Help! I can't control it!

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abbylove08
abbylove08 Posts: 215
in Health and Weight Loss
After spending the whole day at an elementary school student teaching, I get home and am RAVENOUS. Usually I pack an apple to eat once the kids go home to hold me over, and SOMETIMES I can make wiser decisons once I get home. But today I had to go to a faculty meeting and didn't get to eat until I got home around 4. I told myself I would only eat my apple. I ate my apple. And about 2 tbsp of peanut butter. a handful of cheez-its, some marshmallow creme... it was awful. I was BINGING.

What can I do to help my self control? I always feel so GUILTY after I act that way, because I know how much time I spend planning out my meals to make sure I am getting a balanced, healthy diet. I don't want to say "oh I'll just go work it off at the gym" because 1) That doesn't help the habit of binging, it just hides it/makes it "ok", and 2) I don't have TIME to make it to the gym every day. Im struggling to get there 3-4 times.

Help. Please. :embarassed:

Replies

  • abbylove08
    abbylove08 Posts: 215
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    After spending the whole day at an elementary school student teaching, I get home and am RAVENOUS. Usually I pack an apple to eat once the kids go home to hold me over, and SOMETIMES I can make wiser decisons once I get home. But today I had to go to a faculty meeting and didn't get to eat until I got home around 4. I told myself I would only eat my apple. I ate my apple. And about 2 tbsp of peanut butter. a handful of cheez-its, some marshmallow creme... it was awful. I was BINGING.

    What can I do to help my self control? I always feel so GUILTY after I act that way, because I know how much time I spend planning out my meals to make sure I am getting a balanced, healthy diet. I don't want to say "oh I'll just go work it off at the gym" because 1) That doesn't help the habit of binging, it just hides it/makes it "ok", and 2) I don't have TIME to make it to the gym every day. Im struggling to get there 3-4 times.

    Help. Please. :embarassed:
  • Dytari
    Dytari Posts: 51 Member
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    That is rough! First off kudos for being a teacher. Second; bring a snack, it doesn't have to be an apple something you can pick at like popcorn. I pop a 100 calorie pack when I now I'll be out of the house and put in a ziplock, that way when I've passed the 10th KFC running errands I can eat the pop corn with some water and I'm good till I get home. hope that helps a bit. Are you skipping lunch?
  • abbylove08
    abbylove08 Posts: 215
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    Definately NOT skipping lunch! I wouldn't survive! I make sure that my breakfast is high in fiber and well balanced (fruit, protein, grain) to hold me until lunch. I also try to balance my lunch doing the same thing (fruit, protein, grain, and a 100 calorie sweet for my sweet tooth). I've heard that sometimes binging comes from low blood sugar? But I'm not sure how to up mine when it gets low during the day, because I can't eat when I'm in the classroom (mainly because I'm a student teacher, and it would affect my "Professionalism Grade" to eat in front of the students).

    Is there something about peanut butter that's addictive. Ya know, kind of like cheese? Because if so... i am so very addicted. I CRAVE it. and it's SO HIGH CAL!!!
  • nebgurl
    nebgurl Posts: 23 Member
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    Hi Abby!
    I have this same issue as I do work odd hours at times. What I do is carry a snack bag filled with things like cheese sticks, fruit, 100 calorie pack or something like that along with me wherever I go. The total calories in that snack bag usually range up to 250-300 calories (calorie value of a typical meal)- That way- if I choose to flip out or get increadibly hungry and I can't get home on time I can dig into my bag for some healthy snacks. I use to get teased at the office about carrying food around all the time but I see now, that others are starting to do it! LOL:laugh:

    In my desk drawer I keep a couple of campbels soup on the go or if there is no microwave I keep a package of pre-drained tuna to eat or a couple of ziplock baggies of dry cereal. I keep something to eat that I can get at and not be ashamed of myself when I'm done enjoying it. I even keep a health food bar in the car so that if in the event that I don't have my snack bag- the option to go through a drive-through on the way home is removed. :blushing:

    Truthfully- the choices you made during your "binge" were not all bad (minus the marshmallow creame- simple sugar). It happens-- they key is to not engage in the activity too often. I Try and prepare for a longer day if possible. Even an extra 30 meeting at the end of a day (when you are use to leaving at a certain time) can mean the difference between an impulse double whopper with cheese and fries filled with fat and a healthy volumetrics meal with aaaalll the trimings!

    Good luck!
  • abbylove08
    abbylove08 Posts: 215
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    Thank you so much for the insight!
    I should start carrying my own snack bag. I have noticed that I've started a ini-stash at the school in my desk for days I stay late and know I will be hungry (fruit cups, 100 cal snack). When I go to the grocery store, i will stock up on some lower fat/calorie grabby snacks for emergencies like today, and be sure to keep them in my purse.
  • sweetcorruption
    sweetcorruption Posts: 20
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    have a pinch of roasted seaweed when you feel a binge coming on. I have no idea why, but it always always stops me...
  • OliveBranch
    OliveBranch Posts: 104
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    I have had issues with binge eating for years...It takes much effort and patience with yourself to be able to overcome the urges. I think the most important thing is to not set yourself up for failure. By only allotting yourself a small amount of food, like an apple after work, you're ignoring your body's natural signals of hunger. The best thing you can do is to pack yourself enough food to eat throughout the day. If you're worried about overeating, pack small portions of veggies or almonds to gnosh on, and a substantial lunch, like a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread.
    My best advice is, when you feel like you are ravenous, weather out of hunger or for comfort, do whatever it takes to distract yourself: take a walk, a bath, call a friend, or get online and ask for help!!! I've found most of my cravings pass in 30 min-1 hr. If you really don't feel like you can control yourself, get in the car, and leave the house. Slowly, with a lot of practice and patience with yourself, all of this will get easier.
    You are doing a great thing by reaching out!
    Best of luck, we're all in this together!
    -OliveBranch
  • neecey
    neecey Posts: 16
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    Try not to beat yourself up - you are human! And you're doing a good job on your plan :)

    PB is not all that bad. Yes, it's high in fat like all it's nutty cousins but it's "good" fat. The kind that makes you feel full and satisfied. You don't want to eat it al the time because it's high in calories too. But if you allow for some fat in your plan, make a PB & Sugar Free J sandwich. Get some high fiber bread or English muffins and put 1 Tbsp PB on it and some jam and you're looking at around 100 cals for the bread and around 94 cals for the PB and then whatever your jam is - probably 20 or so.

    A less cal approach is to eat up to a cup of low or non fat cottage cheese with some chopped tomatoes or mandarin oranges mixed in and topped with 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds (45 cals for the seeds) It's delicious, provides the protein to help keep hunger at bay and some crunch for the munchie attack.

    I make my own "protein water" by mixing half a scoop of unflavored whey protein (45 cals) with a little (1-2 Tbsp) cranberry juice concentrate (the kind that's really thick and needs to be diluted - 100% juice only!) You can add a packet of Splenda or Truvia (stevia) for some sweetness as the cran can be pretty tart until you get used to it. This can be achieved by adding about a half a packet of SF drink mix to the water bottle instead of the cran concentrate, something like Crystal Light.

    Hope that helps!
    Denice
  • LosingIt4good
    LosingIt4good Posts: 1,214 Member
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    Ok, so you cant munch in front of the kiddos but can you drink stuff??
    Its amazing what you can get into a travel coffee mug. Soup, smoothies, ect.

    Also a snack bag is a good idea. Keep it in the glove compartment for emergency late working situations so you arent famished. If you can keep yourself from getting to that "emergency" state it will be easier to control impulse cravings for the stuff you dont want to eat.

    Dont beat yourself up too hard. We've all been there. I still have moments like this but its getting less and less frequent as time goes on.
  • LosingIt4good
    LosingIt4good Posts: 1,214 Member
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    I make a pb smoothie with 3/4 cup low fat or fat free milk, some ice and a tablespoon of PB. Its a good lowcal snack that works wonders for satisfying that PB craving without eating it straight out. You can also throw in some frozen berries for a PB&J effect.

    Whirl it in the blender and you have a healthy, satisfying drink to tide you over until you can have a real meal.
  • Buterflygyrl
    Buterflygyrl Posts: 16
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    I have to work an 8.5 hours but I have an hour commute total crave food by the time I leave the office. I did find a helpful hint from the biggest looser... sugarfree gum... I put 5 stick pack in my bag and when I leave the office I chew 1 stick and I forget about cravings and when I get home I am ready for dinner.
  • nebgurl
    nebgurl Posts: 23 Member
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    Buterfly- I'm glad you mentioned the SF gum. Often times I have the erge to chew something but not really hungry???? I think SF gum is better in this case.

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