Overeating and overwhelmed

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coffintop
coffintop Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Recently (but like for a really long time now because I've lost and gained about 10 kilos) I've been overeating and trying not to eat and i'm just on this awful cycle and i feel really bad about myself but thinking about not trying to count calls is almost scary now. I feel like I'll totally loose control and put on even more weight and mind you I'm overweight. I'm just really overwhelmed, do you have any advice ??

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  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Pick one item to focus on, and do that for now. Then when you get it 'under control' add another. Drinking more water, eating enough protein, eating fruits and/or veggies with each meal, being active for X minutes a day: are different things you can focus on.

  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    Like @StaciMarie1974 says, pick one or two small, doable goals. Then, focus on the day or even moment, instead of thinking in all or nothing terms. So, to use Staci's example, if your goal is to drink more water, make it measurable and focused on the present (e.g. I will drink a glass of water before each meal today). Sometimes, even "today" can feel overwhelming. In that case, just focus on right now. For example, "I will drink a glass of water before this meal that I'm about to eat."

    Good luck!
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Why are you overeating? Are you eating emotionally or do you just love food (like me)? I think figuring out why is important. If it's stress I'd try and replace the eating with some other way to manage stress. Like reading a book, going to the movies, exercising, playing Pokemon Go', whatever is fun and mindless.

    If it's just because you love food maybe try some new recipes that lighten up your favorites. Like those on skinnytaste. Cooking is very therapeutic for me so I enjoy doing that.
  • sweetilemon
    sweetilemon Posts: 122 Member
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    Meal plan. I find if I've planned exactly what I'm eating the next day/week I am less likely to 'lose' it and think I can work it in, then can't and think I've gone over anyway so what's the point...next thing I know I've not tracked for days. Doesn't mean plans don't change but it is more manageable.
  • coffintop
    coffintop Posts: 25 Member
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    enterdanger wrote: »
    Why are you overeating? Are you eating emotionally or do you just love food (like me)?
    Well i start eating and I can't stop, i tell myself that I'll eat x amount but I just can't stick to it. And then yes a lot of it is emotional after that.
  • LPflaum
    LPflaum Posts: 174 Member
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    I second the meal planning. Not only does it make your life easier in terms of counting calories and staying within a "zone," if you're smart about it you can cut your grocery bill in half. I live in a southern state where we have publix and there is a website (iheartpublix.com) that releases the flyer a full 4 days early. I add everything we would eat that week that is on the flyer to my grocery list (proteins, veggies, canned foods, etc), then I search cookinglight for recipes that utilize those veggies and proteins, adding outlier ingredients as necessary. I can feed two people 5 dinners + at least 3 meals of leftovers (16 meals) for $90 this way ($5.63/meal), all of our meals have a meat and 1-2 veggies.
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
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    I'd suggest eating at maintenance for a while, rather than try to lose weight if it's overwhelming you. See what MFP recommends for you to eat at maintenance and go with that. Then when you're comfortable with that, then start introducing one or two small goals as recommended above.

  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    coffintop wrote: »
    enterdanger wrote: »
    Why are you overeating? Are you eating emotionally or do you just love food (like me)?
    Well i start eating and I can't stop, i tell myself that I'll eat x amount but I just can't stick to it. And then yes a lot of it is emotional after that.

    That is hard. If you have certain trigger foods (that you just can't seem to stop eating), it might be best to avoid them until you've built some better habits. Also, I think that @enterdanger gave good advice with finding activities to keep yourself busy instead of eating.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    Things that help me feel full...

    7-8hrs of sleep at night
    plenty of water
    fiber
    full fat
    protein (I don't eat meat only fish)

    sometimes if its an extra hard day when I want to eat a lot I have 1/2 quest protein bar in between meals.

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