Eating even though I'm full, can't stop

The title says it all. I just ate chips and fruit snacks, even though I was feeling full before I started and I know that food did nothing good for my body. Other bingers/overeaters, how did you get to the point where you could stop?
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Replies

  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    I have this problem and I haven't moved past it yet, but I'm working on it.

    One thing that helps: sometimes, I decide I won't binge any more, and then randomly the urge will come and I'll come up with a good reason why binging is ok for a one off. But, I'm trying hard to remind myself: I've decided not to do that any more and my reasons for not binging are better than my reasons for binging.

    Like I said, it's a struggle and it's a drag and it's a sore point for me right now so I'm not expert.

    Maybe we both of us should write a list of our goals and reasons why our goals are good, and maybe also write a plan of how we'll attain them, then we can carry our list around with us and read it when the binge monster strikes! :)

    (That idea just came to me, so I'm gonna try it).

    All the best, sorry you have this problem, it's such a struggle at times.
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
    You sound board! =/ Find something to do with your hands, if you can find something messy! Try chewing gum, or have some mints.
  • scottydewwannalosewt
    scottydewwannalosewt Posts: 52 Member
    It's a simple as mind over matter. If you put your mind to it, you can actually help yourself refrain from eating those potato chips. Been there, done that. I still eat potato chips now and then because I like them. My advice is start slow, limit yourself to just one portion of potato chips that are on the label. For example I like Pringles and I think one serving is 6 potato chips. So purposely take small steps by reading the labels to see how many suggested pieces are in one single serving.

    I hope that little tidbit helps.

    Scott
  • oh_em_gee
    oh_em_gee Posts: 887 Member
    Thanks for the advice. I really want to get healthy, but every time I always swear it's the last time. I know I have an addictive personaility and I overindulge. Gum is a good idea because it will keep my mouth busy without adding too many calories. I also like the idea of writing goals and keeping them with me. One of my things coming up is a trip with my boyfriend, and I want to look so beautiful in my new dress that he barely notices Niagara Falls. Taking his breath away would be worth no potato chips ever again.
  • oh_em_gee
    oh_em_gee Posts: 887 Member
    there are 22 in a serving, but I didn't count what when in my mouth because it went in very quickly. I know I need to eat slower and not act like someone's going to take my food away at any minute
  • I wish i knew the answer to this question. I struggle with this problem myself.
    Sometimes distraction is a good solution. Call someone on the phone, take a short walk, get a big glass of water, read a motivational blog or quote, write in a journal- anything to get you through that moment. Research says that most cravings will pass within 10 minutes, so if you can distract yourself for that short amount of time you'll have a better chance of resisting temptation. Good luck! I know it's hard.
  • akjmart2002
    akjmart2002 Posts: 263 Member
    1: Get rid of the bingy foods. Simply don't buy chips - or anything that if eaten in large quantities will give you a huge calorie dump. If you simply must put things in your mouth, try keeping a bag of baby carrots around - they are nice and crunchy but are very low calorie.

    2: Give yourself a constant reminder to stop and think - break the compulsion cycle by shorting out that mental pathway. One way might be to wear something significant as a bracelet that will make you stop and think when you see it. Or perhaps clipping negative images to anything in your house that you are trying to avoid, provided that you haven't followed 1).

    3: Substitute something else for food to satisfy your "addictive personality". Like pushups! Every time you find your self reaching for the back of chips (again, see #1), stop and do 10 pushups first. This will either get you in shape faster by burning more calories (provided that you don't just keep overeating to compensate), or it will create a negative association about chips in your mind, making you less likely to reach for them.

    4: Stop and think. Be deliberate about everything you do.
  • heygurlheyyyy
    heygurlheyyyy Posts: 84 Member
    This sounds over simplified, but I just avoid "junk food." I don't buy chips, cookies, etc so that they are never there taunting me. I keep granola bars (the "healthier ones") at my desk/at home since they are still sweet and not completely good for you, but better than junk! Or almonds, which are not ideal for my particular needs, but still a better alternative. They sell flavoured ones too that taste better than just eating a handful of plain ones...

    Beyond that - if you figure out the trick - let us all know! I have the same problem sometimes!!!
  • mrs_schultz2012
    mrs_schultz2012 Posts: 395 Member
    i still have a problem being able to stop sometimes...expecially around my TOM...UGH
  • carloc
    carloc Posts: 135 Member
    I live on my own and have no one to distract me from wanting to eat for the sake of it sometimes. What I did was to eat every meal at home at the diner table. This mean everything, main meals, breakfast lunch and diner. Snacks bad snacks to good snacks. Not only do I sit at the table but everything I eat I use a knife and fork. For me this makes everything have the feel that its a real meal and it makes it easier to see what where my bad eating habits.

    Use a knife and fork for everything, eventually you educate yourself not to eat the bad snacks just for the sake of eating them.
  • gazz777au
    gazz777au Posts: 157 Member
    Binge on Water / Carrots / Mints. Very cheap to keep a lot of them around. Fruit is good too. All this fills you before it kills you :)
  • HeatherDee92
    HeatherDee92 Posts: 218 Member
    I still have issues to this day. I have 2 reasons i over eat.
    1) I am bored
    2) I am depressed

    to stop the first one I try to find something anything else to do but sit there and eat!

    for the second one... i haven't really gotten past that. I try to remind myself that it will only make me feel worse about myself...
  • taintedbutterfly18
    taintedbutterfly18 Posts: 189 Member
    I do that more often than I would like. It is simply because of boredom and not because I'm hungry most of the time. I definitely need to work on it myself!!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Besides what's been said...

    1) Pre-portion food. Don't eat right out of the bag/box.
    2) Are you still scavenging for food to eat even though you're not hungry? Make a deal with yourself; say: "I'm going to do something else to take my mind off of this. If I'm still hungry in 40 minutes, I'll find a small snack to eat." Usually after that amount of time, your "fullness" reflex will take effect and you won't feel like eating anymore.
    3) As has been said already... You are eating out of boredom (or perhaps stress). Distraction is your greatest asset here
  • 2hmom
    2hmom Posts: 241 Member
    I have learned to just drink more water.
  • rebeccap13
    rebeccap13 Posts: 754 Member
    Just read a good book called Brain Over Binge, distinguishes between your animal brain that has cravings and your rational brain which actually decides whether or not you should eat. I've always had problems with this and it led to some really unhealthy habits. Another helpful thing was if I was getting cravings, to log it first and see how it impacts your day and whether or not it's worth it.
  • StopherJJ
    StopherJJ Posts: 79
    Wow, I can't even tell you how much I know what this is like. I used to be horrible at it, im still working on it. Just one day at a time, making myself not do it.

    Some days are better than others

    I eat out of boredom too, which is really bad lol
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
    maybe this will help... when I get the urge to munch, I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out thoroughly with Listerine.
  • ninick
    ninick Posts: 44 Member
    A few things that helped me get past the binge eating (i'm still working on it, but now I think I binge once in a few months)
    - to not limit myself on what I can and cannot eat but have things in moderation and stay within the overall caloric and nutrition goal. I was on a really strict low carb diet, and the urge to binge always hits after I eat a little bit of the "forbidden" foods (at that time I binge more than once a week)
    - to be happy about the progress I made and not keep on looking on "how much i still have to lose"
    - exercise helped me to be good because I don't want to waste all those time and effort and ruin it afterwards.
  • 1SlimShaylee
    1SlimShaylee Posts: 204
    i have this same problem. the thoughts of an oero will pop into my head and i can't stop myself! it is helpful if you don't buy those certain foods, but that isn't always possible. my children and husband love their treats- if i lived alone sure i could just stock my frige and cupboards with healthy option but that just isn't reality for me. a few things that help me....

    i drink tons of water every day, like around 24+ cups to try to help me feel full.
    i know certain foods that i will go crazy on (oreo's, fish crackers, and brownies for example) so when i buy those things i put a hot pink sticky on the front with my next goal weight written on it. so when i go into the pantry and see that i am like nah this really isn't worth it.
    chewing gum helps me a lot!!
    and when it is tom and i know i am feeling ravenous, i do let myself indulge a little, because i know that if i restrict myself too much during that time, i will end up eating far more than i would have if i would have just opened the package, taken 3 cookies out, and then put the package away calmly.

    good luck! this is a vicious cycle, but the more you avoid sugar, the less you crave it. that's my experience anyway!