It's really starting to wear on me. How do I stop it
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I eat every 3 hours. Maybe 4 at the most.
So I have like 5 - 6 meals a day. Usually pre-planned.
But I want to eat them one after the other. Or sooner.
Especially at night. But Even now my dinners not till 5 but I've wanted it since 4.
When I ate at 2.
I chug water and I chew gum at night.
It's just wanting to binge day in an day out.
I don't know why.
This was my problem when I first stared counting calories and everyone said eat lots of small meals. I'd plan out my food ahead of time so I knew what I could have for a snack and how much and it all looked great on paper but I was hungry all the time. Just like you said -- maybe I had just eaten, but I was already wondering how long it was until I could eat again.
Maybe the little meals work for some people, but they didn't work for me. It seemed like it was always just enough food to prevent me from feeling truly hungry but never enough to actually satisfy me. I switched to eating three big meals and skipping the snacks and it helped a lot. Once I ate, I was satisfied (rather than less hungry than before having eaten) and I didn't think about food so much anymore. Lots of water in between meals (and sometimes gum) helped me not feel hungry as soon.
It may take a week or two to adjust (right now you're used to eating frequently), but it might be worth trying.0 -
This was my problem when I first stared counting calories and everyone said eat lots of small meals. I'd plan out my food ahead of time so I knew what I could have for a snack and how much and it all looked great on paper but I was hungry all the time. Just like you said -- maybe I had just eaten, but I was already wondering how long it was until I could eat again.
The small meals thing is supposedly to prevent insulin spikes. I don't buy into that theory or how it apparently helps fat loss.0 -
You have not given us your stats, so we can see if the calories you consume are close to your BMR or TDEE! However I can tell you from experience that eating at 1500cal/day is NOT enough to sustain a moderately active person. So there is a really strong possibility that you are not eating enough, thus not getting the nutrients your body needs and well it gives signals in the form of "eating obsession"!!!!! Just a thought!!!0
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The best way to get rid of a bad thought is to replace it with a good one. Change your focus to something else and you can shift your obsession to something else.0
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90% of the time I am not physically hungry.
But I am psychologically.
I might have even just eaten less than a few hours ago.
But I obsess and think about eating my next meal 24/7.
I can't even watch a movie or stay distracted, I'm still thinking about it.
Just wanna eat all the time.
It's gotten worse over my weight loss.
Anyone else..or is it just me. It's starting to wear on me.
I can't take thinking about eating anymore.
Even when I was over weight I would eat when I was hungry.
I wouldn't worry about when my next meals coming.
Blah.
How long are you waiting in between meals? I had that same problem and I realized it was because I was waiting 5-6 hours AT LEAST in between meals. (It wasn't uncommon for me to go 8-9 hours in between meals actually.) I had just been raised that way and thought that's what everyone else did and that's what you were supposed to do. That was also one of the reasons I gained weight in the first place: because I would wait so long in between meals, I was STARVING when it was meal time, so I scarfed down my food really fast and as a result, over-ate by A LOT. So I was used to eating huge portions at meals and as a result, I wouldn't get hungry until 4-5 hours later. But when I started eating smaller portions at meals, that all changed; the smaller portion didn't keep me satisfied as long and I would notice that I'd be hungry 2 hours later and I thought I that I was some crazy, disgusting pig for feeling that way. Well, turns out I'm not. It's actually perfectly normal and healthy, if you eat a small meal, to be hungry for a small snack 2 hours later.
Anyway, I broke that habit and now I MAKE SURE to eat every 2-4 hours. If I just had a meal two hours ago and I'm hungry, then I have a small, healthy snack. It has really helped me not to feel hungry all the time and manage my weight. So if that's your problem, try what I did!
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You have not given us your stats, so we can see if the calories you consume are close to your BMR or TDEE! However I can tell you from experience that eating at 1500cal/day is NOT enough to sustain a moderately active person. So there is a really strong possibility that you are not eating enough, thus not getting the nutrients your body needs and well it gives signals in the form of "eating obsession"!!!!! Just a thought!!!
I'm 5'2. 113lbs. 21yrs. Female.
I think my bmr is 1219 and my maintenance is like 1463 or something.0 -
I get that way too, though it hasn't been constant. For me, it is usually triggered by not eating enough for a while, or being so consumed by the diet that I feel restricted. It makes me feel stressed out and depressed, so I incessantly crave more food. Last time this lasted for about a month. I was eating 2000 calories a day, but constantly wanted more. So I took a week or two off, didn't log anything, and just ate whatever I wanted. When I came back to logging, I didn't gain any weight, but had my sanity back. Maybe for you also, you just need a mental break from the obsession to feel normal again.
Alternatively, maybe you want to try eating bigger meals. In my experience, when I've spread out my calories throughout the day, I never felt like I had really eaten. I just didn't get the psychological satisfaction. When I eat bigger meals, I am able to forget about food for a longer period of time.
Hope you find the answer!0 -
Even when I was over weight I would eat when I was hungry.
I wouldn't worry about when my next meals coming.
Blah.
If you're not overweight anymore, why aren't you eating when you're hungry?
You won't answer this and you pre-plan your meals despite not dieting. Maybe it's time to start eating like a normal person-- don't pre-plan, don't log, eat when you're hungry. Obsessing about food could be caused by obsessing about food, y'know? It is possible to maintain your weight without obsessing and counting and pre-planning.0 -
Maybe it's time to start eating like a normal person
Excuse me? A "normal person"?
Offensive much?0 -
It looks like your goal is 1250 a day? That's quite low. It may be as simple as increasing your cals a bit. A bit more than you have already.Have you tried increasing your caloric intake? The closer you get to goal, the closer you should be eating to your TDEE. Maybe it's your body trying to tell you something.
Not saying this is the issue, but it might be worth a shot.
I know I'm eating too few calories since I'm close to goal and I've been bumping it up 10 - 20 calories a day.
But. I'm usually not hungry when I'm craving food anyway. Donno.0 -
It looks like your goal is 1250 a day? That's quite low. It may be as simple as increasing your cals a bit. A bit more than you have already.Have you tried increasing your caloric intake? The closer you get to goal, the closer you should be eating to your TDEE. Maybe it's your body trying to tell you something.
Not saying this is the issue, but it might be worth a shot.
I know I'm eating too few calories since I'm close to goal and I've been bumping it up 10 - 20 calories a day.
But. I'm usually not hungry when I'm craving food anyway. Donno.
Well to maintain I think I need around 1463, so I get nervous upping them.
Because I just started losing again after a few months of a plateau.
They were at 1200, but Ive upped it to 1250 slowly.
Im thinking of getting to 1300 at the least?
Since I only have a little more to lose.
Im nervous to be so close to my maintenance number, you know?0 -
Even when I was over weight I would eat when I was hungry.
I wouldn't worry about when my next meals coming.
Blah.
If you're not overweight anymore, why aren't you eating when you're hungry?
You won't answer this and you pre-plan your meals despite not dieting. Maybe it's time to start eating like a normal person-- don't pre-plan, don't log, eat when you're hungry. Obsessing about food could be caused by obsessing about food, y'know? It is possible to maintain your weight without obsessing and counting and pre-planning.
The way I stated it originally meant that I didn't care about the calories I was eating, therefore; it was easier to just eat when I was hungry and go 5 - 6 hours between eating and not worry about it. Obviously I was over weight because of portion size.
Since Ive been logging, now Im conscious and aware, so it complicates things.
As far as despite not dieting, I am am. Im at a deficit to lose weight, still - and even though I obsess, the meals every few hours is significantly better than means every 5 - 6 hours, because of said issue at hand.
Many people eat this way ... so I dont really think Im eating outside of a "normal persons" standards.
I totally get what you're saying otherwise.0 -
You've been under maintenance for how long now? That's bound to make you think about food more than when you'll get to eat more
That's why I hate having to have a deficit, lol.
Even 150-200 calories a day makes a huge difference to my body with its hunger signals. It's kinda crazy that way since lots of folks don't have that happen, but it's true
You say you aren't hungry, but you might be, I expect. You are eating so close to your BMR that I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't just plain hungry.
To play with the hormone signals, I think I'd have at least one day a week at maintenance (for your goal weight is fine since you are so close). Honestly, I think I'd just move on to goal weight maintenance levels overall if I were you. But you can cycle it instead of slowly adding a few calories daily to move it up, and you'll feel better, I think.
The speed of a 're-feed day' helping is very fast, so that's the good part. If I eat a little bit above maintenance one day a week, I'm so not hungry after that my weekly calorie averages have actually gone down by a nice amount. I'm just not hungry, which is an awesome thing for me, lol! Try it! You'll know quickly if it helps or not 0 -
You've been under maintenance for how long now? That's bound to make you think about food more than when you'll get to eat more That's why I hate having to have a deficit, lol.
Even 150-200 calories a day makes a huge difference to my body with its hunger signals. It's kinda crazy that way since lots of folks don't have that happen, but it's true
You say you aren't hungry, but you might be, I expect. You are eating so close to your BMR that I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't just plain hungry.
To play with the hormone signals, I think I'd have at least one day a week at maintenance (for your goal weight is fine since you are so close). Honestly, I think I'd just move on to goal weight maintenance levels overall if I were you. But you can cycle it instead of slowly adding a few calories daily to move it up, and you'll feel better, I think.
The speed of a 're-feed day' helping is very fast, so that's the good part. If I eat a little bit above maintenance one day a week, I'm so not hungry after that my weekly calorie averages have actually gone down by a nice amount. I'm just not hungry, which is an awesome thing for me, lol! Try it! You'll know quickly if it helps or not
Been losing now for almost a year.
I have a significant amount of belly fat to still cut down...otherwise I would switch0 -
Maybe it's time to start eating like a normal person
Excuse me? A "normal person"?
Offensive much?
This. Why would anyone want to be a "normal person"? Normal people are really, really weird.
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You've been under maintenance for how long now? That's bound to make you think about food more than when you'll get to eat more That's why I hate having to have a deficit, lol.
Even 150-200 calories a day makes a huge difference to my body with its hunger signals. It's kinda crazy that way since lots of folks don't have that happen, but it's true
You say you aren't hungry, but you might be, I expect. You are eating so close to your BMR that I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't just plain hungry.
To play with the hormone signals, I think I'd have at least one day a week at maintenance (for your goal weight is fine since you are so close). Honestly, I think I'd just move on to goal weight maintenance levels overall if I were you. But you can cycle it instead of slowly adding a few calories daily to move it up, and you'll feel better, I think.
The speed of a 're-feed day' helping is very fast, so that's the good part. If I eat a little bit above maintenance one day a week, I'm so not hungry after that my weekly calorie averages have actually gone down by a nice amount. I'm just not hungry, which is an awesome thing for me, lol! Try it! You'll know quickly if it helps or not
Been losing now for almost a year.
I have a significant amount of belly fat to still cut down...otherwise I would switch
I think you need to switch to body composition, rather than weight loss. If you've still got "belly fat", but you're at a normal weight, you just need to tone up a bit. Forget cardio, you need yoga or pilates, or something of that sort. Something that will strengthen your core.0 -
fiber one bars fill u up & make u poop. Double SCORE!!!0
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fiber one bars fill u up & make u poop. Double SCORE!!!
Actually, those dont fill me up at all
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You've been under maintenance for how long now? That's bound to make you think about food more than when you'll get to eat more That's why I hate having to have a deficit, lol.
Even 150-200 calories a day makes a huge difference to my body with its hunger signals. It's kinda crazy that way since lots of folks don't have that happen, but it's true
You say you aren't hungry, but you might be, I expect. You are eating so close to your BMR that I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't just plain hungry.
To play with the hormone signals, I think I'd have at least one day a week at maintenance (for your goal weight is fine since you are so close). Honestly, I think I'd just move on to goal weight maintenance levels overall if I were you. But you can cycle it instead of slowly adding a few calories daily to move it up, and you'll feel better, I think.
The speed of a 're-feed day' helping is very fast, so that's the good part. If I eat a little bit above maintenance one day a week, I'm so not hungry after that my weekly calorie averages have actually gone down by a nice amount. I'm just not hungry, which is an awesome thing for me, lol! Try it! You'll know quickly if it helps or not
Been losing now for almost a year.
I have a significant amount of belly fat to still cut down...otherwise I would switch
I think you need to switch to body composition, rather than weight loss. If you've still got "belly fat", but you're at a normal weight, you just need to tone up a bit. Forget cardio, you need yoga or pilates, or something of that sort. Something that will strengthen your core.
I just started strength straining last week as well ( if you can call it that, i feel like I dont know what Im doing ), but I still do cardio - just not as much.0 -
I tried the fasting, didn't work for me. Got severe headaches and dizziness, was worried about driving. Maybe you have to do it when you are able to stay home.0
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