Self-Control

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shovav91
shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
in Motivation and Support
In the past couple of years, this problem has increased exponentially. I cannot sit with food in front of me and not eat it. When I am out with friends or at a family meal, even if I am painfully full I cannot help but pick at what's in front of me. I tell myself to stop but I am unable to. I snack when I want to eat, not when I'm actually hungry.
It is an awful feeling not being able to control what I put into my mouth. Even if I tell myself before hand I will only have one, I end up eating five. Today, I went out to pizza with my family and ate a salad with the intention of that being my meal. Five slices of pizza later, I was wrong... again. I feel so guilty afterwards but I cannot help it. I pick at whatever is in front of me mindlessly, even if I feel sick from being so full.
What can I do? Does anyone else struggle with this? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • calderst
    calderst Posts: 222 Member
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    Have you tried chewing gum or a mint? I keep mini-altoids in my bag almost all the time. When I want to keep eating after I'm full or I'm reaching for a snack even though I'm not hungry, they really help me. Sipping a cup of hot (decaff) coffee helps me too.... gives me something to do and keeps my hands busy.
  • Jaidean
    Jaidean Posts: 7
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    Yes, I do! I'm a total "social eater". When I am at work/home I am totally fine, but if I get with friends I totally snack. I figure doing this occasionally is ok though so I don't worry too much about it! But chewing gum does help me too if I realize I just do need to stop!
  • shaylafitness
    shaylafitness Posts: 11 Member
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    Losing weight is not only a physical game(exercising and cutting what you eat), it's a mental game. Especially for those who have struggled with weight issues, stress, and anxiety all of there lives.

    Here are eight tips from WedMD, but I would suggest that you consider doing some mental exercises just as much as you begin you eating journet.

    "To Think Yourself Thin, Have Patience

    One major mental block to weight loss is wanting too much, too fast. Blame it on our instant-gratification society, with its instant messaging, PDAs, and digital cameras: Weight loss is too slow to satisfy most dieters.

    "Losers want immediate results. … Even though it took them years to gain weight, once they decide to lose weight, they have no patience with the recommended 1-2 pounds per week," says Cynthia Sass, MS, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

    But you'll get the best results when you lose weight slowly. Sass reminds her clients that when they lose weight too quickly, they're often losing usually water or lean tissue, not fat.

    "When you lose lean tissue, metabolism slows down, making it even harder to lose weight," she adds.
    Think Thin: 8 Strategies

    Get that overweight mentality out of your head and start thinking like a thin person with these eight strategies:
    1. Picture Yourself Thin.

    If you want to be thin, picture yourself thin. Visualize your future self, six months to a year down the road, and think of how good you'll look and feel without the extra pounds. Dig up old photographs of your thinner self and put them in a place as a reminder of what you are working toward. Ask yourself what you did back then that you could incorporate into your lifestyle today. And, advises Peeke, think about activities you would like to do but can’t because of your weight.

    "To break old habits, you need to see yourself in a positive light," Peeke says....."

    The article continues here: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/8-ways-to-think-thin
  • HeatherR930
    HeatherR930 Posts: 214 Member
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    It can be hard, but ultimately you just have to have the discipline. Once you get used to it, it won't be so hard. You truly have to WANT to lose the weight MORE than you want the food! For 10 years, although I wanted to be thin, I wanted to eat whatever I wanted more. It is finally the other way around. Just think about how you are hindering your weight loss if you keep eating. Also, tell the people you're with that you are only eating your salad, or 1 piece of pizza, or no dessert, whatever the situation is. Then it's harder to go back on! My family knows I'm losing weight, & tonight at Texas Roadhouse I declared I would only eat one roll so that's all I ate...and nirmally i cokld put 4 of them away easily. It was easier to stick to it because I had some accountability! The more you resist, the easier it will get. Good luck!
  • superdietgirl11
    superdietgirl11 Posts: 4
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    I have the same problem, you're not alone! :-( Hang in there!
  • KeepItOff4Life
    KeepItOff4Life Posts: 62
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    I learned that I had to keep myself out of those kinds of situations where I would most likely eat something bad...for a WHILE. After a few weeks of eating right, and staying on track, I was able to go out with my friends and say NO. If you cannot resist, do not put yourself in the position to indulge in temptation.
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
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    Thank you for all of the advice! I read somewhere that you should eat only until you're almost full... how does one do that? I feel strange if I leave the table anything less than stuffed. I love to eat; I wish it wasn't such a stressful thing anymore. I wouldn't consider it "binge eating", but the entire time I'm doing it I know I shouldn't. Nobody around me seems to have this problem, they are perfectly OK sitting at the table with a plate of food in front of them and talking to each other while I'm stuffing my face.
  • KeepItOff4Life
    KeepItOff4Life Posts: 62
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    Thank you for all of the advice! I read somewhere that you should eat only until you're almost full... how does one do that? I feel strange if I leave the table anything less than stuffed. I love to eat; I wish it wasn't such a stressful thing anymore. I wouldn't consider it "binge eating", but the entire time I'm doing it I know I shouldn't. Nobody around me seems to have this problem, they are perfectly OK sitting at the table with a plate of food in front of them and talking to each other while I'm stuffing my face.

    Thats called eating until you're satisfied. You stop eating once that "I'm so hungry" feeling goes away. The more you do that, the less you'll eat and your stomach will even shrink so that you are not able to eat as much. If you do not have the self control to stop because there is food in front of you, either remove the plate or put your napkin on it..a dirty one! LOL...no really, make it so that the food is no longer tempting. It's easier than you think. The more you believe you have to eat it, the more you will. Tell yourself you are done, maybe even say it out loud, and you will be. Anything in life comes from what you put out there...tell yourself you are losing weight and you do not need to over eat, then DO IT.
  • shaylafitness
    shaylafitness Posts: 11 Member
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    Thank you for all of the advice! I read somewhere that you should eat only until you're almost full... how does one do that? I feel strange if I leave the table anything less than stuffed. I love to eat; I wish it wasn't such a stressful thing anymore. I wouldn't consider it "binge eating", but the entire time I'm doing it I know I shouldn't. Nobody around me seems to have this problem, they are perfectly OK sitting at the table with a plate of food in front of them and talking to each other while I'm stuffing my face.

    Some times we eat too fast and cant tell we are actually full. I would try eating slower and drinking more water. Maybe while you are chewing, count the number of chews per bite -- it adds a brain exercise into it. At first it will be a nuisance after a while it will be second nature. Second remove temptation. Plan out your meals the day before, only have a portion in fron tof you.

    Have you told the people around you that you are trying to diet. maybe make a biggest loser challenge in the house with some sort of incentive. If ytou're not the organized type, find a buddy that is and can help you in that way...

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