Eating problem :(

Try sipping water and carrot sticks when you read

Tea always helps me. I 'budget' my macros to allow some real sugar and have Indian Chai to stop my cookie monster growling at me. The Chai is great because it is FULL of flavour and quietens my taste buds for the evening :drinker:

I have the same thing. Carrot is your friend. So's cucumber cut into sticks, with some salt and pepper. You can eat half your own body weight in carrot before you go over your calorie goal, lol

Yep it sucks, but it's only a habit. You can break it, it's just in your head. I used to have to have a glass of wine and massive bag of chocolate as I watched TV at night. I decided to change that habit as I was getting a little porker and felt crap. I decided it was more important to me to look and feel better than to eat that chocolate anymore.

I'm not a huge believer in replacing that food with something healthier as I think that's not addressing the problem if I'm honest. I think you need to break the habit.

If reading makes you want to nibble, don't read, do something else for a while. Do anything other than the thing that makes you want to eat more. Go take a bath, do your nails, pay the bills, anything to start breaking that habit. It's just a mindset and your in control of it, chnage that mindset and you can change the habit.

Good luck x

Maybe you went back for more pasta because, even though you say you weren't hungry, you just weren't satisfied. Try having vegetable soup or salad first, then you won't need as much pasta. Or have veggies on the side so your plate will have a lot of variety and all of your senses will be gratified.

Also, try putting all the food away after you serve yourself. That way, you can't go back for more without getting everything out again, and you may decide it's too much trouble. When you're done eating, clean up, turn out the light, leave the kitchen, and move on to the next activity. If you do that after every meal, it will become the new habit.

Or maybe plan to have a low-calorie dessert to finish the meal, so you can enjoy that for fewer calories than a second plateful of the main course?

I used to laze on the sofa nd watch tv and pick at whatever food i could lay my hands on. It was a habbit i had to break. So, i went out nd bought an exercise bike. Now when i want to watch tv or read of do anything that involves sitting on my *kitten* i sit on my bike and peddle. It has worked a treat!

You're not alone in this BUT you do have control. Figure out why you're eating-if it's cause it tastes good all the time, think about how you're eating. Is it fast, slow, are you doing other things while you're eating. Try to give yourself enough time to really enjoy it and then it'll probably/helpfully help so you don't feel as though you need to eat more.

Ice cold water helps for me. Try not letting yourself snack when you're reading. Go outside or go someplace where there aren't snacks around to temp you After eating one serving, walk away for awhile, watch TV, go for a walk, work out. Snack on something hungry then think about if you truely are hungry still 10-15 minutes later.

Sorry, edited cause I just noticed you said you don't like gum-or rather it doesn't help.

I have the same problem. I am an emotional eater. When I get overly stressed (which is always being in college and working full time) lol. I eat everything in eye site. I'm usually not ever hungry, it's all in my head. It took me a while to realize and change what I was doing. When I sat down to read a text book, or write a paper, I was always munching on something.

NOW... when I have hmwrk or reading, I go to the library, no food or drink allowed in the library. Or. when i have reading to get done for an exam.. I take the text book to the gym, hop on the elliptical or treadmill, and I read while working out. Replace the food with something else. That is what I did and it has worked so far for me. You can replace the bad food with good foods like carrots, which will help save some calories. but it will not break the habit you have fallen into. Good luck! :-)