Just lost my way completely, cannot stop eating
Sam29a
Posts: 201 Member
I started on this site in 2016 and managed to lose some weight (around 60 lbs total). Over the last year the weight has steadily crept up. Partly because 2018 was a very stressful year, but also because I was tired of weighing everything I eat and constantly thinking about calories and all the things that were off limits. Plus, I had gotten hungrier and although I wanted to lose a few pounds more, the weight wasn't coming off.
Although I had bad days, it wasn't too terrible as I usually managed to get back to eating right. But now I just eat, can't seem to get back into counting calories as I just feel so hungry all the time. I've tried a few different things, increased my calories to maintenance even, but nothing works. I get hungry and binge.
Since mid December I have gained over 10 lbs. At the end of August I was around 115 lbs, I now weigh 134 lbs or so. How do I stop this? Please help!
Although I had bad days, it wasn't too terrible as I usually managed to get back to eating right. But now I just eat, can't seem to get back into counting calories as I just feel so hungry all the time. I've tried a few different things, increased my calories to maintenance even, but nothing works. I get hungry and binge.
Since mid December I have gained over 10 lbs. At the end of August I was around 115 lbs, I now weigh 134 lbs or so. How do I stop this? Please help!
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Replies
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How tall are you? Maybe 134 is a good weight for you.7
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Please tell your gender, age, and height. Without knowing these things your present weight can be regarded as too low, perfect, or too high.10
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L1zardQueen wrote: »How tall are you? Maybe 134 is a good weight for you.
5'2. I am at the very top end of the BMI scale. Definitely not happy being this large!4 -
Ya there is not nearly enough information here. At first I thought that had to be a typo, because at 115 lbs, and desiring to lose more, you would have to be about 4’9” range.
But realistically it sounds like you are not giving yourself enough to eat and your body is fighting back and making you hungry.16 -
Start tracking your intake.5
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j
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Hm, very simmilar to my case at the moment. I don't know what to do either. Maintanance calories have been way insufficient for the past month. I've lost 2 years progress and can't stop it.5
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newhopeind wrote: »Ya there is not nearly enough information here. At first I thought that had to be a typo, because at 115 lbs, and desiring to lose more, you would have to be about 4’9” range.
But realistically it sounds like you are not giving yourself enough to eat and your body is fighting back and making you hungry.
Really? You can not see that someone with a BMI of lower than 25 would be healthier than at 25, especially if they are a slim build?7 -
Unfortunately in the same boat as well. However, as tough as it sounds, there’s not much anyone can say to help. You have to find what motivates you to keep you determined.
I would look at your macros in regards to not feeling satisfied. Some of it might boil down to habit, but there could be some tweaking done to feel fuller like upping the protein.5 -
I start eating "better" when I get into a regular exercise routine - for me, that entails a structured full body resistance program plus a little bit of cardio. I get more interested in ensuring adequate protein and tracking food in general, and my eat-all-the-foods urges pretty much go away. Maybe that would help you out, too.5
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same boat here tracking your intake makes a huge impact on reaching your goals im dissabled and get very little exercise and im still loseing weight drink lots of water daily as well. im 5 9 245 ive got a long way to go i believe i can do this and i believe every one else can as well9
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Still no gender and age reported I think? I wouldn't really want to comment with partial info.4
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Are you trying to restrict too much then getting genuinely hungry and then bingeing? How about starting with a filling breakfast and trying to avoid getting too hungry and seeing if that helps. Fill up on lots of veggies.
Nothing is 'off limits' on here but some things need to be in smaller portions to stay within your calorie allowance.3 -
Are you exercising, and if so, do you eat back your exercise calories? Not eating exercise calories is a really common reason why people feel hungry.
What does your average protein, fiber, and fat intake look like? Many people find that these things help them feel full.2 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »Still no gender and age reported I think? I wouldn't really want to comment with partial info.
I'm female, 32. Top end of normal weight right now.2 -
Are you trying to restrict too much then getting genuinely hungry and then bingeing? How about starting with a filling breakfast and trying to avoid getting too hungry and seeing if that helps. Fill up on lots of veggies.
Nothing is 'off limits' on here but some things need to be in smaller portions to stay within your calorie allowance.
Perhaps that's what it is. I was able to stick to 1100-1300 calories for a long time, over a year and a half, no problem. Now, I try eating that little and just feel ravenous. I then binge and tell myself I'll have whatever I want, get it out of my system, but of course, that never works! I don't exercise and never really have, which seems to be the biggest problem for me. I can't lose much weight on 1200 as it is.
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L1zardQueen wrote: »Start tracking your intake.
I have been tracking, but binges are pretty difficult to track. I literally eat until I can't force anything else down. Don't know why I self-sabotage every time, but it's a difficult habit to break.4 -
If I could send you motivation via the internet then I'd be a rich man4
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Ok... ready for the woo'd here... after you lose weight, the body WILL fight to regain. To what degree? Who the kitten knows. Leptin decreases and Ghrelin increases. We now know that ghrelin stays increased for over a year during maintenance. ppy increases, but seems to be over ridden by the ghrelin increase. A higher protein diet can help I hear. Sometimes, like me, I am having to regain some weight. It might help. Best of luck.10
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Perhaps that's what it is. I was able to stick to 1100-1300 calories for a long time, over a year and a half, no problem. Now, I try eating that little and just feel ravenous. I then binge and tell myself I'll have whatever I want, get it out of my system, but of course, that never works! I don't exercise and never really have, which seems to be the biggest problem for me. I can't lose much weight on 1200 as it is.
I am having the EXACT same issue. I LIKE to eat- like it's a hobby or something. Not sure what to do about it. Am seeing a dietician this week to see if I can get some help.
I ate a large breakfast this morning and didn't have a big lunch as wasn't hungry but as soon as my toddlers had their nap at 1pm all I wanted to do is snack or eat junk food.
It was suggested to me as well that I'm bingeing because I'm actually hungry but it's still a very hard habit to break.
Am hoping you have better luck with this than me!2 -
L1zardQueen wrote: »Start tracking your intake.
I have been tracking, but binges are pretty difficult to track. I literally eat until I can't force anything else down. Don't know why I self-sabotage every time, but it's a difficult habit to break.
I think you should put any weight loss goals on hold and replace them with a goal of improving your attitude towards food. These behaviors sound like a binging habit, which is disordered eating and very hard to break without help. I found great success going to a behavioral therapist, who helped me build much better eating habits and helped me feel happier.
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gallicinvasion wrote: »L1zardQueen wrote: »Start tracking your intake.
I have been tracking, but binges are pretty difficult to track. I literally eat until I can't force anything else down. Don't know why I self-sabotage every time, but it's a difficult habit to break.
I think you should put any weight loss goals on hold and replace them with a goal of improving your attitude towards food. These behaviors sound like a binging habit, which is disordered eating and very hard to break without help. I found great success going to a behavioral therapist, who helped me build much better eating habits and helped me feel happier.
I'm absolutely miserable at this weight. Don't feel like leaving the house or seeing anyone. There is no way I can just forget about trying to get back down, the longer I stay at this weight, the more likely I am to binge eat. I did manage to stop binge eating for over a year and a half, not one binge. Once the weight starts falling off I know I'll feel happier and automatically the urge to binge will go.3 -
gallicinvasion wrote: »L1zardQueen wrote: »Start tracking your intake.
I have been tracking, but binges are pretty difficult to track. I literally eat until I can't force anything else down. Don't know why I self-sabotage every time, but it's a difficult habit to break.
I think you should put any weight loss goals on hold and replace them with a goal of improving your attitude towards food. These behaviors sound like a binging habit, which is disordered eating and very hard to break without help. I found great success going to a behavioral therapist, who helped me build much better eating habits and helped me feel happier.
I'm absolutely miserable at this weight. Don't feel like leaving the house or seeing anyone. There is no way I can just forget about trying to get back down, the longer I stay at this weight, the more likely I am to binge eat. I did manage to stop binge eating for over a year and a half, not one binge. Once the weight starts falling off I know I'll feel happier and automatically the urge to binge will go.
This was me 2 years ago. I found reasons or made up excuses to turn down most social events.
My children comment now how much my husband and I do things. They think it is because my last child moved into a dorm and started college this year, but the truth is, it is because I finally feel good about my weight.
I know you can do this, today is the day! When you feel like binging, remember what you just wrote. You did it before, and loved how you felt as the weight started coming off.
One thing that may sound silly, but what really helped me was to realize it is ok to feel hungry. The small, annoying hunger pangs is not your body telling you it is starving. This a 1st world philosophy. Most people in the world feel hunger between meals and at night. They feel hungry until the can locate and prepare something to eat. And they eat only what they can get. Here, where food is available immediately and in unlimited supply, we think feeling hungry is to be avoided.
I look forward to hearing about your success!7 -
There's a simple solution: since you aren't currently exercising, add some exercise. Losing weight can be hard for petite women, 1200 calories is not a lot, and it's not surprising you want to eat more. Even fifteen minutes of moderate exercise would add enough calories to let you have an extra snack. Make it 30 and you can eat another entire small meal. Plus, it's not possible to be healthy without being active.
It doesn't have to be something you dread - find some dance videos, take a short nature walk, whatever you like to do. And five minutes is better than no minutes.8 -
Agreed. If I didn't have the calories I get with exercise, I wouldn't be able to maintain my weight. At 62 and mostly sedentary, my calorie allowance is ridiculously low. With the exercise I get from daily walks with our dog plus running 5 days a week, I can eat pretty much what I want most of the time. I also know that when I feel hungry, it's real, not just boredom or stress, so I eat what I need.
There are a lot of different activities you could be doing. Walking, running, biking, dancing, rowing, climbing, yoga, martial arts, weights, skiing, calisthenics, etc. Surely you can find something that interests you enough to do it often. Even better, do a mixture of activities. Your health will be better, you will be happier, and chances are, you'll be able to lose the weight you've regained.3 -
I'm in a similar boat to the OP. I'm 5'5, female, 60 y.o. Five years ago I lost 50 pounds, felt great, stronger, younger. I started a gradual regain about one year ago, and I've gained 25 pounds of it back. My clothes don't fit, my joints are sore, and I avoid mirrors.
Not coincidentally, I've been preparing to move house for nearly a year. I have a great place to move into and I'm excited about doing it. But the work of doing it is overwhelming and stressful. I "don't have time" (read, don't make time) to go to the gym or for a run. I've been cooking less, eating more prepared junk food. And maybe most of all, I'm not sleeping well, so I'm tired and logy all day.
I'm sad about this. I remember how happy I was when I hit my current weight on the way down. Hitting it again now going the opposite direction is dispiriting. I'm resolving here and now that I'm going to make 15 minutes (15 minutes!! Anyone can find 15 minutes!!!) each day to do something -- walk fast, run, jump rope. And I'm going to get to bed at a time that allows me to be there for 7.5 hours, whether or not I sleep. My sense is that if I change just one or two of these negatives, I'll feel optimistic and empowered to do the other things I need to do, both for my fitness and for my moving project.
Strength to us both, OP.11 -
I started on this site in 2016 and managed to lose some weight (around 60 lbs total). Over the last year the weight has steadily crept up. Partly because 2018 was a very stressful year, but also because I was tired of weighing everything I eat and constantly thinking about calories and all the things that were off limits. Plus, I had gotten hungrier and although I wanted to lose a few pounds more, the weight wasn't coming off.
Although I had bad days, it wasn't too terrible as I usually managed to get back to eating right. But now I just eat, can't seem to get back into counting calories as I just feel so hungry all the time. I've tried a few different things, increased my calories to maintenance even, but nothing works. I get hungry and binge.
Since mid December I have gained over 10 lbs. At the end of August I was around 115 lbs, I now weigh 134 lbs or so. How do I stop this? Please help!
@Sam29a we have a lot in common. I’m 5’2 and happiest about 115Ib. I lost about 40Ib and maintained at 115Ib for 2 years. Then life got complicated, I stopped thinking about what I was eating starting grabbing a glass or two of wine every night, and gradually put on 20Ib.
Now I’m back to healthy eating and determined to get back to 115Ib, regardless of what life throws my way!
I don’t know if it will work for you, but here are my 3 top tips for getting back on the wagon:
1. Find you’re motivation. Why do you want to do this? You’ve got to really want it. For me I want to feel strong and healthy, and I just don’t when I am this heavy. I want that more than I want cake.
2. Don’t go straight from eating whatever to your target calories over night. I give myself a week or so where I am going to make healthy choices, but don’t count calories. I can eat as much as I want, provided it’s a healthy choice. Once I’ve done that for a week without feeling deprived I start weighing and tracking calories.
3. Be prepared. Know where you fall down and plan around it. I know I have to feel full after my evening meal otherwise I obsess over the things I can’t eat. With that in mind I volume eat at dinner. Everyone is amazed at the amount of veg I can eat - but I really enjoy my veg, and it keeps me full. I also know I get hungry around 3pm so I carry I 100 calorie protein shake with me. Fills me right up until dinner and stops me getting caught out and grabbing a high fat/calorie snack.
I’ve been eating healthily since 1 Jan. I’ve lost 5Ibs and no hunger pangs.
Good luck. If you want it you know you can do it!8 -
Sounds like you are stressed out, and when you stress out, you eat. You mentioned that you gained weight in December - the holidays are stressful for a lot of people, plus there is more temptation to overeat. I would focus on reducing stress first. When you are already maxed out on stress, counting calories becomes just another thing on your already overwhelming to-do list. Focusing instead on adding healthy habits - drinking more water, getting more exercise, eating more vegetables, and taking time to relax - will help you jump start your way back into weight loss without having to go straight to the grind of counting calories.1
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I have a slightly different suggestion rather than the tendency to become obsessed with height, age, gender BMI etc.
A number of us are on this site because we struggle with our relationship with food. You mentioned that your eating increased and may be correlated with your increased stress and quite likely the events and/or experiences which have impacted on your life. Perhaps you might review your “stressors” and empower yourself with a more constructive and functional style of problem solving techniques and not rely on food to be your “go to” response. Of course there is value in reviewing the details of appropriate eating behaviors but in my view the solution rests with your orientation to food.3 -
gallicinvasion wrote: »I think you should put any weight loss goals on hold and replace them with a goal of improving your attitude towards food. These behaviors sound like a binging habit, which is disordered eating and very hard to break without help. I found great success going to a behavioral therapist, who helped me build much better eating habits and helped me feel happier.
I'm absolutely miserable at this weight. Don't feel like leaving the house or seeing anyone. There is no way I can just forget about trying to get back down, the longer I stay at this weight, the more likely I am to binge eat. I did manage to stop binge eating for over a year and a half, not one binge. Once the weight starts falling off I know I'll feel happier and automatically the urge to binge will go.
I'm in a very very similar situation to you OP, same height and similar weight and everything, and I agree with gallicinvasion. From experience, keeping trying the same thing that's been failing you (restricting and trying to power through) isn't going to get you anywhere. I've been struggling with binge eating since June (for 3 months I counted 12 days without a binge episode so... pretty bad) and so long as I'm focused on how badly I need to lose the extra weight the more I binge. When I am distracted (holidays, christmas, stupidly busy in work) I just don't. Thinking about how much I need to control my eating sends my eating out of control. I know everyone is different but I honestly suggest trying just letting go of all this stress.
Rather than "when I lose weight I'll be happy" I'm trying to think about "when I'm happy I'll lose weight". Mental health has to come first in my opinion and binge eating is a sickness in the brain, not the body. I do still binge sometimes and I know it'll take me a while before I can start to think about actually losing weight again but I'd rather be chubby for a while now while I sort my brain out than be struggling like this for the rest of my life.
I hope you find what works for you OP but I don't think clinging to 1200kcal a day by your fingernails is it
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