How did you stop overeating ?
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morning_green
Posts: 11 Member
I have a serious problem with over eating. I never feel like I'm full. If I can access food I will constantly be eating, if it's not food it's a coffee or juice. I feel like I'm obsessed, I'm always thinking about what I will make for the next meal (I love cooking). How do I stop this way of thinking? I also struggle with emotional eating. The other day I found out the person I was dating was cheating and I just ate all those feelings. I had 3 Boston creams (410 calories per) ( I walked three separate times to get them) drank like 2 litres of Vanilla Coke a giant kit kat and a carmilk bar and as a broke student I ate whatever I could find in my cupboards. I know how to eat healthy, but I can't seem to overcome this unhealthy relationship with food. I've been buying healthy groceries but I'll still eat probably 3 times the ammount I should be. I'm hoping returning to calorie counting will be helpful, but does anyone have advice they could share or personal experience with overcoming this ? I really appreciate it.
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Replies
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Hi, I am a member of over eaters anonymous. Ita a 12 step recovery program. Just thought I would let you know. You can look up information on line to find meetings in your area5
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I didn't really stop eating as much but changed the portions of what I ate. I used vegetables to bulk up meals and choose snacks under 200 calories. I also drink tons of herbal tea instead of soda. Carrots and celery are pretty cheap staples to have around.3
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I was always overeating because I ate mindlessly and emotionally. Now, I log the day's meals and snacks the night before. No surprises. I can tailor it for my specific nutritional goals before I even start the day. Then during the day, I know what's next. I know that if I want to change something, I need to check it against the rest of the plan. If I've had a really rough day and am tempted, I try to figure out what will satisfy without breaking the calorie budget.
I've also found that vigorous exercise is better for me for blowing off steam than overeating ever was. I actually feel better afterwards, instead of guilty and bloated.12 -
I agree with @TmacMMM. Log the food BEFORE you eat it. Seeing those numbers in your diary are a real eye-opener. Sometimes I find that the food is worth it, sometimes not.10
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I think it's important to address the issue of emotional eating by finding another more constructive way to manage your emotions and stress. Exercise, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, prayer (if that's your thing), writing, etc.
Regular exercise can also reduce stress during trying times. Not exercising creates stress on your body which can cause stress on our minds. We were meant to move. Our muscles need to be used.4 -
I learnt that demonizing food and dividing foods into healthy and unhealthy creates fear of food, and a mindset of deprivation and restriction which always leads to rebellion - overeating.
I stopped demonizing food and dividing foods into healthy and unhealthy.
I learnt that any food can be eaten in moderation.
I learnt that some foods are very difficult for me to moderate.
I learnt that I'm not going to stop eating, but to stop overeating.
I decided to base my intake on foods I can eat to satiety and keep the difficult to moderate foods out of the house.
I also decided I would never again eat food I don't like.
So I eat anything I want, but not everything at once, and not all the time.
I plan my meals to get balance and variety, but also because I'm excited about good food and I always look forward to my meals.
I eat regular meals, portion them out before I eat, and I normally don't eat between meals.
I eat for fuel and enjoyment. I don't use food to ease emotions or pass time anymore.7 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I think it's important to address the issue of emotional eating by finding another more constructive way to manage your emotions and stress. Exercise, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, prayer (if that's your thing), writing, etc.
Regular exercise can also reduce stress during trying times. Not exercising creates stress on your body which can cause stress on our minds. We were meant to move. Our muscles need to be used.
Excellent point, @Need2Exerc1se! I agree with you, too. The weight room is my therapy. I love yoga, as well.2 -
Keeping a food diary helps me. I also swap out for lower calorie options when I do overeat. When it happens, I try to make the best choices (fit in my calorie goal and satisfy me).1
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Over time you find the foods that are priority to you- in quality and level of worth. Were the Boston Creams worth it? Were they that good? Did they taste any better after the second or third? Probably not, I understand it may not be the thought process during the binge, but try to weed out the mindless foods and eat the things you truly want. Would you rather snack mindlessly during the day or save the calories for a special treat for dessert that day? I have to do this through the day. Another thing to try, stay busy. Make lists. Give yourself enough to occupy your mind that you aren't constantly thinking or obsessing over the next thing in your mouth ( I do it too) It's hard not to when you are logging, but this is a great place to start becoming aware. I have noticed that about once a month ( around my period) I will binge out. It's not all day, but just a meals worth. Sometimes you want to eat things without counting everything and I get that. Get over it, and move on. Don't wallow in the guilt. Make your next day, meal, snack, a healthier choice and move on.3
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I had to change what I eat. Certain things just stoke my hunger while other things satiate it. Carbs are big one. Bread, cake, cookies etc.. I have much less ravenous hunger when I keep these to a minimum, if I am having a particularly rough time I eliminate them entirely.5
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Logging helps. A few years ago for Lent, I cut out chocolate- OH BOY was that hard! But it was worth it because I was eating crazy amounts of it, digging through the cupboards for baking chips when I had a craving and wouldn't buy it. Now I can stop at a smaller portion so it was like hitting a reset button. Every now and then I notice I'm climbing back up (mainly with sugar) and I have to rein it in.3
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You've had some really good replies here. Sorry to hear you've been through an emotional rough ride recently.
I too have never experienced the heartbreak diet (I eat when I'm sad), forgetting to eat because I'm too busy (I can eat while I do stuff) or losing weight because of stress (I eat if I'm stressed, oh and one time got alopecia.)
What do I do? Log it. All. Even when it's shocking. Especially when it's shocking.
I exercise. Classes I enjoy (pumpfit, street dance), walking my dogs (fresh air works a dream if I'm stressed or low and I can't take them in a shop to buy snacks!)
I vent. On a Facebook messenger group with my school friends or a WhatsApp group with local friends or in real life with my mum, sister or (rarely) husband.
I freeze leftovers so I can't graze on left over curry or bolognaise from the fridge.
Mainly I just don't keep things in the house that I can't control! I buy the kids cereal that I won't be tempted to have as an evening supper.
Don't be embarrassed about it, next time you feel the urge to splurge just come on here and tell us how you're feeling and get some support.6 -
I have this saying, "If hunger's not the problem, food isn't the solution."
It doesn't always work, but it's still a good saying. It does take quite a lot of self-knowledge to know when those triggers hit and to make a different choice. I still eat emotionally at times, but not as often now that I know other coping tools. Lots of great suggestions already in this thread.6 -
I just wanted it really badly so I stopped and did what was necessary.3
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Hey I am going to put that on my fridge...love the quote1
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Keep on weighing and logging. If I fancy a handful of nuts, I weigh them, log them, scream at the calories and either put them back or exercise FIRST. Logging helps stop the mindless eating, and if you're thinking about it then you can't absentmindedly eat 5 chocolate digestives. If I'm having one I take one, put the tin away and then enjoy it sitting down a looooong way from the tin.2
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I found the first week or so of eating less to be brutal... but once your body adjusts to eating less, it gets easier because your body craves less. Also, if you drink lots, especially with meals, you feel full quicker.0
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I sent you a friend request. I have the same problem. Some days are great, other days I'm constantly thinking about food.3
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I have a serious problem just like this. The best way that I have found to overcome these strong cravings and needs to go and eat now, is to find something else to do, anything else to completely occupy myself. I cannot buy an entire birthday cake and leave it in the house, because I will eat it simply because it is there. I understand the struggle and am glad that there is someone else out like me! You can do it!4
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