I can't control my eating.

myfitnessnmhoy

Start by logging EVERYTHING. All of it. Be honest. Don't try to change it yet, just log it all, big and small. Set your tracker up so you can monitor calories, carbs, fats, proteins, sugars, and sodium. Force yourself to start drinking 64 ounces (8 8 ounce glasses) of water a day to get started. Water fills a void, and thirst is often mistaken for hunger and causes binges.

When you can actually see what you're doing to yourself broken down into nutrition, it may serve as a wake-up call. When you're drinking enough water, you might find the cravings easier to control.

If not, then ADD healthy foods, even if you can't control the bad foods at first. Even if it means EATING MORE. Make sure you meet your daily eating goals for carbohydrates, fats, and protein. You may be binging because your body is missing something - adding that something might make the binges go away.

PS: before you go to the grocery store, EAT SOMETHING. Preferably something with lots of fat and proteins and complex carbs, but WHATEVER IT TAKES. Going to the grocery store hungry is the key to making poor food decisions. Going to the grocery store satisfied means that you might be better-equipped to choose wisely. If you can manage not to bring the crap home, it won't be there to eat.

Caramel2610

here's your sister - I hear you and UNDERSTAND every line of your message and every sentiment behind those lines.

I've been trying to lose 17 kilos (started at 10 kilos a couple of months ago).

Granted I'm now 15 weeks pregnant but that's no excuse because I've been trying to lose the 10 - 15 kilos for about a year now.

It's a vicious circle.

I'm currently paying to attend Sl1mm1ng World meetings once a week, and like u I don't have money to burn but still can't (don't) stick to the plan. The worst part is it's a very doable, healthy, balanced plan but the fault lies with me.

Interested in responses you get.

JoyousJustine67

you can have foods you like or similar you do need to read labels watch sugars and carbs i went thought my cabinets it is hard to break a habit but you can do it one day at a time ♥ when u loss your 1st five pounds you'll be on cloud 9 then you will keep trying . we didnt get this way over night so it will take time ask a friend to go to the store with you i did this in the beggining cause i wanted to buy cookies snacks and all that now i go to farm stand and buy 100 calorie treat add me if you want i will support you ♥

fatty_to_fitty

First you need to admit it is you doing it and you do have control over it. Something overrides your decision to eat well. Conquering that will change your habits.

I am exactly the same I had two weeks like this which has only just ended. I am glad I kept up the exercise which balanced it out. I just didn't care and didn't think about what I ate and ate when I wasn't hungry.

I can't think of a few things that 'make' me stray:

Laziness - can't cook wont cook attitude
punishment - why bother? I'm fat anyway?
Bad attitude - crap day, crap week
Just plain kidding myself

There are so many tips I could give you for different situations. First I really do think you have figure out why you do what you do. Think about the emotions around binging and try to work on improving your relationship with your own body and yourself. For me martial arts helped me look at my body mechanically and now I think of food in the same way.

Your body is amazing and can do amazing things so equip it to do so. Eat well and eat things you like and be active in any way that makes you happy. Exercises is a necessary medicine, binge eating, low mood and a negative attitude are all linked and your body needs endorphins so get moving.

The only other tip I'd give you for now is don't punish yourself. If you fall off jump back on.

dsjohndrow

There are probably 100 reason why you eat too much, or the wrong thing. Just start logging you food - every darn mouthful. In no time, you will see where you are going off the track, then you will know what to fix.

If you are really serious, you can clean out your house of al the junk, and buy foods that are good for you. There are tons of recipes available that taste good and are good for you. Even some of the "not so good" foods can be eaten in moderation, but that doesn't sound like you.

This can be done - so log the food and get started. Make some MFP friends and work on it.

GabrielleZelda

I think it really is about keeping yourself accountable. You are much more capable than what your mind tells you sometimes. So when you say you can't control your eating, you really can, you just don't know how.

I think you should scrap all the junk food you've got in your kitchen/pantry. If you don't have it available, then you won't eat it, right?

I understand that food can be addictive. But you need to realize that this is a psychological addiction and not a physiological one. You don't NEED to be constantly eating, so you need to train yourself to restrain yourself.

Good luck!!!

leetbh

Its called temptation, you just gotta look at yourself in the mirrior, or wherever and just tell yourself how much you wanna get fit.

you could try these tips they may help:

- Plan your meals for the full week and when to eat your meals, hopefully this way will keep you motivated to stay on it... (saving yourself from snacking)
- Smaller portion sizes ( its shocking how much we over eat)
- eating slower, and only drinking water/beverage after your meal, as the water/beverage expands your stomach and you feel less full.
- Cleaning your teeth, drinking water (most of the time we're thristy, instead of hunger cravings *the minty toothpaste helps*)
- If your really craving sweety foods (in moderation)... take the ones with natural sugar, sawping normal coke, for diet coke is the worst you can do, as the artifical sweeters mess up your body.

hopefully some of them help you.
GL

poesch77

Hello my name is Stacey and I am a binge eater! I can do great all day but at night when everyone is asleep I stuff myself! I was so gung ho on losing in the beginning but the bingeing has got the best of me! I have to keep some stuff in the house for the kids and my husband so it is very hard! I don't have great advice for you because I am still trying to overcome this but having someone with the same issue to help you thru may help. Friend me if you would like.....I need a cure too. I am a closet overeater!!

Andrewsvan

I had the same experience with MFP.

rachaelgifford

I have had it before where I have been curled up in bed crying with a type of pain at the concept of not being able to have junk of some type.
I found this really difficult to break. I forced myself to drink a pint of squash, or have a boiled sweet. Something to give me a bit of sweet but not to much.

The only way I have overcome this is by re evaluating my entire diet. The reason I was craving such instant gratification from crap is because my body was lacking in what it needed and should have gained from a healthy and well balanced diet. Since I have changed my eating habits and am eating more healthily I no longer feel the need for constant junk. I wont say I never crave chocolate or crisps, because I do from time to time - but with nothing like the desire I did before.

You just need that little bit of will power to get you started - and it is in you somewhere - you just need to find it.

Have faith :-)

lobster888

Not sure if this will help. I was going to say take one day at a time..sounds silly but I mean it. Set a goal to eat healthy one whole day, no binge eating, no fast foods. If that is is too much...then do one meal at a time and keep adding on. Two meals, two meals and a snack. Sometimes the idea of giving everything you want up for a long time seems impossible so we can't seem to do it. But, if you set small managable goals it might work. Kinda sounds like AA but if it works ..it works. Keep trying... your here so I know you want to eat healthy and stop the binge and overeating. You just have to find a way ...good luck!!

taylmarie

Maybe figure out why you are doing it. Binge eating is almost always an emotional issue, not a physical one. Are you sad? Lonely? Bored? Tired? Excited? Really try to focus on what you are feeling. It will take a lot of effort but if you feel like you want to binge take a break, go for a ten minute walk, clean a room and try to think: "What am I feeling right now?" If you eat because you are feeling down (very common), you need to address the real issue be it a singular event, seasonal/long term depression, anxiety etc. Binging only makes you feel worse, I know from experience.

There might also be support groups in your area or of course on-line. You could always go see a counselor to help you determine why you do it. It's prob not just your "greed" or "wanting what you want".

nicehormones

You've pretty much described my old eating habits. I would like to say that I have overcome them, for the most part, but I still have those days where all I want to do is snack on everything at once. I'm not sure you really ever get completely over being a binge eater. It takes time and dedication to train yourself to eat differently, but it can certainly be done. You will feel so great when you start putting healthy things in your body instead of just crap. You have to realize that you deserve more and deserve to treat yourself and your body well.


You can do it, just make the decision for yourself that you WILL change. And then... Believe it.

AveryWays

I was the same way... until I started tracking every single ounce of food, soda, liquid ect that I put into my mouth! I was in SHOCK! The amount of calories I was consuming on a daily basis was insane-- and for what reason?! I wasn't getting anything from it-- no comfort, no weight loss (clearly), NOTHING! I just felt worse about myself.

You can't STOP doing that until you are truly ready to commit to changing! I wasn't ready for a long time, and that's okay. What's important is that you eventually get to a point of being ready. I now eat all the same things I used to, just in healther ways. I substitute greek yogurt for high-carlorie sour cream. Special K Cracker Chips for potato chips. Skinny Cow bars for Dairy Queen blizzards!

ONLY YOU CAN DO THIS....

Totally agrees! Once I started tracking and looking at food as fuel versus comfort, my perspective changed. And on instance that I would mindless finish up my kids' plate, my trainer made me rethink things. Do 10 push ups for each offense I made. I so Dislike push ups! But needless to say, I can do 10 regular push ups without breaking a sweat for the amount of time it took to sink into my brain why I do what I did. :grumble: Remember your body is not a garbage disposal.

crloanzon

Hello there and don't be so sad. There is hope out there and I am glad I joined this. When I first started to try and get my back prior to the 2 kids, I always ate whatever, whenever and not caring about what it was doing to me. It is hard when I have a husband who can eat junk food and loose weight.

What helped me is I wanted my kids to eat better too. Honestly I had to train myself to eat breakfast because I was never big on it. Then I actually set alarms for myself to have a snack around 10, lunch at noon, snack at 2 and then dinner definitely before 6pm. I do not allow myself to eat after dinner and if I do get that urge to eat something, I usually just drink a glass of water slowly and the hunger goes away.

I am currently on a 1200 calorie/day routine and by all means it is not that hard. It sounds like a little but if you even just put in 30 minutes a day of cardio, you can allow yourself treats without denying your body the cravings. I also allow myself to have a day off when it comes to counting calories and you don't have to go balls to the wall. LOL

It is funny now because my body has gotten used to eating more healthy as far as raw veggies and fruit. When I eat the junk food, it is easy to stop because your body starts to taste all the fat and sugar faster than it used to. if you eat three balanced meals and have a small snack in between, I think you will be just fine and be able to start loosing the weight. It takes confidence in yourself and once you have that....ANYTHING is possible! Good luck and reach out to me anytime.

Sincerely,
Cat ;0)

Caramel2610

I also can't control myself with certain foods.. The solution I have found that works is.. Don't even get started! I do not eat White Flour or Sugar.. Once I eat anything with those I go into binge mode! Sugar is a drug (seriously, recent studies have proven this), so you need to treat it as such! Stay Away COMPLETELY from Sugar or Flour! Within a day or two you will feel much more in control! It's hard to say no to all the tempting treats, but once you have a few days without you will for sure feel more in control! Good Luck, and feel free to add me for support!

nice, supportive reply :flowerforyou:

Makes sense too

HollywoodDJ

I have been doing this for ten weeks now...and I have had my ups and downs and one thing I have learned is that certain foods are HUGE triggers for me to want to eat more and foods that do not satisfy me and make me want to eat all day....It took me 6 or 7 weeks to realize that CEREAL is a really big trigger for me.. ...It's the one food that I have always eaten and used for comfort...before I go to bed at night...for snacks....out of boredom. I would also suggest learning which foods are triggers for you and try to avoid them...at least for a while. Also look at your daily summary...see what vitamins and nutrients you are low in and eat foods that will balance those numbers out...I guarantee it helps...at least it helps me. I hope this helps. I know how frustrating it can be...I am there...still here...one day at a time ....somedays are better than others. Yesterday was the most GAWD-AWFUL day for me....All I wanted to do was crawl in my bed, cry and seclude myself from the world....and EAT....don't forget EAT....but...I dodn't...with a little encouragement from my husband (sorta)...I went for a nice , long, relaxing walk and I felt 100x better afterwards. Made all the difference in the world. Today my attitude was better, my cravings under control, not emotional and just was so thankful that today was a new day.

Don't be too hard on yourself...you are learning....we are all here for the same reason...at least most of us are. Surround yourself with positive , loving people and everyday you will get a little stronger and better~!


God Bless you!

douglasmobbs

I gained weight for many reasons.

I used to play many sports to a high level, got some very serious injuries (intensive care unit sort of serious) so had to stop, but did not change my eating to my new activity level.
I ate junk food too often.
My portion size was too large.

There are some very personal reasons why my thinking changed that I am not prepared to share with the general public but something clicked in my head and I became truly determined.

I cut out all the takeaways.
I did not buy junk food at the supermarkets, making a shopping list and strictly sticking to it.
I started going down the gym and swimming pool, starting slowly but pushing myself to improve as much as I can.
I researched nutrition and started to understand what my body needs, and checked this with a dietician and doctor.
I have total support from my amazing wife.
Whenever I felt like I wanted to quit I reminded myself of why I am doing this and why I want to be healthy.
I have been very strict with myself (I am the sort of person that cannot be slightly strict, it is all or nothing)
I reviewed where I have gone wrong before on diets and did not repeat the mistakes this time (fads etc)

rubygarcia86

Do what you can, if you can't control your eating start to exercise first, that might give you the umpf to make better food choices, slow but sure wins the race. You got this, if you truely want it!

This! if you cant stop eating bad things then at least start getting your body used to exercise and start working out... overtime you will want water not diet soda after you've worked out trust me

4lafz

Yep - I think we all know how we got fat. The only way to get healthy is to change what we were doing and eating.

A couple of tips:

1. You have to want it - REALLY bad! If you don't really want it none of the following will even matter.
2. I have some form of chocolate EVERY day at the end of the day. Sometimes Skinny Cow ice cream or candy - sometimes just a Diet Swiss Miss cocoa (25 calories). So - what I am saying here is that you need to find foods that satisfy you because there is no going back - ever - this is for the rest of your life - skinny people eat this way.
3. Lower your expectations and goals - try losing .5 a week - that way you can eat more.
4. EXERCISE IS A MUST. I do something 7 days - low impact, strength, high impact, whatever - GET IT DONE if you want to eat!
5. Weigh your food and use portion control. A steak that I once ate is now two or three meals with lots of veggies.
6. I am NOT full after dinner. So - my trick is to sip on hot sweet and spicy tea (Good Earth makes caffeine free - 0 calories). Once I finish it - I AM full. The tea - and the diet cocoa - really help me nights.
7. Don't buy the things you should not have - don't bring them into the house. This only works if #1 is followed though - you still have to eat food you enjoy!

Good luck!

Gergal73

What's going through my head is a pig headed greed of wanting what I want. Nothing else matters except getting hold of that food. Feels like a drug, but I know that's being melodramatic.

Wanting what you want... Interesting concept that we've all experienced. You want the food and yet you want to lose weight. One of those wants has to take precedence... You have to decide which one of those wants is most important and which will bring lasting happiness. Only you can make that decision.

After reading this statement, I am under the impression that you like to have a sense of control over personal factors. My question to you is this: Are you controlling the food or are you letting the food control you? Food for thought.

Best wishes to you!

KathleenIves

Realizing "why" is the biggest obstacle, I think. Awareness is next. You are aware that this binging is hurting you-get an accountability partner that you can call when you have these urges. TELL people you do this so you will be accountable! When you are in an eating mood change what you do like exercise, scrapbook or take a bath and give yourself a miniucre...can;t eat with wet nails and goop on your face.

Try cooking healthy foods creatively...make your meals and snacks interesting with color and hot sauce.

InTenn

No expert here, but let me suggest a couple of things. First, start thinking of calories like you do money. Set a budget - a reasonable one - and live within it. If you overspend, exercise extra. But do what you can to come in at or under your goal.

Second thing is to realize that you aren't going to fix everything at once. I am a babysteps person. If you can't go all day without eating candy and snacks, go until mid-afternoon. When you master that, go until 4:00, then dinner. Finally, go a day without eating badly.

Part of that is finding alternatives. Somewhere, there are healthier choices that will satisfy most food urges. Experiment until you find them. We found several substitutes in certain dishes for potatoes, rice, pasta, that aren't zero calories, but are a lot better on carbs. (They are zucchini, cauliflower rice, spaghetti squash, etc). They work for us.

Boiled eggs and cheese sticks have become snacks instead of doughnuts. Yogurt is the go-to snack instead of snickers bars. High fiber, lower calorie breads are out there. You just learn, but you have to commit to looking and to learning from others.

I made, and still make mistakes in eating. But when I do, I try to learn from them, or just commit to do better tomorrow. A year in and I am still finding things to do better.

But when all is said and done, you don't just fall into better eating. It takes some effort. But with effort, it works out.

essenceofk

As someone in the field of psychology, I am thinking this IS much bigger than just eat, want, eat, want. And I'm surprised only 1 or 2 people mentioned it, but there are lots of people that feel if you can go get what you want, you can stop getting what you want. I am here to tell you it is not that simple, if that were the case people who were alcoholics, pedophiles, crack addicts, and even exercise addicts, shopping addicts, could just stop it when they realize the liability outweighed the benefits.

This is clearly a situation which you admittedly state you can't control, that is more than enough evidence that you are in a position where you will need help to tackle your goal immediately. The fact that you mention eating disorders previously that were only "stopped" (I doubt that seriously, but that they morphed into something else and have evolved into where you are now) with pregnancy is a huge, flashing, neon light, with sirens that your behavior is possibly the result of deeper unresolved issues. There is nothing wrong with needing to rectify other deeper issues in order to uncover the source of your relationship with food and conquer those in relation to your treatment and feelings about yourself, health, and your body. I would advise you to seek professional help via your employee assistance program or your insurance and go from there. And keep me posted on your progress I would love to know how it goes for you, I had something vaguely similar going on as I've never had weight issues, but developed them as I wanted to protect myself after my mother died, (much more detailed than that and I am willing to share in private) so I can understand that deeper issues drive our habits. I am thinking this may be somewhere for you to start.

I am sincere in my desire to know how you are doing and if you will take the steps necessary to get to the bottom of your feeling that the eating is out of control. Once we understand things we are usually able to conquer them..... It could even be something medical as well, I know people don't like to hear that but there are specific symptoms of illness that result in what you are experiencing. I say start with your PCP (primary care physician) and go from there..... Have a great day.

sazzyp1973

I find that the more I eat healthily, the easier it becomes as I feel better for it. The hardest part is starting to make the changes but once you start you will find yourself forming different habits. i found taking a homemade lunch to work each day for instance meant that not only could I properly think about what I was eating but it made it much easier to avoid grabbing something unhealthy from the shop at lunch time.

Good luck with it but remember you will only succeed if you want to. Being on this site is a step in the right direction though!

Jill_newimprovedversion

bump- hoping I can glean some advice too.

Even @ goal, I STILL struggle. Emotional triggers didn't end when I reached maintenance mode.
The mind need reprogrammed.

sazzyp1973

InTenn - No expert here, but let me suggest a couple of things. First, start thinking of calories like you do money. Set a budget - a reasonable one - and live within it. If you overspend, exercise extra. But do what you can to come in at or under your goal.

Excellent way to look at it!

bbooop

hi there , I have just joined this site and your post is the first one I have read . I hate to say this but I am absolutely appalled at some of the responses to your cry for help . I have been battling with my weight for as long as I can remember and I recon anyone with a weight problem knows how difficult this can be . From a very early age I was completely addicted to sugar or any sugar based foods and it caused me major problems but I am pleased to say I have not had sweets, chocolate , ice cream , cakes , biscuits or any sugar based foods for 3 years and 5 months thanks to OA ( overeaters anonymous) which taught me all about food addictions and trigger foods ! although I only attended meetings for 1 year and havent been for about 5 years ,this organisation taught me so much . I am still over a stone over healthy BMI and am still struggling with my weight and probably always will but the addiction to sugar is no longer there which makes life one million times easier ! I really hope this helps . all the best xxxx

essenceofk

What's going through my head is a pig headed greed of wanting what I want. Nothing else matters except getting hold of that food. Feels like a drug, but I know that's being melodramatic.

You actually AREN'T being melodramatic, this is simply the way most addictions work.....

jemloujem

I have the same problem with eating ,i do it with out knowing