I can't control my eating.
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THIS USED TO BE ME!!!
There used to be times were I would eat everything in sight and then go to the store for more.
My breaking point was when I developed that lower stomach that hangs down and looks like a second stomach.. UGH!!! I was discussed looking at myself & I knew that if I didn’t stop eating 2 orders of McDonalds .99 chicken nuggets & a large fry every Mon & Wed, on top of all the other crap I put in my mouth that I would be in trouble!!
I was around 7 as well when I noticed I had an over eating problem. I know that it was due to issues going on. My mother was in an abusive relationship & I was forced to watch and be helpless. This is why I turned to food. There may be something in your past that happened to give you a connection to food, and that needs to be broken. The only way to overcome this terrible habit is by being real with yourself. Face your fears. It’s easy to say “I want to lose weight”; however, actually doing it is a different story. Are you ready to change your life? Are you willing to cut the crap you’ve been eating without looking back? Are you willing to put in the hard work it takes? Can you do this forever, not just temporary? Ask yourself those questions. Ask yourself every day! When you’re in the store ready to buy something you don’t need, just talk yourself thru it.
I still talk myself out of making unhealthy food choices. For example, yesterday I as at McDonalds & while my god-kids were eating burgers and fries I wanted to just reach out and snag a fry so bad, but told myself they had too much sodium. Then I thought about ordering chicken nuggets (I’m a sucker for the .99 days at McDonalds!). However, after putting it into my log it made all my numbers go way higher than I wanted, so I decide not to get them. At that moment I realized that I haven’t had chicken nuggets in months!!!
Sorry for the long response, but I know EXACTLY how you feel. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to change what you’re going thru until you are truly ready to change yourself. The only way you will know when you’re ready is when you can control the urges and take accountability for yourself.
Good luck!0 -
Maybe you need professional help to figure out why you're doing this. In all seriousness. What you are describing sounds like a mental issue. But, you know you're doing this so YOU can control it. Have you sought help before?
You CAN do this!
GREAT ADVICE! 0 -
MFP is a great tool to help. I found if I counted the calories and watched my total left over decline, it was a huge deterrent to overeating. It also help stop the mindless munching I was doing. I'd sit down with some chips and 6 or 7 servings later I still had no idea how many calories I ate. Also, I was able to retrain my body to not crave snacky stuff (my downfall). It took about 40 days to stop cravings when I sat down to watch tv, at my work desk, or late at night eating, or the impulse to buy something at the store when I'm there for something we really needed. I still have my moments when I go over my calorie allowances but it gives me a motivation to try harder tomorrow to keep my eating in check.0
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Take the junk food out of the house. If it's not there then you can't eat it. It's just a mental thing. You can't quit everything cold turkey, but you have to reprogram your mind and body. It's not going to be easy and it's going to take time, but if you're serious about doing it then you'll do it. You're going to fall down, it's what you do after you get back up that counts.0
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I find that I only binge if hubby isn't home. Something about him being there, I don't want to pig out in front of him.
This is what I do....0 -
As silly as this is going to sound - you may not be chewing your food enough.
One of the challenges that I face is unconscious eating. I'll eat while I'm reading or while I'm watching TV or looking at something on the computer and before I know it, the food is gone and I'm looking for more. If snacks are involved, that is definitely trouble. Football on TV - forget it.
Even if I measure it out and only have a small portion, the second it's done, I want more.
On night, I saw a special about weight loss and the doctor on the show said that if you continuously over eat, you are probably not chewing your food enough. I put down the sandwich that I was eating (no lie) and watched the special. He said chew each bite 20 times. Force yourself to do it before you swallow.
Having food handy, I decided to give this a try. Sure enough at 6-7 chews, I was on to the next bite.
So I forced myself to slow down. Chewing 20 times is HARD. If I don't think about it, there's no way I do it. But I'll tell you this... When I force myself to do it.... it find I'm full before I'm done eating. And I stop.
I'm a guy who could eat 3 pieces of pizza without thinking about it. Force myself to chew 20 times before swallowing and half way through the second piece, I'm stuffed. My brain has enough time to engage and realize that I'm full and don't need to eat anymore.
If this seems really silly - I agree. But try this: Take a snack size (1 oz) bag of fat free pretzels and chew each one 20 times before swallowing. See if you feel different after just one little bag. Maybe that's not the issue in your case, but it definitely is in mine. Now I just have to remember to do it...0 -
Well first of all, get rid of the junk or it will be the 1st thing you grab. 2nd of all, logging my food here has DRAMATICALLY helped me. I used to swing thru fast food places all the time, and eat whatever I wanted. lol That is what got me fat, and I am tired of being that way...enough so, that I can control now what I am willing to eat. Because I know exactly how many cals are in something (from logging it here) I can NEVER convince myself that a double cheeseburger is worth it. I even quit drinking sweet tea bc the idea of 250 empty calories going to my daily amount drove me crazy! If after logging, and you see what you are putting in your mouth everytime you grab pizza and chips, and you are still ok with that, then maybe you just aren't ready yet?
3rd of all, allow yourself to slip OCCASIONALLY. Everyone needs chocolate at some point lol0 -
First off we are all here because we love to eat. There is no magic spell, pill, technique that is going to stop you from eating. ONLY YOU can do that. It's called WILLPOWER, SELF-CONTROL, DETERMINE, SELF RESPECT, DISCIPLINE AND THE DETERMINATION TO CHANGE. You don't know when you're eating? I call bullsh*t on that. I don't know how someone can disconnect from their body so much that they actually suffer 'eating amnesia', it's an easy copout. And very hard to believe because I'm aware of every blissful bite I take! To succeed you will need to take accountability for your actions and make the decision to change. You can get motivation and support and obviously tough love (sorry about that) from this site but no one can hold your hand and be accountable for every bit that goes into your mouth...the accountability lies with you. Professional counseling or group meetings with Weight Watcher or the like maybe a good fit for you.0
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I am 44, I have been the same way most of all my life. It is really simple, I have finally realized that I have to ultimately take responsibility for my behavior and learn to discipline myself. The real truth is as you get older your gonna have to change your behaviors anyway or you will die. So why not do it now so you can enjoy your life, instead of obsessing about food all the time. Its hard to believe I am saying these things. Trust me you can do it. Your trying to fill up your stomach when its actually your life you need to fill up. I know its difficult, you have to find something positive to use to change your old bad habits. First, stop soda, I was addicted to diet coke. It makes you hungry and bloats you. I found out if I drank enough water I never got thirsty enough for a soda and now diet soda is to sweet for me. Also, I made a habit to wake up and spend time with myself everyday, I pray, you might just want to talk to yourself positive, if you dont pray. I also journal what im thankful for to remind me of what I do have and accomplished, this keeps you from focusing on what you are failing at. Get out and walk, I barely could walk 50 ft now Im walking 40 minutes. It isnt easy but here is a quote for you I will share... Every step of your life's journey is a choice... and the quality of those choices determines the quality of the journey.. Good luck and remember everything is a choice, we can eat chocolate all day if we want,but then we have to deal with the consequence.0
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I am notmally against people doing juice fasts and detox cleanses, but in your case it might be a way to break your habits and reset your food intake. I'm thinking a highly restricted diet, such as just protein shakes for a week. After that, introduce new foods slowly and go with things even babies eat. Start with sweet potatoes roasted with a bit of butter. Add things like baked chicken, peas and such.0
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I just wanted to take a moment and commend you for writing this post. It is really difficult to be honest with oneself... And I hear a lot of painful honesty in your writing. Hopefully by getting these feelings out into the atmosphere, you can experience some kind of catharsis... It does often help to see these things written down when you're struggling with something.0
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hi there , I have just joined this site and your post is the first one I have read . I hate to say this but I am absolutely appalled at some of the responses to your cry for help . I have been battling with my weight for as long as I can remember and I recon anyone with a weight problem knows how difficult this can be . From a very early age I was completely addicted to sugar or any sugar based foods and it caused me major problems but I am pleased to say I have not had sweets, chocolate , ice cream , cakes , biscuits or any sugar based foods for 3 years and 5 months thanks to OA ( overeaters anonymous) which taught me all about food addictions and trigger foods ! although I only attended meetings for 1 year and havent been for about 5 years ,this organisation taught me so much . I am still over a stone over healthy BMI and am still struggling with my weight and probably always will but the addiction to sugar is no longer there which makes life one million times easier ! I really hope this helps . all the best xxxx
I agree some of the posts were really insensitive, as if we are not on the same journey. Truth is anything that we didn't want to do from eating unhealthy to bad relationships (hmmm no comment on that one huh) is not as simple as the decision to want to do so, there are a lifetime of experiences, behaviors, smiles, tears, pain, love, let down, etc that bring us to where we are. There would be no issues if all we had to do was recognize we had a problem and then just stop. In each step we have all had to recognize not only the problem but new ways to manage our lives that would alleviate it, which means that something has to be unlearned and replaced with new information and evidence to support it that we can understand and that moves us on an individual level. There are so many mechanisms within our own minds that cause us to fail, on that journey especially if we don't know that the process works this way, old behavior is recognized as not so good, decision made to change it, you can stop here, and it will never work until you take the next step and actively involve yourself in obtaining new information that obliterates the old. sometimes it's just info on food, other times, is deprogramming negative images from abuse that were experience at the hands of people that claim to love us.
I'm just saying allow people to have their process to revelation, and don't forget that you had one too. I am so amazed these days at how quickly we forget where we come from when it comes to being "better".....0 -
I used to do the same thing - usually after I got home from work and I was bored! I would go on the hunt and nothing I mean nothing was safe. I started knitting and crocheting and made myself a cup of tea with it and I keep it next to my chair and I was safe!!!! Incredible - but it works for me!0
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I have always been a binge eater, for as long as I can remember. I don't even notice what I'm eating, I just pile it in and don't always realise I'm eating or have eaten. I don't feel satisfied or full and don't stop eating until everything is gone. I rarely eat proper, nutritious (is that spelt right???) food. I mostly eat chocolate, crisps and anything containing cheese and onion. Washed down with diet Coke. I've tried shopping weekly and daily, and nothing helps. I simply go and get the foods I want to eat while letting the good food in the kitchen go to waste. I'ts not like I have money to burn like this either!!!
I don't know how to stop eating and I wondered if anyone else has this problem too, whether you've learnt to overcome it or are still struggling with it, I would like to hear from you!
I do this and always have except for now (I've lost 49 pounds so far) I've been eating like that since I was a little kid my husband works so I'd just go out and get whatever we felt like eating that day that was junk and I'd scarf it all down.. I had and have huge control issues... But, I've over come it thank goodness. Now don't let me fool you I've "overcomed it" before but never really until I had a huge scare I'm just 26 and almost had a heart attack and I have two little girls one who is 8 and one who is 6 and I'm not sure with how my brain works if I would have finally made the change i needed to or not without that scare. You just have to make up your mind IF and why you HAVE to do this or you will give yourself every excuse you can come up with not to change. It's all about disipline theres no magic pill or solution, just disipline and sometimes it sucks but you push through and that's that. Good luck girl, you can do this if you want to!0 -
I think when you truly decide that your ready to do this.... and i mean really ready, you'll make the commitment and do it. I played around with it for forever before I put my foot down and said this is it. I'm tired of this. And since then i've done really well.0
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Get the 17 day diet book, read it, and check out the 17 day diet blogs on this website for support. That book really taught be great eating habits (no fruit or good carbs after 2pm. etc) Each cycle is only 17 days. Anyone can do something for 17 days right?
I never previoulsy monitored what I ate as I was skinny most of my life so I did not know how to eat good food. Now it is a game for me wherever I go - how can I make it work!
As everyone sys - log all your food! Only you see it if you want so be true to yourself.
Look at the various posts on here of before and after pictures and how people got there. How other people struggle. You need to be strong for yourself. I KNOW you can do it!0 -
Just start logging into MFP. All of it. Once I went through the effort of logging and seeing the numbers it was a little easier to slow down. I think in my case binge eating had a conponent of denial to it. But if I had to log and look at the number of calories that were adding up, it helped alot.
^^^THIS. Once I started keeping a diary and seeing how many calories were in the foods I was eating, it made me start to rethink my choices. 500 calories for a Frappuccino? 870 for a Cinnabon? No thanks.0 -
What's going through my head is a pig headed greed of wanting what I want. Nothing else matters except getting hold of that food. Feels like a drug, but I know that's being melodramatic.
What helped for me was asking myself before everything I ate: "Do I want this chocolate / chips / plate fo french fries / ice cream more than I want a nice *kitten*?"
Sometimes the answer was YES! YES!! YES!!! but most of the time it gave me a chance to think and process and make a better choice.
That's my two cents worth... good luck!0 -
Well if the absence of money stopped you from purchasing junk, it means that there is hope
Otherwise you would have been borrowing money from your neighbors
If I have chocolate at home it is a done deal, and since I love dark chocolate I am always using an excuse “Of it is so good for me” .
Don’t buy it, or if you cannot resist buy the smallest candy
Another suggestions is to buy a “Food Saver”, cook a whole bunch one weekend, and separate into portions. So, when you are hungry you just take your frozen entry and eat it.
If you want some junk, there is always a popcorn.0 -
I'm very new to dieting. My fiance loves heavy women and I love to eat so I thought we were right for each other. In February I went for my yearly physical and found that I was 291. I always told myself if I were to reach 300 I was going to stop. 291 was close enough So I started light excersizing, drinking O Water (water with a hint of flavor, no regular or artificial sugars), and no more food after 8. No matter what. My fiance works second shift so he comes in at 1:30 am, with food daily. So with that said I had to set some rules for my self and my household. 1.No eating in the bedroom anymore. 2. I dont eat and watch tv either. 3. If i wake in the middle of the night I drink only water. 4. Skinny Cow Products. With the slight changes between February and now I've lost 11 lbs and I wasnt even trying. I started goign to a Bariatric Clinic on Monday, May 7th. So now Im on MFP. You can litterally see what your intaking daily. You can do it. You just have to be deturmined.0
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I know exactly how you feel. I feel eating is an addiction for me the way drinking, smoking or gambling is for others. The problem with being an addictive eater is that you cannot remove yourself from your addiction 100%. You don't have to drink alcohol or smoke, but you do have to eat. Others that have replied have said that tracking your calories helps, and it does. It is such an eye opener. 3500 calories equals a pound. Once you've consumed 3500 more calories than you've burned (whether in a day or a week or more), you gain a pound. And if you burn more than you lose, once your burn has exceeded your consumption by 3500 calories, you lose a pound (again, whether in a week or a month or whenever). It is SHOCKING how many calories you can consume in a day (at least I've shocked myself) and a few workouts a week doesn't come even close to burning what you've consumed. I find that tracking every single calorie helps me. And it doesn't do you any good to lie when inputting your calories. Be 100% honest and be accurate with how you measure the food. I also find that if I start the day out eating something bad for breakfast, I crave junk all day. But if I start out with something healthy, I do much better. Also, if you have one bad thing, don't write off the whole day (I have a tendency to do that). Be good the rest of the day so you minimize the damage, and start the next day anew.
Good luck. I totally understand how you feel. I'm struggling to lose weight I gained in two pregnancies cause I used them as excuses to eat everything I wanted. It's hard, but it's worth it.0 -
Skinny Cow Can help with the cravings. It's REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, good. Most of the products are 110 calories. They have ice cream, candy, and wafers.0
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What's going through my head is a pig headed greed of wanting what I want. Nothing else matters except getting hold of that food. Feels like a drug, but I know that's being melodramatic.
You actually AREN'T being melodramatic, this is simply the way most addictions work.....
I compared myself and my food problem to being an alcoholic all the time completely understand.0 -
I'm a big guy, only 8 weeks in, and I'm now just under 200 pounds overweight. When I started MFP, I believe my calorie allotment for the day was around 2350. It's now down to 2230. Your post inspired me to go into my food diary, and create a typical day's food intake... BEFORE I started eating better and exercising.
-2070 calories! I was eating almost twice the recommended calories, and that's based on my weight now. Feel free to look through my diary, and look at what I put in for tomorrow (Friday, the 11th). Compare that to what I eat today, and how much different my eating patterns are now.
You can do this, but only if you truly want to. Everyone has their moment of clarity. Mine was March 19th of this year. I hope yours is today, or very, very soon.0 -
I have the same problem too sweetie... the people commenting here lightly as if it's some kind of switch you can turn off are wrong. I'm a binge eater for a variety of reasons, similar to yours. It is very hard to lessen the way I eat. I'm not sure if the urge ever goes away, but you have to absolutely fight the urge. AVOID THE KITCHEN AND AREAS WITH FOOD as much as you can. It's very hard to do so, especially if you're the only person in the house and stuff... but try to do it. I'd say drink lots of water if you can, because it definitely gets you hooked onto drinking something. Maybe find a new hobby, one that doesn't remind you of food, that you can distract yourself with. I have a computer, and while sitting all day isn't healthy, I make sure to exercise everyday OUTSIDE, that means walking. If you walk outside, you are not tempted by food. If you have to, bring water, this will distract you. Anything that is able to distract you from food, do it. It's alright to eat the same foods, as long as you eat less. That's all a binge eater can hope for, eating less, gradually. Maybe adding in a few raw veggies with your meals, or lettuce. Lettuce is another food that will help you get full, without the calories. I personally found out that when I'm full, I have a less desire to eat 2-5 hours later than I would as if I wasn't full. I wish you the best, binge eating is really a struggle to get over.0
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I highly recommend reading the book Full-filled by Renee Stephens. It's not a diet book but tries to help guide you into why you are eating the way you are. I found it super helpful before I joined MPF into figuring out why I was binging and over snacking. Helped me figure out how to change my thoughts on food.0
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Hi i really feel for you, so much of what u posted rang true for me too. i think we eat because something is wrong in our lives and for some people eating is the coping mechanism. the trick is identifying what is missing - not easy. for me a problem with my back has triggered a rethink about what my coping strategy is doing to me, ie screwing up my back. Be reassured taking control has its own rewards and the release of all that guilt u probably feel at your eating habits is such a relief.
please add me as a friend i really identify and sincerely wish you well, i would be happy to offer support and hopefully u could do the same for me if im having a crappy day. x0 -
Due to a bad childhood, I used food to cope and have continued that habit into my adult life. Recently I discovered the Food Addicts Anonymous plan http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/faa-food-plan and decided to give it a try. Today is my first day on it, but so far I have not really thought about food I am satisfied when I'm done and I'm not eating every hour. It will definitely taking getting used to. Most people say everything in moderation, but for some people that just isn't an option. I can't go buy a bag of chips and only eat 10, I eat the whole thing. I can't buy bread because I will eat 5 sandwiches not 1. This plan is one of the few that just made so much sense to me.0
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http://www.foodsanity.com/ I saw this free e-book posted in another thread here about binge eating. It made a lot of sense to me, could help others out who find their eating uncontrollable sorry if it already was posted! 0
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Ok, in what scenarios were you able to overcome the urge?
Only outside interferrence has stopped me getting the foods I've wanted. No cash. Shops closed. There's been times I've been too lazy to go but I've left the flat in the early hours of the morning and walked for miles alone to the nearest garage to get chocolate.
That's a serious urge I'm too lazy or ashamed to buy junk food, but I can't usually stop myself from eating it if it's in front of me. I started doing better about what I was eating when I really started looking at what was in a normal range and what I was actually eating. The idea of eating 20 teaspoons of sugar is insane to me, but that's about what is in a milkshake. Look at how many calories you should be eating and then start to cut back. This isn't a race. Junk food is a hard addiction to overcome, but you can do it.
I write on my MFP wall when I'm about to crack and the support here is amazing! You are not in this alone.0
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