dilemma, i hate my belly but i love food

MUSTLOSENOW55
MUSTLOSENOW55 Posts: 181
in Health and Weight Loss
I really really hate my fat belly. None of my clothes look good, I feel unattractive and dont look or feel too good. I LOVE food though. All of the worst stuff for me too like cookies, donuts, ice cream. I know it is fine to enjoy these in moderation but I just want to eat such large amounts. Not only do I love the taste but eating is also comforting to me as I have depression and anxiety. Sometimes I just think I love food too much to get to my goal but then I look in the mirror and feel like crying about how big my belly has become from eating such large amounts of unhealthy food. Thanks for listening to my vent I guess i just wanted to get that off my chest. happy thanksgiving ya'll

Replies

  • YolandaSaez
    YolandaSaez Posts: 59
    Welcome to MFP!...Your not alone! I can relate to you. You can do this. Your going to find all of the motivation that you need on this site. I keep reminding myself of summer 2013 and how i'd love to go swimming and wear shorts without complaining how fat my thighs look and feel comfortable in my shirts with out my muffin top! Use your reason of losing weight keep you motivated. Thats what I'm doing =] good luck. feel free to add as a friend.
  • melbatoast917
    melbatoast917 Posts: 370 Member
    Umm... This is simple. Do you like being fat more than eating too much? You can't look good and overeat. True story.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I love food. I am prone to bingeing due to anxiety/depression as well. Exercise really helps with that I find.

    Honestly, you just have to make a choice to eat for weight loss if that's what you really want. Find a way to deal with your feelings so you're not stuffing them down with food. Get to the root of your issues.

    Your other posts indicate you only have 10lbs to lose? You shouldn't have to alter your caloric intake too much then, so long as you are OK with losing it slowly.
  • charelg
    charelg Posts: 599 Member
    As the saying goes nothing tastes as good as skinny feels
  • 4Phoenix
    4Phoenix Posts: 236 Member
    Umm... This is simple. Do you like being fat more than eating too much? You can't look good and overeat. True story.

    Agree....make a decision.
  • lee91356
    lee91356 Posts: 330 Member
    You mentioned that you had anxiety and depression and that you liked carb loading as part of your comfort food eating. have you sought help for the mental health issues? I too suffer from depression and anxiety and at my lowest points i overeat so much that i put on over 70 pound (on top of the large amount of weight i already had), and during those times i also found it hard to control my cravings and make better food choices. however, when i got help for my depression and on some medication (though some did contribute to my weight gain and i had to be switched off of that medication) i was better able to loose weight and control my eating. dont get me wrong - i still love my donuts and cookies and i still have some i just find it easier to pass on them or indulge less often. feel better and good luck.
  • schondell
    schondell Posts: 556 Member
    If you still want to indulge in ice cream search the shelves for the LOWEST amounts of calorie, fat and sugar possible. They always have low calorie ice creams and cookies and they honestly taste just as good. Increase your workout and try to eat foods with more protein, it keeps you feeling full for longer
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    Learn to love your belly! Seriously. Google Kate Harding and read some of her posts. Look into fat acceptance. :D


    Also to the "you can't look good and overeat" person... No.
    There are all sorts of good looking people who overeat, both fat and thin.
  • Ilikeyoursleeves
    Ilikeyoursleeves Posts: 37 Member
    Learn to love your belly! Seriously. Google Kate Harding and read some of her posts. Look into fat acceptance. :D


    Also to the "you can't look good and overeat" person... No.
    There are all sorts of good looking people who overeat, both fat and thin.

    Yes!! :flowerforyou: This is what we all need to to learn as a society. It's about HEALTH.

    OMG When will this nonsense end?
  • skinimin
    skinimin Posts: 252 Member
    I found something from the Whole30 website that really motivates and hits home with me..

    Eating healthy is NOT hard, quitting heroin is hard, beating cancer is hard, choosing vegetables over a slice of cake IS NOT HARD.

    I understand that suffering from anxiety and depression makes things more difficult for you. I myself have had issues with anxiety in the past but I've found that the more I wallow in self pity and let myself get upset over how I don't like my body the more bad decisions I make food-wise. I know it seems harsh but complaining that you hate your tummy isn't going to change your tummy, either make the mental and emotional commitment to change your habits and get the body you want or don't complain about it, "put up or shut up" in short. I know that seems really harsh and unfeeling, I have been where you are with hating how I look and it took me over six months to finally stop complaining and overeating and finally start to choose the right foods, not feel sorry for myself that I'm having a chicken salad wrap instead of pizza and start loving myself and treating my body like I'm proud of it.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I found something from the Whole30 website that really motivates and hits home with me..

    Eating healthy is NOT hard, quitting heroin is hard, beating cancer is hard, choosing vegetables over a slice of cake IS NOT HARD.

    I don't really agree with that quote. Comparing it to physical addictions and deadly diseases seems unfair, just because it isn't either doesn't mean it isn't a challenge. Eating healthy can be very hard at times, depending on how you define "healthy eating". Especially if you are used to using food as your emotional outlet. It gets easier with practice of course, just like anything else, but losing weight is not without struggle for most people.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    I found something from the Whole30 website that really motivates and hits home with me..

    Eating healthy is NOT hard, quitting heroin is hard, beating cancer is hard, choosing vegetables over a slice of cake IS NOT HARD.

    I don't really agree with that quote. Comparing it to physical addictions and deadly diseases seems unfair, just because it isn't either doesn't mean it isn't a challenge. Eating healthy can be very hard at times, depending on how you define "healthy eating". Especially if you are used to using food as your emotional outlet. It gets easier with practice of course, just like anything else, but losing weight is not without struggle for most people.

    I agree with you, cloud.
    Just because one thing is easy for one person doesn't mean it's easy for another.
    Also, things don't get easier for a person just because they know something else is hard. It's like saying lifting 50lbs isn't hard because lifting 100lbs is harder. <_<
  • skinimin
    skinimin Posts: 252 Member
    I found something from the Whole30 website that really motivates and hits home with me..

    Eating healthy is NOT hard, quitting heroin is hard, beating cancer is hard, choosing vegetables over a slice of cake IS NOT HARD.

    I don't really agree with that quote. Comparing it to physical addictions and deadly diseases seems unfair, just because it isn't either doesn't mean it isn't a challenge. Eating healthy can be very hard at times, depending on how you define "healthy eating". Especially if you are used to using food as your emotional outlet. It gets easier with practice of course, just like anything else, but losing weight is not without struggle for most people.

    I think the quote puts things into perspective to be honest, if it doesn't work for you fair enough but it really changed my attitude. Sure eating healthy isn't always as easy as "okay I'll make a meal from scratch tonight instead of buying KFC" but it's a hell of a lot easier than a lot of other things that people have to face in life.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member


    I think the quote puts things into perspective to be honest, if it doesn't work for you fair enough but it really changed my attitude. Sure eating healthy isn't always as easy as "okay I'll make a meal from scratch tonight instead of buying KFC" but it's a hell of a lot easier than a lot of other things that people have to face in life.

    Unfortunately making a meal from scratch instead of getting fast food isn't actually easy for everyone.
    People have varying circumstances. Due to illness I literally COULD NOT prepare even a sandwich for months. It was a huge struggle to get to the grocery store to even buy food.
  • SavannahStarves
    SavannahStarves Posts: 5
    going by how you described your relationship with food, you might have binge eating disorder): I have depression, anxiety, and ednos so I know the signs... Maybe try Yoplait Yogurt. They have some delicous flavors including desset flavors. Also check out hungry-girl.com. They have some awesome low cal recipes for desserts, and even regular day to day meals. Chocolate pudding cups can be delicious and low in calories as well. Some more subsitutes are frozen yogurt, fruit with whip cream, cinnamon apples, 100 calorie pack twinkies, oreos, and cupcakes. And remember, if you don't buy it you can't eat it!
  • schondell
    schondell Posts: 556 Member
    PRETTY MUCH: If you want to lose weight, you will do everything possible to lose weight
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    PRETTY MUCH: If you want to lose weight, you will do everything possible to lose weight

    The quickest way to lose weight is to cut off a body part.
  • spngbob
    spngbob Posts: 19 Member
    I love Mars bars. This past Halloween was terrible weather so we had LOTS of candy left. Mainly Mars! I decided on a sunday that every time I wandered into the den to get one, instead I would turn and head downstairs for the exercise bike. Happy to say, no Mars Bar intake so far! The bike started as a distraction, now it's actually something I do almost every morning!
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I think the quote puts things into perspective to be honest, if it doesn't work for you fair enough but it really changed my attitude.

    Fair enough, if it changed things for you then that's great.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    ah...I just had a 2000 meal catastrophe but I'll be back tomorrow...
  • melissaann262
    melissaann262 Posts: 27
    I know exactly how you feel. I'm what I call in "active recovery" of bulimia. Food has always been a reward/treat in my family and when stress got really bad I turned to it as comfort and then started bingeing/purging.

    I've been able to get my eating under control, but the mental part is just as hard (if not harder!) than the physical fitness stuff. But you can do this! if you make the decision to change YOU CAN DO THIS. you're not alone. :happy:
  • stbrad6896
    stbrad6896 Posts: 135
    I think almost everyone LOVES ice cream and cookies but here's the thing... it's hard to let go of those things when you've allowed yourself to have them for so long, especially when you've used them as a sort of coping mechanism. All that sugar becomes like a drug your body starts to crave it. I had a hard time letting go of the sweets, and for me bread was a big issue, not because of the "carbs" but i guess you could call it one of my "trigger" foods. it's one of those things that I just want to keep eating and eating (like the fresh bread they bring at italian restaurants for example - I could go through 3 baskets and still want more). But I realized these were my problem areas and I had to cut them out for a while. Know your enemy and face it. Chocolate was near impossible for me to avoid so I bought hershey kisses and little things like that and would only eat one or two when I really felt the need to kill a chocolate craving. You could try going that route but it sounds like maybe you can't stop yourself once you start eating your favorite foods? So just try to avoid them altogether and replace them with better things and I promise you this - the cravings WILL become less frequent and go away. Hey just last night my mom baked cookies and I didn't eat a single one! and today I passed up the rolls with my thanksgiving dinner. I know my limits and I gotta say it feels great to say NO =) when you start seeing and feeling the results you will be so glad you did
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    As the saying goes nothing tastes as good as skinny feels

    Are you really trying to bring on people who bing and purge or just don't eat at all? That is the most RIDICULOUSLY awful thing anyone can EVER say!

    Skinny is gross. Fit is sexy. Period.
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    I really really hate my fat belly. None of my clothes look good, I feel unattractive and dont look or feel too good. I LOVE food though. All of the worst stuff for me too like cookies, donuts, ice cream. I know it is fine to enjoy these in moderation but I just want to eat such large amounts. Not only do I love the taste but eating is also comforting to me as I have depression and anxiety. Sometimes I just think I love food too much to get to my goal but then I look in the mirror and feel like crying about how big my belly has become from eating such large amounts of unhealthy food. Thanks for listening to my vent I guess i just wanted to get that off my chest. happy thanksgiving ya'll

    I'm guilty too. I love junk food. However, there are alternatives.

    Cookies - grab the "calorie wise" and stick to ONE package - 100 calories.
    Donuts - do not go to a coffee shop, you won't eat them. simple, out of site, out of mind
    Ice cream - frozen yogurt tastes just the same and is a lot healthier for you

    If you need a snack, nutella and a banana, strawberries. Have 1 tblsp and it will hit that sweet tooth and will keep you satisfied for a while. Snack on nuts. Try yogurt and berries. If it's vanilla yogurt, it's still sweet and the barries will also help with that tinge of sweetness. If I'm having a serious craving, I will have everything in site to try to get rid of the craving that is healthy. If that doesn't work, by that time, I'm almost too full to have what I originally wanted or "sweetned out" so I might have a bite or two and feel satisfied.

    Trying to trick the mind is hard. I get this big time when I'm about to have my time of the month. Nothing works and I want to eat everything. If you start to do some walking and eventually get up to jogging and getting some exercise, this will help with the cravings. You will see the results and be like "oh yeah, I don't need to eat that whole chocolate bar. I will have a piece and satisfy my craving and keep lookin' this good!"

    try it.
  • kalch
    kalch Posts: 45 Member
    i was a hamburger or two a week guy.. Chowed down on pizza, ate cake, soda (or pop here in canada), fries,fried food. It was an addiction. I used to do a "which hamburger joint in the city has the best one" and buy two or three. I also did a "who has the best veal sandwich", and I'd eat them all in one sitting. No more.

    This will be a slow process to stop eating all this stuff.

    I was just at my nutritionist today and said to him the hardest part of this whole transition thing is changing the food and eating behaviour! We discussed things like how to snack better, how to eat for working out. Etc.

    So, my suggestion is this.... Like a drug, instead of eating those bad things all the time, make a concerted effort to eliminate just ONE of the bad meals a week with a healthy meal. The next week, try to do it twice, and substitute the second bad meal with another healthy meal. It may take a while, but maybe you can get down to just one day where you free feed. If you can cut your calories in the first few weeks by calories per week, you're on your way. Go for a walk a day, or just get up and move more than you do now. This is going to be both a physical and emotional/psychological challenge for you to overcome, but trust me, if i can get off the burger, bread and slop, so can you. I miss my hamburgers and havent had one in months. But don't tell anyone, I'm probably going to have a burger tonight before The Who concert downtown with my buddies.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    You don't have to eat LESS, you just have to eat RIGHT. If you have fruit when you are craving sweets, instead of a high-calorie density sweet foods like donuts and ice cream, you can eat to your full satisfaction, and not overeat.
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
    You know what helped me? Just tracking. Start tracking honestly. When you see that you have 300 calories left for the day, and you could have a real meal or two cookies, you'll choose the meal if you're hungry enough. Also, when you start seeing even slight movement on the scale, the change in how you feel will start to become more of a reward than the treats were. Also, looking back at my food log, I feel good about seeing more fruits and vegetables and fewer packaged items. I don't think I had any real concept of how much I ate or how poorly until I started to track.

    No foods are off limits for me, but I do find I make better choices more often now that eating takes more conscious effort and planning. I love bread - now I have about a slice a week instead of a loaf a week :blushing: Also, knowing that I could rework my day to include treats if I really wanted one helps a lot. I don't need that chocolate bar today... but I could have it tomorrow if I wanted, I would just have to work out a little harder, or make some sacrifices elsewhere with my food.

    Take it one day at a time! And if you're not ready to make sacrifices yet, try an experiment: Eat what you're going to eat, but just track it using myfitnesspal. See if at the end of a week or two you're making any different choices.

    Make some friends, too -- I noticed I would think of my "audience" before I grabbed a treat, and wondered if I'd enjoy someone reading that on my log. It takes the secrecy out of secretive eating if you commit to logging it!!

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