Why/when do you eat too much?

downsizinghoss

I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what caused me to eat so much in the past. I have especially been looking into what can cause slip-ups now that I am tracking everything and finally seeing progress.

I used to blame over-eating on stress or boredom. I have figured out though that it is more nuanced than that.

I tend to eat when I am not doing anything, but feel like I SHOULD be doing something.

If am procrastinating on something, I eat. If you look around my house and work, I am ALWAYS procrastinating.

If there are things I should have done that day, I can't sleep. Instead of doing what I should be doing, I snack.

If I am at a social event where I feel uncomfortable and feel like I should be mingling or I want to leave, I eat. (in college, I drank)

It is my way of hiding from my own head. When I feel like I should be doing something I don't want to do it is an easy way to "stay busy".

So one thing I am working on is simply trying to stay busy accomplishing anything. Even if it is just cleaning out my car or organizing files, anything.

What causes you to eat?

gertudejekyl

After 3 pm I start munching, often mindlessly. I eat a lot more if not doing a project and when alone- which I am most of the time.

gtchs

My commute to/from work is my bad time. I have an 1+ hour commute during which I pass about 13928 fast food restaurants. It's too tempting to stop along the way home for 'snacks'. One trick I've learned though is to put my wallet in the back of my SUV when I get in the car. I'm too lazy to stop and get out of the car to get it so this has helped me to avoid stopping as much.

cjpg

What you're describing is really an addiction. Any addiction is basically an act that you partake in over and over to an end that is detrimental to you.

I used to eat because I was addicted to food. I was addicted to food because I learnt to associate food with emotional responses. Whenever I was overwhelmed with intense stress, anxiety, happiness, sadness or just plain excitement I'd always be eating. It's how I 'controlled' my intense energy levels. But in fact, I was just feeding my addiction.

The way I broke out of it was to adhere to three very simple rules:

1) Know WHAT you want
2) Know HOW to get it
3) Know how to KEEP getting it in the face of adversity.

Once you understand the above you'll learn that it's truly a cycle that leads to a lifestyle change. It takes time, but once it becomes concrete in your mind you just wake up.

EDIT: And don't take this is the wrong way, I know you know what you're doing based purely on your fantastic results. This was just my journey and how I got there.

Fozzyspotts

Like downsizinghoss, I eat when things don't seem right, I'm bored, upset, thinking of something I should do, but don't want too!

I also eat when I'm thirsty. That was a shocker. I read somewhere that we eat unnecessarily when we are really actually thirsty. So I tried tracking this. I drink more herbal tea now and a lot more water. have to be careful with the tea though, sometimes the herbal ones make you hungry. How to win?

WanderingMe

I like to eat at night. I feel like I will sleep better on a full stomach, but it's so not true! I also eat a lot around my husband. Hes 5'10" and 150lbs, and is ALWAYS hungry, so when he eats, I want to eat.

My biggest problem before MFP was eating when I was depressed and down, and ALSO eating to celebrate. In both circumstances I felt like I deserved it because things had been hard, or things had been great...

Helloitsdan

I over eat every monday, Weds and friday by +20% TDEE and under eat every other day by -20% TDEE.
This helps me use nutrients when I need them most, on heavy lifting days.

Every 2 weeks I have a mega day or meal.
This boosts metabolism up to 10% for a short while and I tend to lose weight shortly after.

IE: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/Helloitsdan?date=2012-02-10

A couple of things to think about.

1) stay below TDEE and dont worry too much if you like eating at night.
Studies show that night eaters tend to metabolize fat better than people who have 6 meals a day.

2) If you want to try and make meals more enjoyable while losing fat, look into Intermittent Fasting!
Instead of having 5-6 meals a day you only have 2-3. You only eat within an 8 hour period.
http://www.leangains.com if you want to research it, read this entire website.