What do you do to keep from eating?

2

Replies

  • schnoomom
    schnoomom Posts: 38 Member
    Create about 30 slips of paper where ech piece has some kind of activity like 10 push ups or clean the fridge or 60 seconds of jumping jacks or whatever. Put them in a bowl and whenever you feel bored or angry or sad, go to the jar and pick something...it doesn't have to be something that lasts a long time...just something to 1. Break the mood and 2. be productive or fun.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    drink water chew gum

    This does help when I actually do it and dont find excuses to eat. I also find that if you keep a gallon freezer bag filled with vegetables and snack on that helps too.

    Some one on here once said you know your really hungry when you'll be satified with eating vegetables first.
  • mtabh
    mtabh Posts: 128 Member
    Another thing is accountability with yourself. I notice your diary is empty. If you had a number that you can't go over - you will feel more guilty if you do. Nobody wants that.

    For me seeing my limit makes me get more creative with how I use it and helps me to avoid over eating or bingeing.
  • Drink coffe or green tea, have a carrot cut really small strips because its only 30 calories and crunchy!
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    I'll do that. I know why I like to binge though...I feel like bingeing or eating makes me happy. If I am in a bad mood, I can put myself in a good mood, even temporarily by eating. When I am in the mood to binge, and it's impossible to do so because I don't have anything to binge on, I get in a REALLY bad mood. I sometimes feel like a child having a temper tantrum lol. It's horrible. This is why I am trying to find something else that makes me happy. I have an ereader so I've been buying myself some new books to read. I kind of want to try knitting or crocheting too.

    So, apparently the depression meds are not totally effective and bingeing is possibly a self medicating measure? I was self-medicating with food too and it was killing me. Not good.

    Too bad "good treatment" for depression has become synonymous with "medication". Been there, done that, lucky to be alive. Did you know that you can get relief from depression through nutritional and simple lifestyle changes? There are quite a number of people here on MFP who have done just that. Perhaps, lifestyle changes are not an option right now, but keep it mind for later on when you get sick of being sick.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    To keep from eating I:

    Read books
    Watch TV
    Clean house
    Work on puzzles
    Get on Internet
    Talk on phone

    Anything to get my mind off of it.




    Logging meals on MFP really helps too!

    Agree, or also put a DVD and exercise. Honestly, and I don't mean to be rude or insensitive, but how can you get bored with a house to take care of and a child?
    We women have always lots of things to do, either personal or tending the house.
    Try a new hair style, do your nails. Give yourself a mini facial or try new make up
    Clean up/ change paper lining in the pantry, bookshelves, closets, drawers.
    Write Christmas cards or notes to your friends or family.
    Move/reorganize furniture. Clean.
    Work in the garden, plant seeds in pots if your don’t have a garden.
    Go for a walk with your daughter when she is up from her nap.
    Take on-line courses, learn a craft or take a hobby. Call a friend.
  • Midnigh
    Midnigh Posts: 56 Member
    drink water chew gum

    Works for me too!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Protein. Water.
    Log everything.

    Try it.

    Have done that, but thanks anyways...I lost 75 lbs in a year by doing that but eventually started binge eating.

    Sorry about the binging. But something worked for 75 lbs. what was it?
    I was looking at your diary, your proteins are set rather low and you're not meeting them. And your diary is kind of empty.

    Eat nutrient dense food, it will keep you more satiated.
  • PamelaKuz
    PamelaKuz Posts: 191 Member
    To keep from eating I:

    Read books
    Watch TV
    Clean house
    Work on puzzles
    Get on Internet
    Talk on phone

    Anything to get my mind off of it.




    Logging meals on MFP really helps too!

    Agree, or also put a DVD and exercise. Honestly, and I don't mean to be rude or insensitive, but how can you get bored with a house to take care of and a child?
    We women have always lots of things to do, either personal or tending the house.
    Try a new hair style, do your nails. Give yourself a mini facial or try new make up
    Clean up/ change paper lining in the pantry, bookshelves, closets, drawers.
    Write Christmas cards or notes to your friends or family.
    Move/reorganize furniture. Clean.
    Work in the garden, plant seeds in pots if your don’t have a garden.
    Go for a walk with your daughter when she is up from her nap.
    Take on-line courses, learn a craft or take a hobby. Call a friend.

    Great ideas! I miss being home with my baby. I know it's hard work (I've done it), yet I wish more people would see it as the gift that it is.
  • Midnigh
    Midnigh Posts: 56 Member
    To keep from eating I:

    Read books
    Watch TV
    Clean house
    Work on puzzles
    Get on Internet
    Talk on phone

    Anything to get my mind off of it.




    Logging meals on MFP really helps too!

    Agree, or also put a DVD and exercise. Honestly, and I don't mean to be rude or insensitive, but how can you get bored with a house to take care of and a child?
    We women have always lots of things to do, either personal or tending the house.
    Try a new hair style, do your nails. Give yourself a mini facial or try new make up
    Clean up/ change paper lining in the pantry, bookshelves, closets, drawers.
    Write Christmas cards or notes to your friends or family.
    Move/reorganize furniture. Clean.
    Work in the garden, plant seeds in pots if your don’t have a garden.
    Go for a walk with your daughter when she is up from her nap.
    Take on-line courses, learn a craft or take a hobby. Call a friend.

    If you love housework then yes you could do it constantly. For me, there isn't anything more boring than cleaning a house. You sound like a Stepford Wife.....more power to you but it's not for all of us "women".

    Your suggestion of trying a new hairdo and nails: that's up my alley and is good advice. Take your down time and work on another level of self improvement, I like it.
  • I am taking Lamotrigine for the depression. I also babysit another 2 year old 3 days a week (my daughter is also 2, they are 3 months apart) so it can get pretty stressful. I work out of the home the rest of the week, so I can't eat while I am at work except on break and I can't binge then. So really, the hardest time is when I am babysitting because I am at home all day with two toddlers. In the summer, I used to take them to the park every day but now the weather is getting colder, and we have all been sick for the last few months so going outside is not an option most days. The plus side, after the new year I will be going back to my out of the home job full time so being home less will definitely help.
    I also used to go to the gym 3-4 days a week before I moved in October. I lived 5 minutes from the gym. Now since I've moved, I live too far and havn't been able to go, which used to help a little. I have Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred which I used to love, but it always makes y legs and knees hurt a lot and am waiting to see a physiotherapist. I'd love to find a workout DVD to do at home to relieve stress, but it's hard to find one I can do without causing more pain.

    I have a knee condition and the 30 day shred makes them hurt so much its not worth doing, I have also read that a lot of people say it hurts their otherwise healthy knees... I have found Billy Blanks Tae Bo to be really good and because there isnt all this jumping about like other workout dvds I dont hurt my knees and still get a really good work out! I use 'cardio inferno' and 'insane abs' but there are lots of others available... hope this helps!
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    To keep from eating I:

    Read books
    Watch TV
    Clean house
    Work on puzzles
    Get on Internet
    Talk on phone

    Anything to get my mind off of it.




    Logging meals on MFP really helps too!

    Agree, or also put a DVD and exercise. Honestly, and I don't mean to be rude or insensitive, but how can you get bored with a house to take care of and a child?
    We women have always lots of things to do, either personal or tending the house.
    Try a new hair style, do your nails. Give yourself a mini facial or try new make up
    Clean up/ change paper lining in the pantry, bookshelves, closets, drawers.
    Write Christmas cards or notes to your friends or family.
    Move/reorganize furniture. Clean.
    Work in the garden, plant seeds in pots if your don’t have a garden.
    Go for a walk with your daughter when she is up from her nap.
    Take on-line courses, learn a craft or take a hobby. Call a friend.

    Great ideas! I miss being home with my baby. I know it's hard work (I've done it), yet I wish more people would see it as the gift that it is.

    I don't need someone to make me feel guilty, I already feel like a bad mom most of the time. Thanks for that. It's not that I don't appreciate being home with my daughter, I do. If you don't struggle with mental illness, you don't understand.
    Yes,, there are lots of things I could be doing, like cleaning but most of the time I am lacking the motivation to do it, and just want to sit and watch tv. It's worse this time of year. When the warm weather comes, it's not so bad.
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    I cured my craving, binge eating, depression, and a whole bunch of other health problems by changing what I eat. Honestly, I never struggle with hunger or binging at all anymore and staying under my calorie goal is easy. When I was eating a "normal, healthy" diet, based on grains, I was NOT able to feel full and satisfied. My current diet is based on fat (I try for 60-70%) and protein (20-30%) and I try to eat mostly unprocessed foods. Some people are able to control their appetite while eating anything. Since I could not do that, I got rid of the foods that cause me to over-eat and be sick. It's not for everyone.

    I have tried that. I do believe in clean eating 100%....it's just the addictions to certain foods, bingeing and unsupportive family that is the hard part. I tried clean eating for awhile and I'm the type of person who is either 100% in or forget it. I try to be too perfect, which inevitably causes failure then I just give up and get down on myself for being a failure. I really wish I could eat clean, I KNOW it would solve my mental health issues and my healthy in general would be a lot better. I'm not giving up, I am still trying to get there.
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    Protein. Water.
    Log everything.

    Try it.

    Have done that, but thanks anyways...I lost 75 lbs in a year by doing that but eventually started binge eating.

    Sorry about the binging. But something worked for 75 lbs. what was it?
    I was looking at your diary, your proteins are set rather low and you're not meeting them. And your diary is kind of empty.

    Eat nutrient dense food, it will keep you more satiated.

    Before I got pregnant, I ate horribly. Everything processed from a box. When I got pregnant, I decided I didn't want my daughter to grow up that way, so I went to see a nutritionist and slowly made small changes. I stopped drinking juice and soda. I stopped eating as much processed stuff, exercised more. honestly a lot of it was breastfeeding and not eating much because I had a colicky infant who wouldn't let me put her down and a bf who didn't help out much. I would spend most of the day standing up, holding her and bouncing around to try to get her to stop crying.
    I went through a lot of stuff in the first year of her life, really stressful stuff. Just before her first birthday, her dad and I broke up and that was when I started binge eating. I was 238 after my daughter was born. I got down to 162 by her first birthday. I am currently 164-165...but have gone up as high as 175 at the lowest point which resulted in my depression diagnoses.
    I also realized, that before I knew anything about nutrition, before I counted calories and when I just tried to eat healthier, I lost all the weight. Then I joined sites like these, got too obsessed with not eating "bad" foods which only led me to rebel and eat them, made me feel guilty and continued the cycle. I'm not blaming sites like this...it's just my personality. I am obsessive and if I go over my calorie limit for the day I feel depressed and end up just going all out.
    Sorry for whining...like I said I'm not giving up, I am not trying to make excuses either.
  • PamelaKuz
    PamelaKuz Posts: 191 Member
    To keep from eating I:

    Read books
    Watch TV
    Clean house
    Work on puzzles
    Get on Internet
    Talk on phone


    Anything to get my mind off of it.




    Logging meals on MFP really helps too!

    Agree, or also put a DVD and exercise. Honestly, and I don't mean to be rude or insensitive, but how can you get bored with a house to take care of and a child?
    We women have always lots of things to do, either personal or tending the house.
    Try a new hair style, do your nails. Give yourself a mini facial or try new make up
    Clean up/ change paper lining in the pantry, bookshelves, closets, drawers.
    Write Christmas cards or notes to your friends or family.
    Move/reorganize furniture. Clean.
    Work in the garden, plant seeds in pots if your don’t have a garden.
    Go for a walk with your daughter when she is up from her nap.
    Take on-line courses, learn a craft or take a hobby. Call a friend.

    Great ideas! I miss being home with my baby. I know it's hard work (I've done it), yet I wish more people would see it as the gift that it is.

    I don't need someone to make me feel guilty, I already feel like a bad mom most of the time. Thanks for that. It's not that I don't appreciate being home with my daughter, I do. If you don't struggle with mental illness, you don't understand.
    Yes,, there are lots of things I could be doing, like cleaning but most of the time I am lacking the motivation to do it, and just want to sit and watch tv. It's worse this time of year. When the warm weather comes, it's not so bad.

    I'm sorry. I suffer from severe depression and crippling OCD (like, unable to leave the house OCD). It wasn't my intent to make you feel bad, for that I'm truly sorry.

    Edit- I would like to (even more so now) send you some of my extra knitting stuff, really.. PM me if you would like some.
  • waronmyfat
    waronmyfat Posts: 322 Member
    I keep extremely busy... if I am not I get bored and head straight for the fridge...
  • cbinnd
    cbinnd Posts: 178 Member
    You'll get there! Keep trying!! I know what you're going through.. you've learned to make yourself happy with food and so now it is so ingrained it's hard to stop. Figure out something else you can do to create that mood boost and slowly work that in. (Exercise is great for that!) I started very slowly - I'd binge and then cry cuz I felt like I failed yet again to control it, but I started doing some crunches or pushups or whatever afterwards to counteract that feeling. Eventually I stopped bingeing cuz I was sick of feeling like crap. It really comes down to a point when something will click inside you and you will say "I've had enough!"
    That and praying for self-control. May sound corny but amazingly it works!
  • cbinnd
    cbinnd Posts: 178 Member
    Protein. Water.
    Log everything.

    Try it.

    Have done that, but thanks anyways...I lost 75 lbs in a year by doing that but eventually started binge eating.

    Sorry about the binging. But something worked for 75 lbs. what was it?
    I was looking at your diary, your proteins are set rather low and you're not meeting them. And your diary is kind of empty.

    Eat nutrient dense food, it will keep you more satiated.

    Before I got pregnant, I ate horribly. Everything processed from a box. When I got pregnant, I decided I didn't want my daughter to grow up that way, so I went to see a nutritionist and slowly made small changes. I stopped drinking juice and soda. I stopped eating as much processed stuff, exercised more. honestly a lot of it was breastfeeding and not eating much because I had a colicky infant who wouldn't let me put her down and a bf who didn't help out much. I would spend most of the day standing up, holding her and bouncing around to try to get her to stop crying.
    I went through a lot of stuff in the first year of her life, really stressful stuff. Just before her first birthday, her dad and I broke up and that was when I started binge eating. I was 238 after my daughter was born. I got down to 162 by her first birthday. I am currently 164-165...but have gone up as high as 175 at the lowest point which resulted in my depression diagnoses.
    I also realized, that before I knew anything about nutrition, before I counted calories and when I just tried to eat healthier, I lost all the weight. Then I joined sites like these, got too obsessed with not eating "bad" foods which only led me to rebel and eat them, made me feel guilty and continued the cycle. I'm not blaming sites like this...it's just my personality. I am obsessive and if I go over my calorie limit for the day I feel depressed and end up just going all out.
    Sorry for whining...like I said I'm not giving up, I am not trying to make excuses either.

    WOW you really do sound like me! If you want support feel free to friend me! It really is about what you CAN eat, not about what you can't!
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    It's ok. I started an inhome daycare last summer so I could stay home with her. It was great for the summer, I was babysitting a 2 year old, 5 year old, my daughter who was 1 at the time, and the one I babysit now who was also 1.It was great, we would go to the park every day. My dr thinks I have SAD which makes sense because I always am more down this time of year. I do love to be outside. There is a nature trail really close to my apartment that I love to go to but of course can't so much now that it's colder out, plus I don't have a car.
    So after a year of babysitting in my home, it's made me realize that as much as I love being home with my daughter, I think she would rather have a happy mommy half the time (because I am working outside of the home) rather than a cranky, depressed mommy all day.I really wish I could be one of those moms who loved staying at home. I love my daughter, but it just doesn't work for me.
  • Usually a big cup of water or green tea takes care of eating when I'm bored. :)
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
    I have raw broccoli and radishes washed and ready to eat at all times.
    So, if I want to eat between meals, it's that or nothing.
    I've grown very fond of both, conveniently :happy:
  • Drink coffe or green tea, have a carrot cut really small strips because its only 30 calories and crunchy!

    Coffee (black) or hot tea do the trick for me too!
  • jnp96
    jnp96 Posts: 163
    I will have a cup of hot tea. It usually chases the munchies. I will also go outside for a walk. If it is too cold or dark I get on here and read the posts.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Protein. Water.
    Log everything.

    Try it.

    Have done that, but thanks anyways...I lost 75 lbs in a year by doing that but eventually started binge eating.

    Sorry about the binging. But something worked for 75 lbs. what was it?
    I was looking at your diary, your proteins are set rather low and you're not meeting them. And your diary is kind of empty.

    Eat nutrient dense food, it will keep you more satiated.

    Before I got pregnant, I ate horribly. Everything processed from a box. When I got pregnant, I decided I didn't want my daughter to grow up that way, so I went to see a nutritionist and slowly made small changes. I stopped drinking juice and soda. I stopped eating as much processed stuff, exercised more. honestly a lot of it was breastfeeding and not eating much because I had a colicky infant who wouldn't let me put her down and a bf who didn't help out much. I would spend most of the day standing up, holding her and bouncing around to try to get her to stop crying.
    I went through a lot of stuff in the first year of her life, really stressful stuff. Just before her first birthday, her dad and I broke up and that was when I started binge eating. I was 238 after my daughter was born. I got down to 162 by her first birthday. I am currently 164-165...but have gone up as high as 175 at the lowest point which resulted in my depression diagnoses.
    I also realized, that before I knew anything about nutrition, before I counted calories and when I just tried to eat healthier, I lost all the weight. Then I joined sites like these, got too obsessed with not eating "bad" foods which only led me to rebel and eat them, made me feel guilty and continued the cycle. I'm not blaming sites like this...it's just my personality. I am obsessive and if I go over my calorie limit for the day I feel depressed and end up just going all out.
    Sorry for whining...like I said I'm not giving up, I am not trying to make excuses either.

    Whine away! That is what this place is for!
    Hey, you are doing great, look at how much you have already lost!

    And you have learned something huge - over strict clean eating doesn't work for you. It would never work for me, I still eat everything, in moderation - the "good" vs "bad" is mostly not a good way to go. Eat food that gives you a lot of nutrients for lower calories most of the time and do leave yourself some space to eat anything everyday and you'll still get there. You know this, you got it before. Its more about creating a calorie deficit than the type of food.
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    Yea I guess it was when I joined one site and had people who said bananas were bad because they had too many carbs...I started Atkins after that and I couldn't do it long term. I've tried so many diets that I forgot that just plain old eating healthier instead of demonizing certain foods worked for me. I do have to cut out gluten though but I've gotten used to it by now.
  • Aradia_Silvermoon
    Aradia_Silvermoon Posts: 375 Member
    I keep myself busy at night when the munchies are bad. I save my hot chai tea and fiber one brownie until night time to stave off the urge to graze. I will sew, clean, do laundry, play World of Warcraft, or a number of any other things to keep my mind off food. I find when I am focused on something else then I don't obsess over food!
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    Oh and my favourite hobbies are cooking and baking....not so helpful sometimes haha
  • mrseelmerfudd
    mrseelmerfudd Posts: 506 Member
    i play fifa manager, or xbox it :)
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    brush my teeth
  • e001w
    e001w Posts: 46 Member
    I drink water or if I have calories left I have a low calorie snack. Or I go for a walk or do push ups. I seem to forget about snacking after push-ups or crunches.