WHY OH WHY?

StarryEyedGirl
StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Why do we eat when we are not hungry? Its mental I know it is, I am not hungry but in my mind I want to eat.... Has anyone over come this? Please advise.

about a year ago I had a handle on this, went months and months without eating for no reason and of course that is when I lost most of my weight but now I am off the wagon! Food is always on my mind. There has to be a secret to this... Please share any info you have or advise. Thank you all

Kristina

Replies

  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    Honestly I've found that being on this site makes me think about food way more than I should, so therefor I always think I'm hungry. I try to avoid being on here on days that I just want to stuff my face!
  • jreese5226
    jreese5226 Posts: 328 Member
    Have your stress levels increased lately? Or other life changes that have made you revert back to your old ways? When I look within myself to find out why I overeat or am thinking about food all the time and want to put anything and everything into my mouth, I usually find that I am avoiding dealing with some other situation. Good luck to you and I hope you figure it out. Looks like you've made great progress!
  • lisy28
    lisy28 Posts: 156 Member
    Water or i sometimes drink a can of freca which has 0 calories but is soo good and normally gets rid of that feeling and has a little bit of flavour too
  • I used to eat for no reason all the time! Now I have caught myself eating and actually spit it out in the garbage! I try now to stay away from the things that are bad or just eat some fruit or veges something like that so you satisfy your minds craving to eat! :) hope it helps a little.
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
    drinking or eating something hot seems to help curb my need to feed. i just had my green tea, and my tummy is now quiet!
  • sarglava
    sarglava Posts: 206 Member
    It's an evolutionary response to eat, eat, eat, even when you're not hungry. Our ancestors never knew when their next meal would be. So that's why we do it.
    Now how to fight it. Whenever I can't stop eating I chew lots of gum, grab crunchy things like raw vegetables, drink tea with honey... sometimes I just can't fight it though. When that happens I eat (mentally slap myself) then get myself away from food. I get on this site and get remotivated through the forums. I go outside. I read a book... Sometimes you can't fight it, but if you keep trying to eventually you will.
  • Ekeras
    Ekeras Posts: 22
    Drink more water in between meals.. that helps to keep you feeling full and not think about food.

    You also need to change your mindset about food. Think of food as fuel, you wouldn't gas your car for the sake of gassing your car.. you feed your body because you need to.

    And this site helped me curb a lot of mindless eating. Because I have to track all my food intake, I find that I make better decisions about what I put into my body.

    And if all that doesn't work, don't deprive yourself of the foods that you love. Go ahead and eat them! Just make sure that you're planning it out better - workout a bit more so you can eat it without guilt!

    Good luck! And good job on your journey so far!
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
    I was told I was a food addict , that is why I got into what I got into

    I think its chemical, really I do........I am like that today, and every day its a struggle.......might be chemical, I dont know, but I fight it every day.................Great post, lots of us on here are going thru the same thing you are..............Lloyd
  • Sesilje
    Sesilje Posts: 16 Member
    My advice is to keep busy. Not necessarily physically active, but do keep your mind occupied with something you enjoy.

    Many people eat when they're in a particular mood. If that is what's happening - try to just sit down and explore your feelings and where they're coming from instead.

    And don't deny yourself completely. I love sweets, and since I started my weight loss 8 weeks ago I've only had two days completely free of sweets. But the amounts I eat now are a lot smaller than they used to be. I first check how many calories I have left and decide how many can be devoted to sweets. Then I calculate how many grams that will be, and make sure to only take out that amount, and put the rest away before I start eating.
  • sceck
    sceck Posts: 219
    It's actually good to eat all day (3 meals, 2 snacks). Just try to make sure that what you are eating is the best for you. Complex carbs keep you fuller longer. Avoid high glycemic index foods as they spike the blood sugar, then crash and you're craving again. Nuts are good, too. Keep a little baggie in your pocket, and instead of a bag of chips, have some nuts.

    I've been eating lots of oatmeal. It's not only good for breakfast, but great for a late night snack with honey. I toss a little flax seed on it and some berries. Sometimes add a little yogurt, too. I use the 1 Minute Oatmeal, not the instant packages. And as hard as it is for me to get 8 glasses of water in, I must admit that a glass of water immediately takes my mind off of food.
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