HELP- How to have self-control when it comes to food?!?

Hey there. I completely understand where you are coming from. I, too, have a problem with self control at many times. I honestly don't know exactly what to tell you that might be helpful except that for me it becomes easier to manage self control the more I practice it. I have had to eliminate dangerous foods from my pantry and only have on hand the things that I consider within the healthy scope. I no longer purchase packaged anything. I do live with my dad so this kind of thing has been hard because he buys food too, but he knows how hard I am trying and has been doing his best to keep those things out of the house. I have also used the method of "hiding" certain things from myself. I have covered up high calorie/fat content foods with towels or hidden them in the fridge so that I don't see them blatantly staring back at me when I peruse the kitchen. Also, as far as portion control when I go to fill my plate, the amount I would normally put on there I cut in half. I eat slowly and wait to see if I am still hungry before adding anymore food.

I don't know if that helps at all but I know you can do it. You have to be patient and not beat yourself up if you slip up. You will get there in time and practice.

I can completely relate. My weakness is evenings after training, 10 pm or later. I seem to scarf down whatever is available. It's like a deluge - start with a reasonable portion of protein for recovery, becomes 3 bowls of cereal and granola.

A book I read stated that one strategy is to change your habits - remove the tempting items and situations. So if you love chocolate, buy them in single items so you actually have to go get them. In my case I think I'll move the computer from the kitchen. What a pain is this - and like you said, I'm normally composed in other aspects of my life including raising a family, diligently training, work commitments, etc. Even recently I stopped biting my fingernails after 30+ years doing it.

Bleh.

i had to start by asking myself EVERY time I put food in my mouth "Is this helping me towards my goal?" AND in particularly dire situations (donuts at work anyone?) I would say that if I could drink a glass of water and think about my goals for 5 minutes and still want that donut I could have it. After the water and 5 minutes I usually never cave, OR I only allow myself a tiny piece of the "offending" food. (today it was reeses PB cups, as you can see in my diary lol) but then I make it work with my goals for the rest of the day.

It is 100% constant reminding- "This isnt what I want for my body, this wont make me happy, food is NOT a reward"

This is a great idea. Here I sit at my desk wanting more chocolate - i'll drink some water and then wait 5 minutes. and remember that i have already eaten some chocolate. and i don't really want it. Thanks for sharing!

I found that logging and being honest with myself were excellent tools. I found that I didn't need unlimited self control; all I had to have was enough self control to stay within budget.

It wasn't saying "no" to all treats and indulgences, only "no" to some of them. That was (and still is) very freeing to me.

I find that I can turn down unwanted treats and indulgences, say for example in the work break room, because I get to have other treats and indulgences I want more.

We can all relate. My advice: Don't get too hungry, it's harder to make good choices when you're starving. When you're standing in front of the fridge or the pantry, remind yourself to make a choice that you'll be proud of later. The satisfaction that comes with getting healthy is far beyond that of a yummy treat or high calorie lunch. If you want it, you'll make it happen. If you don't, you'll make excuses.

that's a good start, but don't log to realize anything awful - simply log your food as a first step. you only need to cut out 500 calories per day to lose a pound per week, and having it all written down for a few days or a week makes it easy to decide what you can leave out. sometimes it's something easy to say goodbye to eating.

Thanks everyone, you've all been great helps.

I'm going to start with logging every piece of food I eat, hopefully this will make me realize how awful some of my days are. I think it will also be great if I can stay connected with people on here and be able to share my progress and up and downs with you all.

Thanks again

that's a good start, but don't log to realize anything awful - simply log your food as a first step. you only need to cut out 500 calories per day to lose a pound per week, and having it all written down for a few days or a week makes it easy to decide what you can leave out. sometimes it's something easy to say goodbye to eating.

Thanks everyone, you've all been great helps.

I'm going to start with logging every piece of food I eat, hopefully this will make me realize how awful some of my days are. I think it will also be great if I can stay connected with people on here and be able to share my progress and up and downs with you all.

Thanks again

I agree with this sentiment. It's easy to see logging as a form of punishment or a negative thing if you're just logging to see how awful things are. And if it feels bad then you're less likely to stick with it.

Try to think more neutrally about this. Log because it's the first step, not because you're doing anything wrong.

I am the same way. Great control in other areas, but terrible with food. I'm really bad with emotional eating in particular. Part of it is that deep down, I don't want to restrict myself. I dunno for me it has been very hard winning the right frame of mind in order to get started, and I have been trying to get started for like 6 months now. I've finally seen a little progress the past week, by trying to tap into the same mental state I use to make reasonable choices elsewhere.

For me, it has helped to kind of using analogies. The one that has helped me the most is this:

I have a morbid terror of over-withdrawing my checking account. Now I try to think of my daily calories as a bank account, and I use the calorie app to "check my balance" before spending. Just as I budget my finances, now I'm trying to budget my calories. I try to think of the calories "outside" of by budget (i.e. those from overeating) as "NOT belonging to ME" just as money outside my bank checking account is not my money. I would not spend someone else's money. I would not borrow money from the future so that I can have pleasure today, and so it is the same with calories. I've kind of conflated overeating with stealing in my mind.

Yikes, I hope that makes sense...it's kind of abstract, but finding something that works had basically boiled down to using this kind of screwy mental trick. I think after a while, like the other poster said, my control in this area will become a highly trained "muscle" and making the right choice will feel more natural.

One more thing....
Probably my worst habit is if I have just had dinner or any meal and then 10 minutes later my mind is telling me that I am still hungry... I can't possibly still be hungry but that bad little me on my shoulder is telling me I am and I'll end up giving in and going to eat something else.

Any advice with how to let my mind know this stomach is full!?

Some things that have helped me is getting plenty of protein, fat and fiber with dinner. These help you stay fuller and more satisfied for longer. I'll also have a cup of decaf tea after dinner. It helps if I'm trying to eat out of habit or boredom. I try to pick up hobbies that keep my hands busy or get myself out of the house if I'm having a particularly bad night. And I keep some calories left for a snack later in the evening. Sometimes knowing that I can still eat something later in the night helps me to feel less like I need to eat RIGHT NOW.

I agree with others kickstart, it gets easier with practice, but here are some of my useful strategies:
Don't have it in the house!
Buy things in smaller portion packs
Identify your triggers (me, it's petrol stations when I'm driving for work...so I need to be really good at organising food to take with me, and fill the car with fuel on the weekend when I am not hungry!), also being tired is big for me so I'm trying to get more sleep
Don't get really starving, and don't go near a supermarket when you're peckish
For me, eating more slowly is a skill I'm trying to acquire, or I've stuffed down loads before my stomach has registered anything
Late night munchies- I try to leave a calorie cushion for just this scenario
If I feel hungry and know that I don't need food, my rule is that I wait ten mins, and if I still really honestly feel hungry then I'll eat it.

And lastly, I try and build cues to positive behaviours into my routine, they say that's why you mindlessly eat things, because there are cues in your environment that prompt your brain, so I have been trying to build in cues that prompt me to do positive things, like leaving my running kit out, I programme reminders on to my phone to do things, and i try and build more incidental activity into my day

One step at a time kickstart! Keeping going when you've fallen off the wagon is 90% of the battle

What are you eating? What are you craving? You likely don't have enough will power to stop yourself from eating if you're leaving every meal hungry. I don't mean that to say its a fault I think you have in your personality; its just not possible. Will power is a muscle and like a muscle, it need rest. If you are constantly exercising it, it will break down and you will fail. You don't need more will power. You need to find a way of eating that doesn't leave you so hungry that every time food presents itself you are tempted to eat it.
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Good point! ]

In some ways I think that what I was eating was contributing to my lack of control. Once I started making better choices and carb counting (dr.'s orders), I started to just not feel as hungry all of the time. I do 3 meals and 2 snacks so i never get to the point where I feel like I am "starving" either. And I agree with everyone about keeping daily logs of all food eaten.

And I have broken the habit of a lifetime and not tried to do it alone- I am loving the support on here and feel like I need to check in with people who might need encouragement every day, so add some friends and keep going! (You can add me if you like):happy: