Need help with eating less

Try taking a tablespoon of bragg's apple cider vinegar every day, with a lot of water. it's not that great tasting at all but is great with hunger. They also have tablets that are supposed to be almost as good but I haven't tried those yet. Extra virgin coconut oil is great too, it pulls all the yeast out of your body which is what makes you crave sweet things! Hope it helps!

Cut out all simple sugars, refined flours, boxed meals, pre-prepared food stuffs.

Add in lots of veggies, fruit, legumes and beans. A moderate amount of whole grains, a small amount of lean proteins. When you add in a lot of fiber naturally through your diet you will be wondering how you can possibly consume enough calories rather than the other way around.

The AMA recommends losing weight at 10% increments (150 lbs = 15 lbs weight loss)-then maintaining that weight for 6 months before trying to lose additional weight. This helps your body "get use" to the weight loss, and better prepares it for additional weight loss in the future.

So I've been on Fitness Pal for a couple of months now. I can't seem to stick to the recommended 1,200 calories a day. I have these uncontrollable eating binges, and have actually gained 6 lbs since starting - don't get me wrong, I am not blaming anyone but myself here. Just wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions on eating less.

I try to drink a liter of water, and generally don't eat junk, but I eat a LOT. Physically I am pretty fit (ran a half marathon 2 weeks ago). Stats: female, 28 (29 in 2 weeks), 5'2, 136 as of this morning. Ideally I want to get down to 110-115, pre-grad school weight. 125 would be a great 1st goal.

Thanks in advance!

I am in a similar boat. I exercise regularly, am fit, but I have a tendency to overeat. I am trying to just pick something that I can snack on that isn't bad (carrots, any veggie really) but I always tend to go for salty carbs instead. I am 5'3 and weigh 135 and am trying to get down to around 120, but really the number isn't as important as looking how I want to look. (Mostly in my midsection)

I am also looking for ways to cut back on overeating. It helps me to drink a lot of water. Green tea also sometimes stops my cravings. I tend to overeat at work (I am a server in a restaurant) because there is food everywhere and the chefs always make the servers dinner. If you find a great solution let me know! We are around the same goals so if you want to add me as a friend for support feel free!

So because your weight loss goal is so close, you might not be able to lose as much weight as fast as you want. I would recommend setting your goals to lose 0.5 lbs a week and eat at that level every day. Try that for 2 weeks and see how it works for you. Fats actually help you feel full, so don't be afraid to incorporate healthy non-saturated fats into your diet. Try some sliced avocado, or add some olive oil to your cooking. Making sure you get the right amount of protein in your diet really helps too. I drink 0.5 cups of low-fat chocolate milk with my breakfast in the morning and it really helps. You could do a protein shake too, if you're not adverse to it. I have a really hard time eating enough protein.

Some people find that when they are having a hard time losing weight, they use the zig-zag or calorie cycling method. If you google for either of those, you should find some information. You might also have to adjust your carb/protein/fat ratios in your diet to find the level that works best for you.

Good luck!

The AMA recommends losing weight at 10% increments (150 lbs = 15 lbs weight loss)-then maintaining that weight for 6 months before trying to lose additional weight. This helps your body "get use" to the weight loss, and better prepares it for additional weight loss in the future.

Do you have a URL that links to this information? I'd be interested in reading more about the science behind that recommendation.

So because your weight loss goal is so close, you might not be able to lose as much weight as fast as you want. I would recommend setting your goals to lose 0.5 lbs a week and eat at that level every day. Try that for 2 weeks and see how it works for you. Fats actually help you feel full, so don't be afraid to incorporate healthy non-saturated fats into your diet. Try some sliced avocado, or add some olive oil to your cooking. Making sure you get the right amount of protein in your diet really helps too. I drink 0.5 cups of low-fat chocolate milk with my breakfast in the morning and it really helps. You could do a protein shake too, if you're not adverse to it. I have a really hard time eating enough protein.

Some people find that when they are having a hard time losing weight, they use the zig-zag or calorie cycling method. If you google for either of those, you should find some information. You might also have to adjust your carb/protein/fat ratios in your diet to find the level that works best for you.

Good luck!

good advice :happy:

I found something that made a REAL difference for me. 100% whey protein drinks. I visited a wellness doctor and she was the one who told me to stop focusing on fiber so much and eather focus on eating more protein. Protein will help you with building lean muscle but also keep you full longer. I used to eat high fiber foods for breakfast (granola bars, yogurts, cereal) and I would always be hungry wayyyy before lunch.

Now I drink a 100% whey protein shake (one scoop + one cup of skim milk) and I am FULLLLLLL for hours. I drink a shake at 7:45 am and don't get lunch until 12:30 pm. With this shake, I don't even crave a snack. Did the trick for me! Try it.

Cut out all simple sugars, refined flours, boxed meals, pre-prepared food stuffs.

Add in lots of veggies,

This has helped me.

I set a Limit on number of Carbs, and get my carbs from Veggies and Dairy.

I avoid the list above. VERY HELPFUL ! !

May I ask what your Carb grams per day is now?
My Food Log is Public

I have two thoughts:

Are you still in graduate school? If so, and if your self described 'binges' are actual binges and not just overeating, it might be stress/depression/anxiety. I'm not sure diet suggestions are going to help if that's the case. You'll need to talk to someone who might be able to help you deal with those issues.

if the above isn't true, I second all the folks who say to eliminate the crappy carbs. That's what helped me. I don't eat grains. But I eat all vegetables, yes, even potatoes. Some other folks focused on increasing protein, but I haven't found that to be so necessary. But I have found a little more fat to be necessary. Its what keeps me satisfied and happy. And it makes overeating nearly impossible. No one overeats on eggs or full fat yogurt or chicken. But rice? Popcorn? Rice cakes? They didn't develop the slogan "no one can eat just one" for nothing.

As for the weight loss...do something other than cardio. Cardio is great for your heart, but it kind of sucks for sustained weight loss. Especially when you are not obese. If you really like cardio-type activity, try high intensity intervals.

i reduced my daily sodium intake to 1500mg per day
once i got used to that (a couple of weeks) i found i no longer crave salty stuff at all.

same was true of when i removed all refined sugars and flours, and artificial sweeteners.
After a few weeks i stopped craving sweet stuff!
Only sweetener i use now is honey, and even then it is a rarely used treat *S*

It's amazing, the healthier your food choices, and the 'cleaner' they are (i am not 100% clean in my eating but i do try with most things), the more you reduce your cravings, and you end up WANTING to not waste calories on things like chips *S*

good luck!

I lowered my carbs when I was reading this,

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/press/the-primal-blueprint-diagrams/

I love salty foods too - instead of chips I now go for wasabi peas or roast soy beans. Great crunch, and protein to boot!

How about crab sticks/ seafood sticks?