (regular milk chocolate - usually prefer dark chocolate but they were out). It was a quarter. Total calories = 67. So 25/67 = 0.37 cents/calorie.
    I went back over after the "penny for a pound" comment. Full size candy bar, same brand = $0.75. Total calories = 210. So 75/210 = 0.36 cents/calorie.
    We don't have king size bars but I would assume the caloric return on your investment would be something like 125/360 = 0.35 cents/calorie.

    So yes, I guess the bigger candy bar gives you more bang for your buck, but it also gives you a lot more calories for the buck too...

    I'm not sure what good my little math experiment will do for you but to me, I'd rather only spend a quarter, deduct 67 calories from my MFP account and save the other 50 cents for a diet coke!
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    This topic has made me so angry. I don't wish to sit here and reply to every single uninformed post about "just have one! Moderation!"

    I have binge eating disorder. I have specific trigger foods that I WILL binge on if I have one. I avoid these foods, or only eat them on designated cheat days. This is the reason I have bounced up and down in weight my whole life. I know that I can't be trusted to buy a large bag of chips and eat it one serving at a time, so if I want chips I buy a single serving bag. I have amazing willpower when it comes to sticking to a plan, but I also have a mental disorder that tells me "it's okay to eat this just now, do it now, just do it now, if you eat it right now it's okay, don't tell anyone", which is similar to feelings drug addicts or alcoholics have. So I don't eat fast food. I don't buy chips (or I make my own tortilla chips out of baked cut up tortillas and only make 8), I don't buy large containers of ice cream, etc. etc.

    Not everyone can eat one chocolate and stop, and telling people like me (and maillemaker from what I've gathered from his responses in this thread) that they can because YOU can is ignorant as hell.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    'Addicts' do what they do to soothe themselves and reduce psychological pain. It has nothing to do with 'learning' will power and everything to do with figuring out why you are self medicating with food.

    I disagree with this. You don't have to be suffering from some hidden need to become addicted to something. Addiction is simply a changing of the brain circuity in response to pleasurable stimulii such that you brain wants the stimulii.

    You can do this to yourself even if you are perfectly happy with your life. You don't have to be "missing something" to screw up your brain circuitry.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    This topic has made me so angry. I don't wish to sit here and reply to every single uninformed post about "just have one! Moderation!"

    I have binge eating disorder. I have specific trigger foods that I WILL binge on if I have one. I avoid these foods, or only eat them on designated cheat days. This is the reason I have bounced up and down in weight my whole life. I know that I can't be trusted to buy a large bag of chips and eat it one serving at a time, so if I want chips I buy a single serving bag. I have amazing willpower when it comes to sticking to a plan, but I also have a mental disorder that tells me "it's okay to eat this just now, do it now, just do it now, if you eat it right now it's okay, don't tell anyone", which is similar to feelings drug addicts or alcoholics have. So I don't eat fast food. I don't buy chips (or I make my own tortilla chips out of baked cut up tortillas and only make 8), I don't buy large containers of ice cream, etc. etc.

    Not everyone can eat one chocolate and stop, and telling people like me (and maillemaker from what I've gathered from his responses in this thread) that they can because YOU can is ignorant as hell.

    It sounds like you have learned ways to cope, getting a single serving bag, etc. There are certain things I used to avoid because I couldn't stop eating. I am now to the point where I can enjoy a little and not go overboard.

    My point with maillemaker, and the OP, is they are restricting their calories too much. I believe that this is likely the cause of the binges in their case.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Thanks, levitateme! :)

    I have gone back and logged my last 3 days as best I remember.
  • MzJonzz
    MzJonzz Posts: 7 Member
    Treat yourself on exercise days.
  • They can help you find what it is that the food is replacing, or what issue you are soothing through the food.

    I really don't think it's anything that dramatic. It's just an issue of "if it feels good do it". Eating is pleasurable and easy. Like any pleasurable activity done to excess, it has engrained pleasurable pathways in my brain triggered by eating.
    Most people find eating pleasurable, but when you can't control yourself, as you are stating, there is more than food pleasure being derived. The fact that you are willing to continually do to excess, despite the consequences shows that you need help, you need help redirecting and programming the way you think and feel about food.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    Most people find eating pleasurable, but when you can't control yourself, as you are stating, there is more than food pleasure being derived. The fact that you are willing to continually do to excess, despite the consequences shows that you need help, you need help redirecting and programming the way you think and feel about food.

    Even if this were true, I don't believe anyone can help you with this kind of thing.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Most people find eating pleasurable, but when you can't control yourself, as you are stating, there is more than food pleasure being derived. The fact that you are willing to continually do to excess, despite the consequences shows that you need help, you need help redirecting and programming the way you think and feel about food.

    Even if this were true, I don't believe anyone can help you with this kind of thing.

    Yeah, actually they can. Cognitive/behavioral therapy is kind of awesome at this stuff.
  • Most people find eating pleasurable, but when you can't control yourself, as you are stating, there is more than food pleasure being derived. The fact that you are willing to continually do to excess, despite the consequences shows that you need help, you need help redirecting and programming the way you think and feel about food.

    Even if this were true, I don't believe anyone can help you with this kind of thing.
    This is what therapy is for. It is about finding ways to reprogram your brain to work for you. It works if you put the time in. It is hard but the end result is a brain you nolonger have to fight on a daily basis.

    I hope you consider it. Being a prisoner of your mind is hell, and unnecessary.:flowerforyou:
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    This topic has made me so angry. I don't wish to sit here and reply to every single uninformed post about "just have one! Moderation!"

    I have binge eating disorder. I have specific trigger foods that I WILL binge on if I have one. I avoid these foods, or only eat them on designated cheat days. This is the reason I have bounced up and down in weight my whole life. I know that I can't be trusted to buy a large bag of chips and eat it one serving at a time, so if I want chips I buy a single serving bag. I have amazing willpower when it comes to sticking to a plan, but I also have a mental disorder that tells me "it's okay to eat this just now, do it now, just do it now, if you eat it right now it's okay, don't tell anyone", which is similar to feelings drug addicts or alcoholics have. So I don't eat fast food. I don't buy chips (or I make my own tortilla chips out of baked cut up tortillas and only make 8), I don't buy large containers of ice cream, etc. etc.

    Not everyone can eat one chocolate and stop, and telling people like me (and maillemaker from what I've gathered from his responses in this thread) that they can because YOU can is ignorant as hell.

    I really hope that you are being treated for your binge eating disorder. It is my understanding that elimination isn't the long-term solution for this problem.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Thanks, levitateme! :)

    I have gone back and logged my last 3 days as best I remember.

    And did you have any observations when you looked back at the last three days? I looked at your diary. I have a couple of observations. And no, I'm not going to tell you not to go to Five Guys, because Cajun Fries are AWESOME.

    One day you were over by 2,000 calories. Another day 800. Today you are over but by 90 calories. You said you have MFP set up for 2 lbs weight loss/week which is 1000 calorie deficit from your non exercise TDEE. (I think there is still some debate about if your calorie goal is reasonable for a person of your size and your goals but...) That means in the course of a week, you have 7,000 calories to use before you start exceeding your maintenance calories. You aren't even half way to that point. If you look at how far you are over at this point in the week, and make smarter choices for the next 4 days, you can not go any further into the red or even gain some of that back by coming in under your calories. If you just meet goal for the next few days, and don't go any further, then you should still lose a pound this week. But if you say, forget it, I've already blown it, might as well continue my quest to finish off those Moose Tracks, then you will not lose that pound and possibly even gain more.

    You have two beautiful little girls in your profile picture and you mention how much they mean to you. What would you say to them if they said they can't do something, there is no point in trying, because it is just too hard and they are going to fail anyway?
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Thanks, levitateme! :)

    I have gone back and logged my last 3 days as best I remember.

    I'm glad. It takes a lot of effort to dust yourself off and try again. This is a big win.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    And did you have any observations when you looked back at the last three days? I looked at your diary. I have a couple of observations. And no, I'm not going to tell you not to go to Five Guys, because Cajun Fries are AWESOME.

    One day you were over by 2,000 calories. Another day 800. Today you are over but by 90 calories. You said you have MFP set up for 2 lbs weight loss/week which is 1000 calorie deficit from your non exercise TDEE. (I think there is still some debate about if your calorie goal is reasonable for a person of your size and your goals but...) That means in the course of a week, you have 7,000 calories to use before you start exceeding your maintenance calories. You aren't even half way to that point. If you look at how far you are over at this point in the week, and make smarter choices for the next 4 days, you can not go any further into the red or even gain some of that back by coming in under your calories. If you just meet goal for the next few days, and don't go any further, then you should still lose a pound this week. But if you say, forget it, I've already blown it, might as well continue my quest to finish off those Moose Tracks, then you will not lose that pound and possibly even gain more.

    You have two beautiful little girls in your profile picture and you mention how much they mean to you. What would you say to them if they said they can't do something, there is no point in trying, because it is just too hard and they are going to fail anyway?

    All of this is completely rational and correct. I have told people the same thing myself - the thing about "blowing it" is that if you blow it typically even if you "blow it" back up to maintenance and get back on the horse again no big harm is done.

    I simply have lacked the willpower to get back on the horse since October 31st.
  • And did you have any observations when you looked back at the last three days? I looked at your diary. I have a couple of observations. And no, I'm not going to tell you not to go to Five Guys, because Cajun Fries are AWESOME.

    One day you were over by 2,000 calories. Another day 800. Today you are over but by 90 calories. You said you have MFP set up for 2 lbs weight loss/week which is 1000 calorie deficit from your non exercise TDEE. (I think there is still some debate about if your calorie goal is reasonable for a person of your size and your goals but...) That means in the course of a week, you have 7,000 calories to use before you start exceeding your maintenance calories. You aren't even half way to that point. If you look at how far you are over at this point in the week, and make smarter choices for the next 4 days, you can not go any further into the red or even gain some of that back by coming in under your calories. If you just meet goal for the next few days, and don't go any further, then you should still lose a pound this week. But if you say, forget it, I've already blown it, might as well continue my quest to finish off those Moose Tracks, then you will not lose that pound and possibly even gain more.

    You have two beautiful little girls in your profile picture and you mention how much they mean to you. What would you say to them if they said they can't do something, there is no point in trying, because it is just too hard and they are going to fail anyway?

    All of this is completely rational and correct. I have told people the same thing myself - the thing about "blowing it" is that if you blow it typically even if you "blow it" back up to maintenance and get back on the horse again no big harm is done.

    I simply have lacked the willpower to get back on the horse since October 31st.
    Willpower is a choice! Lacking willpower is many times just being indecisive. You may want to make the choice but you haven't yet. What is stopping you. There are many here in this thread who, with out knowing you, want you to make that choice.

    Commit to yourself and do what is needed.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    And did you have any observations when you looked back at the last three days? I looked at your diary. I have a couple of observations. And no, I'm not going to tell you not to go to Five Guys, because Cajun Fries are AWESOME.

    One day you were over by 2,000 calories. Another day 800. Today you are over but by 90 calories. You said you have MFP set up for 2 lbs weight loss/week which is 1000 calorie deficit from your non exercise TDEE. (I think there is still some debate about if your calorie goal is reasonable for a person of your size and your goals but...) That means in the course of a week, you have 7,000 calories to use before you start exceeding your maintenance calories. You aren't even half way to that point. If you look at how far you are over at this point in the week, and make smarter choices for the next 4 days, you can not go any further into the red or even gain some of that back by coming in under your calories. If you just meet goal for the next few days, and don't go any further, then you should still lose a pound this week. But if you say, forget it, I've already blown it, might as well continue my quest to finish off those Moose Tracks, then you will not lose that pound and possibly even gain more.

    You have two beautiful little girls in your profile picture and you mention how much they mean to you. What would you say to them if they said they can't do something, there is no point in trying, because it is just too hard and they are going to fail anyway?

    All of this is completely rational and correct. I have told people the same thing myself - the thing about "blowing it" is that if you blow it typically even if you "blow it" back up to maintenance and get back on the horse again no big harm is done.

    I simply have lacked the willpower to get back on the horse since October 31st.

    It kind of seems like the horse is right in front of you, ready to ride. You even have a whole group of people here on this thread who want to give you that initial boost up into the saddle. Its been a long time since I have ridden a horse but I think you can expect to be sore for the next few days but once you get used to it you will enjoy the ride!