Why do I only think about my next meal??

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fotofreak01
fotofreak01 Posts: 397 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anytime I am not "dieting" or changing habits, I eat my 3 a day and never think about the next meal. I never seemed hungry and didn't worry about the things that taste good but where not good for me. Now I seem to think about what I am going to eat all day. I feel like I am hungry more so then not. I just wish I could go to my old way of not thinking about it all day but still be eat healthy food. Anyone else have this problem?
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Replies

  • allehp
    allehp Posts: 96
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    Yess! I get really, really obsessive over what I eat and when. When it starts making me really crazy, I take a day or two off. That's always how I end up falling off the wagon. :(
  • rks6902
    rks6902 Posts: 29 Member
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    That is me completely. It seems the more I track and have to think about making the right choices the more I want to eat all day long. I am hoping this will go away as warmer weather comes and I get outside more. I thought I was the only one that felt this way.
  • lindalee0315
    lindalee0315 Posts: 527 Member
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    Me, too! You are not alone. :)
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
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    For ages when I first started . . . sorry but you are completely "normal", ha ha.

    I obsessed about food like crazy, it does get better once you get into your own groove.
  • loveandprideforever
    loveandprideforever Posts: 29 Member
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    Oh My Goodness! TOTALLY! I went through this for a long time and now and again it will come back again. I just tried to NOT eat while thinking about it and then to notice to take my time at the next meal because while I was eating, I wasn't thinking about doing it yet again. I've also found that small snacks help. Things like spinach leaves or low-fat yogurt or citrus fruits are great. They provide something to do with your hands while also taking a minute to eat. It will make you feel like you are eating all day, and eventually you won't need to have the "eat all day habit", but when you do, your calories and NUTRITION will still be in check.
    Just know that it's because you are beginning something important and every aspect of your new journey is going to be at the front-running of your mind. It will pass. HANG IN THERE!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Wait, is this a problem? :smile: I'm totally guilty of planning out my next meal while I'm still chewing my current meal. But If you're feeling hungry all day, then I guess that is a problem.

    Have you tried planning out the whole day's meals in advance? Are you eating 5-6 smaller-sized meals a day instead of 3?

    I found that when I switched to 6 meals a day and planned out my whole menu in advance, it was an awesome switch. At first I didn't always feel satiated with my small meal, but I knew the next one was coming 2-3 hours later. But after a short adjustment period, I got very used to it. Now I could never go back.
  • LittleVikki
    LittleVikki Posts: 88 Member
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    I'm the same I'm always thinking about food when I'm dieting it's really irritating. It usually results in me giving up on my diet but I guess in time it should pass and thing will get easier :)
  • NoExcuseTina
    NoExcuseTina Posts: 506 Member
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    I agree with taso42

    and I cut back on the carbs..they are my trigger food for cravings
  • remmrich33
    remmrich33 Posts: 5 Member
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    I have this same problem. And I also don't like thinking about food all day long. But I think it's just the price we have to pay to reach our goal. Hopefully once it becomes a way of life the obsession will let up.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
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    How;s your fiber intake? Adding fiber to your meals will help keep you full (not hungry) for much longer. Since I started adding high fiber ingredients to my meals, I eat my snacks out of habit instead of necessity.
  • Adsnwfld
    Adsnwfld Posts: 262 Member
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    I only really worry about it when I know I'm going to eat out or when the family is planning on eating bad like Friday night pizza night.
    I think about what I might want to eat but don't stress out too much. I know now what I can and shouldn't eat and have several choices for just about every meal.

    In time the obsession will pass. Now that I'm basically at the weight I want, I just need to maintain and that takes a ton of pressure off of me. If I have one bad day a few days later I've corrected it and everything is fine.
  • song2sing
    song2sing Posts: 183
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    If you are still hungry, make sure that you increase your caloric intake at breakfast or lunch, making good choices of food that will sustain you till the next meal. Starches, turn quickly to sugar and leave you hungry. I have been keeping my calories in the 200 to 300 for breakfast and a little bit more at lunch then lighter at supper if I can. I try not eating a big meal after six p.m.

    Also, I think it is good to think about and plan your next meal when you use MFP, it keeps you from going over when you know exactly what you are going to eat and how many calories you have available to use or what you need to cut back on. I did that for a night out at Ruby Tuesdays, was THE best idea! Did my research knew how many calories were in what I needed to order and it was a breeze with NO stress trying to figure out the calories! Cause I did my homework! Try that and see how it works for you!! The best of luck!
  • fotofreak01
    fotofreak01 Posts: 397 Member
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    Wait, is this a problem? :smile: I'm totally guilty of planning out my next meal while I'm still chewing my current meal. But If you're feeling hungry all day, then I guess that is a problem.

    Have you tried planning out the whole day's meals in advance? Are you eating 5-6 smaller-sized meals a day instead of 3?

    I found that when I switched to 6 meals a day and planned out my whole menu in advance, it was an awesome switch. At first I didn't always feel satiated with my small meal, but I knew the next one was coming 2-3 hours later. But after a short adjustment period, I got very used to it. Now I could never go back.

    I do plan my meals and snacks. The night before. And I eat about every 2 hours. Small meals of course. Here is the strange part. My brain thinks I'm hungry but my stomach doesn't. I don't know how to turn it off. It's just like there is this little man sitting on my shoulder saying, " you know you are going to fail at this just like you have every time you've tried to lose the weight. Go ahead and have that yummy tri color tortellini and bread!" I HATE that little man by the way.
  • pilotgirl2007
    pilotgirl2007 Posts: 368 Member
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    I have a dry erase board in my kitchen with the whole week planned out right down to snacks that will be eaten etc. I think it is good to be more aware and put more thought into what you eat.

    If you are alway hungry maybe you should try adding a few snacks in between meals. I have three meals a day plus at least two snacks (one after breakfast and one after lunch...) I will have more if I am doing a lot of exercising that day.
  • lillieme
    lillieme Posts: 15
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    The higher my metabolism gets, the hungrier I am. I Feed the machine with small, High Protein, low fat foods. I eat around 7-8 times a day and am still losing weight at a rate of about 2+ lbs per week; sometimes more...I was averaging about 0.5 lbs per day but I slowed down the exercising for a while so I could shock my body again with twice a day workouts!. I had to cycle off the twice a days so as not to plateau.

    In my opinion, the hunger is a good thing. If you are not hungry than you body is not burning calories. It is most likely making fat reserves because it has meet it's caloric quota for the day...thats my opinion anyway...You want the machine to be craving fuel...it's is how I know I am working it correctly...
  • pilotgirl2007
    pilotgirl2007 Posts: 368 Member
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    Wait, is this a problem? :smile: I'm totally guilty of planning out my next meal while I'm still chewing my current meal. But If you're feeling hungry all day, then I guess that is a problem.

    Have you tried planning out the whole day's meals in advance? Are you eating 5-6 smaller-sized meals a day instead of 3?

    I found that when I switched to 6 meals a day and planned out my whole menu in advance, it was an awesome switch. At first I didn't always feel satiated with my small meal, but I knew the next one was coming 2-3 hours later. But after a short adjustment period, I got very used to it. Now I could never go back.

    I do plan my meals and snacks. The night before. And I eat about every 2 hours. Small meals of course. Here is the strange part. My brain thinks I'm hungry but my stomach doesn't. I don't know how to turn it off. It's just like there is this little man sitting on my shoulder saying, " you know you are going to fail at this just like you have every time you've tried to lose the weight. Go ahead and have that yummy tri color tortellini and bread!" I HATE that little man by the way.

    Find a distraction? I try to find things that I get really involved in and then eating is a chore. I like to sew, I used to crochet, sometimes I try to distract myself with pilates moves. I draw a few cards from my fitDeck (www.fitdeck.com) and that will do the trick most of the time plus you get a little extra toning.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    I have to agree with Taso. Planning my day's meals in advance free's me from thinking about it. Plus I know how much exercise I have to do to meet my Net calorie goal.

    My husband and I plan dinners weekly, so I always know what's for dinner. Plug in what I had for breakfast and I already know what I have left to split between snacks and lunch. Then when snack time or lunch rolls around I just look at my diary to see what I get to pull out of my lunch bag. :smile:

    On the other hand, if you're actually hungry all the time, you might want to review your average Net calories and see if they need adjustment.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
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    Here is the strange part. My brain thinks I'm hungry but my stomach doesn't. I don't know how to turn it off. It's just like there is this little man sitting on my shoulder saying, " you know you are going to fail at this just like you have every time you've tried to lose the weight. Go ahead and have that yummy tri color tortellini and bread!" I HATE that little man by the way.

    The little guy sucks for sure. It sounds like if you have a spare moment, or you're bored, your mind goes to food. I've been there a million times. It just takes practice to tell that little pasta-loving imp that he is not welcome and you don't need him. :)
  • spackham
    spackham Posts: 252 Member
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    I am always thinking about what I am going to eat too. It is a lot of work to change bad habits into a healthy life-style. Hopefully, over time, healthy food ideas and options will become more natural and I won't have to think about it so much. For now, food (recipes, shopping, planning, cooking) and exercise take up a lot of my mind these days. But it won't be forever. I hope to be hitting my GW in under year and in doing so will have weathered through all four seasons and each holiday.
  • spackham
    spackham Posts: 252 Member
    Options
    I am always thinking about what I am going to eat too. It is a lot of work to change bad habits into a healthy life-style. Hopefully, over time, healthy food ideas and options will become more natural and I won't have to think about it so much. For now, food (recipes, shopping, planning, cooking) and exercise take up a lot of my mind these days. But it won't be forever. I hope to be hitting my GW in under year and in doing so will have weathered through all four seasons and each holiday.

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