What's wrong with me?

janettebishop940

I'm supposed to be maintaining but I'm gaining. I get to the end of the day and pig out. I sit there without feeling any cravings or desire to eat, I'm full up yet I still think what shall I eat and start eating even though I know I don't really want it and definitely don't need it. Do I have a problem or am I just being greedy?
(I lost weight gradually and reasonably healthily without depriving myself of treats.)

nyqueensguy

There is nothing wrong with you. I struggle with pretty much the same. I cant stay away from the fridge and always want to eat. That's why I am on this site. There is no doubt that logging everything is key. The other is really making up your mind that your not going to try, but your going to do. You gotta really want it.

jouttie

Hey, are you bored on an evening? Is that the trouble? Maybe go for a walk round the block or pick up a book or phone a friend. It is hard to eat when you are on the phone or reading, for instance. Good luck. Jayne

MagdaSea

I still have days when I feel this way. It won't matter if I'm bored or not. Eating will take precedence over anything that I attempt to absorb myself in.

What is it that you're craving? Salty snacks? Sweets? Texture?

What is your eating schedule like? What about your gym schedule? What are your macros like?

In my experience, I have found that all of these factors will affect how hungry you are in the evening and non-hunger cravings in general.

Mau_Hutch

Hurry out and get a fitbit. I lost a bunch of weight a few years ago and slowly gained back 20 lbs and then couldn't get it off.

I adore the fibit that I got a few weeks ago because I am finally taking off the weight I gained. But I am most excited about using the fitbit when I get to maintenance, because it gives real time feedback about how much I've burned that day and what is left to eat (as long as I log my food). And it has motivated me to increase my daily acitivity level beyond what I try to do to stay fit, like running and strength training. I am walking a LOT more. So, If your fitibt told you that going to the kitchen at 8 pm to get corn nuts and cheese was going to make you gain weight, do you think you'd still go and do it? (I didn't think so).
Hugs! You can do this!
Maureen

sabrina19782014

Hey, are you bored on an evening? Is that the trouble? Maybe go for a walk round the block or pick up a book or phone a friend. It is hard to eat when you are on the phone or reading, for instance. Good luck. Jayne

i find doing something constructive with my hands like cross stitching really helps, because it works in several ways.
1) keeps hands busy
2) mind is focused on what you are doing not on the food you would be thinking about if you wasnt busy
3) you have something other than a trim, fit body to show for it at the end

Good Luck

Kats223

I do the same. I am so discouraged. I get up every morning and say today I am going to watch what I eat. I can even make it through some days but when I fail I eat even more. I REALLY do want to loose this weight. I know that food is my addiction. Kats

SonicDeathMonkey80

It's normal, at least for me at times. Find something else to do. Go somewhere, do laundry, brush your teeth, take a shower.

Blokeypoo

I can eat from dusk til dawn and think there are several ways of dealing with this and it involves creating new habits, these are mine:

I just don't give myself permission to eat more than planned except at w/e but this is what suits me, adapt things to suit your weak times

Don't see over eating as surrendering to some inner demon/norty girl/imp on your shoulder - it is a choice and YOU make it

I'm on maintenance but still eat at a small deficit M-F then eat more at w/e

I include treats in my daily cals because it keeps me on track

I log my food the night before (1500 min M-F) and never deviate from it M-F other than to add snacks earned through the day and generally pan out at 1700cals in M-F

I have a Fitbit and it has been key in maintaining for over a year. It makes me get up more and ensures I have earned my 1500, once I exceed that it's spent on bonus snacks which keep me keen and happy. It's set at 250 deficit to keep me on track

I have learned to be strong and positive and "can do", major stuff for someone who feared failure, felt weak and out of control.

Take control, it feels amaaaaaaaaaaaazing! :flowerforyou:

Blokeypoo

Oh and make small changes which you can sustain even if that means a slow return to preferred wt or eating styles, better that than resuming feast/famine/failure cycles.

editorgrrl

Eat "good" (whatever that means to you) 80% of the time. Fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

Set your goal to .5 lb. per week, and be patient.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Arydria

Are you getting enough water? Sometimes I would start grazing, without any idea what I want. Then I read somewhere that your body may be asking for more water. So now when I feel like grazing, I drink a large glass (at least 16oz) of water and wait 15 minutes. If I still feel like grazing, I find a snack that will satisfy the craving. 90% of the time, I don't feel like eating any more.

mrussell60

Sounds like you are at the point of recognizing what is preventing you from achieving the health you want. I think we have something in our DNA that drives us to eat when we can - a built in preservation compulsion so to speak. I think you have to have get it your mind this is hurting you in the long run. Being able to maintain weight while cheating won't last forever as you get older. The effort resisting the compulsion to eat will pay off huge. I think you are on the right track and there is nothing wrong with you at all. Good health!

janettebishop940

I am bored in the evenings. I think you're right. But after running around with my 2 year old all day, I need time to wind down.
I should try water again. I can't stand water. It makes me feel sick. But saying that I manage 4 cans of diet caffeine free coke every day and have probably just got used to the adverse affects of that! But that could be it. The problem is I don't like tea or coffee either and fruit concentrates bother my stomach as well. I'm probably ridiculously dehydrated all the time.

janettebishop940

Thanks everyone. I've been struggling for weeks. Should have asked you guys sooner. X

Mischievous_Rascal

What are your macros like? You may need to switch things up and add more protein and/or fat.

JulieBGoood

I am the exact same way! Good all day and afternoon/evening overeating

bngdugan

Nothing may be wrong with you at all. I've found that I'm a "evening" eater. Meaning that I have little to no desire to eat early in the day, but little to no food resistance late in the day. So what's to do? Easy, I track my evening calories FIRST (including a nice dessert from time to time since I like an occasional treat at night). Moreover; I insist that I only eat things that I like at all times so that I am satisfied with my meals afterwards. This keeps me from falling off the wagon and into the 'binge>guilt eat>binge again>diet again' cycle. Hope this helps.

smangan19817

You might want to consider that you are eating because you are depressed or need more sleep or something to reduce stress. Sounds like your life is very busy. When you feel like eating, perhaps you can take a bubble bath or read a book, whatever relaxes you. This is not an easy path to take, so just think of those bad nights as a detour and get back on the path.

Veggie_mama

I just read an article on this very thing! Usually at night, we are bored. We go directly to the fridge. If it's later in the evening, you could also just be plain old tired. I'm guilty of this. I do so well during the day and then at night is when I just want to eat, but I don't feel an overwhelming hunger.

Hearts_2015

bump

tigersword

That's a habit. Bored eating. Break the habit. Find something to do.

Blokeypoo

Forgot to say that I also plan in "8 O'clocksies" when I have a 150-300 cal snack (150 is planned and the extra is if I've earned it on Fitbit).

I also drinks tons, always have, I don't care that it is mainly decaff coffee and tea. I know that too many rules = meltdown for me so anything is better than nothing.

I'm sure all the tips people have left here will help )

des618

Try brushing your teeth after you have your last snack...that works for me...it seems to tell my stomach "that's it, you're done eating for the day." LOL I also knit in the evenings to keep my hands busy, no time for snacking with you're making socks. :-) Good Luck!

eddiesmith1

Water is definitely part of it, it sounds like you are under hydrated. Soda really doesn't help because of the sodium it doesn't help your body deal with balancing the sodium (increasing water will likely knock off a pound or 2 as well)
make sure you get half your body weight in ounces of fluids without sodium as a component (then they are subbing for water - so tea and coffee in a limited way , Water, Infused water (keep a jug in the fridge with slices of cucumber in it for instance) Even Milk and fruit juices count towards it (but have calories to add as well) at 193 pounds I drink 12 cups of water a day (but a part of it is tea, part is sodium free sparkling mineral water with homemade cocktail bitters in it - which is my go to drink since I gave up alcohol in december)

tigersword

Water is definitely part of it, it sounds like you are under hydrated. Soda really doesn't help because of the sodium it doesn't help your body deal with balancing the sodium (increasing water will likely knock off a pound or 2 as well)
make sure you get half your body weight in ounces of fluids without sodium as a component (then they are subbing for water - so tea and coffee in a limited way , Water, Infused water (keep a jug in the fridge with slices of cucumber in it for instance) Even Milk and fruit juices count towards it (but have calories to add as well) at 193 pounds I drink 12 cups of water a day (but a part of it is tea, part is sodium free sparkling mineral water with homemade cocktail bitters in it - which is my go to drink since I gave up alcohol in december)

Were you trying to include every possible hydration myth you could in one post?

For one thing, there's an infintesimal amount of sodium in soda, and tea and coffee have none.

As for the "half your bodyweight" advice, that's also 100% myth.

For hydration, it's drink when thirsty, stop when not. It's actually very difficult to really dehydrate yourself. In fact, most people in the United States are probably OVERhydrated, as we drink far more liquid than we need, and we drink far more liquids than we did even 50 years ago.

christypalmatier61

If you are watching TV at night sometimes the commercials can trigger your desire to eat more...I leave my elliptical in the living room so when that feeling hits I jump on that for a few minutes to take my mind off of eating....I also brush my teeth and put on lipstick...you can conquer this...just remember to say I "get to" eat healthy and feel better for it...don't say I "have to" loose weight to be healthy...C