Help me "reset" my brain

moledew · June 2015

I feel like I'm starving. Not the actual hungry kind of starving, but the kind where I'm eating less than I ever have before so my brain thinks I'm dying. Now I'm craving a bunch of sugary junk food and chips. I know I'm eating more than enough to sustain life (1,330cals daily) but I can't shake the feeling that I NEED to be eating just because that's what I'm used to. It got really bad last night so I went for a walk and thought about a donut stick the whole time. I got back inside and as soon as I hit the couch, I started craving chips. I then got up and started cleaning but even as I'm scooping the litter box, I was thinking about Pringles. What the F is wrong with me?! I finally gave in and had a bowl of cereal since that at least had fiber and calcium but I went over my goal yet again.

I know I'm not hungry. I think I just feel deprived because I can't eat all day like I used to. And when I DO snack all day on lower calorie foods, I can't shake the cravings and I end up eating more than had I just given in in the first place or I never get any type of "full" feeling which makes me want to graze even more. I sincerely think it's all in my head but I'm having such a hard time breaking my old ways and getting into this groove. Seeing my numbers in the red everyday is killing my motivation too. I've got to get a grip on this and reprogram me emotional attachment to food but I don't have the slightest clue how to do that. HELP!

mbaker566 · June 2015

if it's habit hunger, change your habits.
go for a quick walk. drink some water. read. do some jumping jacks. just a few examples.
food is not a reward, it is fuel.

StaciMarie1974 · June 2015

How much weight do you need to lose, and what is your weight loss goal per week? If 2 pounds, try dialing it back to 1.5. This will give you an extra 250/day calories to consume and perhaps will help you get over this hurdle.

Not sure what your typical meal is like - but you can also try changing around the composition. A large portion of lean protein and several veggies can be filling but not deplete your calorie budget. Such as ~6 (raw) ounces of chicken breast, baked veggies (zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. - I toss with a little olive oil & parm cheese & seasonings) can make a big meal for 300-400 calories. Bake some sliced sweet potato if you want to have a starchy carb with it.

snickerscharlie · June 2015

I usually try drinking a glass of water first which helps a lot of the time - seems I was actually just thirsty.

TavistockToad · June 2015

What are your stats?

How much fat and protein are you. Eating per day?

jaga13 · June 2015

I think I understand. In the past, I got immediate gratification from diving into a large amount of something not so healthy. A small portion didn't cut it because I wasn't really trying to savor the taste, but wanted to mindlessly delve into it. That is hard to get over and some people almost view it as grieving. If you want to make a permanent change, you have to accept that you won't be able to endlessly eat whatever you want anymore. Sure, you can make a small, reasonable portion of any indulgent food fit into your budget if you want (and you should, if you enjoy it). But you won't be able to just eat piles of everything you want, and that is a hard adjustment.

I don't really have advice for how to change your mindset. I hear that you aren't actually hungry. You've tried distracting yourself, but that isn't working. I don't know, I think something has to click. Something clicked for me: I used to go crazy and "reward"myself with food when I got the house all to myself. One day it dawned on me that no one is winning when i do this, least of all me. I wasn't rewarding myself, I was hurting myself.

debsdoingthis · June 2015

StaciMarie1974 wrote: »

How much weight do you need to lose, and what is your weight loss goal per week? If 2 pounds, try dialing it back to 1.5. This will give you an extra 250/day calories to consume and perhaps will help you get over this hurdle.

Not sure what your typical meal is like - but you can also try changing around the composition. A large portion of lean protein and several veggies can be filling but not deplete your calorie budget. Such as ~6 (raw) ounces of chicken breast, baked veggies (zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. - I toss with a little olive oil & parm cheese & seasonings) can make a big meal for 300-400 calories. Bake some sliced sweet potato if you want to have a starchy carb with it.

2nd this! with 95 lbs to lose, You could probably up your calories to 1500-1600 a day, feel satisfied and still lose.

EmmaFitzwilliam · June 2015

When I started a year ago (and 73 of 95 pounds to lose ago!), I set my "ground rules". One of them was "there are no forbidden foods". I am allowed to eat anything I want, and no food cop is going to tell me I am not. It may also de-fuse some of the frustration to remind yourself that it is okay to go over the recommended number of calories.

In December, I added "no mindless snacking", although that hadn't been much of a problem before. But as I got comfortable with logging, and with the calorie goal (not a limit!), I started to see calorie-dense foods in terms of "percentage of total recommended for the day". That gelato (for example) is 10% of my calories for the day; it's going to pay off!

In the shorter term, have you tried the "brush your teeth" or "busy your hands" tricks? Some people find it easier to not snack after they brush their teeth. It helps me sometimes. For me, the big "assist" was to keep my hands busy, especially with projects I needed to have clean hands for. Knitting, lucet, crochet, sewing, etc. Can't eat greasy potato chips and play with fine silk!

Good luck! I hope you find a strategy that works for you.

tulips_and_tea · June 2015

@moledew, honestly it sounds like you did a good job identifying the cravings and distracting yourself. That's great! Next, give yourself time to adjust to your new eating habits.

Cravings are just cravings. Not a need. They can be waited out. Do it enough and the cravings happen less and less. Also, worrying about it and dwelling on food is counterproductive. Out of sight out of mind. I think you're handling it well, so just keep at it. Consistency is the key.

lisalewis7588 · June 2015

Drink a big glass of water... if that doesn't help, chew some sugar-free gum or brush your teeth or rinse with mouthwash. Sometimes the minty fresh feeling will make you not want to eat for awhile. I can't chew gum because of TMJ problems, so I opt for sugar-free Werther's to suck on. They're about 10 calories apiece, but it keeps my mouth busy for awhile (usually long enough to distract myself from wanting to eat) and keeps me from eating a 200 calorie snack instead.

Need2Exerc1se · June 2015

Maybe you are hungry. If you are at a deficit then your body isn't getting enough food to fuel itself. That's the plan, right? Limit food so that your body has to burn some fat for fuel.

The more you limit, the more hunger you will likely feel. This is also why the body tends to crave fast digesting carbs like sugar and chips. They are quick to enter the blood stream.

I agree with a few others above that suggested upping your calories some and losing more slowly. Your thought of looking for a snack with fiber was a good instinct. Fiber can definitely help with satiety.

999tigger · June 2015

I get it, but make sure you arent being too aggressive becayse that results in bingers or uneccesary misery.
there are plenty of strageues, lost mentioned above, but please dont make it harder for yourself than needs be.

kbolton322 · June 2015

I became a gum chewer to help with this.. if I'm bored and I think I'm hungry I grab a stick of gum... its helps alot.. also a cup of cold water helps

ncscott11 · June 2015

Tea helps too!

jaga13 · June 2015

I have another suggestion: I find it easiest to pre-log my meals and snacks so I have a "plan" to follow. Tonight I will log everything for tomorrow. It will include some type of treat, in a reasonable amount. Of course I won't always stick to it, and will edit as needed, but I like having a plan of attack. It makes me more likely to stay in the Green.

Another thought: if you are seeing red every day, but it's still less than your "maintenance" calories, you are still indeed going to lose weight. For instance, let's say you're set for a 500 calorie deficit, and you end up seeing a 100 Red number. That means you created a 400 calorie deficit which is still GREAT and you will lose weight. Of course if you are seeing more than 500 in the red each day, that won't work.

ruggedshutter · June 2015

I still have nights like this. I put on a pot of coffee and tell myself that I'm not hungry. Usually it's an hour or so just before bed so I drink some coffee then go to bed. Tea would work as well.

moledew · June 2015

I have too much to reply to each of you but to cover the majority:

I was eating 1,500ish per day (-1.5/week) and was doing just fine so I decided to lower it to -2lbs/week. I don't know if seeing my "snack allowance" disappear is what has triggered this internal freaking out my body is going through or what. I thought about bumping it back up and having a larger deficit remaining rather than blowing it completely by having myself restricted to the least amount of calories recommended for my stats but I don't know if that will actually solve anything.

I recently quit smoking but I still use my vape and try that to occupy my mouth but I just chief on it like its my main source for oxygen to the point my boyfriend felt the need to ask if I was ok the other day

. I'll definitely try brushing my teeth or getting hard candies versus eating a box of debbie cakes (not literally but i swear i could do it!)

I was also doing great with water and drinking about 90oz a day but that's gotten old so fast and probably the reason this has gotten harder. If I buy flavored water does that count? I hate drinking water with my food...it makes everything taste disgusting!

As for protein intake, psht, I'm never even close to meeting my goal on that! I'm such a picky eater and I don't really like meat so I substitute other things for protein but I know that's one of my biggest downfalls to never feeling satisfied. Ideas for low cal/high protein foods?

I just sincerily think my relationship with food is the root of all of this. I wouldn't be here if I didn't have this freaking disorder and emotional attachment with junk food or gorging myself on the daily. I wish I could overcome this and be "normal"...

tomatoey · June 2015

You probably are hungry. Eat a bit more and look at your macros.

StaciMarie1974 · June 2015

For non-meat proteins that are also low cal: beans, egg whites? I mostly turn to meat for protein but I'm sure others will have alternate ideas.

pigbox · June 2015

I'm with you, moledew. Almonds (10), cheese snacks, apples are my go-tos. Any of these plus a glass of water and I can usually power through.

jgnatca · June 2015

Here's some ideas I blogged because this does come up quite a bit. I picked up these tips along the way.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jgnatca/view/halting-a-binge-session-715131

I like how you've analysed the situation and ruled out hunger as the cause, and that you are likely fighting old habit patterns.

One thing I've learned about the brain is the more you resist a thought, the more powerful it becomes. What helps a lot more is replacement. New activities, distractions, hobbies, and interests crowd out the old habits. There's the Buddhist mindfulness practices as well, where you learn to allow the thoughts to wander through unimpeded, but observe them dispassionately, not attaching any emotion to the thoughts (anger, guilt, sadness). They are just thoughts. Let the thoughts come and go.

This is more than just a "woo" idea. Mindfulness techniques have been very helpful for instance, for people with obsessive compulsions, to overcome those compulsions.

moledew · June 2015

jgnatca wrote: »

Here's some ideas I blogged because this does come up quite a bit. I picked up these tips along the way.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jgnatca/view/halting-a-binge-session-715131

I like how you've analysed the situation and ruled out hunger as the cause, and that you are likely fighting old habit patterns.

One thing I've learned about the brain is the more you resist a thought, the more powerful it becomes. What helps a lot more is replacement. New activities, distractions, hobbies, and interests crowd out the old habits. There's the Buddhist mindfulness practices as well, where you learn to allow the thoughts to wander through unimpeded, but observe them dispassionately, not attaching any emotion to the thoughts (anger, guilt, sadness). They are just thoughts. Let the thoughts come and go.

This is more than just a "woo" idea. Mindfulness techniques have been very helpful for instance, for people with obsessive compulsions, to overcome those compulsions.

Thank you for sharing this. I'll give the 10 minute rule a shot tonight and force myself to drink water in between. Its incredibly weird because I feel 100% motivated but like my self control is hanging at about 6%. You'd think the motivation would be enough to boost my ability to say "no" to myself when I want to raid everything in the kitchen but this is a battle I've been losing my entire life. I just don't want to be defeated yet again...I feel too confident for that this time but old habits die REALLLYYYY hard

jgnatca · June 2015

That's why I try not to depend on my "willpower" because that's a limited resource. I build my environment and my strategies to avoid temptation wherever I can and depend on "willpower" for critical moments; not every hour of every day.

Need2Exerc1se · June 2015

moledew wrote: »

I was also doing great with water and drinking about 90oz a day but that's gotten old so fast and probably the reason this has gotten harder. If I buy flavored water does that count? I hate drinking water with my food...it makes everything taste disgusting!

Yes, flavored water "counts". You don't have to drink plain water to get the benefits of water. After all, the water doesn't disappear just because you add flavoring.

azulvioleta6 · June 2015

Don't hit the couch!

I have a couch...I literally NEVER sit on it unless I have visitors.

Find something else to occupy your mind, hands or body. New hobbies and activities are a good thing! This time of year it is great just to get outside and enjoy the sun...go for a hike in the mountains, go for a walk in the park, go jump in a lake or river...you get the idea.

azulvioleta6 · June 2015

There could be something about your diet that is keeping you from feeling totally satisfied.

If you want feedback and ideas about that, open your diary.

jaga13 · June 2015

So you went from a 750 calorie deficit (1.5 lbs) to a 1000 deficit (2lbs), is that right? That is probably not helping matters. Most people slowly decrease their deficit, not increase. Definitely go back to 1.5 lbs. allow yourself room to snack.

Then implement the ideas above regarding distraction etc.

SnuggleSmacks · June 2015

Try:

Drink a big glass of water and wait 20 minutes to see if you are actually hungry or just thirsty.
Take a walk.
Do something with your hands, learn to crochet, knit, draw, quilt, whatever you're interested in that will keep your hands occupied.
Do something with your brain, sudoku, crosswords, puzzle games, read a good book, anything to keep you occupied.
Brush your teeth, take a bath, go to bed early.

After trying one or two of these things, if you're still hungry, you have two choices: Eat something sensible (preferably low cal, high protein) or accept that hunger isn't the worst thing in the world. I know it can be distracting, but I've done fasting days and found that as long as you stay busy, you actually forget about being hungry.

You might also plan ahead for next time by saving some calories for a snack and keeping sensible snacks on hand...slices of Canadian bacon with a little squirt of mustard and a little square of cheese, for example.

ahoy_m8 · June 2015

moledew wrote: »

I was eating 1,500ish per day (-1.5/week) and was doing just fine so ...

You are doing so much right! Go back to 1500ish. It worked for you. If you found ways to work more protein in, you would probably feel even better. Eggs? Protein powder in fruit smoothies? Legumes?

Jgnacta said it: better to rely on sound strategies (e.g. sustainable deficit, satiating foods) than willpower. Best of luck!

Eta: beautiful profile pic !

charlieandcarol · June 2015

I have similar thought processes/habits. One is couch+evening+TV=cravings=overeating. Another is major study deadline+procrastination+anxiety about procrastinating=cravings=overeating. Sometimes its like a worm chewing away in my brain and ruins a whole day of good work. I never feel better afterwards but that doesn't seem to always stop me at the start.

I did a bit of reading about habits, things like cravings/overeating and smoking are intimately interwoven with habits for many people with the end result being you get some sort of reward from the behavior (eg temporarily reduced anxiety). One way to break the behavior is you need to identify the habits around it and then see if you can alter some of the habits but most importantly see if you can introduce something that replaces the behavior but gives you a similar reward.

It takes time and trial and error and you really have to look at what you do before the craving arrives and figure out the triggers and rewards. Then figure out how you can react differently to the trigger in order to get a similar reward.

I felt really powerless in the face of my cravings and overeating by giving in to them. I read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and I found it made a lot of sense to me and now I am a work in progress. I haven't totally quit over-eating but I am getting better at not doing it.

azulavioleta6 you have inspired me to consider a ban on the couch all together!

Good Luck with it, it can be so heartbreaking and frustrating!

Help me "reset" my brain

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