Is there something wrong with me....

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Replies

  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    there is such thing as a food addict.

    Question: Why would you not eat that way in front of your husband, but do it alone? It sounds like maybe you are losing weight for his benefit, not yours. Once you start doing it for yourself, I think things will get easier.

    Make sure that you aren't starving yourself during the week, either. If you use a manageable and sustainable deficit, then you won't be so hungry that it is easy to get out of control.

    I am doing this for myself, not for my husband. He thinks I look great the way I am. I have even fessed up and told him that I do do this. I don't know if it is boredome, anxiety. I am not starving myself doing the week either. I just need to figure this out...
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I pre-plan multiple snacks throughout the evening. Since evenings are my worst time, I make sure I have plenty of planned things to eat. All I have to do is wait another hour for the next snack time.

    Nuts, bowl of berries with whipped cream, frozen juice bar, crackers w/peanut butter or celery with peanut butter, 1 oz of pretzels, frozen grapes, etc. I'd rather eat a lighter lunch and dinner and have lots of snacks included in my calories than stuff myself at dinner and have no wiggle room later for snacks.

    It helps. Try it!

    Also, keep the irresistable snacks out of the house - chips, ice cream, chocolate, candy, etc. If it's not there, you can't eat it.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    I can't tell you the number of times I have been hungry an hour after dinner, drink a big glass of water, and it goes away. If it does not go away. I drink another glass of water and go to bed. I have actually said to my husband I have to go to bed early because I can't stop feeling hungry. Most of the time it's just my body telling me I need more water.

    My thing is, I am not even hungry when I am doing this!
  • Airbear3
    Airbear3 Posts: 335 Member
    me too! i won't do it in front of my husband! i don't want him to call me out on it! i just posted this the other day! the suggestions i got were to load up on water before dinner and eat double of fiber filled veggies! i a m trying to stuff myself with veggies so that i can't put the extra food in! i don't keep junk in the house but you can go over calories allowance on healthy stuff too! hopeing veggies and water work!
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    Thank you all for the replies and advice! I am so close to my goal weight, I truly need to figure this out.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    I am truly starting to believe I have some sort of disorder. I can eat very well during the week but on weekends, and only when I am alone, my eating is out of control. I literally will go from one thing to another. For instance, last night I had dinner, probably around 7:00ish. My husband went to bed as he had to go into work in the early morning hours. I then had cheese and crackers. A while after that I had a bowl of ice cream in which I mixed in peanut butter and some dark chocolate, and then later I got a box of cereal out and just ate out of the box. This happens frequently when left to my own devices. I would NEVER do this in front of my husband... I should note I do not deprive myself of any particular foods nor do I starve myself.... I am truly beginning this think there is something mentally wrong with me or is there such a thing as a food addict??? Anybody else do this... just seems like I am sabotaging myself. I do know I need to keep certain trigger foods out of the house but that means I need to stop buying them!! :ohwell:

    Sounds like boredom to me. I'm single and don't have any children, so I'm home alone most evenings and often on the weekends, as well. I find that I am prone to continuously eat like that if I don't keep myself busy. I get bored, and then my mind wanders to food. I try to keep only healthy, low calorie snacks in the house so that, even when I binge, it's alot less damaging than when I binge on junk. However, I don't want to make a habit of bingeing at all, not even on healthy foods. I find that keeping a list of chores and projects handy helps, because when I get the urge to raid the kitchen, I can find something to do to keep my mind busy. I'll eat a light, healthy snack first. Then I fix a big sport bottle of ice water, pick a chore or project off my list, and go to it. Usually, by the time I finish that task, I'm energized and no longer thinking about food.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    I think boredom is a big part of it... I don't do needlepoint or anything like that to keep my hands busy. I do have a treadmill at home but I cannot see myself getting on it at 9:00 PM at night especially since I probably already had a hard workout for the day. I think just voicing this here and hearing others thoughts will help. There were some great ideas such as the teeth brushing, etc... I need to work on my stress too.
    Again, thank you all and I wish you success in your own personal journeys!
    :flowerforyou:
  • rtmama
    rtmama Posts: 403 Member
    You sound like a compulsive eater, same as me. It doesn't go away, at least not for me.

    I just try my best to keep it in control. I don't keep any junk food in the house, but when I go to family parties or out to eat, it's tough to say no.

    I am aware of it, I accept it, and I just do my best to not let it take over my life. When I fall backward, I just start a new day.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    You sound like a compulsive eater, same as me. It doesn't go away, at least not for me.

    I just try my best to keep it in control. I don't keep any junk food in the house, but when I go to family parties or out to eat, it's tough to say no.

    I am aware of it, I accept it, and I just do my best to not let it take over my life. When I fall backward, I just start a new day.

    I think that is a good possibility. It used to be just when I went to social functions I had no control, but it has also now included time home alone. Keeping the trigger/bad foods out the house will be key, but hopefully admitting it and finding something else to do when I feel like I cannot stop, even if that means going to bed, will help!
  • debomommyforhealth
    debomommyforhealth Posts: 31
    No, there isn't anything wrong with you. First of all, admitting and seeking help for binge eating is the first step. I have a history of compulsive overeating, and have gotten much therapy for it (and now I am even medicated..Celexa 20 mg has helped the "cravings" BIG TIME). It's all about a lack of dopamine in the brain. Face it, food makes you feel GOOD. For me, it numbs my pain. I also get in trouble at night, and have to tell my husband on a weekly basis to take certain foods to work or just get them out of the house!
    Some other tricks that have helped me:

    Don't eat while watching TV or on the computer
    Low sugar hot chocolate or Italian ice take longer to eat, but still satisfy my sweet tooth
    Brush your teeth or use Listerine if you are feeling like eating alot.

    I am in the same boat as you, and would love to help or listen in anyway. I am reading a book called, "When Food is Love" by Geneen Roth, and I am finding that overeating has a lot to do with past pain or unresolved conflicts. LOVE any of her books!

    Good luck and thanks for being honest! There are so many there with you who struggle with this, including me! :)
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    No, there isn't anything wrong with you. First of all, admitting and seeking help for binge eating is the first step. I have a history of compulsive overeating, and have gotten much therapy for it (and now I am even medicated..Celexa 20 mg has helped the "cravings" BIG TIME). It's all about a lack of dopamine in the brain. Face it, food makes you feel GOOD. For me, it numbs my pain. I also get in trouble at night, and have to tell my husband on a weekly basis to take certain foods to work or just get them out of the house!
    Some other tricks that have helped me:

    Don't eat while watching TV or on the computer
    Low sugar hot chocolate or Italian ice take longer to eat, but still satisfy my sweet tooth
    Brush your teeth or use Listerine if you are feeling like eating alot.

    I am in the same boat as you, and would love to help or listen in anyway. I am reading a book called, "When Food is Love" by Geneen Roth, and I am finding that overeating has a lot to do with past pain or unresolved conflicts. LOVE any of her books!

    Good luck and thanks for being honest! There are so many there with you who struggle with this, including me! :)

    I certainly have a lot of past pain that I am sure I never fully dealt with... guess that is step 1... probably need help but not sure I am comfortable with therapy although I know I would benefit.... stupid I know that I at this point won't do it...
  • jeffnjack
    jeffnjack Posts: 13
    Hi, I can realy relate to this. I've been doing it for a very long time. I am attempting to break the cycle and here's what seems to be working for me:
    1. Do not sit in front of the tv mindlessly surfing.
    2. Remove yourself from what ever room you eat in after hubby is in bed. I have discovered I really love my living room much better than the family room! And that spare bedroom is now my craft room!
    3. Occupy your mind and hands! I get involved with on line games like "Chuzzle" ,MaJhong, whatever you're interested in. A good book works too.
    I guess breaking the old habit is the key. Do I fall back once in a while? YUP! So expect it but let it go & move on. I hope this helps.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    Hi, I can realy relate to this. I've been doing it for a very long time. I am attempting to break the cycle and here's what seems to be working for me:
    1. Do not sit in front of the tv mindlessly surfing.
    2. Remove yourself from what ever room you eat in after hubby is in bed. I have discovered I really love my living room much better than the family room! And that spare bedroom is now my craft room!
    3. Occupy your mind and hands! I get involved with on line games like "Chuzzle" ,MaJhong, whatever you're interested in. A good book works too.
    I guess breaking the old habit is the key. Do I fall back once in a while? YUP! So expect it but let it go & move on. I hope this helps.

    Yes, it helps, thanks... just knowing I am not only in this particular struggle helps too!
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    What is really crazy is that I am home alone tonight and have not desire to binge eat and I am not even near eating all the calories I am supposed to today! I do need help! :laugh:
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I can't tell you the number of times I have been hungry an hour after dinner, drink a big glass of water, and it goes away. If it does not go away. I drink another glass of water and go to bed. I have actually said to my husband I have to go to bed early because I can't stop feeling hungry. Most of the time it's just my body telling me I need more water.

    Me too. I feel my body confuses hunger with thirst sometimes. Skim milk is good too because it has protein, which makes me less hungry. But if I go to bed I'm not hungry later.

    FINALLY . . . Is your body looking for something? Do you take a daily vitamin?
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    I can't tell you the number of times I have been hungry an hour after dinner, drink a big glass of water, and it goes away. If it does not go away. I drink another glass of water and go to bed. I have actually said to my husband I have to go to bed early because I can't stop feeling hungry. Most of the time it's just my body telling me I need more water.

    Me too. I feel my body confuses hunger with thirst sometimes. Skim milk is good too because it has protein, which makes me less hungry. But if I go to bed I'm not hungry later.

    FINALLY . . . Is your body looking for something? Do you take a daily vitamin?

    Yes, I do take a multivitamin and some other vitamins. I honestly cannot go to bed hungry.. I will lay there and obsess and cannot sleep. Last night I did well even though I was home alone. Maybe just voicing it helped!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    If you're not hungry, something else is going on. This isn't a dieting thing.

    It sounds like you are letting go of something - breaking lose of constraints/boundaries that you feel. Stress relief - like yelling from the rooftops. But stress and tension (which requires tension release) aren't the same thing.

    Life stress isn't going to go away, but maybe you can learn to deal with it in a healthier way. Can you find an hour for tai chi or yoga or kickboxing or something you like ONCE A WEEK?

    And practice five or ten minutes a day?

    Can you breath deep or write things down?

    Can you jump rope or pound pillows?

    It's really good you identified the problem. Now you have two things to work with - finding small ways to reduce your stress and finding other ways of releasing it. Because eating too much will make you feel worse and add to your stress. And you don't want that.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    If you're not hungry, something else is going on. This isn't a dieting thing.

    It sounds like you are letting go of something - breaking lose of constraints/boundaries that you feel. Stress relief - like yelling from the rooftops. But stress and tension (which requires tension release) aren't the same thing.

    Life stress isn't going to go away, but maybe you can learn to deal with it in a healthier way. Can you find an hour for tai chi or yoga or kickboxing or something you like ONCE A WEEK?

    And practice five or ten minutes a day?

    Can you breath deep or write things down?

    Can you jump rope or pound pillows?

    It's really good you identified the problem. Now you have two things to work with - finding small ways to reduce your stress and finding other ways of releasing it. Because eating too much will make you feel worse and add to your stress. And you don't want that.

    One would think with the daily workouts, I would be relieving stress... No, my stress is not going to go away in the near future for sure but there are certain things happening currently that are not permanent... I have always been an anxious person and, as my husband would say, stress about things that I don't need to. But the thing is, I am not feeling stressed when I do this... I think it has some component but I would still go back to boredom. Who knows, I will try alot of the suggestions give for sure the next time I find myself about to have this situation.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    One last thing . . . How did you decide on your 138 pound goal?

    You're very close to it now.

    I ask that because of my own experiences when I was nursing my sons. At that time I was losing weight like crazy. My normal adult weight is 150-155 (I'm 5'10"). When I was nursing I was below 150 and dropped down to 140. When I was below 150, I got grumpy, short tempered, and sometimes my blood sugar would drop to the point where I just needed to eat SOMETHING before I was going to kill someone.

    Is your body at that point? Maybe you should be maintaining your current weight for a while and not worry about losing for a bit?

    I thought about you yesterday when I was doing a lot of carpentry. For two days in a row I did around 8 hours of heavy work around the house. The first day I didn't eat my calories back and netted 830 calories fewer than I should have. Yesterday afternoon I was suddenly dying to eat - just wanted to put anything in my mouth. I wound up eating a lot of healthy snacks and a very satisfying dinner. I was still under, but only by 400 calories. But that sense of I NEED TO EAT was really compelling.

    Perhaps it's time to maintain for a few weeks until you get this under control - you did great last night - and then decide what you want to do. We're all not destined to be the same shape and size. And if you maintain now, you might be ready to lose those last 8 lbs in a month or so. It's the long term success and health that's important.
  • sixfootaliw
    sixfootaliw Posts: 62
    Nothing wrong with you, most of us have emotional issues with food- hence our struggles with weight loss. Maybe take away the temptation and not even keep the food in the house? Or find something to do with your hands while you're relaxing and watching tv? Something as simple as knitting or needlepoint will keep your hands and mind from becoming idle. The struggle will always be there, it's just a matter of realizing that YOU are stronger than temptation.

    ^^ This is what works for me!

    I binge/closet eat when I am bored and lonely. My husband knows I do it, but I am much worse when I am on my own than he would ever know! To help myself prevent it, I don't keep junk food in the house so I can only binge on fruit, yoghurts or bran flakes! Also, I knit or sew when watching tv so my hands are kept busy. I still binge from time to time, but I make myself log everything which makes me recognise what I do; this stops it being mindless eating and makes me more accountable for my own actions and decisions.

    Don't beat yourself up about it. Many of us have the same issue. Stop feeling guilty about it and start working out why you do it and how you can cope with it or prevent it.

    Good luck
    Ali

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