Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

sebedina
sebedina Posts: 161 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I often fall into the habit of not planning as I am really busy, then I am compulsive eating. I am trying to remind myself each day to plan my meals for the day. Is anyone doing or done CBT to change mindset and behaviour as well as calorie counting? I wondering how many people are too busy to plan properly and fall into the same behaviour patterns and if they have managed to change?

Today I woke up at 6.15am and planned and prepped my meals for the day. Yesterday, I hadn't planned properly and simply grabbed some ryvita and cheese and ham. I had no plan for dinner so ended eating randomly and went over my allowance. Any advice is appreciated. I work long hours so it is tricky.

Replies

  • foreverhealthy3
    foreverhealthy3 Posts: 111 Member
    I find it works better, too also plan meals. I try for weekly menus and save those menus; then alternate menus on a regular basis
  • sebedina
    sebedina Posts: 161 Member
    Thank you foreverhealthy3. I am trying to get into that habit, like you said maybe having a regular menu is a good idea. I could always add one new dish once a week.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,352 Member
    sebedina wrote: »
    I often fall into the habit of not planning as I am really busy, then I am compulsive eating. I am trying to remind myself each day to plan my meals for the day. Is anyone doing or done CBT to change mindset and behaviour as well as calorie counting? I wondering how many people are too busy to plan properly and fall into the same behaviour patterns and if they have managed to change?

    Today I woke up at 6.15am and planned and prepped my meals for the day. Yesterday, I hadn't planned properly and simply grabbed some ryvita and cheese and ham. I had no plan for dinner so ended eating randomly and went over my allowance. Any advice is appreciated. I work long hours so it is tricky.

    There is a very good book about CBT and weight loss. It's called the Beck Diet Solution. I found it very helpful. There are also workbooks and things, but the book and a notebook were all I really needed.

    As far as meal prep goes, I just like to keep ingredients around. I have vegetables and meat in the freezer. I am sure to always buy fresh vegetable pre-washed/prepped/cut. I keep the 90-second bags of ready rice and pasta on hand. I own every condiment known to mankind. I just make it as quick, easy, and painless as possible to get in and out of the kitchen, so I keep the usual rotation stocked and at hand. Then I can plan something else if I want, but when things are hectic, there's plenty of grab and go.
  • herblovinmom
    herblovinmom Posts: 418 Member
    You’re so right. The behaviors follow the trigger and the emotions. The emotional response to the trigger may not change just as the trigger will likely always be there but what does change is your reaction to the trigger and emotions. That behavioral change takes practice to achieve progress. For example. Stress triggered my response to not want to cook and buy takeout. I had trained myself to do something else besides eat when I’m stressed, like take a walk or take a bath, so instead of feeling like I wanted to eat, out of habit I wanted to do those other stress relieving activities and dinner got canceled. So as you can see the trigger is still the same, even my bodily response is the same but because of habit I was drawn towards more healthy stress relief and not my past behaviors. The triggers will always be there, and it takes practice to change your response to them. First step is recognizing the trigger. Then the small changes can be made 👍 you got this!

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