How do you stop wanting to eat?

TamTamW
TamTamW Posts: 27
in Motivation and Support
Help!

I am new to this site, just started it a couple of days ago so I need all the support I can get. My biggest thing is that I LOVE to eat. I don't eat out of hunger, I eat because I love food. And not "good for you" food either. I am a person with depression so food is a temporary escape for me. I don't know how to get away from that "wanting to eat" feeling.
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Replies

  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    ..eat some food then you wont want to eat any more.
  • mrsnathanandrew
    mrsnathanandrew Posts: 631 Member
    ..eat some food then you wont want to eat any more.


    nice abs!
  • Kiisu101
    Kiisu101 Posts: 23
    When I use to have those I wanna eat cuz I'm bored moments I would just get myself busy with a hobby of some kind and it would take my mind off it.
  • HappyHealthyDoll
    HappyHealthyDoll Posts: 23
    Sit there and ask yourself are you hungry, no, then don't eat.
  • jsugihara86
    jsugihara86 Posts: 71 Member
    I try to eat every 2-3 hours, small amounts of food.
  • Kiisu101
    Kiisu101 Posts: 23
    Sit there and ask yourself are you hungry, no, then don't eat.

    Another good thing is asking yourself how will I feel after i'm done eating this junk? Most likely not very good >.>
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    Eat often, typically eat things that are good for you and chew gum during the times that you just want something to do but are not hungry.
  • mrsnathanandrew
    mrsnathanandrew Posts: 631 Member
    I had/have this problem. The key for me is to start doing something else when I get bored, or feel the nerve to eat. I also drink a full glass/bottle of water, it fills your stomach up and I typically don't feel like eating if my belly is completely full. Also, the key to successful weight loss is to find out what it is that is making you depressed, work on that, then you'll be able to nip the problem in the butt, but until you figure out what it is, you'll always have that issue of food being your escape. Or find another escape. For me its kickboxing, nothing makes me feel better than an hour of pretend kicking someones butt haha
  • TamTamW
    TamTamW Posts: 27
    Gee Monty, how long did it take you to come up with that one? That was realllllllly helpful!
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    ..eat some food then you wont want to eat any more.


    nice abs!

    lol thanks, its because i eat when im hungry
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    Gee Monty, how long did it take you to come up with that one? That was realllllllly helpful!

    took me about a second, hence the first response.. but hey on a more serrious note try drinking lots of water because most times when you feel you are hungry the body is actually thirsty and will be more than satisfied if you drink a tall glass of water or two... so before you eat try that and i bet half the time it will fill you up
  • HBBrown78
    HBBrown78 Posts: 55 Member
    Unfortunatly your body will not change this overnight. You are going to have to work hard to redirect your thought process and retrain your brain. First of all you seem to understand the connection between your depression, eating and the temperary jump in saratonin. My suggestion, when you feel the desire to eat to feel better DO NOT GIVE IN! Redirect your brain by having a substitute. I use coloring books or needle point. I have them about the house so when I need something to keep my mind off of things I can just grab one and stay busy. Also, learn to reward yourself with something else. A hot bubblebath with candles can really help or a new lipstick- whatever you like. And lastly, excersise raises saratonin so try to do something active. I have asthma so I cannot run, I got to the gym, pop in the earbuds and walk on the treadmill and daze out to some good music. I day dream and work up a mild sweat and I always feel better! I hope this helps- and just so you know I LOVE FOOD but now I love me more!
  • AsaraFuriosa
    AsaraFuriosa Posts: 293 Member
    Lots of gum and water!!! Seriously, like tons. After you eat a snack or a meal, drink a bottle of water and chew a stick of gum. I also will drink a bottle of water and chew a stick when I think I'm hungry but it's not time to eat yet. If I'm still hungry after that, I eat.

    Good luck on your fitness journey!

    Edit: I eat small meals/snacks every 2-3hrs, about 7 times a day.
  • TamTamW
    TamTamW Posts: 27
    Thanks funny man!
  • musiclover69
    musiclover69 Posts: 3 Member
    I struggle with this too. Currently, I'm trying to get into planning my meals more and keeping track of all food consumed. For me, I know I need to treat my body as a machine. Think of it as "garbage in, garbage out". Yesterday I seriously got off track, by having too much sugar. Thus, I felt horrible in the evening. I've learned that when I get off track, I need to remind myself how much better I'm feeling since I've lost 20 plus pounds and how hard I'm working out at the gym. Reading labels seems to help me too. When I saw how many calories that pound cake have, I just reminded myself I'm not going to backtrack. I wish you all the best in your journey towards better health! Take care!
  • jiigglybutt
    jiigglybutt Posts: 345 Member
    I down 3 cups of water as fast as I can and see if I still want to eat after that. if I do, I'll pig out on grapes or carrots or something healthy, you know? get rid of the unhealthy stuff that way if you do binge, you won't feel so bad about it!

    myfitnesspal also helped me control my eating too. I log my food intake religiously. as soon as I eat something, I get on MFP and log it. if I can't, I have a little memo pad with me all the time (i'm a list making person!) and I write everything I ate to log later.
    I ate past my calorie goal the first few days I was on here, but I eventually got the hang of how to control myself! If I do end up going over, I make time for a work out before I go to bed.
  • MissJay75
    MissJay75 Posts: 768 Member
    ..eat some food then you wont want to eat any more.

    Her problem is more complex than that. Some of us want to eat even when we aren't hungry, even if we just ate an hour ago. It's not really food her body/brain wants, it's something else like a pleasure or comfort associated with food, or relief from boredom. She needs to figure out what what else will help fulfill that craving because it's not really a food issue.
  • kittymeeowmeeow
    kittymeeowmeeow Posts: 22 Member
    I want to eat all the time. I just choose not to. This doesn't make me happy AT ALL, but my pants getting looser does. It sucks. I love burgers and steak and dessert and all of it and it just doesn't get easier for me.
  • Elizadolots
    Elizadolots Posts: 178
    Water! And get busy! You really need to get as active as you can, not just for burning more calories, but because that way you are not focused on eating. My worst days are sitting in front of the computer, I just want to snack the whole time. But once I get busy, cleaning, walking, sorting out etc, I forget about being hungry. :happy:

    Also, if you are going to exercise and you can afford it, get a heart rate monitor. We tend to over estimate the calories we burn!
  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
    :( I just did this right now, I emotionally ate. If u see my Diary it is good all the way till the evening. and It didnt help that my friend is over and handed me that boston creme roll but o well... he even laughed and said he knows hes an enabler. and daaaamn it! Im not sad, or mad its a different frustration and so I ate.. ughh wish I didnt eat it or the 14 little figs. but I tricked myself to eat it all cuz they are LITTLE.. but the calories yea I wont say ne more..
  • jiigglybutt
    jiigglybutt Posts: 345 Member
    another thing that helps me is I almost always brush my teeth right after I finish eating anything! I don't know about anybody else, but I HATE eating right after I brush my teeth...
  • sunshine__angel
    sunshine__angel Posts: 366 Member
    Do something that occupies your mind so you won't be thinking about food. Reading works well for me. Drinking lots of water and chewing gum also help a lot! :)
  • hauntedwebby
    hauntedwebby Posts: 16
    I am in the same boat, but since I'm a technology junkie I have been using the app quite a bit. Today it helps me spread my calories out through out the day, instead of eating them all in one sitting.

    I'm starting a new goal today, for the next 4 months :) I use small goals instead of large goals, this has helped motivate me through my life style change.
  • chickenmcv
    chickenmcv Posts: 41
    Stop it.
  • TamTamW
    TamTamW Posts: 27
    Thanks guys for all the information! This is really going to be a fight for me but I am willing to do it. Good luck to all of you.
  • txcraftr
    txcraftr Posts: 133 Member
    I have that problemsquite often and am trying to overcome it like you. I also have depression and what she said about the serotonin is true. I find that exercise makes my appetite go away, even if its easy like walking with Leslie Sansone. It makes you work a little bit but makes you feel a whole lot better. Another thing I do is walk right out the door and take a stroll and look at nature. Usually by the time I get back my nervous feeling will be a lot better and then I do something else like crochet or knit or take a shower. Its hard to eat in the shower.:laugh:
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Watch your sugar, both sugar and artificial sweeteners increase your cravings and appetite.
    If I have a diet coke it's all over for the day I can never stay under my calories.

    I found once I started eating more "nutrient dense" foods the less I focused on eating...
    oddly enough I enjoy food more now... I won't waste calories on something I don't enjoy.
    I haven't banished any snack foods or treats.
    I just don't over indulge like I used to and enjoy it more because it is a "treat" and eat it less often.

    I keep an eye out for my trigger foods. (Any size package of Oreo's are a single serving in my opinion... So I spend more per cookie and get the snack pack of 6... because I'll have enjoyed them, but they'll be gone. If I get the regular size box and think I'll only have a couple at a time and save the rest for later, I'm only kidding myself.)

    Really watch for added sugar in things marketed as "real foods"
    like tomato sauce and yogurt.

    I'd much rather eat my sugar in the form of a snack that consuming it where I don't even notice it.

    The jarred tomato sauce I'd been using had 9 g of sugar per 1/2 cup serving...( Now my favorite cookies(Trader Joe's chocolate cats) are 9g of sugar for 15 cookies...) I've found a few brands of prepared sauce that have about 3 g of sugar per 1/2 cup serving... but I've gone back to buying plain old canned sauce and adding my own spices. 1g of sugar.

    Bottom Line track your sugar for a while and see if there is any cause and effect on how you feel.

    (also if depression is an issue up your "happy fats" plant & fish based fats. Fats are calories dense, but it doesn't take a lot to feel satisfied.)

    Good Luck
  • trinitrate
    trinitrate Posts: 219 Member
    1) water

    2) I was similar and chose to start out very low-carb. Even though it seems counter-intuitive, the change in -what- you eat does lessen your cravings. Some people on here do not like low-carbing so do your own research. When you low-carb, you fill up on lean meats and a huge amount of green fiberous veggies.... No room left for junk and you'll still be under your calorie goal. When you have a big salad, a good size chicken breast and a huge side of steamed broccoli for lunch, you wont be looking to snack too much!

    Don't do this for too long. As your body and diet change, your cravings will too and you can start reintroducing -healthy- carbs.

    3) drink more water
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Eat good wholesome unprocessed foods.

    Protein and Healthy Fat will make you feel a lot more satisfied than a bowl of cereal or cheese on toast.

    Scrambled Eggs with cheese and veggies as breakfast does me until mid-afternoon if not dinner.

    You say you love food, but is it just because your blood sugar is all over the place from eating refined stuff that can barely be called food?

    Get the blood sugar stable first and then discover if you still have the urge would be my best advice. I used to snack all time, I understand the feeling and it's not one easy to ignore because your body is, on a cellular level, starving for nutrients.

    Personally, cutting out all wheat has helped enormously but I can understand why some people still think we need it given the brainwashing by food pyramids, 'healthy whole grains' and whatnot.
  • TamTamW
    TamTamW Posts: 27
    The good thing is that I don't eat a lot of sweets. I find that if I didn't eat three meals today and I am just getting out of work at 11pm, I want to eat. Even if I am not hungry. I am definitely working on the water thing. I am not a fan of drinking water but now i am keeping cold filtered water that is easy access in my fridge and I find that I drink it more.

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