Anybody else feel like they can't stop themselves???

gator2010

So the first two weeks of my "healthy life" change, I did really great. Ate small, frequent meals and all that stuff. But lately I'm back to my old ways, I start craving something and then I give in and eat it ALL. It usually happens at night, after I get back from the gym. I still tend to stay within my calorie goal but only because I work out so much at the gym. But I just really don't like the way I feel after I eat all that food. For example, tonight I was craving honey graham crackers. I ate a whole packet of them....9 whole sheets, plus peanut butter on them!!! The other night I ate almost a whole box of cereal. I am hungry when I start eating, but then I just keep going and going. I feel so out of control and I really need to stop!! Anyone else experience the same thing? :huh:

TwentyTen

Try slowing down when you have a binge like that. When hungry like that it's easy to get carried away. You will have less if you slow down and savor the food. If you are working out so much, you should be taking in some of those calories, just pace yourself.

i know how you feel though, sometimes the pressure NOT to have something, makes you crave it that much more. You shouldn't deprive yourself. Best I can come up with , that works for me, is slow down, wayyyy down , sip water between bites, and remember how unpleasant it is going to feel when you have over stuffed yourself.

fooja

oh man... i love graham crackers with pb on them!!!! im addicted to pb :bigsmile: i try to fit it in to my cals tho. i havnt really had this problem lately......i think its finally clicked how bad i want this, but what if u ate before u went to the gym. idk, maybe u already do, but maybe it could help u be less hungry. or maybe take a snack to eat in the car on the way home and maybe that'll help take ur cravings away. also....if u dont have the stuff in the house u cant eat it good luck!!

Dom_m

I have this problem sometimes. I'm going to try a new strategy: luxury goods (in my case its alcohol related, so it will be wines that are frankly, out of my price range). The theory is that if its too expensive to binge on I'll have no choice but to savour it. If it works I'll let you know. If it doesn't I might go broke real quick!! Ha.

onelegpat

Ya I know all about that, it is because we are creatures of habit and those old habits are so much easier than the new ones we are trying to develop. Don't give up, keep a routine, be consistent and plan your weeks food so you know what you're going to be putting in your body. For me though I cant have those old habits sitting in the cupboard, they call to me way too loud.

Get rid of the cereal, graham crackers and peanut butter, don't set yourself up like that. If you cant stop eating something I'd get it out of the house so it doesn't control you like that. Go to the gym a littler earlier and don't have dinner until you get home, then have a huge salad and a lot of protein guilt free. Have a routine so you know exactly what you are going to eat when you get home from the gym, cut up a veggie tray before you go, or have some LF microwave popcorn.

I know there a different schools of thought but if the only reason you are staying under your calorie goal is from working out you might be cheating yourself, I always see my exercise as bonus and the calories I get back are just like a pat on the back for me for getting off my butt.

Lastly I eat 5 times a day and that has really helped me to not be ravenous anytime of the day. I eat even when I am not hungry just to get that fuel in my body so it stays level. My mid morning snack and mid afternoon snacks I have to remind myself to eat because I'm so used to no breakfast, then a huge lunch then nothing until my huge dinner and then it was snack time after that, now I eat roughly every 2-3 hours and I'm finding I'm not even really hungry at night, but I still like a bowl of popcorn to end my day on the couch.

Keep at it, don't give in, get better each day and make sure you take your treat days, once a month or bi-weekly, if you stay on track the rest of the time you deserve them!
:P

froglady

I think I may have an answer to your problem. I was watching the Biggest Loser the other day, and the trainers tell them to eat before they work out, just a snack so they have the energy to do more. That and I'm sure you'll be less hungry after your exercise. I will admit I cheated like crazy today but I am going to stand firm and will get back in the saddle tomorrow. It's hard. I also think maybe if you try to pace yourself the next time you have a "snack attack" you won't eat so much. Your body tells you when you aren't hungry so if you try to eat slower, you can still have the graham crackers, you just won't have as many.

hotmessmiss

Dont be so hard on yourself! I lost control and ate about 4 handfuls of peanut butter M&Ms!! You're not alone. We all have our hard days, but take it one day at a time. Do better tomorrow! I will chug a big glass of water, do some crunches or run up and down the stairs when I feel like I'm losing control of the craving. One day at a time!

Slipperystar

Any time I start snacking on things like crackers or other grain-based food items I tend to easily go out of control. I instead have cut up cauliflower and carrots with a little salad dressing on the side to flavor things up. I don't get the snack attack that way. Or I'll pop a small amount of popcorn (like one cup's worth) and put some butter and salt on it. That does the trick too.

Good luck!

sparkleywoo

just dont give up... even if you have rubbish days make sure you log all your calories regardless and it will get better. i only started a week ago and ive allways been rubbsh at restricting my self... i have no willpower what so ever... but i found that even though i was going over pretty much everyday, sticking with it and knowing what i was eating actually helped to give me the motivation to get to grips with it and now im doing really well. Im sure you can do it.

another thing i did was look for success stories on the internet... there are so many people who've managed it, (normal people with normal lives instead of celebrities who seem like super humans!) and your no different from any of them. they all say that there were weekes were they struggled... and yet they still managed to get back on track.

have faith and keep trying

tlapdx72

i have this same problem. I have found it helpful to separate my foods into smaller snack-pack bags right after I buy the box. This way I do not have the entire package in my hand while I am eating. I still may go grab another bag, but most of the time I take a few minutes to go get the bag, and then my craving is not as big.

HealthyChanges2010

So the first two weeks of my "healthy life" change, I did really great. Ate small, frequent meals and all that stuff. But lately I'm back to my old ways, I start craving something and then I give in and eat it ALL. It usually happens at night, after I get back from the gym. I still tend to stay within my calorie goal but only because I work out so much at the gym. But I just really don't like the way I feel after I eat all that food. For example, tonight I was craving honey graham crackers. I ate a whole packet of them....9 whole sheets, plus peanut butter on them!!! The other night I ate almost a whole box of cereal. I am hungry when I start eating, but then I just keep going and going. I feel so out of control and I really need to stop!! Anyone else experience the same thing? :huh:

Protein after a workout is a good thing, I believe the rule is to consume protein after a workout within an hour (?), if I'm mistaken hopefully someone will jump in on the time frame. Your body might actually be hungry (need recharging) after working off all those cals. Some chunks of cheese, a small handful of almonds, something that way might fend off the binge attacks. I mentioned it simply because you shared you seem to do it right after a workout.

Worth a shot Good luck

wolf23

Most of the time I can tell when I have that weak frame of mind and I do something similar to tlapdx72. I always take out my alloted portion and then put the box away. If I feel the urge to get more I have a little time to assess if I really want it or if I am just bored. Another trick is after your snack go brush your teeth or pop in a piece of minty gum. Cereal was always my weakness...while eating it I would have the box and the milk on the table, then of course if there was milk left over it would be ashame not to add more cereal and then I would add to much and need to add more milk and before you know it 1/2 the box is down my gullet. In the long run don't beat yourself up over it... paticularly if you exercised and those calories have been alloted to you.

imagymrat

I think a little preplanning will do wonders. Have a drawer that you dedicate to pre-gym post-gym workouts, things like bananas, whole grain bagels, fruit cups, tuna, cut up veggies, granola bars, things that are a healthy alternative, have them ready to go, this will take the "think" out of what you're going to eat, just grab a snack and go. I think that it helps while your trying to reform your eating habits to actually ban foods that you just can't help bingeing on for awhile until you get yourslef on track and are capable of making better choices. I'm 100% with you on the hunger after the gym problem, I tend to have a huge glass of water, a banana and a tuna and lettuce wrap..usually cures the craving. Good luck

banchubob

Veggies, Veggies, Veggies. I love cutting cravings with Green Bell Peppers.Also my serious addiction to Cheetos was hard to overcome but I bought some of the 100 calorie packs (tried buying one big bag and making the small bags myself but that was a disaster) and I allow myself one a day. It is just enough to fight my love affair with Chester the Cheesy Cheetah. If you like chips try making or buying Kale chips. I know. I know. it sounds gross but trust me they are perfect for the chips cravings. I found a recipe online. Well good luck and keep up the good work, as I learned this weekend (way to many empty calories in beer) just keep with it even though go overboard once and awhile!

stormieweather

I am always starving after a workout, so I make sure to have a protein bar on hand. I eat it within 30 minutes of my workout and that stops the cravings.

imagymrat

I'd seriously watch the protein bars though, most of them are glorified chocolate bars, and a whole list of ingredients on the back that you can't even pronounce, try to get your protein in the old fashion way, real food! lol

kgrutch

i cannot keep certain foods in the house at all. this may be a weakness but it works for me. example, if i have fresh baked bread and butter in the house, i WILL eat it. i have just learned about which foods are my trigger foods and have become smart enough to keep them out of reach.

stormieweather

Yeah, not commercial protein bars. You're right about them. But I make my own - http://www.liftforlife.com/proteinbars.htm#Protein_Bar_Recipe_

gator2010

Thanks for all the great ideas! I will definitely try and utilize some of the ideas! I know a lot of it is just getting the right amount of food during the day so I don't starve by the time night comes! I just need to find a good balance in my eating/working out schedule. And keeping certain foods out of the house will help too! Thanks so much for all the input!!

imagymrat

Yeah, not commercial protein bars. You're right about them. But I make my own - http://www.liftforlife.com/proteinbars.htm#Protein_Bar_Recipe_

Thanks for that link, I just took a peak and those protein bars sound pretty darn good...i'm glad I didn't offend you with my comment, it's just most people grab the ones from the grocery section and don't even bother to read the labels, they see protein on the front, and think they're good to go...i'm even gonna try the low fat rotein bar using the cream cheese...sounds interesting!

MyHoneyBunsRShowing

The reason why it is so easy for you to binge, especially at night is because you haven't had enough calories and the right food in your system for the day! It's so easy to be good during the day and even skip snacks or cut your meals short but it's important to eat the right food even if you're not in the mood so that by the end of the day, you're not starving:noway: ! It all catches up to you then because that's usually when people are slowing down and relax so it's easier to think about those delicious temptations:devil: ! I used to eat almost half of my calories for the day, at night :blushing: until I trained myself to eat the right food all day! Also after your workouts its important to eat sumthing healthy, mainly protein so that your muscles can rebuild. Your body is a sponge after working out so it's dying to soak sumthing up:drinker: ! Carbs are good 30 minutes to an hour before your workout! Hope this helps! :bigsmile: