Morning overeating
onmyown70
Posts: 233 Member
Does anyone else on here struggle with the am? I get up at 7 am - have a hearty breakfast (suspect not having breakfast may be the way to go but trying to avoid bingeing at the moment), but by 9.30-10 I'm seeking more food. I start snacking and bingeing so by 10 am I already eaten three days worth of food! (I am not sure if anyone has read my previous posts regarding depression and binge eating but this isn't a depression thing this is a boredom I am rubbish with mornings thing). The only way I have combat this is to get up and get out of theou house as soon s I'm dressed...
So just wondering if anyone else has this, or is it just me?
x
So just wondering if anyone else has this, or is it just me?
x
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Replies
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i eat my breakfats at 7 and then have a snack at 9.30-10ish... i dont think theres anything wrong with doing that?
if its boredom eating then get a hobby... if you have all this time with nothing to do (i wish i did!!) then do something worthwhile... volunteer for a charity for example.0 -
i eat my breakfats at 7 and then have a snack at 9.30-10ish... i dont think theres anything wrong with doing that?
if its boredom eating then get a hobby... if you have all this time with nothing to do (i wish i did!!) then do something worthwhile... volunteer for a charity for example.
I have a young child with me. It's raining we were planning to go out...0 -
I found that if I eat earlier in the morning, I'm more hungry throughout the day. I wake up usually at around 3-3:30 a.m., go to the gym at 5:00 a.m., I don't usually eat until 10:30, when I do my yogurt mix. This is what works for me, everyone is different. You just have to play around with it.0
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Try to find breakfast foods that are full of fiber and protein. Fill up on that. And instead of boredom eating drink a glass of ice cold water, it will let your tummy think you are full. Hmmm... Try small, healthy snacks! Yogurt, cottage cheese(with or without fruit), a piece of fruit. Sometimes I will go on a quick walk around the house(inside) and play follow the leader with my kid and dogs. Just getting your mind off of it will help. And staying away from the kitchen.
These are just a few things that I do, cause I have the problem too, if I get bored and I'm not even hungry, I will go straight to the fridge or pantry.
I hope some of this helps you!0 -
I wouldn't recommend skipping breakfast - even though that works for some people, and it might end up working for you, I wouldn't start there if I were you. Most health professionals agree that it's best to break your nighttime fast in the morning to keep the metabolism burning as best as possible, so that's the ideal, although I know some people get by just fine w/out it and I'm not one to argue their experience....
Anyway, I'd start by simply scaling back the number of calories you eat during your first breakfast and then have a second "breakfast" around the time you get hungry. I used to have your same problem - the more I ate in the morning the more I'd want later. But I found that if I divided up that breakfast into two "shifts", if you will, it worked beautifully. I call 2nd breakfast, "Elevensies", after the Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings, lol. I know....nerdy....
If you can afford 500 calories between the two meals, then perhaps eat about 250 calories for the first shift, then 250 for the 2nd.
So the first breakfast could be a scrambled egg (70), some sprouted wheat toast (80) with a little butter (30), and a cup of sliced strawberries (75). Or, 2 ounces of smoked turkey slices (50) plus a fruit and yogurt smoothie made with a small banana (80), a container of dannon greek light & fit banana cream pie yogurt (80), 1/2 C. of almond coconut milk blend (30), 2 cups of spinach (10), vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice.
Then 2nd breakfast could be something like a bowl of canned minestrone soup (100) with 1.5 cups of spinach wilted into it (10) and a tbsp of real bacon bits (40), a tbsp of shredded parmesan cheese (40), and 60 calories worth of croutons stirred into it. Or, some sliced smoked ham (50), a hard boiled egg (70), and chunks of cantaloupe (100).
Drink lots of water and/or coffee/tea in between and then eat your lunch per normal. That's what I do.
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I'd also like to add that if you're eating out of boredom, then you need to do some inner work too. Some soul searching.
Until you deal with your emotional eating issues, they will ALWAYS sabotage you - even if you succeed "doing well" with your eating for awhile, eventually you will cave in to the bingeing again.
I highly recommend you start exploring ways to help you overcome your emotional issues. This could involve talk therapy (highly recommend), going to a support group such as Overeaters Anonymous, reading good books on the issues, journalling, prayer, meditation, etc. If you can get free from the *reasons* you're overeating, you will get ahead light years than if you just try to "eat better".
You want to fix the wound, not just put a band aid on it. Just my two cents.0 -
I do not really binge eat so I am not sure if this will help you. I have discovered that my hungry time is when I wake up until after my afternoon snack around 3:30. Instead of saving up calories which ended up with me totally overeating, I allow myself to eat more during these times. When I have dinner now it's usually pretty light. I understand the boredom thing. I love being busy at work, I barely think of food!0
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I'd also like to add that if you're eating out of boredom, then you need to do some inner work too. Some soul searching.
Until you deal with your emotional eating issues, they will ALWAYS sabotage you - even if you succeed "doing well" with your eating for awhile, eventually you will cave in to the bingeing again.
I highly recommend you start exploring ways to help you overcome your emotional issues. This could involve talk therapy (highly recommend), going to a support group such as Overeaters Anonymous, reading good books on the issues, journalling, prayer, meditation, etc. If you can get free from the *reasons* you're overeating, you will get ahead light years than if you just try to "eat better".
You want to fix the wound, not just put a band aid on it. Just my two cents.
Ah I know. I just panick at the thought of if, I try to be around trigger foods- I eat, I try to schedule, I eat, I have tried limiting my access to food- I eventually eat. I wasn't even depressed this am, I'm never perfect in the am, but just had a thought oat cakes, nice, one more led to a pack (they are pretty healthy in small amounts!), that led to sugary cereal my husband had, I knew what I was doing, I don't know why I didn't stop.
I don't know where to start with gaining help. The doctor says taking therapies can be obtained through them but it's forty five pounds (uk) per hour. I went to one and he said it would take a long time to get to the bottom of things.
I suppose what I would love is a plan, and a back up plan for when I feel it isn't working. The problem with me is I can be fine and then suddenly impulsive ie this morning all was fine emotionally (I probably was bored in all honesty) but had breakfast and suddenly. An hour later I wanted to eat everything. I wasn't hungry, and of course food was there. So I ate, it all, stomach ache and lethargy all day. I knew that would happen whilst eating but it didn't stop me. Any way, digressing again, as I said I can't afford the talking therapy. Others have offered some great advice too. Thank you for your dietary advice. Two breakfasts sounds a good idea. I'm finding frequent eating hard too though. I think I would love to just stop thinking about food and start noticing the day... I went for a binge one day and all the food had run out. I felt extremely upset, yet after a whole relieved.
I may try hypnotherapy and oa. I feel reidoculous talking about it so much I feel like giving myself a slap and just saying "stop it"! X0 -
My munchy time is the afternoon/evening. I am hardly hungry in the morning, so I stopped eating breakfast to save those calories for later in the day. I can go until noon before I need to eat most days (not sure why that is, since I usually walk in the morning). That gives me a lot of snacking calories and I don't get hangry all afternoon. My kids appreciate that, no more cranky mommy!
Is there a time of day when you aren't so hungry? Maybe pay attention to your pattern of eating through the day, see if you don't need so much later in the day. Or maybe you aren't needing to eat so early, save your breakfast for 10:30 when you normally have a snack.
I also find that drinking water helps if I'm hungry when I shouldn't be. I drink a 32 oz bottle of water, then wait to see if the hungry comes back. It usually doesn't, but if it does, I've delayed eating by an hour.0 -
For me, it depends on what I'm having for breakfast. I find that if I load up on too much carbs early in the day, I tend to crave more carbs/sweets as the day goes on. Try to get a good balance of protein and carb.early in the day.0
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I'd also like to add that if you're eating out of boredom, then you need to do some inner work too. Some soul searching.
Until you deal with your emotional eating issues, they will ALWAYS sabotage you - even if you succeed "doing well" with your eating for awhile, eventually you will cave in to the bingeing again.
I highly recommend you start exploring ways to help you overcome your emotional issues. This could involve talk therapy (highly recommend), going to a support group such as Overeaters Anonymous, reading good books on the issues, journalling, prayer, meditation, etc. If you can get free from the *reasons* you're overeating, you will get ahead light years than if you just try to "eat better".
You want to fix the wound, not just put a band aid on it. Just my two cents.
Ah I know. I just panick at the thought of if, I try to be around trigger foods- I eat, I try to schedule, I eat, I have tried limiting my access to food- I eventually eat. I wasn't even depressed this am, I'm never perfect in the am, but just had a thought oat cakes, nice, one more led to a pack (they are pretty healthy in small amounts!), that led to sugary cereal my husband had, I knew what I was doing, I don't know why I didn't stop.
I don't know where to start with gaining help. The doctor says taking therapies can be obtained through them but it's forty five pounds (uk) per hour. I went to one and he said it would take a long time to get to the bottom of things.
I suppose what I would love is a plan, and a back up plan for when I feel it isn't working. The problem with me is I can be fine and then suddenly impulsive ie this morning all was fine emotionally (I probably was bored in all honesty) but had breakfast and suddenly. An hour later I wanted to eat everything. I wasn't hungry, and of course food was there. So I ate, it all, stomach ache and lethargy all day. I knew that would happen whilst eating but it didn't stop me. Any way, digressing again, as I said I can't afford the talking therapy. Others have offered some great advice too. Thank you for your dietary advice. Two breakfasts sounds a good idea. I'm finding frequent eating hard too though. I think I would love to just stop thinking about food and start noticing the day... I went for a binge one day and all the food had run out. I felt extremely upset, yet after a whole relieved.
I may try hypnotherapy and oa. I feel reidoculous talking about it so much I feel like giving myself a slap and just saying "stop it"! X
Rest assured, you are NOT ridiculous and you are in very good company among many, many of us here who know exactly what you're talking about. You just happen to be one of the brave ones to come out and say it! And good for you!
It is understandable that you want freedom and relief from this. It is an endless misery. It is a prison. You feel like your trapped in your own body with a petulant, rebellious, never-satisfied child who controls the rational side of you. I went through this exact same thing for years and years and would also try to give myself a slap and say "stop it"! Didn't work.
I cannot recommend Overeaters Anonymous to you highly enough - and it's FREE. You mentioned something about "pounds" when talking about the cost of talk therapy, so I'm assuming your from somewhere in Great Britain? If so, please check out this link for a location near you: http://www.oagb.org.uk/find-a-meeting/.
I went to OA for a few years (and read all their literature I could find) and it radically changed my life. You will find people going through the exact same thing as you - some in recovery, some just beginning. You will garner many tools in how to combat the problem of compulsive overeating. They'll steer you in the direction of how to formulate a food plan. You get support. They listen. No one judges. You hear stories from people who have beat this. You can find hope there. Please consider it.
And of course if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me. I'm glad to assist.0 -
I don't know where to start with gaining help. The doctor says taking therapies can be obtained through them but it's forty five pounds (uk) per hour. I went to one and he said it would take a long time to get to the bottom of things.
There must be some free NHS services that your GP could refer you to, take a look here
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/free-therapy-or-counselling.aspx
I'd go back to the GP and ask a few more questions, explaining that the option they've given you is simply unaffordable, or seek a second opinion from someone else.0 -
I used to have this same issue until I started taking GNC lean shake 25. I used to eat a banana in the morning then an hour later I'd be starving and give in and get a greasy breakfast burrito from the food truck at work.
I am 3 weeks in to the lean shakes and I basically use it to replace what are potentially my worst meals (mid morning hunger and when I get home from work). They hold me over until the next nutritious meal and 3 weeks into it and being faithful to it I have lost 8.5 lbs (along with healthier eating and regular excersize). Excited to see what comes months down the road if I stick to it..0 -
I also think that when I have too many carbs early that I find myself more hungry than if I hadn't eaten at all. I try to concentrated on protien. Eggbeaters and loaded with veggies and I put it all on a slice of wheat bread that has only 45 calories. It looks like a lot of food with minimal calories.That is what I do.0
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just plan for the 9am snack. have some apples or a smoothie or pretzels and peanut butter (measured out), have a big glass of water and a half sandwich, whatever..just get creative. I do this. I eat every three hours and it has been my life saver.0
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This was exactly what I used to do. It was the hardest habit to break and what I confronted first.
I switched my breakfast to have more protein (I have an egg every day), rather than cereal/bread, and basically set myself a rule that I won't eat lunch before 11.30am but I will always have lunch between 11.30 and noon. It took 2 weeks of distracting myself with multiple cups of tea, loads of water, going for a walk, doing laundry.. ANYTHING instead of raiding the kitchen which is right next to my office at home.
It absolutely can be done, but it sucked all my available motivation up, so I just focused on that until I was comfortable.0 -
What do you have for breakfast?0
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I'm the same way. I actually listened to the people on these forums too much and kept trying protein heavy breakfasts... and still hit that 9.30am issue. Then one day I tried oatmeal with nut butter and I was full for 5 hours (and I can still have a toaster waffle or something and still be below 400 calories). Apparently complex carbs, fiber and fat is what does the trick for me. I suggest trying different things until you find something that really fills you up... then try to find something to do every morning between 9am and 11am or something.0
-
I'd also like to add that if you're eating out of boredom, then you need to do some inner work too. Some soul searching.
Until you deal with your emotional eating issues, they will ALWAYS sabotage you - even if you succeed "doing well" with your eating for awhile, eventually you will cave in to the bingeing again.
I highly recommend you start exploring ways to help you overcome your emotional issues. This could involve talk therapy (highly recommend), going to a support group such as Overeaters Anonymous, reading good books on the issues, journalling, prayer, meditation, etc. If you can get free from the *reasons* you're overeating, you will get ahead light years than if you just try to "eat better".
You want to fix the wound, not just put a band aid on it. Just my two cents.
Ah I know. I just panick at the thought of if, I try to be around trigger foods- I eat, I try to schedule, I eat, I have tried limiting my access to food- I eventually eat. I wasn't even depressed this am, I'm never perfect in the am, but just had a thought oat cakes, nice, one more led to a pack (they are pretty healthy in small amounts!), that led to sugary cereal my husband had, I knew what I was doing, I don't know why I didn't stop.
I don't know where to start with gaining help. The doctor says taking therapies can be obtained through them but it's forty five pounds (uk) per hour. I went to one and he said it would take a long time to get to the bottom of things.
I suppose what I would love is a plan, and a back up plan for when I feel it isn't working. The problem with me is I can be fine and then suddenly impulsive ie this morning all was fine emotionally (I probably was bored in all honesty) but had breakfast and suddenly. An hour later I wanted to eat everything. I wasn't hungry, and of course food was there. So I ate, it all, stomach ache and lethargy all day. I knew that would happen whilst eating but it didn't stop me. Any way, digressing again, as I said I can't afford the talking therapy. Others have offered some great advice too. Thank you for your dietary advice. Two breakfasts sounds a good idea. I'm finding frequent eating hard too though. I think I would love to just stop thinking about food and start noticing the day... I went for a binge one day and all the food had run out. I felt extremely upset, yet after a whole relieved.
I may try hypnotherapy and oa. I feel reidoculous talking about it so much I feel like giving myself a slap and just saying "stop it"! X
Rest assured, you are NOT ridiculous and you are in very good company among many, many of us here who know exactly what you're talking about. You just happen to be one of the brave ones to come out and say it! And good for you!
It is understandable that you want freedom and relief from this. It is an endless misery. It is a prison. You feel like your trapped in your own body with a petulant, rebellious, never-satisfied child who controls the rational side of you. I went through this exact same thing for years and years and would also try to give myself a slap and say "stop it"! Didn't work.
I cannot recommend Overeaters Anonymous to you highly enough - and it's FREE. You mentioned something about "pounds" when talking about the cost of talk therapy, so I'm assuming your from somewhere in Great Britain? If so, please check out this link for a location near you: http://www.oagb.org.uk/find-a-meeting/.
I went to OA for a few years (and read all their literature I could find) and it radically changed my life. You will find people going through the exact same thing as you - some in recovery, some just beginning. You will garner many tools in how to combat the problem of compulsive overeating. They'll steer you in the direction of how to formulate a food plan. You get support. They listen. No one judges. You hear stories from people who have beat this. You can find hope there. Please consider it.
And of course if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me. I'm glad to assist.
Thank you so much for this reply. It sounds like you have really tackled with some of the deeper issues involved with overeating. I rang up oa after I read your post. It's tricky for me to get to though (I know where there's a will). I have a little one and my husband doesn't get back until late.
I also read your post about boredom. I do think it's either laziness or depression but I know on days whereby I just want to eat, I don't feel like doing anything - nothing else at all. I have to, I have to function, but I do get the no enthusiasm to do anything thing. I'm not justifying it. I do have to be careful with tiredness and ensuring I'm actively busy, ie walking where there is no food to have access to! I'm quite selfish I guess but my hardest times are at the weekends when we have other kids and my husband there - they like stodge and are all permanently hungry... Breakfast once started at 7 am. (When fits child woke up) then finished at 11 am (when final child wanted breakfast) so I was in the kitchen all that time and I'm rubbish in the am. My motivation is zero. Any way digressing.
Thanks again for replying. If I can find an oa meeting that falls within hours i don't have my son I will definitely go. Currently they seem to fall at weekends or are on in the evenings. X0 -
I'm the same way. I actually listened to the people on these forums too much and kept trying protein heavy breakfasts... and still hit that 9.30am issue. Then one day I tried oatmeal with nut butter and I was full for 5 hours (and I can still have a toaster waffle or something and still be below 400 calories). Apparently complex carbs, fiber and fat is what does the trick for me. I suggest trying different things until you find something that really fills you up... then try to find something to do every morning between 9am and 11am or something.
Interestingly my son didn't eat is museli made with whole milk and walnut butter yesterday am and I ate it (I eat all his left overs... An issue to address maybe!!) and it did keep me going. However, the past few days I haven't been as interested in food, I sometimes get that for about a week and then the binges set in...0 -
I think your plan for OA is a very good one. As I'm in the UK and have accessed several services, I thought my experience might be helpful:
- have you been on contact with your local MIND? My local service provides CBT at a discounted rate and they were prepared to offer help with binge eating. I've had both CBT and talking therapy through them and its fantastic.
- Have you looked into BEAT? they are a charity and I think they have support groups. Worth a check.
- is it worth doing some reading around overeating/binge eating? I think there is a book called overcoming overeating (I have one for overcoming depression) and working through some of the sections did help me a little bit.
x0 -
Hi, not sure whether this helps, but could it also be that you do not get enough sleep?
Though my life (from September till June) is a busy one, and ideally, to fit everything in, I should sleep no more than 5 to 6 hours, I know that my body wants to sleep closer to 8 hours. If I don't, I do eat a lot more.
The only way to get more sleep is to go to bed earlier, and hope the kids do not wake you up too often...
Secondly, you already provided your own solution. You were going to go out for a walk with your youngest, but rain kept you indoors.
So, if going out, right after breakfast is your solution, why not plan for this daily?
If it rains, are there any indoor alternatives nearby, such as a swimming pool?
If you could go out daily right after breakfast, either for a walk, or some indoor activity, and take a small healthy snack along, so you are not starved by the time you get back, you might kill the urge.0 -
Hi, not sure whether this helps, but could it also be that you do not get enough sleep?
Though my life (from September till June) is a busy one, and ideally, to fit everything in, I should sleep no more than 5 to 6 hours, I know that my body wants to sleep closer to 8 hours. If I don't, I do eat a lot more.
The only way to get more sleep is to go to bed earlier, and hope the kids do not wake you up too often...
Secondly, you already provided your own solution. You were going to go out for a walk with your youngest, but rain kept you indoors.
So, if going out, right after breakfast is your solution, why not plan for this daily?
If it rains, are there any indoor alternatives nearby, such as a swimming pool?
If you could go out daily right after breakfast, either for a walk, or some indoor activity, and take a small healthy snack along, so you are not starved by the time you get back, you might kill the urge.
Ah you see im think I get a lot of disturbed sleep too. My family came to stay a while ago and I noticed how much they sleep (my husband doesn't need much sleep, is a hard worker and thinks sleep is a complete waste of time- they say oposited abstract!). And. I had a nap I. The afternoon on Monday and as I said, have had no urges to binge eat.
I also notice two weeks before my TOM is fatal in terms of the increase in the desire to binge on carbs, and it used to stop as soon as TOM started but now it doesn't, it stops about half way through on until the TOM has stopped, so that's almost three weeks of binge eating urges. I can't describe it, as I said before the urge to binge eat isn't just " I really enjoyed that chocolate" , "I will eat four more bars" it's a want to keep going and going and feeling tired is a huge part of that. Maybe I'm just very susceptible to hormones!
So I feel for binge eaters because I don't think, I'm not absolving responsibility here, but some of it is a compulsion that is more overwhelming than for someone who isn't a binger.
Any way, I really appreciate the above advice. I am a fool aren't i, it's obviously, on a rainy day make get up and get out plans. I think the lazy part of me doesn't need any time to reconsider! I need to get up and get out before I've talked myself out of it.
I am a bit of a people pleaser but my husband gets in late and I really look forward to the evenings so need to get more disciplined!
Thank you for posting :-)0 -
I think your plan for OA is a very good one. As I'm in the UK and have accessed several services, I thought my experience might be helpful:
- have you been on contact with your local MIND? My local service provides CBT at a discounted rate and they were prepared to offer help with binge eating. I've had both CBT and talking therapy through them and its fantastic.
- Have you looked into BEAT? they are a charity and I think they have support groups. Worth a check.
- is it worth doing some reading around overeating/binge eating? I think there is a book called overcoming overeating (I have one for overcoming depression) and working through some of the sections did help me a little bit.
Hi I read some of Christopher fairbourne's book brain over binge and some of the tips were majorly helpful, ie he would say to recognise when key trigger times are. This is helpful as I always feel
A bit selfish planning my day around when I may binge! But it's helpful. Ie like the previous poster suggested I should have thought about what I would do had it rained. This is my own lazy fault though, walking is easy when I'm tired and grumpy in the morning (and don't like swimming but my little one does) but I will duck out of it if I can, so I think I need to ensure I can't.
Really re MEND that's fantastic, I may contact them thank you.
Going back to my original post, I have found if I force myself to eat when I'm not that hungry I almost forget to recognise what hunger is if that makes sense. That's the problem with a meal plan and snacks (as recommended by fairbourne on his book) I end up thinking about food more and then just eat it all in one go!
I think, like another poster who kindly responded, I am better if I don't eat but have a milky coffee then have an early lunch 12:30 ish.0 -
Sorry I haven't quite mastered this respond to a quote business! Sorry about the above formatting (or lack of)!0
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