Calling all females who think about why they overeat!

Tuliper1
Tuliper1 Posts: 59 Member
edited November 26 in Motivation and Support
I’ve just begun to lose between 40 and 50 pounds, and I’d love to have more female friends here on MFP. I journal daily about my thoughts and experiences regarding food and exercise, and my diary is open.

I’d enjoy connecting with other women who are in this for the long haul, and who aren’t going to give up at the first fall off the wagon!

Replies

  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    Hi, I’m in it for good. Since January I’ve lost 28 pounds with 10 more to go (at least-don’t know yet). I’ve thought a lot about why I ate practically all the time in the past, I’ve also realized I never let myself feel real hunger. I practiced Intermittent Fasting for a while and that really helped me see that I wouldn’t keel over if I missed a meal. Now that I’m not IF’ing anymore, I know it’s ok to feel a bit hungry before a meal. I’m still learning....
  • dkg_motivate
    dkg_motivate Posts: 10 Member
    Hi! I also have had an eye opening experience dissecting my relationship with food. IF helped me also, I'm not going to die or pass out if I miss a meal anymore.
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    The fact that I had made the decision back in November and have been successful makes my mood sooo much better! I am hopeful with knowing I am physically progressing.
    When I was heavier I would have sleep dreams of jumping and flying into the air like a graceful fairy.....can't do that being 55lbs overweight! I would wake up sad and disgusted with myself.
    Don't have that dream anymore because I am now an active participant in my own life and things are looking up.
  • karenforya
    karenforya Posts: 9 Member
    Hi, I'm in this too for the long haul, lifestyle change! MFP has been a excellent tool I'm so grateful to have. I just keep using it in every way to encourage and help myself. Thanks to everyone one on here for your candor. I finally feel like I can slowly get a handle on this by reading all these open forums and know that I'm not alone. Food has ruled my life for so long. I keep telling myself ,,, Your living your some days
    NOW! So that helps me realize NOW or never.
  • oanne7073
    oanne7073 Posts: 4 Member
    Add me please
  • JaiNicole7
    JaiNicole7 Posts: 88 Member
    edited May 2018
    I started with 50 lbs to lose-currently 36 lbs left until I reach maintenance. I am an emotional eater. I have started journaling to turn my focus inward instead of trying to fill the void with food. I joined MFP in late February. My diary is public. Feel free to add!
  • lyndsfattofit
    lyndsfattofit Posts: 33 Member
    I've been back on this for almost a week now and really trying to analyse why I eat the way I do whilst monitoring my calories. Definitely up for the support and motivation. Diary is public so feel free to add me
  • camtuho
    camtuho Posts: 1 Member
    Omg this is me!! When I workout my diet is really well behaved and days I don’t I just go crazy and eat all my cravings! I’m with you! I guess we just have to find a way to be strong and stay consistent!
  • Xkmaf2018X
    Xkmaf2018X Posts: 97 Member
    @InfoomaousTete Really sorry to hear about your Mum, I do hope your OK. Well done for seeking help and getting yourself back to being you.

    When you say "I use to go all in or nothing at all", thats how I feel on a daily/weekly basis, I either put my all into it and feel extremely proud or nothing at all and feel extremely disappointed that I've let myself down.

    I've well overeaten today and am sat here in work feeling really uncomfortable, fat, I'm having a continuous argument with myself as why I did it or do it....


  • InfoomaousTete
    InfoomaousTete Posts: 1,383 Member

    Xkmaf2018X wrote: »
    @InfoomaousTete Really sorry to hear about your Mum, I do hope your OK. Well done for seeking help and getting yourself back to being you.

    When you say "I use to go all in or nothing at all", thats how I feel on a daily/weekly basis, I either put my all into it and feel extremely proud or nothing at all and feel extremely disappointed that I've let myself down.

    I've well overeaten today and am sat here in work feeling really uncomfortable, fat, I'm having a continuous argument with myself as why I did it or do it....


    Thanks so much, I am doing better.

    I use to blame my weight on the fact that I had 3 "men" living in the house and I ate just like them...but again that was just another excuse. Its me pure and simple, and food is my addiction and sometimes I want to feed that addiction regardless of consequences, even if I hate myself for it.

    I hope you find the comfort and support you need here. When I utilize this place its a game changer! :smile:

  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Xkmaf2018X wrote: »
    Wow - this was definitely a forum I needed to see right at this moment in time....

    I've struggled with counting calories since around Feb, I go days where I stick to my calorie goal and exercise everyday which happens to be on the days I stick to my calorie goal to then days where I don't stick to my calorie goal, eat everything I feel like, don't exercise then spend the next few hours feeling guilty, fat, hating my lack of willpower and wondering why on earth I do this to myself and this week is one of those weeks.......I haven't stuck to calorie goal and I haven't worked out...Yet last Monday to Thursday I was perfect, I stuck to calorie goal, I worked out everyday, I felt good, I felt in control (so I know I can do this)....Then comes Friday where I worked from home, I had every intention in going for a run until I over-thought it that much that I didn't go for a run and ended up eating bread, crisps etc, its like my mind automatically says "well you didn't work out so you may as well be more bad and overeat"... which then lead to a bad Friday night, Saturday and Sunday and because I didn't go to the gym on Monday I ate bad, I didn't go gym on Tuesday so I ate bad, I didn't go to the gym today so I ate bad....and just as I was sat here thinking "Why do I keep doing this to myself, why do I go downs of being in control, working out to all of a sudden I eat everything in sight and my lack of motivation for exercise is NIL.....This is what it's like all the time for me and I don't know how to break that cycle....However, upon reading this thread I'm feeling like the exercise/workouts I do actually are my motivator for staying on track with my calorie goal and maybe I need to start thinking of how exercise makes me feel after I've done it....

    I'm not unhappy, I'm not stressed, I don't feel sad or anxious, I have a good job, great husband and Son so I only have my silly self to blame when I don't workout, overeat then beat myself up about it....

    Can anyone else relate?

    Just a question about your good days: are you away from home? When I'm not home and doing out and about stuff, I get hungry, but there's stuff I have to do that keeps me from stuffing my face.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I know why I overeat, but I can't get help to fix it, so I keep self-medicating and ignore my GP who tells me to stop doing that yet won't give me any help.
  • kelMee2
    kelMee2 Posts: 203 Member
    I’m here for the long haul. I started at the end of February and have lost 20lbs so far, want to lose at least 40lbs. I was a binge eater, if I was stressed or upset I would eat and over the years my weight has crept up. I did manage to lose 18lbs 2 years ago and was doing well until my mum died suddenly at the age of 55 and I started binge eating again. I decided I needed to overhaul my lifestyle and get back to a healthy weight because I’m not happy in my own skin and have lost a lot of confidence. To me this isn’t a diet it’s a new way of life and I haven’t fallen off the wagon yet so hopefully that’s a good sign for the future. I log in daily and try to motivate the people on my friends list as much as they motivate me.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    I think a lot about why I overate. Some of it is habit. Some of it is boredom. Some of it is anxiety driven. The binges get more specific- usually guilt and anxiety and some despondency stirred in together.

    If you look at my diary (it’s open) you’ll see there are still lots of days where that still happens, but the habit/boredom eating are definitely under control now. It also helps that I’m on a break from school now, so my stress levels are much lower.

    I’m working on increasing my physical abilities so that I can work through my anxiety in a healthier way by exercising. It always helps but I’ve often injured myself going from zero to something too fast.

    I’ve lost about 15lbs so far, about 50 to go. It’s a good ways away, so definitely here for the long haul.
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    I just love food..and eating out is my downfall. But I'm making bug changes just hope I see the results!
  • kourtamunoz
    kourtamunoz Posts: 3 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    I know why I overeat, but I can't get help to fix it, so I keep self-medicating and ignore my GP who tells me to stop doing that yet won't give me any help.

    Why do you overeat?
  • InfoomaousTete
    InfoomaousTete Posts: 1,383 Member
    kelMee2 wrote: »
    I’m here for the long haul. I started at the end of February and have lost 20lbs so far, want to lose at least 40lbs. I was a binge eater, if I was stressed or upset I would eat and over the years my weight has crept up. I did manage to lose 18lbs 2 years ago and was doing well until my mum died suddenly at the age of 55 and I started binge eating again. I decided I needed to overhaul my lifestyle and get back to a healthy weight because I’m not happy in my own skin and have lost a lot of confidence. To me this isn’t a diet it’s a new way of life and I haven’t fallen off the wagon yet so hopefully that’s a good sign for the future. I log in daily and try to motivate the people on my friends list as much as they motivate me.


    Sorry about your Mum, I lost mine a year ago, and it was a trigger for my binge eating as well. So kudos for the awesome change in your outlook, when we change the mind we can do so many wonderful things!. Sending good vibes for your continued success.

  • smolmaus
    smolmaus Posts: 442 Member
    I overeat when I'm anxious, I seriously overeat (to the point of discomfort) to punish myself for anxiety-eating and make it so that I have to be perfect and over-restrict the rest of the week to make up for it. I overeat because once I decide that I've ruined the day anyway it feels hedonistic and "naughty" and the human brain gets something out of that I guess.

    I know all the advice I'd give myself if I was seeing my behavior from the outside but I still can't seem to stop completely.
  • Smaronoah
    Smaronoah Posts: 7 Member
    I feel like this thread was divine intervention!!

    I'm an all-or-nothing person who has had a lot of yo-yoing success doing the starve / binge cycle since my teenage years. On the days that I train mean, I eat clean. When I screw up, I just throw in the towel and turn it into a binge. The only seasons in life where I've maintained my thin weight is when I've been on a high (hot new boyfriend, fun job, fun new place to live, etc). But those highs are not reality, they're just peaks with a lot of long plateaus in between them. And I'm tired of the 30 pounds up, 30 pounds down cycle. So is the skin on my upper arms... it's really starting to show my dieting habits.

    I want to get to the bottom of this whole "eating when I feel life is hopeless" and "starving when I feel great" thing. It's twisted.

    I wish there was a forum devoted just to this topic, where all of us could chime in with experience and wisdom. Many thanks to the original poster for starting this thread :-)
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