Can't stop overeating!

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2

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  • MrsMunsell
    MrsMunsell Posts: 37 Member
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    You've had some really good suggestions so far, and I want to give you props for upping your intake!

    Something else that also helped me when I first started was slowing down when I was eating. I started out on 1200 calories because I'm short, old, and was sedentary at the time. Making my food last by taking small bites, chewing them thoroughly, and completely emptying my mouth before taking the next bite taught me to be satisfied with less food.

    Now, I realize this won't help everyone, but just in case, I thought I'd put it out there.

    THIS will be a work in progress! I am known to eat like I'm starving (under 5 minutes for a whole meal) not sure why I do this but I have been told many times that my quick eating pace could be my problem too. Thank you!
  • MrsMunsell
    MrsMunsell Posts: 37 Member
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    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    You should increase it to 1600 or 1800. Sorry but 1200 is way to low. Just get plenty of exercise. Stay away from refine carbs and eat more protein keeps you full.

    I am really happy everyone agrees upping my calories will lead me to success. I struggled eating 1200 calories off and on since August and really didn't get anything beneficial from it. I really was clueless to what I should be eating!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    Ryan70286 wrote: »
    You should increase it to 1600 or 1800. Sorry but 1200 is way to low. Just get plenty of exercise. Stay away from refine carbs and eat more protein keeps you full.

    I am really happy everyone agrees upping my calories will lead me to success. I struggled eating 1200 calories off and on since August and really didn't get anything beneficial from it. I really was clueless to what I should be eating!

    And I'm really happy that you are listening to the advice given and are open to trying it. You don't know how rare that is. Good luck!
  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
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    Something else that also helped me when I first started was slowing down when I was eating. I started out on 1200 calories because I'm short, old, and was sedentary at the time. Making my food last by taking small bites, chewing them thoroughly, and completely emptying my mouth before taking the next bite taught me to be satisfied with less food.

    This is where I'm challenged. Sometimes I feel myself eating... just too fast. I have my next forkful ready before I've finished the one in my mouth. ugh.

    I visited someone's home and they had a painting on their wall with sayings. One of them said... Eat less... Chew more.

    It spoke to me. Thanks for the reminder!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    You've had some really good suggestions so far, and I want to give you props for upping your intake!

    Something else that also helped me when I first started was slowing down when I was eating. I started out on 1200 calories because I'm short, old, and was sedentary at the time. Making my food last by taking small bites, chewing them thoroughly, and completely emptying my mouth before taking the next bite taught me to be satisfied with less food.

    Now, I realize this won't help everyone, but just in case, I thought I'd put it out there.

    THIS will be a work in progress! I am known to eat like I'm starving (under 5 minutes for a whole meal) not sure why I do this but I have been told many times that my quick eating pace could be my problem too. Thank you!

    I'm exactly the same, and I KNOW I don't chew my food properly. I can finish my dinner and do the dishes and my husband still hasn't finished his meal that we started eating at the same time! He fills up a lot quicker than me because he actually lets his brain catch up to his food intake lol
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Sounds like a good plan for you! I am losing on 1600/day at 5'2" and a bit older than you. Make sure you are being very accurate in your counting though. Weighing your food on a scale is the best. It will help ensure that you are actually eating at that allowance. Enjoy your new found extra foods!

    Thank you! I did get a biggest loser food scale and it's so easy! I finally know what 1 oz. of cheese actually looks like. I was definitely under estimating my foods weight.

    This is so common! I'm glad you are working with it. If your scale has the option, using the gram function versus ounces is more accurate because it is a smaller unit. I was very sad when I saw how small a serving of cheese is. I can eat a big block of it (which might explain why I am here trying to lose weight). :smiley:
  • MrsMunsell
    MrsMunsell Posts: 37 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Sounds like a good plan for you! I am losing on 1600/day at 5'2" and a bit older than you. Make sure you are being very accurate in your counting though. Weighing your food on a scale is the best. It will help ensure that you are actually eating at that allowance. Enjoy your new found extra foods!

    Thank you! I did get a biggest loser food scale and it's so easy! I finally know what 1 oz. of cheese actually looks like. I was definitely under estimating my foods weight.

    This is so common! I'm glad you are working with it. If your scale has the option, using the gram function versus ounces is more accurate because it is a smaller unit. I was very sad when I saw how small a serving of cheese is. I can eat a big block of it (which might explain why I am here trying to lose weight). :smiley:

    I will definitely use the gram function! I am the saaaaame way with the cheese! I also used to think it was normal to eat as much as my 6 ft. tall husband. If I saw him eating something in my head I thought, "yuuuuuup I'm gonna have some too"
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Definitely think 1200 is quite low, I don't know how much you walk a day but an hour can burn a good 300 calories.
  • itsflaccoi
    itsflaccoi Posts: 69 Member
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    This is what i always say when i hear about things like this z2vbv4ntiqm8.jpeg
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    itsflaccoi wrote: »
    This is what i always say when i hear about things like this z2vbv4ntiqm8.jpeg

    What's wrong with pizza? It can absolutely fit into a balanced diet. I'm not even going to touch the rest of this. But I must admit, I agree with this:
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    Bro, it is okay to use punctuation marks. It's not like every period you put between sentences is ripped out of the hands of impoverished third-graders in Africa who will now not be able to punctuate their grammar lessons.

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Sounds like a good plan for you! I am losing on 1600/day at 5'2" and a bit older than you. Make sure you are being very accurate in your counting though. Weighing your food on a scale is the best. It will help ensure that you are actually eating at that allowance. Enjoy your new found extra foods!

    Thank you! I did get a biggest loser food scale and it's so easy! I finally know what 1 oz. of cheese actually looks like. I was definitely under estimating my foods weight.

    This is so common! I'm glad you are working with it. If your scale has the option, using the gram function versus ounces is more accurate because it is a smaller unit. I was very sad when I saw how small a serving of cheese is. I can eat a big block of it (which might explain why I am here trying to lose weight). :smiley:

    I will definitely use the gram function! I am the saaaaame way with the cheese! I also used to think it was normal to eat as much as my 6 ft. tall husband. If I saw him eating something in my head I thought, "yuuuuuup I'm gonna have some too"

    Right? Those tall men :laugh:
  • WendyLaubach
    WendyLaubach Posts: 518 Member
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    I also tend to wolf my food, and can thoughtlessly any amount food that's in front of me. The only way I can make this thing work is to budget my meal in advance, adjusting the size of the servings and the number of different foods as necessary to stay within my limit. Then that's all the food that goes on my plate, and no fair getting seconds--because I've learned that my instincts about how much to eat aren't trustworthy. On top of that, it helps to remember to slow down while eating, so I'll have time to realize I'm full. At the end of the meal, I have a restless impulse that there should be more, but if I do something else instead, I'll find in 30 minutes or so that I really don't need anything else after all.
  • MrsMunsell
    MrsMunsell Posts: 37 Member
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    Aw man! Larissa and nutmeg are hilarious!!!!!!

    I was overwhelmed with all of the positive helpful messages that made me really look at the decisions I was making. I thought I knew what I was doing but was clearly wrong. I've received great advice from top notch people and I will do the work! Here's a big THANK YOU to everyone with positive advice! Couldn't be more grateful :) .....and yes, ending a sentence is KEY to making a strong point, lol.
  • MrsMunsell
    MrsMunsell Posts: 37 Member
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    I also tend to wolf my food, and can thoughtlessly any amount food that's in front of me. The only way I can make this thing work is to budget my meal in advance, adjusting the size of the servings and the number of different foods as necessary to stay within my limit. Then that's all the food that goes on my plate, and no fair getting seconds--because I've learned that my instincts about how much to eat aren't trustworthy. On top of that, it helps to remember to slow down while eating, so I'll have time to realize I'm full. At the end of the meal, I have a restless impulse that there should be more, but if I do something else instead, I'll find in 30 minutes or so that I really don't need anything else after all.

    I like that! Thank you!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    You've had some really good suggestions so far, and I want to give you props for upping your intake!

    Something else that also helped me when I first started was slowing down when I was eating. I started out on 1200 calories because I'm short, old, and was sedentary at the time. Making my food last by taking small bites, chewing them thoroughly, and completely emptying my mouth before taking the next bite taught me to be satisfied with less food.

    Now, I realize this won't help everyone, but just in case, I thought I'd put it out there.

    Yes, eating slowly has been especially useful to help me not overeat foods like pizza and chocolate.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    You've had some really good suggestions so far, and I want to give you props for upping your intake!

    Something else that also helped me when I first started was slowing down when I was eating. I started out on 1200 calories because I'm short, old, and was sedentary at the time. Making my food last by taking small bites, chewing them thoroughly, and completely emptying my mouth before taking the next bite taught me to be satisfied with less food.

    Now, I realize this won't help everyone, but just in case, I thought I'd put it out there.

    Yes, eating slowly has been especially useful to help me not overeat foods like pizza and chocolate.

    I agree with this too, and a related point is that I've found when I measure out food and eat it and wait it's usually enough, even if less than I would have taken if going by how much I thought I wanted. When I was doing 1250 I also found that just tricking my eye by filling up my old plate with vegetables (I actually ate more by volume than I had before) helped too.

    That said, I think you are right to increase the calories.
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I put in 2 lbs loss per week as a goal. That means I need a 1000 cal deficit each day. My maint cals were calculated to be 2500 so the goal cals were set to 1500 a day. I'm 6'1" male and 1500 just doesn't cut it usually. I almost always eat 1800 to 2400 a day. I got tired of it not giving me credit for not meeting the goal calories when i still had descent deficits (e.g. 700 cal deficit), so I changed my goal cals to be the same as maint cals (2500). Now every day I'm under 2500, I count that as a success because I should be loosing something even if it is just a little. I still shoot for the 1000 cal daily deficit but if I need a little more food I'm ok with that as long as I'm under maint cals. I exercise about 2600 cals a week and that helps a lot too (allows me to eat more). Slow and steady, I think, is the way to go. Make it sustainable so you are not tempted to quit. My way of counting cals, I'm never overeating unless I'm above maintenance cals!

    Having said all that and usually not getting as high as a 1000 cal daily deficit, I've still managed to loose about 2.5 lbs a week since I started my diet (IF 21:3) 13 weeks ago. I might be underestimating cals I consume, or my maint cals might be higher than 2500, or eating in the short window has an effect of not allowing me to absorb as much of the cals I eat.

    I usually eat pizza ever Fri!
  • MrsMunsell
    MrsMunsell Posts: 37 Member
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    blambo61 wrote: »
    I put in 2 lbs loss per week as a goal. That means I need a 1000 cal deficit each day. My maint cals were calculated to be 2500 so the goal cals were set to 1500 a day. I'm 6'1" male and 1500 just doesn't cut it usually. I almost always eat 1800 to 2400 a day. I got tired of it not giving me credit for not meeting the goal calories when i still had descent deficits (e.g. 700 cal deficit), so I changed my goal cals to be the same as maint cals (2500). Now every day I'm under 2500, I count that as a success because I should be loosing something even if it is just a little. I still shoot for the 1000 cal daily deficit but if I need a little more food I'm ok with that as long as I'm under maint cals. I exercise about 2600 cals a week and that helps a lot too (allows me to eat more). Slow and steady, I think, is the way to go. Make it sustainable so you are not tempted to quit. My way of counting cals, I'm never overeating unless I'm above maintenance cals!

    Having said all that and usually not getting as high as a 1000 cal daily deficit, I've still managed to loose about 2.5 lbs a week since I started my diet (IF 21:3) 13 weeks ago. I might be underestimating cals I consume, or my maint cals might be higher than 2500, or eating in the short window has an effect of not allowing me to absorb as much of the cals I eat.

    I usually eat pizza ever Fri!

    That's interesting, eat less than your maintenance. Smart! A fellow MFP friend calculated potential goals for me and my calorie intakes were even higher than 1700/ day.

    I've spent so much time not caring about my calories (which is how I gained 20lbs) that I over complicated everything! Thank you :)
  • dhaug44
    dhaug44 Posts: 14 Member
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    Broccoli protein bars and I love these healthy choice frozen meals roughly 250 cals depending on the meal eat 1 before lunch and after lunch instead of lunch it will allow you to not get hungry until closer to bed time and have a late dinner
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I'm in the same boat as you - I easily over-eat and I tend to eat very fast.
    MrsMunsell wrote: »
    I will definitely use the gram function! I am the saaaaame way with the cheese! I also used to think it was normal to eat as much as my 6 ft. tall husband. If I saw him eating something in my head I thought, "yuuuuuup I'm gonna have some too"

    But this!! This is at least something I do right, haha... My bf often has snacks, like fresh sandwiches, potato chips, family sized chocolate bars, protein shakes and nuts, and he pretty much always asks me if I want some too. But I always say no!! I'm SO proud of myself now that I realized this just by reading your post! (These snacks that he always offers would be extra for me as I'm already reeeeeeally good at hitting my daily calories and then some :D )