WTF is wrong with me???
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I didn't read the other replies, but I will offer a few suggestions.
Nothing wrong with taking a snack like you did, but I would only take one with me per day. If I had a box there, I would end up eating them all.
GUM! Try grabbing a piece of gum to chew when you feel the need to munch.
Have a good snack such as grapes available for easy pop-able snacking
You can do this, I know you can!!!0 -
Bingeing is a sign of nutritional deficiency. Cheerios are not much healthier than the donuts. Pretty much the same impact on hormones that regulate metabolism in the body.
I changed my diet, and binge eating disorder miraculously disappeared. So did a lot of other very serious illnesses. This idea that the food we put inside our body has nothing to do with health is just ridiculous imo. And just because Kellogg's (and all the other big name food processors) advertises their products as being healthy, doesn't mean they really are. It's business. Increasing addiction to processed food is all part of their game plan to maximize profits.0 -
But what gives?? Why oh Why am I like this? Why can't I just STOP eating!!!!
I think many of us do the same. It is just part of the routine we have put ourselves in. As it has been developed over years of reinforment it takes time to break the cycle as well.0 -
A number of things could be happening here.
1. Physical addiction
Processed foods are deliberately manufactured to create physical cravings. Even if emotion doesn't come into play, the physical addiction does. A year ago at this time I was habitually polishing off a pint of ice cream a day. I've done without it now for about nine months and I don't miss it at all.
To stop my cravings, I used what I call bridge foods:
Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips were one of my “Before” snacks. I’d dump a healthy handful or two into a bowl for my chocolate fix. Note the calorie counts above and the amounts. The package defines a serving as 16 chips/80 calories, but a handful could easily contain 32 chips. Most of those calories came from fat.
These days grapes are my after-workout snack. I usually eat two cups of them. They contain a lot of water, so they’re pretty filling, and the red grapes especially are nice and sweet.
I didn’t turn to grapes immediately. Raisins were my “bridge” food. They were sweeter by volume than grapes and less fattening than chocolate. But a half cup of raisins had almost as many calories as four times the volume of grapes.
The first couple of weeks took a lot of my willpower, but then my body adjusted. These days, willpower is hardly an issue for me. We still have several bags of Ghirardelli chips in the house because my partner eats them. They don’t tempt me at all, but I could eat them if I wanted to. I ate 32 chips on September 15, 2012, and haven’t had any since. I just haven’t felt the need. I also used to eat a lot of energy bars, which my partner still eats. Again, I can walk right past those without getting tempted. I turn to fresh produce, which is much more filling -- but I needed a sweeter bridge food to get me to the point of being satisfied with (and preferring) fresh produce.
Having fresh produce and the other foods I eat freely available is crucial. They need to be at least as convenient for me as "convenience foods." When I travel I pack a small cooler with a meal, should I need it on the road, along with my own utensils:
The cooler typically holds crispbread, canned chicken, and an orange or banana.
2. Nutritional needs
When I'm hungry, I stop and ask my body what it needs. If I need protein and try to fill up on carbs, it doesn't work; I'll still feel hungry. Sometimes I have to have a fatty food to balance my macros out. In that case a typical snack for me is a half cup of unsalted peanuts.
What works for me -- and this takes a few minutes -- is imagining one food and then another. Not just picturing it in my mind but remembering the smell and taste. Then I ask myself if it feels right, or if a different food will hit the spot. I know when it hits the spot.
3. Neurological habit
In her book Brain Over Binge, Kathryn Hansen refers to her own binge eating as a "binge-created brain-wiring problem." The following comes from a review of her book at
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/book-review-brain-over-binge/
excerpt start
She compares her lower brain’s signals to a child throwing a tantrum to get a toy. Giving in to the child’s demands reinforces the tantrum. The tantrum can then be practiced in additional situations; once rewarded, it becomes linked with those situations. In this way, the “triggers” for Hansen’s binges kept multiplying; but they were only associations. The true cause of Hansen’s binges had always been the urge to binge itself.
Trying to substitute her binges with other activities had failed, in the same way that responding to a tantrum with a hug fails if the child really wants a toy. Hansen’s tantrums — her lower brain’s signals to binge — succeeded only because she paid attention to them. Her attention led to increased neural firing, which in turn strengthened that pathway in her brain and literally fed her habit.
Her lower brain could not control her actions, but her prefrontal cortex (her “highest human brain” and the seat of her free will) could. Hansen recognized her irrational urges as “neurological junk” unrelated to actual need. Rather than try to fight, reason with, or “surf” those urges, she acknowledged their presence and otherwise ignored them. Her detachment stripped them of their emotional significance, making them less of a threat. Their neural connections weakened until the urge to binge simply faded away. Hansen’s need to purge as compensation for her bingeing vanished in turn.
She likens her “brain over binge” technique to the practice of “mindfulness” taught by neuropsychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz to people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mindfulness involves observing spontaneous thoughts and feelings in a way that is nonjudgmental, as though they belong to someone else. Doing so helps patients resist the urges associated with OCD.
Central to Hansen’s recovery was the knowledge that she could take matters into her own hands rather than make excuses for her behavior. Contrary to what she had learned in therapy, bingeing was not her method of coping with life. It was not part of a disease. Blaming it on a trigger was an inaccurate assessment, even when doing so made her feel less accountable for her actions. Her bingeing was a bad, persistent habit stemming from her own poor choices.
excerpt end
The neurological component of Hansen's bingeing doesn't necessarily apply to all binge eating; individuals differ. But it could be a factor.
4. Emotion
I'm not necessarily referring to emotional eating here, but to the title of this thread: "WTF is wrong with me???" I would encourage you to flip that around. I don't see anything "wrong" with you. You are fighting a battle for your health and well being and you are looking for strategies that work. By posting this thread, you are engaging in problem-solving. That's all very positive stuff.
When I started (restarted) my own weight loss I told myself that whatever I've done to gain the weight, I'm owning it. I now own the process of changing my eating habits and exercising. That was then; this is now. The day I ate out and had my usual serving of antipasto, and then checked MFP to see what I'd eaten in terms of calories, fat, and sodium, I learned a lot about antipasto. Yikes! I absorbed that info and moved on, started over the next day. I didn't get down on myself; it was just, Whoops. Every day is a fresh day and I just keep on keepin' on. I need and take all the positive energy and language I can get.0 -
Have you seen the Documentary Hungry for change? It is a very insightful look into food addiction the advice is practical and the science is sound. Its on Netflix if you have that its very fascinating.
I'm intrigued! Will watched this weekend! Thanks0 -
I would suggest to pump gas at a gasoline station with no convenience store. If you're going to have snacks at work, either take what you plan on eating every day or stash them somewhere where they are not visible to you at every moment.
Good luck to you!
I had to make sure that I had no cash to buy goodies and the above suggestion. I had to go cold turkey for about 3-4 weeks because it was just a habit to pick up a candy bar or chips or whatever on the way through the check out. You will gain confidence in yourself to be able break that habit.0 -
I'm not convinced that it's emotional eating... Maybe it is... Why do I eat?
I'm going to focus on only eating when I'm truly hungry. Sometimes I just eat because something looks good and I know it's gonna taste sooo good! Like a donut or cookie or cake...
I know I eat when I'm bored... I don't think that's "emotional" tho...
How do I stop the cravings? When I am actually hungry I want something dense that will fill my stomach. Not an apple... When I wake up in the morning I'm hungry and I crave carbs!!
I'm rambling...
I had the same problem until recently, and I have read The Plan by Lyn-Genet Recitas and decided to give it a try. It is a plann about anti inflammation and teaches you what inflames your body. This has been a God sent for me, and I can tell what bothers me and not even through all my testing yet. Wish you luck on this journey.0 -
Have you ever stopped and listened to your body? Or do you eat because you think you should or you are bored? Just because its lunch time doesn't mean you need to eat lunch if you aren't hungry.
Do you drink enough water? Dehydration can cause "hunger pangs" so make sure you up the water intake to make sure you aren't eating because you are thirsty.
Also, don't eat your feelings. If you are sad, talk to a friend, pet, counselor, family member, etc. If you are mad or frustrated, go for a walk. Try to find positive ways to keep your emotions in check. Its easier to have a bowl of ice cream that talk to someone about what is really bothering you, but that is likely only going to make you feel worse in the end.
there is nothing wrong with you. We all go through this at some point; being aware you are doing it is a good thing because you can make a conscious effort to change the behavior. Use MFP as a way to move you forward!
Good luck!!0 -
I agree with no cash. Just use your CC to pay for gas and don't use it for stuff in the store.
Another thing that works for me is only eating part of what I have. My company has a PeoplePlace, the HR department runs it and along with answering any work related questions you may have, they keep gum, mints and M&Ms out all the time. I find myself going there and getting a handfull of peanut M&Ms once or twice a day. What I do is eat a few as I walk out the door and when I get to a wastebasket in the hall I throw the rest away. Usually end up eating 4 or 5 and throwing away at least that many. The pride I feel after throwing them away keeps me going till my next scheduled snack/meal.
Remember "nothing tastes as good as healthy feels".0 -
YES AMAN!! :happy:0
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A number of things could be happening here.
1. Physical addiction
Processed foods are deliberately manufactured to create physical cravings. Even if emotion doesn't come into play, the physical addiction does. A year ago at this time I was habitually polishing off a pint of ice cream a day. I've done without it now for about nine months and I don't miss it at all.
To stop my cravings, I used what I call bridge foods:
Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips were one of my “Before” snacks. I’d dump a healthy handful or two into a bowl for my chocolate fix. Note the calorie counts above and the amounts. The package defines a serving as 16 chips/80 calories, but a handful could easily contain 32 chips. Most of those calories came from fat.
These days grapes are my after-workout snack. I usually eat two cups of them. They contain a lot of water, so they’re pretty filling, and the red grapes especially are nice and sweet.
I didn’t turn to grapes immediately. Raisins were my “bridge” food. They were sweeter by volume than grapes and less fattening than chocolate. But a half cup of raisins had almost as many calories as four times the volume of grapes.
The first couple of weeks took a lot of my willpower, but then my body adjusted. These days, willpower is hardly an issue for me. We still have several bags of Ghirardelli chips in the house because my partner eats them. They don’t tempt me at all, but I could eat them if I wanted to. I ate 32 chips on September 15, 2012, and haven’t had any since. I just haven’t felt the need. I also used to eat a lot of energy bars, which my partner still eats. Again, I can walk right past those without getting tempted. I turn to fresh produce, which is much more filling -- but I needed a sweeter bridge food to get me to the point of being satisfied with (and preferring) fresh produce.
Having fresh produce and the other foods I eat freely available is crucial. They need to be at least as convenient for me as "convenience foods." When I travel I pack a small cooler with a meal, should I need it on the road, along with my own utensils:
The cooler typically holds crispbread, canned chicken, and an orange or banana.
2. Nutritional needs
When I'm hungry, I stop and ask my body what it needs. If I need protein and try to fill up on carbs, it doesn't work; I'll still feel hungry. Sometimes I have to have a fatty food to balance my macros out. In that case a typical snack for me is a half cup of unsalted peanuts.
What works for me -- and this takes a few minutes -- is imagining one food and then another. Not just picturing it in my mind but remembering the smell and taste. Then I ask myself if it feels right, or if a different food will hit the spot. I know when it hits the spot.
3. Neurological habit
In her book Brain Over Binge, Kathryn Hansen refers to her own binge eating as a "binge-created brain-wiring problem." The following comes from a review of her book at
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/book-review-brain-over-binge/
excerpt start
She compares her lower brain’s signals to a child throwing a tantrum to get a toy. Giving in to the child’s demands reinforces the tantrum. The tantrum can then be practiced in additional situations; once rewarded, it becomes linked with those situations. In this way, the “triggers” for Hansen’s binges kept multiplying; but they were only associations. The true cause of Hansen’s binges had always been the urge to binge itself.
Trying to substitute her binges with other activities had failed, in the same way that responding to a tantrum with a hug fails if the child really wants a toy. Hansen’s tantrums — her lower brain’s signals to binge — succeeded only because she paid attention to them. Her attention led to increased neural firing, which in turn strengthened that pathway in her brain and literally fed her habit.
Her lower brain could not control her actions, but her prefrontal cortex (her “highest human brain” and the seat of her free will) could. Hansen recognized her irrational urges as “neurological junk” unrelated to actual need. Rather than try to fight, reason with, or “surf” those urges, she acknowledged their presence and otherwise ignored them. Her detachment stripped them of their emotional significance, making them less of a threat. Their neural connections weakened until the urge to binge simply faded away. Hansen’s need to purge as compensation for her bingeing vanished in turn.
She likens her “brain over binge” technique to the practice of “mindfulness” taught by neuropsychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz to people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mindfulness involves observing spontaneous thoughts and feelings in a way that is nonjudgmental, as though they belong to someone else. Doing so helps patients resist the urges associated with OCD.
Central to Hansen’s recovery was the knowledge that she could take matters into her own hands rather than make excuses for her behavior. Contrary to what she had learned in therapy, bingeing was not her method of coping with life. It was not part of a disease. Blaming it on a trigger was an inaccurate assessment, even when doing so made her feel less accountable for her actions. Her bingeing was a bad, persistent habit stemming from her own poor choices.
excerpt end
The neurological component of Hansen's bingeing doesn't necessarily apply to all binge eating; individuals differ. But it could be a factor.
4. Emotion
I'm not necessarily referring to emotional eating here, but to the title of this thread: "WTF is wrong with me???" I would encourage you to flip that around. I don't see anything "wrong" with you. You are fighting a battle for your health and well being and you are looking for strategies that work. By posting this thread, you are engaging in problem-solving. That's all very positive stuff.
When I started (restarted) my own weight loss I told myself that whatever I've done to gain the weight, I'm owning it. I now own the process of changing my eating habits and exercising. That was then; this is now. The day I ate out and had my usual serving of antipasto, and then checked MFP to see what I'd eaten in terms of calories, fat, and sodium, I learned a lot about antipasto. Yikes! I absorbed that info and moved on, started over the next day. I didn't get down on myself; it was just, Whoops. Every day is a fresh day and I just keep on keepin' on. I need and take all the positive energy and language I can get.
Great post ... I realize its older but I want to save it for myself0 -
Firstly, there is nothing 'wrong' with you - everyone feels the need to binge at times. You've just got to try to avoid all temptation; if you know you will eat a whole box of brownie if they're in your desk, don't buy them. If you know you're likely to buy 'naughty' food when you stop for petrol, pay for it at the pump (we can do that in some petrol stations in the UK) to avoid the temptation.
You've also got to think about how you will feel after you binge - if you know you'll feel good for the 1minutes you're eating, but then feel cr*p for the rest of the day, is it truely worth it?! Also, if you constantly feel the need to binge, chances are you're limiting yourself to a very boring diet and not allowing yourself treats, so your body craves binges. Try giving yourself a treat day where you are less strict with what you eat. Perhaps on a weekend as it gives you something to strive towards in the week. If you crave something sweet, rather than reach for chocolate or cake, perhaps have some super sweet pineapple or an orange...if you really want chocolate, take a couple of squares of dark chocolate to snack on at work. It's all about willpower and how much you want to reach your goal.
Everything in moderation0
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