Help needed - overeating
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366to266
Posts: 473 Member
Hi folks.
On the days I go to the pool I can keep to my diet really easily. But the days I don't go, I overeat and end up having 2,500 or even 3,000 calories.
I do not eat after 7pm. I do not eat breakfast on pool days because, if I do, I feel sluggish and also nauseous in the pool. So, on days I go to the pool, I eat nothing until about noon, then I have three meals by 7pm, that total about 1600 to 1800 calories.
The trouble is, on the days I do not go to the pool, my eating begins when I wake up, so that is about 5 hours earlier than pool days, and I seem to be hungrier than on pool days, AND I can't stop nibbling. I notice that I have eaten my entire calorie allowance by about 3pm and so by the time I am done at 7pm I have had 2,500 to 3,000. Somehow, I cannot stop myself. I work at home so there is nothing to stop me grazing at the fridge all day.
I have to find a strategy because, obviously, like today, there are going to be days when I do not go to the pool!
On the days I go to the pool I can keep to my diet really easily. But the days I don't go, I overeat and end up having 2,500 or even 3,000 calories.
I do not eat after 7pm. I do not eat breakfast on pool days because, if I do, I feel sluggish and also nauseous in the pool. So, on days I go to the pool, I eat nothing until about noon, then I have three meals by 7pm, that total about 1600 to 1800 calories.
The trouble is, on the days I do not go to the pool, my eating begins when I wake up, so that is about 5 hours earlier than pool days, and I seem to be hungrier than on pool days, AND I can't stop nibbling. I notice that I have eaten my entire calorie allowance by about 3pm and so by the time I am done at 7pm I have had 2,500 to 3,000. Somehow, I cannot stop myself. I work at home so there is nothing to stop me grazing at the fridge all day.
I have to find a strategy because, obviously, like today, there are going to be days when I do not go to the pool!
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Replies
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First - do you eat five times a day or just three? Second, to continue moving your metabolism you need to eat every three hours. At the beginning of my journey I set an alarm to remind to eat breakfast, early snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and then evening snack (if needed) - two years later it is normal for me but the alarms helped. Once I got into this routine I then started dividing my calories between meals/snacks more evenly which helped control the snacking/overeating. I also chug a bottle of water everytime I think I might be hungry. On your swim days you are using lots of energy and need to refuel. Your body is 75%+ water and you need to make sure you are hydrating properly as well as intaking enough protein. I am not sure what you have your macros set at but try changing them up - 45%carbs, 35%protein, & 20% fat - bottom line it is basic math - calories in vs calories out will determine if you lose or gain weight. The biggest stumbling block I had was how to learn to make the food work for me.0
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Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I'm not going to suddenly change the macronutrient ratios as what I am currently doing is working in terms of weight loss and also I fear that reducing fat will lead to hunger.
I don't have a set number of meals a day, I just eat when I am hungry. On swim days that tends to me around noon, then around 3pm then around 7pm, so three meals. On non swim days it's breakfast on rising, then about another 5 or 6 meals.
All I can think to do is to eat lower fat and thus lower calorie on non swimming days. That way I can eat more food (soup, salad, tea) but still aim for 1600 calories. But increasing carbs will knock me out of ketosis.
Oh, the worry of it all!0 -
Hi 366to266
Two things that stand out:
I suspect that eating only 1600-1800 calories on your pool day is leaving you hungry the next day and leading to overeating. How many calories are you set to per day? You need to make sure you're eating regularly throughout the day to keep your blood sugar stable, and taking in enough protein, which will keep you fuller for longer. I eat 4-5 times a day and try to base my meals and snacks around protein (e.g. fish, rice and veg for a meal, nuts and fruit for a snack)
Then your statement, "there is nothing to stop me grazing at the fridge all day." When you're eating the right foods, this will get easier as you'll feel satisfied for longer, but you also need to take control and change this habit, no one can do that for you.
Stick a quote or photo on the fridge, only keep healthy snacks in there, packaged into portions. When you feel the urge, remind yourself to drink some water or tea, count to 10, and take a few breaths before deciding if you want to eat or not. Remind yourself of the long-term goal in that moment and you should realise that you want to achieve that more than you want the food in your hand - each good choice you make takes you a step closer to it.
It's hard work but bad habits like this can be changed, you just need to rewire your brain by consistently making a different decision in that situation. When you walk over to the fridge, every time you make the decision to stop and walk away, it will reinforce the new habit.0 -
If my calorie deficit is too large one day, the next day I'm ravenous. Try to eat a little more on swim days, and portion out all your food for non-swim days the night before. It's harder to overeat when your food is all planned out and ready to be eaten. When you want to eat, take a little walk or do some jumping jacks, lunges, bicep curls, something to get you back in the mindset of exercising more and eating less.0
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On your non swim days before you eat the extra food that you don't usually need on your swim days try exercising for 10 minutes -- nothing crazy, you can even walk around your house or do some chores but just get moving. If that suppresses your appetite your hunger might be from unstable blood sugar which the exercise is helping to control.
But more likely I think you're just not eating enough. I would increase your calories to at least 1,800 and see if that helps. If you're still struggling to stay within your calorie goals give yourself permission to eat up to your maintenance calories on non exercise days. You're still going to lose weight from the days you are eating at a deficit and that all that matters -- you don't have to be perfect -- you just have to keep the scale moving in the right direction. Good luck to you.0 -
Thank you to all of you ladies for the advice.
I think you are right that maybe the exercise is making me hungry the next day. Only thing is, if I go to the pool the next day as well, I don't overeat. I cannot - because, again, in order to swim I must maintain an empty stomach, and cannot start eating till noon.
I do intend to swim daily, but there are from time to time going to be health issues that prevent this (for example I have developed a huge boil on my leg and have to stay home a few days to let it heal).
I need to "edge" something into the small space of time between wanting the food and eating it. A distraction, a reminder to stay on track, or a filling-up remedy such as a pint of water or tea. Sticking something on the fridge... maybe a rubber band on my wrist?
I really don't want to increase the calories because I am desperate to lose this weight. I have read many blogs and diaries on here and a lot of ladies my size lost 100lb and more on 1200 or 1400 calories a day. I'm already averaging about 1900 even though I am aiming all the time for 1600.
More water is probably quite a good one.
I am still wondering whether on non swim days I should eat fruit and therefore high carb and low calorie, as that way I can have more in the way of bulk...0 -
On the days you don't swim, can you put off eating until noon like you do on pool days? For me, if I eat breakfast I am ravenous all day. I know a lot of people disagree with this method, but it works for me.0
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On the days you don't swim, can you put off eating until noon like you do on pool days? For me, if I eat breakfast I am ravenous all day. I know a lot of people disagree with this method, but it works for me.
That's the thing: on pool days I CAN but on non-pool days, I just cannot control myself, for some odd reason. I start eating a LOT earlier. I try to stay in bed as long as possible (I have a laptop there, can do internet stuff from bed) but eventually I have to get up (feed cat, open door to postman etc) and then all self control goes out the window and I am eating by 8am or 9am.
Exactly like you, if I eat breakfast I am ravenous all day, that is why I have to ignore all the advice to eat breakfast daily.
If I eat at say 9am, I am ravenous again by 11am, and 1pm. When I am fasting, my appetite reduces and I can go a long time without food. It's odd, but it's true!
I assume it's due to the overproduction of insulin caused by the breakfast?0 -
I don't have a set number of meals a day, I just eat when I am hungry.
My best advice is to plan your eating. If you are just eating whenever the mood strikeIf you wait until you are hungry to eat you will overeat. I plan out all my foods a day in advance so I know what I can eat that day and then change things around if I need to. Plan on a meal schedule for swim days and non swim days. I find that eating on a schedule has actually allowed me to go days without actually feeling hungry at all because I am to the point where I eat enough to be full. I have an open diary if you need suggestions!0 -
Is there some other type of exercise that you can do on the mornings that you don't go to the pool? Walking, exercise video? If the workout helps with hunger levels then adding a little light exercise on non-pool mornings might help....just a thought.0
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Please don't listen to this person. Meal frequency has nothing to do with "keeping up your metabolism". Eat when you're hungry, not because of some stupid diet myth you heard on the internet.First - do you eat five times a day or just three? Second, to continue moving your metabolism you need to eat every three hours. At the beginning of my journey I set an alarm to remind to eat breakfast, early snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and then evening snack (if needed) - two years later it is normal for me but the alarms helped. Once I got into this routine I then started dividing my calories between meals/snacks more evenly which helped control the snacking/overeating. I also chug a bottle of water everytime I think I might be hungry. On your swim days you are using lots of energy and need to refuel. Your body is 75%+ water and you need to make sure you are hydrating properly as well as intaking enough protein. I am not sure what you have your macros set at but try changing them up - 45%carbs, 35%protein, & 20% fat - bottom line it is basic math - calories in vs calories out will determine if you lose or gain weight. The biggest stumbling block I had was how to learn to make the food work for me.0 -
My thoughts:
When starting any new programme, at the beginning we have to make an effort to make the change. It sounds like you have habits that need to be broken and replaced with other good habits.
Willpower is often needed at the beginning, until you have the new habit underway.
Make a list of your realistic goals, and paste them all over the house. Stick things on the fridge, do whatever it takes to remind you that you have a major life goal.
Ask yourself every time you put something in your mouth... "Is this going to help me achieve my goal?" If the answer is no, don't eat it. Simple as that, stop yourself. Drink a glass of water, and if you plan a protein snack in between meals, you won't have long to wait.
Track your food before you eat it. Make up your meals the day before and put them in your food diary. Add your own meals to the MFP database so you know the calories.
Eat a stable amount of calories per day, with lean protein at every meal. Under eating leads to over eating, so eat a bit more on your exercise days so you don't feel like over eating on non exercise days. Again, have lean protein for breakfast to fill you up.
Divide your calories into 3 larger amounts for breakfast lunch and dinner and smaller amounts for snacks. For example, I aim for 500 calories for breakfast lunch and dinner and 150 calories for snacks. I weigh 180lb. Sometimes these amounts will vary and if I have a dinner out planned, I will save calories for that, but that is how I think of it in my head.
Plan, plan, plan. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
Good luck.0 -
Hi again, I just saw on the other thread that you are averaging 1800 a day and your BMR minus 20% is 2400, so really I wouldn't worry too much. It's like you are calorie cycling your days during the week, but your calories average out still pretty low for your body weight over the entire week.
You might want to try evening the calories out a bit more over the 7 days, but you are still way under BMR minus 20% and i see you lost 3lb this week, congrats, so it doesn't appear to be affecting you adversely.
Good luck!0 -
Sounds like you need to find something to do on days you don't go to the pool. I started out in the pool, because my joints hurt a lot. As I lost weight, I found I could tolerate other exrercise. If you have joint issues, have you considered riding a bike? It is an investment, but getting a good fitting bike (not a cheap Wal-mart bike)...you might find out that it works for you too. Don't forget the helmet!!! Also, you could try walking. Set a goal not to do a 5K in 90 days....you don't have to run it, that's not the point.0
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I applaud you for putting this out there. It helps me to read (I'm so new) that others struggle with wanting to overeat. I feel sometimes like I shouldn't be struggling with overeating once I make the MFP committment. I am glad to see that yes! others struggle still with this. So thanks I learned much from reading all the replies. I will pay more attention to my mix of fat, protein, carbs. I have found that since I have this insatiable sweet tooth, that I can make myself a hot apple cider (sugar free) and then put 1/2 a packet of regular apple cider and I feel so completely happy with getting something sweet that it satisfies me and I do not go on an eating binge. Thanks again for your honestly and your commitment to do better.0
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Yes you are right. My TDEE is 3000 and there is me fretting that although on swim days I eat about 1400 to 1800, on alternate days I eat as much as 2600 or even 2800. I labelled this as overeating because it was more than I wished I could keep down to. But as 3000 is maintenance, anything under that is OK. My BMR is 2300.
I am often very hard on myself and I feel frantic urgency to lose this weight, and that drives me to want to cut my TDEE by 50%.I applaud you for putting this out there. It helps me to read (I'm so new) that others struggle with wanting to overeat. I feel sometimes like I shouldn't be struggling with overeating once I make the MFP committment. I am glad to see that yes! others struggle still with this. So thanks I learned much from reading all the replies. I will pay more attention to my mix of fat, protein, carbs. I have found that since I have this insatiable sweet tooth, that I can make myself a hot apple cider (sugar free) and then put 1/2 a packet of regular apple cider and I feel so completely happy with getting something sweet that it satisfies me and I do not go on an eating binge. Thanks again for your honestly and your commitment to do better.
Thanks for the thumbs-up and i am glad you derived some knowledge from the thread.
insatiable sweet tooth -- it will help if you give this problem its correct title = sugar addiction0 -
...your BMR minus 20% is 2400, so really I wouldn't worry too much. It's like you are calorie cycling your days during the week, but your calories average out still pretty low for your body weight over the entire week..
Sorry, I meant TDEE minus 20% but I guess you knew that!!
We ALL want to lose fat faster, be stronger, look taut and terrific yesterday, but it took time to get the weight on, and its going to take time to get it off again. Just take one day at a time.0 -
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply Skim.Eat a stable amount of calories per day, with lean protein at every meal. Under eating leads to over eating, so eat a bit more on your exercise days so you don't feel like over eating on non exercise days. Again, have lean protein for breakfast to fill you up.
Two queries:
1. Why should I eat lean protein when fatty protein fills me up and keeps hunger at bay for longer?
2. Why must I eat more on exercise days and less on non-exercise days, so long as the statistics add up to the same? For example
exercise days 1500 calories
non exercise days 2000 calories
average of 2 days divided by 2 = 1750 calories
Why is it better for me to eat 1750 for each of those days?
Today I did not go to the pool as I have some kind of cold virus, but I did ONE WHOLE HOUR of weightlifting while watching TV. And I quite enjoyed it. My arms and chest sort of tingled afterwards! I used 2 x 3kg nylon barbells and lifted in all kinds of directions. I can see that if I sit in a certain way and lift in a certain way, I can exercise my stomach muscles!
Helena0 -
We ALL want to lose fat faster, be stronger, look taut and terrific yesterday
I could get into the Guinness Book of Records with my level of impatience!
As for "taut" - not a chance. I am mentally preparing myself for a LOT of loose, baggy, saggy skin, but I don't worry too much as there is always lycra! So long as I can walk three miles I don't care what my body looks like. I'll blindfold the boyfriend.0 -
i was looking through all the posts. try keeping gum or hard candy around? sometimes just the motion of putting something in your mouth helps. the chewing of the gum. and hard candy will help a lot too. you can get some pretty tasty low cal ones now at even dollar tree. that hunger feeling can be a little low blood sugar. so i would suggest to up your protein. me and my family have this issue. and it took me a long time to convince my mom. but once she added more protein, she felt better and lost more weight. my diabetes dietician says that protein will stabilize your blood sugar and she is absolutely right. mfp puts those stats pretty low and i always always go over.
i did read that you said you wanted to eat more fruit and pick you up. be careful in how you do that because the carbs in the fruit are not the right kind of carbs to keep your blood sugar stable. they will give you the temporary sugar fix and you will crash. just like if you were to drink a mountain dew and then hours later feel tired. same concept. have you tried to add protein bars? i get these really good ones at aldi around here. strawberry, chocolate, peanut butter protein bars for under 4 a box. i eat these after workouts. but it would work too for a great snack that is under 200 calories and would give you the extra protein you need.
and water and tea also does help! be sure you make that a regular habit too.0
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