How to not over eat?

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Jennerkins
Jennerkins Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so I started on this site quite a few months ago, however I have been having extreme problems with staying on a diet. In the beginning of this journey I lost like alomost 20 pounds and it felt great. But like always, I stopped exercising and started over eating again. I have been an over-eater for more than half of my life and I have no clue how to stop. It's like I am totally addicted to food, I thnk about it a lot! I also used to smoke and ever since I quit coupple months ago, my over-eating has been taken to whole new heights. I have also had a few relapses with the whole smoking thing too, it is very hard especailly since I get stressed really bad sometimes and also because my boyfriend smokes. So any serious advice on not over eating would be great cuz yeah I don't wanna start really smoking again like I used to.

Replies

  • smokinjackd
    smokinjackd Posts: 341
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    All your plates must be at least half green. Only consume animal products once a day. Raw green veggies, yes, this means broccoli, sugar peas, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, green beans, 4-5 cups of these as a snack with 2 tablespoons of whatever dip you like and there will be no room for the crap. The obvious ones are, no fast food, no white flour products, no added sugar, reduce dairy, no deep fried, and track with MFP.
  • chuckles217
    chuckles217 Posts: 123 Member
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    3 simple things to help.

    Smaller plates. Its a proven fact that your mind will over estimate portions based on plate size. Eat on 6" plates rather than 8 or 12" plates. You will automatically put less food on as you're visual estimating will be more reasonable. This is part of the reason restaurants use such larger plates...

    Serving utensils. Use your 1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc measuring equipment as serving utensils. It helps your get an idea and over time remember what a portion size looks like of a given food. I tend to try to match serving utensil to serving size (i.e. a 1/3 cup utensil to shredded cheese since its portion size is 1/3 cup) and now I am about spot on when estimating by eye.

    Last and most important, wait at least 15-20 minutes between ends, 3rds, etc and only eat what you put on your plate. Most people are fast eaters as its ingrained in us from school on. Eat faster to get more recess, eat faster since you only get a 30 minute break, eat faster to be more productive. This drives you to consume your food much faster than your body can sense satiety (fullness) and you will overeat. I might add that eating slower will help too.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Hey OP, I've had the same problem and the same pattern of yo-yo dieting most my life... only recently starting finding ways to break the patterns.

    First thing I would recommend is some cognitive behavioral therapy if you can afford it or if your insurance covers it. ACT (acceptance and commitment) therapy is a good track for eating disorders. It really does help. I resisted therapy for most of my life but now I wish I'd done it far earlier.

    There are also a ton of little tricks you can use throughout the day...

    Protein at breakfast will help you feel fuller through the day

    Water water water water!

    Add benefiber or metamucil to your water bottle, also helps with a feeling of fullness.

    Lower refined carbs and sugars. They cause cravings.

    Smaller plate sizes. A full dinner meal should comfortably fit on a salad plate.

    Try to wait 30 minutes after eating before going for something else, there's a delay to the satisfaction effect

    Try the HALT mantra (ask yourself if you are actually Hungry, or if the desire to eat is coming instead from Anger, Loneliness or Tiredness

    Eat with chopsticks. It makes you slow down.

    Identify eating triggers (for example my biggest ones are boredom, reading, having the tv on and stress at work). Journal them.

    Log religiously, even if you screw up. It holds you accountable.

    Don't deny yourself anything. Just fit the foods you want into your daily calorie goals. Denial just leads to binges and frustrations.

    If you fall of the wagon just start again next meal (not 'tomorrow' - tomorrow is always a day away). Its good to have a mantra like "don't let a slip up turn into a give up" or something similar that resonates with you personally.

    Good luck, hope that helps!
  • SomeMorr
    SomeMorr Posts: 220 Member
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    Smaller plates. Its a proven fact that your mind will over estimate portions based on plate size. Eat on 6" plates rather than 8 or 12" plates. You will automatically put less food on as you're visual estimating will be more reasonable. This is part of the reason restaurants use such larger plates...

    I do this, it makes me feel like "hey the plate is full I should be too". Works with things like home made burgers or other sandwiches, you naturally have it in your mind (if you grew up on fast food like I did) that you HAVE to have a side. Unless its a side of veggies you dont need it! Plus you can just put veggies like tomatoes, peppers, spinach and avacado directly on the food and make it a home-made gourmet deal :)
  • Jennerkins
    Jennerkins Posts: 15
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    Thanks everyone these sound like really good tips to help me keep going. I will deffinetly be writing these down and carrying them with me :)
  • kp1439
    kp1439 Posts: 343 Member
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    3 simple things to help.

    Smaller plates. Its a proven fact that your mind will over estimate portions based on plate size. Eat on 6" plates rather than 8 or 12" plates. You will automatically put less food on as you're visual estimating will be more reasonable. This is part of the reason restaurants use such larger plates...

    Serving utensils. Use your 1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc measuring equipment as serving utensils. It helps your get an idea and over time remember what a portion size looks like of a given food. I tend to try to match serving utensil to serving size (i.e. a 1/3 cup utensil to shredded cheese since its portion size is 1/3 cup) and now I am about spot on when estimating by eye.

    Last and most important, wait at least 15-20 minutes between ends, 3rds, etc and only eat what you put on your plate. Most people are fast eaters as its ingrained in us from school on. Eat faster to get more recess, eat faster since you only get a 30 minute break, eat faster to be more productive. This drives you to consume your food much faster than your body can sense satiety (fullness) and you will overeat. I might add that eating slower will help too.


    WHAT HE SAID and also
    WATER WATER

    A big glass before and one big glass after the meal ..
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
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    Try eating on a smaller plate...you think your eating more. Try not eating any white breads or pasta, only whole wheat. Stay clear of sugar....It make you crave more sweets. Eat loads of veggies low in calories and fill you up. Drink lots of water. Try and make choices that are high in fiber, so you stay full longer. I'm still working on losing my last pounds...it's a journey and I will need to be careful the rest of my life....unless I want to pack the pounds back on....and I don't!!

    Good luck ; )
  • HeidiRene
    HeidiRene Posts: 335 Member
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    For me a huge part of this is an emotional battle - my desire to eat/overeat tortures me sometimes - it is so difficult for people like us! Just remember that it is going to be hard, the same things do not work for everyone, BUT, YOU CAN DO IT! You really can. Success means never giving up. Fall off wagon? Get back on! Good luck!
  • ti2v78
    ti2v78 Posts: 26 Member
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    Feeling full and having a good meal that is lower in calories and healthy are definately doable. A basic tip to being full is to know how long it takes your body to manage different food types - the longer it takes to digest, the more satisfied you will be (this is very simplistic, you can research the details to your hearts content). To this end, fill every meal with the following guidelines (whether you choose to eat 6 times a day or two is up to you): lean meats, vegetables & fruit, healthy fats - everying else comes after this.
  • Jinji
    Jinji Posts: 20 Member
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    Try the HALT mantra (ask yourself if you are actually Hungry, or if the desire to eat is coming instead from Anger, Loneliness or Tiredness . . . Identify eating triggers (for example my biggest ones are boredom, reading, having the tv on and stress at work). Journal them.

    I second these bits of wisdom. We eat for a *reason*. Some reasons are healthy, some are unhealthy. Eating to satiate our hunger is healthy. Eating for other reasons is not! If we can figure out our reasons for overeating, then we can meet those needs in a healthy way (i.e. playing sports, going to therapy, playing music for entertainment, hobbies, hanging with loved ones) and stop meeting needs with unnecessary food (overeating).

    Here's a quote I like. It describes to me what food is good for, and what it is not good for.

    Food can fill our stomachs.
    It cannot fill our souls.
    Food can nourish our bodies.
    It cannot nourish our hearts and minds.
    Food can make our taste buds happy.
    It cannot make us happy.
    Food can give momentary pleasure.
    It cannot give lasting pleasure.

    Good luck to you!

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