Not hungry, just wanting to eat

have you tried chewing gum? I find that if I chew gum it tends to curb the cravings.

i get this all the time im certain im addicted to food. i think about it 24/7!

I read the book 'How to eat what you love and love what you eat' and the main message that I got from it was to answer 'Why am I eating' before I put anything in my mouth. I learned that I eat because I'm bored, stressed, sad or any number of emotional reasons. Once I learned to ask myself 'why do you want to eat' before I ate anything and if my answer was anything other than 'hunger' then I would find something else to take care of whatever I actually needed.

If you are truly hungry, then by all means eat some healthy snacks! Also try drinking lots and lots of water. Sometimes if I think I'm hungry, I drink a big glass of cold water and realize I was more thirsty than hungry.

When I feel this way (which is often), I try to step back and think "Am I really hungry?" Usually, the answer is no. I do things like remove myself from the kitchen area to another part of the house, go for a walk, find something to do to take my mind off of food, brush my teeth to signal I'm done eating, or just plain old going to bed. Some days it's harder than others, and I'm still looking for ideas myself. Hope these help!!

Are you drinking 8 8oz cups of water daily? Are you bored and therefore eating vice staying active?

If you open up your diary maybe we can see some potential problem areas or places to assist.

When I "think" I want to nibble all day I put my hands to use~ this way they are too busy to pick up food to put in my mouth...LOL. I also try to go and do some form of exercise when I feel the urge to "splurge". I always think I need to be chewing someting too, so I would suggest also to try chewing gum! Heck, I'm gonna give it a whirl.....

That is something I struggle with also, but I am trying to stop first and grab a handful of sunflower seeds or drink a glass of ice water and then rethink. It's almost like you have to be subconsiouly talking to your inner self! :flowerforyou: you can do it!!

You're certainly not alone...for me that time comes - well once a month but I'm afraid its more then enough to sabotage my weight loss goals.

So I have some ideas...I'm arming myself before it happens and I can share with you. I used to tell my clients this and it worked when I was in the weight loss industry.

Maybe snack alot - you can snack on jello or carrot sticks and hummus or a little bit of low fat dressing.. -it helps me to have snacks pre-cut and prepared int he fridge in a baggie so I can just pul them out.

Its getting warm so I like to freeze healthy yogurt to make a nice cold treat.

Whats also yummy to me ithough it may not sound so - try it ! - cut up a slice of bread - rye bread or something within your carbs for the day and put dressing - salad dressing on it and bake in the oven like its an Hors d'oeuvre...really yummy -you can experiment with dressings...

! I always like to have tea or warm water about twenty minutes before eating too....I'm much more full and it helps digestion.

Choose low sugar fruits to munch on too - someone already suggeste that though. Ooh you no what else is good - frozen grapes. http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/GrapeFreeze.htm Thats just an article about freezing grapes for a nice treat. Its good!

You can even make your own trail mix - nuts are really good - protein and a healthy snack. Save some calories for later by putting salsa on your potato instead of butter.

I don't know...I hope some of these ideas help.....I have the opposite problem - my weight hasn't budged and my medication and my RA suppress my appetite so last week i started this and started eating more often and - more and i lost seven lbs..but still below my calorie goal - but more then before....but now my period is coming and thats when food starts finally to taste good. lol. So have to watch out for those days. I also start to crave something besides water...like lemonade or fruit juice but way to my sugar etc! My husband who knows I'm trying to lose weight...and trying to eat gluten free to see if it helps with inflammation and fatigue etc...went shopping after I did and bought my downfalls - sausage stuffed tortellin - so yummy - its like way more then one serving but I can easily eat all and he brought more then one -I'm the only one who eats those! so its for me and ice cream...and ....etc Wish me luck lol

If you're right about this and it's in your head, you need to address the source. Write about it in a journal. Explore what's going on in your mind when you want to eat. I worked through a great workbook awhile back that's great for this. Called "If I'm So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight?" It's great for attacking these kinds of issues. i highly recommend it.

Sugar-free gum, and decaf coffee. Making coffee or tea is bonus for me because then I get the feeling like I have actually prepared food, not just opened a package and eaten it. That really makes a difference to me.

Now that I think about it, actually, I think the preparation is really important as far as eating and feeling satisfied. I made tacos for dinner last night and was practically full before I started eating.

recently i had to go 6 days without eating, i wasnt even allowed to drink water. (i was under a dr care the whole time and do not suggest anyone does this on their own) during those days i thought a lot about food, but i also started to pay attention to my body. i notcied the times i was actually hungry and times when i just wanted something to do and my old fall back had been food. i found ways to distract myself and the will power to not sneek out of my room to the vending machine when my nurses werent looking.

its hard to stop and think... hope you find the power to control your hunger

I read a book years ago with the title "It's not what you're eating, it's what's eating you" and that title has really stuck with me. Makes me think about WHY I'm eating when I just can't seem to stop and nothing satisfies me.

The other thing I do is bargain with myself - tell myself to wait just 10 minutes, and if I still want it, then I can eat it. A lot of the time, in that 10 minutes, I get distracted and involved with something else and don't want it anymore.

I have the same issue!. I don't always cave into my cravings (especially because I log everything on here so seeing the red makes me anxious) but I do tink about food A LOT even when I know I'm not hungry.

This happens to me now and then. I find if I eat something that crunches I feel better....something about that sound....:)
I will eat pumpkin seeds or almonds or walnuts but very slowly...and Ryvita crackers are nice......or I try to occupy myself with something interesting and forget about food...... good luck.....:)

I feel like I have done everything I have read and know about to help with satiety. From eating enough protein and fiber, to getting in 2 tsp of a healthy oil, to eating a few almonds, walnuts, etc., to drinking water, but I still WANT to eat and think about eating all the time. I truly believe I am an addict when it comes to food. I have gained 15 above my goal weight and it keeps rising. It is ridiculously ridiculous! I would actually take a drug to suppress the want to eat if I could find one without caffeine and one that wouldn't harm my body (when I am willing to do this, it's evident that I am desperate). Does anyone have any suggestions that hopefully I don't know about that will help me???

I am in the same boat and forcing myself to think about why I'm eating - RARELY is it because I'm actually hungry!