Is it normal to want to eat until your full Everytime you ea

riverweed

I love your honesty, and I'm SO glad you're here. I know I'm merely repeating what others have said, but this is a very positive step, you being on MFP. This place's lifted me out of so many discouraging moments, I've failed and picked myself up again in a community supportive like no other. Just take it a step at a time - 100, 200 calories down from the day before is good progress everyday. I can't wait to hear of how you're doing, you'll be amazing, Josh. xx

ReinventingLisa

I'm the same way but I'm also an emotional eater. I would eat until I'm practically stuffed at every meal even though I might not be as hungry. It's weird sometimes. But when I watch what I eat in terms of trying to lose weight, I think I balance out better. I forgot it what's like to not be stuffed full of food, but not hungry.

Pseudocyber

Couple of suggestions - some of these might be duplicates:

1. Obviously, get professional help - if you can.
2. If you can't afford #1, don't have insurance - look for some kind of local over-eaters anonymous type support group.
3. If you can't find #2, save the 2nd and 3rd serving food costs and join Weight Watchers - it's a paid support group. $40 US a month.
4. Drink water, water, more water. When you're done, drink water. I do it this way - drink a few cups, pee, repeat. The water in your stomach will reduce your physical feelings of having an empty stomach. Additionally, they'll make you feel feel (or stuffed in your case) faster, without adding calories.
5. Vegetables are your friend. You want to eat until you explode to get the feelings of being stuffed? Fine - as long as it's vegetables (not fried). You can literally not eat too many vegetables. Salad - see #6.
6. Salad - vegetables on your salad are fine - other stuff not so much. If it's a veggie, you can use it to make a MONSTER salad. If it's not a VEGGIE - it's OK in moderation. A Tablespoon (or few grams) of egg, bacon, ham, you get the idea. Salad Dressing #7.
7. Salad Dressing - do NOT DROWN your salad in BAD dressing. Salad Dressing is my splurge, as long as it's in moderation. I like Thousand Island - because it's very fattening of course. So, I limit myself to 2 Tbsp (tablespoons) per salad. If you go with something lite, low fat, or no fat (like balsamic vinegar) you can have more. This is where you need to have some control.
8. For your sweet tooth: EAT FRUIT. It has natural sugar, and it's healthy!!! You get vitamins, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, stuff you can't get anywhere else. Eat lots of different colors orange (obvious), yellow (grapefruit), peach (obvious), red (strawberries) blue (berries), black (berries), red (watermelon).
9. WATER MELON is your go to PIG OUT FOOD. It's bulky, it's sweet, it's mostly water, it's relatively low calorie.
10. THE LESS YOU EAT, THE LESS YOU WANT TO EAT. THE MORE YOU EAT, THE MORE YOU WANT TO EAT.
11. EXERCISE. It's good for you, it takes your mind off eating, it helps lose calories, and if you sweat your @$$ off, trust me - mentally, you'll think twice before you slam down 200 calories in a couple bites - that will take you an HOUR OF SWEAT to work off.
12. Set a calorie goal to stick to - say 1500 calories (this is all day, not a single meal) - you are hungry, you want to eat more - fine ONLY IF YOU EARN IT BY EXERCISING. So, you want another 500 Calories - that means you have to exercise 500 calories. WHY DO YOU THINK BODY BUILDERS CAN EAT WHATEVER THEY WANT, MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY!?!? Because they exercise their @$$ off.
13. Get a lot of sleep.
14. Avoid your triggers - mine is French Fries - once I start, I don't want to stop. Buffalo wings. Pizza. AVOID YOUR FOODS YOU CANNOT CONTROL.
15. DO NOT EAT AFTER A CERTAIN TIME AT NIGHT - NO MATTER WHAT. You set the time - like 8PM, 9PM. If you are tempted, DRINK A PINT OF WATER FIRST. WAIT 10 MINUTES.
16. DON'T KEEP JUNK FOOD AT HOME. I've done the 10PM chocolate run, a lot of us have. But at least, you have to get dressed, go out and drive to the store.
17. I'm not a psychologist, but I took psychology in college. One of the things we had to do was Behavior Modification. The basics were - get a token - could be a Dollar coin, a poker chip, marble - whatever. If you do something good, a behavior you want to modify, give yourself a token as a reward. If you don't meet the goal, you DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF THE TOKEN. When you have 10, 100, whatever, you take the tokens and "cash them in" for some reward (NOT FOOD). Could be a movie, clothes, whatever - something you like to have or do, but you can wait for. You will EARN the reward, and mentally, feel good about yourself for doing it. I read somewhere it takes 3 weeks to form a habit.
18. I'm out of ideas - I hope these help you!

19. Find someone you can talk to - that won't judge you, but will support you and offer encouragement. We're here virtually - but see if you can find someone in real life.

Hope these help.

20. Good job on the first day of the rest of your life!!! Keep it up! You CAN do it.

21. If you're tempted, and you have a computer, open up MFP and read through the "success stories" section. THEY DID IT! YOU CAN TOO!

tiggersstar

my advice is to start out small, do some walking, eat a bit less, then build it up. oh and dont get too down when you have bad days and need to eat more. slow and steady always wins the race mate!

:flowerforyou:

Lozze

Josh good luck first of all! As everyone else has said you've taken the first step.

I've just spent the past week dropping my soda count (from 4L to 1L) and one thing that has taught me is

1. WATER IS AWESOME. Even after a week of chaning I'm craving water now. Have a bottle of water on you at all times.
2. Don't go cold turkey. It will damn near kill you. Even for me dropping 3L of soda (Pepsi Max) a day was almost too damn hard. I had the shakes and the migranes from the withdrawel symptoms.

Mostly and this is the hardest part (and one I battle constantly) positivity is key. I know at my weight I'm so negative with myself. I hate myself every time I look in the mirror. But if I hate myself I'm not going to make the changes to make me a more awesome version of me. So make small cuts. The 1.5 footlong, 3 burritos instead of 4. Small steps become big steps and big steps make a big difference!

Good luck!

marianne_s

It is normal when it has been a habit to eat that way....
I think a lot of us became overweight for this very reason, not being able to control our portion sizes.

So, maybe this is the 1st thing you need to concentrate on - to reduce your portion sizes. Have only one Subway sub at one time and eat some fruit instead of having a 2nd sub

It's not going to be easy at first.... it wasn't for me....

But after a couple of weeks it will feel easier.....
Now 7 months later, I can not eat as much as I used to in one sitting.

SweetStrawberry

I myself actually was anorexic at one point and then I became a bullimic and then I became a binge eater. I know how you feel right now and to me the therapy didn't help me very much. So i dont think your really missing out there. I feel helpless sometimes that I'll never be able to eat "normal" but there is hope b/c you've idenified the problem and you want to change. I want to change too and I know how it is waking up every day on a diet and then failing at it every night. I dont have much advice b/c i'm in the same boat but I think one thing that has helped me is thinking about the future. If I eat these cookies how is my stomach going to look tomorrow? i also think about the inspirational quotes that I read here on MFP. I wish you luck in this weight loss journey

Blessings,

Elise

Pseudocyber

For portion control - one thing I've heard of is to find those plates, tupperware containers, etc that are divided into sections. Usually it's in 1/2 - with one big one, and the other half in half again - so 2 smaller sections.

Then, if you want to get really crazy ... the big section is for vegetables. The smaller ones are for protein (meat) and carbs (rice, potatos, pasta).

You obviously eat ONE plate - but using this method, even if you ate 2 plates - you'd be eating one plate of veggies, and half protein and half carbs.

No plate space for sugar (cake, cookies, pie, pudding, etc.)

LivLovLrn

I agree that you should get some counseling. No shame in that; you've admitted that you have a hard time stopping yourself, why not find some one who can help you work through those emotions so you CAN stop yourself. You are already ahead of the game by realizing at least some of your motivating factors. One thing I firmly believe in is small steps. You don't have to completely change all at once if that is too hard for you. Some people do really well with complete change, some do not. An option would be to get one foot long and one 6 inch next time you go to Subway; when you realize that really does fill you enough (it's ok if it takes more than one time) then you can work your way to eating just one 12 in....or 2 six inch so you can have a couple different kinds of sandwiches. You get the idea.
I think the same theory works with exercising. You don't have to go out and get a gym membership or buy expensive equipment right off. Start with a walk to the end of the block and back. Or park at the far end of the parking lot, or stand up and sit back down a few times during commercials while watching tv...just find something that works, do a little at at time until it gets easier and then build on that.
You have gotten a great start, you can do this. Always come back to your support system when you are having a hard day...we're here for you

DancinSMartiPants

Right on, PseudoCyber. You saved me a lot of typing!

I just have one thing to add. No one else can want this for you. We can be supportive. Your family and friends can be supportive. None of it matters unless you really want this. It WILL NOT be easy. Want this for yourself and the rest will fall into place.

Good luck and feel free to send me a friend request.

MB_Positif

Ok, so I already replied, but I just thought of one other piece of info...the things you mentioned that you get the most of, subway, mcdonald's breakfast can easily be made at home...and you can make them smarter, with less sodium, calories and fat. For example, I make breakfast burritos all of the time, but just with veggies and no meat, they're twice the size and half the calories, etc. I also sometimes just fry up and egg and eat it with slices of deli turkey if do want meat with it. It's delicious!

PixiePerry

Wow Josh,
I'm really glad this site was suggested for me, and that I passed it along to you. You and I have talked several times, but you never told me all that stuff. Especially about your parents locking the cabinets. IMO that could very well have created a hoarding type attitude, which may explain your need to purchase more than you can eat. My nephew went through the same thing when he was little.... but not b/c his mom locked the cabinets. He did it b/c they didn't have a lot of money for food. So when he visited with me, I noticed that he would cram his belly full the entire time.... way beyond the point that he would be full. He'd complain of upset tummy and would sometimes throw up b/c he'd eaten so much. Your story reminds me so much of him.

You've got a lot of great advice and the best one I saw was, "I'm not a psychologist, but I took psychology in college. One of the things we had to do was Behavior Modification. The basics were - get a token - could be a Dollar coin, a poker chip, marble - whatever. If you do something good, a behavior you want to modify, give yourself a token as a reward. If you don't meet the goal, you DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF THE TOKEN. When you have 10, 100, whatever, you take the tokens and "cash them in" for some reward (NOT FOOD). Could be a movie, clothes, whatever - something you like to have or do, but you can wait for. You will EARN the reward, and mentally, feel good about yourself for doing it. I read somewhere it takes 3 weeks to form a habit."

This is exactly what we did with my nephew!! It worked well for him to get a token that he could exchange for a non-food reward. I'm here for you and you know how to get in contact with me. Best wishes on this JOURNEY...

Pseudocyber

About exercising ... I started out about 100lbs overweight - so not as big of a challenge, but not a small one either.

Starting out, I couldn't run even a 1/2 mile without wheezing, wanting to die, wanting to quit. I did something a little less ambitious, and just started walking. I use runkeeper.com app on my Android phone - tracks distance, time, calories. Just walk. Most of us can walk, if we have legs and aren't physically disabled.

Walk a little bit more each time. Walk a little bit faster each time. Remember you "earn" calories for walking - it's up to you if you eat them or not (that's a whole nother flame war - do a search on it, you'll see).

Soon, you'll be walking fast & far. Then one day, try running. A little bit more, a little bit faster. Then one day you can run the whole time - then faster & further.

I started walking in April. I got up to 4Mph walking, 15 minute miles, and my furthest so far is 10 miles. Started running - furthest is run/walk 5.5 Miles in 1:10. Ran 3.3 Miles this morning, non-stop in 39:00.

I did it - others have done it - YOU CAN DO IT!!!

jmruef

I'm going to be quite honest and blunt here, and I hope I don't hurt your feelings, or have it come off rude.

I think the first step is to seek counseling....it's awesome that you understand there is a problem and WANT to fix it! And WANT to understand it...so BRAVO!

But I think it's CRUCIAL that you get your head completely around what you are about to do...there is no going back. A person in your situation, if relapsed, would probably not be able to get back out. So get your head around it, and get yourself ready for a whole new way of doing things and thinking.

It WILL be hard, VERY hard for the first few months, then it'll become second nature, and you will take less time in preparing your meals etc.

But get with a professional first...then I would possibly try to get with a nutritionist. They will help you to understand what you are eating and how it effects your body. Also how to come up with meal plans etc

Good luck on your journey and I wish you the best of luck!!

I don't think you come off rude at all. I would like to go to a therapist, but They cost a lot of cash, and I dont have any insurance or very much money, so I need to try to find alternatives. You have good advice though. Thanks.

It takes some digging, but many communities have free counselling available - might be worth calling a local hospital/ MD and asking what they know. (They can't give medical advice unless you're a patient, but they should have phone numbers they can give out at least.)

Otherwise, maybe there are questions you can ask yourself before / when you eat: (AND I AM NOT A THERAPIST, NOR DO I MAKE ANY CLAIMS IN THAT DIRECTION...)

Are you truly hungry, first of all?
What are you FEELING, if not hunger? Bored? Angry? Stressed? Lonely?
How will food help with those feelings?
Are there other things you can do besides eat to help with those feelings - even documenting those feelings?

These are questions MANY people here struggle with on a daily (sometime hourly!) basis, so you're definitely not alone.

You've done so well already, just identifying what's going on. You'll find SO much support, advice, and encouragement here - and hopefully a way to enjoy your journey as you progress.

olyrose

There's been some great advice on here so far, and I want to echo a lot of it, and welcome you to the site. It is an amazing tool, and the support and genuine desire to see people succeed and meet their goals with healthier decisions is so wonderful.

I would also stuff myself until I felt sick, feel an almost fear if I didn't get "enough" food. I scoffed at "portion sizes" because they seemed so ridiculously small compared to what I would normally eat. After about 2 months on this site, I rarely have more than a "portion size" or two of anything. It has taken work, but my mind and my stomach are adjusting and it has gotten so much easier, and almost become a habit.

My suggestions, things that have helped me so far, is to start small (as others have said):
- Try eating one good, small, healthy, "normal" size meal a day at first (like a breakfast of one serving size of eggs, toast, fruit, juice). Get used to this, then try to sub one healthy snack, and keep building.

- Really acknowledge and applaud any small positive thing you've done. Every little thing, from leaving a couple of bites on your plate, ordering 2 instead of 3, recognizing when you start getting full, waiting 10 minutes before snacking on something when you get the urge...all of these things mean you are putting effort into your weight loss, and the feeling you get when you accomplish something this small will help encourage you to keep going. Don't compare yourself to what "normal" eaters do, compare yourself to the progress you made from last month or last week.

- Try to think before you eat. When I get an impulse or craving, I ask myself "will this be worth it to me? Will the pleasure I get from this food for the next few minutes outweigh the potential guilt and disgust I will feel after I eat it? Sometimes the answer is yes, and I have whatever it is. Usually the answer is no.

- Try to find alternate, lower calorie foods/treats that will satisfy you. Eventually you need to not rely on those either, but it will help your transition. Things like the skinny cow ice cream, baked chips, fat free salad dressing...this will help you start to reduce calories.

Mostly, realize that there is a support system that wants you to succeed. If you get discouraged or start getting cravings, post about it on here, and you will see support fly to you encouraging you to make a good decision. This will start to be easier for you to do on your own after a while. Look at the success stories and realize that they are normal people who made a decision to make better choices for their lives.

Good luck, and remember the only way you will fail is if you don't try to do this. You can accomplish this.

kklindsey

okay. You have made the first best step and that is logging your food and I LOVE that you are logging what you are eating before trying to reduce it. That is what I did and I think it was so important to my success. How long have you been logging? What I did was log for one week and still ate whatever I wanted. Then each day I would look at what I ate and find ways that I could have ate less to make my calories more realistic. Not a diet but just to cut them down some. If I ate 5 cookies that were 200 calories each I thought " I could have eaten 3 calories and saved myself 400 calories" Not, "oh my god, that's a 1000 calories I will never eat cookies again". You have a real edge in that you have a lot of weight to lose and you are eating a lot of calories. If you make a SMALL change you will see results fast. As you go along you will have to keep adjusting down but getting the habits in place first is what counts.

If you are eating 4000-5000 calories a day every single day and having issues with limiting food you need to start small. Don't go to the 1200 or 2500 or 3000 calorie plan MFP might set you up with. Not right away. Aim to drop 1000 calories a day off what you eat every day. When you are eating at 4000-5000 it is not hard to do, believe me I was eating 40000/day when I started. Don't worry about fruits/veggies or any of that to start. Just concentrate on getting it down by 1000/day. When you feel comfortable with that(and I have no idea how long that will take) then you can try to shave another 10000 or 500. Read, read, read and educate yourself on what types of foods you should be eating but always think for yourself. Don't pick a popular diet plan and follow it to a T. Make your own. If you know you can't go the rest of your life without a burger a day then work out a plan that lets you have that burger every day. It is a long process and you are looking at several years to lose so you have lots of time to go slow and figure it out and do it the right way. Also be prepared to change things, what works for months might stop working and you will have to readjust.

Most importantly belive that you can do it, no matter how long it takes and you will! good luck!

NCmcMan

Thank You all very much for your input. After reading all of your replies, it seems that most of you basically are dealing with or have dealt with the same things that I am going through (perhaps not as severe , but basically the same) I intend on coming to all of you for help every day because I need to be around all of you positive people! I look forward to our friendship! Thanks again for all of your comments. I have read all of them and appreciate them all!

suzycreamcheese

i think baby steps is the answer, and accepting this is a psychological problem as well as physical, but congratulations for taking those first steps to get well, because those first steps are the hardest of all, and youve already lost 9lb which is brilliant

bcorry123

Professional help is a first, then a nutritionalist and/or dietician second. As far as eating what you want, what has helped me is the mental thinking of not saying I can't have something but more the thought of I choose not to have something. That mentality alone has helped me stop my most intense cravings of whatever I used to crave. I still have my bad days where I slip, but I don't beat myself up to bad about it and then I move on. This lifestyle change is not an overnight process, it takes patience and time. Good Luck with your journey. We are all in this together thick and someday thinner.

Fairy13

Hi Josh, You have had some great advice already, and I'm not sure I can really add to it.
But I just wanted to add my voice to the others about how great and amzing it is that you have come here and been so open, and while not as severe, I do relate to what you've said. If there is chocolate in my house, I have to eat it, all of it, I find it immensely difficult to do things in moderation!
I am really wishing you all the luck in the world, and hope, little by little, you can makes some changes that will make you happier and healthier. :@)