Controlling a huge appetite and what to do when food makes me happy!...

[Atreelapse]

Someone on this board posted how they remained slim.

I know what to eat to lose weigt and stay slim. I know exactly what to do. Just, I'm not very good at it. If I ate a little bowl of porridge, a sandwich and little yogurt and piece of fruit at lunch and veggies, small portion of fish/meat and a fist full of carb in the evening with a small pudding I could lose weight. Here's where it goes wrong, that bowl of porridge, when I have one bowl I want five more, when I wake up I crave coffee and chocolate, and by 10-15:00 I crave eating to lift my mood. I don't want four squire of a chocolate bar. I want a 100 gram bar. I don't want a slice of breAd, I want the loaf. After breakfast I look forward to my next meal and food is on my mind far more than it should be.

When I start eating sensibly food becomes more on my mind.

So it's easy in theory but in practice in finding it tough. I had been doing well but the last few days had gone off the rails.
If I don't think about my approach every minute, if I relax. I will just gobble up whatever I come across.

I have terrible pmt and sometimes low mood too. Not a major excuse but when I was younger I would approach healthy eating with enthusiasm (yes really).

Now, I just want quantity and it's always stodge. Of course, it's greed but if I'm not eating loads, and I mean over eating (yes I now I'm an emotional eater, but I can't turn back the clock... I wish I wasn't and well done if you are not an emotional eater) I have realised I feel pretty miserable - I'm hoping this is because this has become a habit and once I have changwd myifestyle for a long time it will get easier.

I know I am weak, and need to get a grip but I would appreciate if anyone has advicw or support.

How do you lot reduce your appetite?

Is anyone else like me, I could just eat all day long if I let myself.

What do you enjoy doing that doesn't involve food?

[FoodieMum3]

I've lost 3 stone so I hope I can help.

I was the very same as you a year ago. I would easily eat 4 or 5 slices of toast for breakfast. I used to eat chocolate and biscuits while I was cooking my dinner. I would eat a big plate of dinner and go back for seconds, sometimes even a third serving. I was always eating or thinking about food.

When I finally gave myself a kick up the arse and stopped, it was only hard for the first week or so. After that, your appetite reduces so that you won't want seconds or 3 bowls of cereal. You will feel full after one and STOP. After 3 weeks or so you will have lost a significant amount of weight, it will be noticeable to others, your clothes will be looser and your face will appear different when you look in the mirror. THAT feeling is a hundred times better than a family sized Galaxy bar.

As you said, you know what you have to do and you CAN do it. It's almost a new year, perfect time to start.

I'm not perfect and I am afraid of gaining again, yes. It's hard. I adore food (see username)! and wine and most things that are bad for us. I will always battle with my weight. But right now, I am feeling so good about myself that it's only now I realise how truly miserable I was at my size.

Hope I've helped you somewhat, I'm always afraid I will appear smug or preachy

[Newbiecrafter]

Atreelapse, hello. Can completely relate to your post.

I came on here just now hoping to find some inspiration to help me lose weight.

I also comfort eat and have about 3 stone to lose.

For the last few years I,ve started trying to lose weight and have lost about 10 lbs and then lost interested because I have always plateau and then lose faith massively. So I stop and then regain that 10 lbs and some more.

I am heavier now than I was when I was two weeks overdue with my first child who weighed in at a healthy 9lb 1oz.

I eat to make me happy too. Yesterday I had two twirl bar packs, so four sticks and I can feel my shoulders relax and just feel myself almost meditating as I ate them.

I know I am my biggest, pardon the pun, obstacle. I have asked on here before and have been told if I really wanted it, I would make it happen.

I do want it, but having read so many contradictory things about 'dieting' i feel like a deer I. Headlights and properly stuck.

I feel rubbish, my joints ache, I think mostly to do with the fact that I am unfit and heavy. If I exercise, I ache massively, beyond the normal post excercise aches and think it might be related to my auto immune thyroid issue. I have been tested for rhumatoid arthirirts so that's anther reason.

I actually hate it. I buy bigger clothes every year. I tried on a Christmas jumper in a size 20 recently and it was tight. I think I don't want to be feeling like this in the summer but I get so stuck, I do nothing so when summer arrives, I'm often a bit bigger. So I hide in jeans and baggy tops, not a good look, and when I catch sight of myself I am always shocked and immediately feel like pooh and reach for more chocolate. Like you one square of 80% choc isn't enough. I still eat and enjoy the whole bar.

I want to be fit and healthy for myself and my kids, but there is something within me that is stuck. I mean really properly confused stuck.

So I can completely relate, and will watch with interest.

Xxx

[Newbiecrafter]

Foodiemum3, wow! That's truly amazing! And you sound proud of your achievement rather than smug.

Can I ask, did you follow a particular plan? Or was it just will power?

Like tree lapse, I think I know what I need to do, but am stuck. Sounds really ridiculous at my age, but it is what it is.

I think dieting is about almost co. Ing yourself into believing it will work and that you are satisfied with less food and that you would be as happy eating a square as you would a whole bar. I'm not very good at that and can manage for a while but the losing a bit then plateauing is always really hard.

Also, i notice on here lost of people see to join plans, lose weight, do well and then seem to be back following the same plan or another to try and lose what they gained.

There has to be a longer term 'for life' plan that you just do and stick to and get to and manage the weight. Rather than always being on the weight loss yoyo.

I have been gluten free for about 10 months, for my thyroid condition, so I can do it, but it hasn't made a difference to my weight. Also this time of year, social meets always involve food and there is so little I can eat, that it's tough to follow. I mostly do though, so feel quite proud of myself for managing that, at least.

Well done, though. You sound amazing and should be proud of yourself.

Xxx

[Newbiecrafter]

Oops, sorry for the long posts, I write as much as I eat

[Gen35]

This is me too - are you focusing on quality sleep? Cravings and amounts much easier to control when I'm not tired. Also, try upping your grain, soup and veg content, things you can eat a lot of without it being bad. 5:2 also helped me a bit although gone off it since second dc appeared.

[chipsandpeas]

interested in all the advice as this is my problem as well

i will reread it in Jan when i restart control of eating

[LoopyLa]

Have you tried re-thinking the way you approach eating food & what goes into your body? I'm not trying to sound obnoxious, I promise, I have the same thoughts as yourself!

I've bought an app called Easyloss and below is a previous MN thread about it. Might be worth a thought? I've done weight watchers before & gi diet and they just don't work for me, I love love love my food. So I need to re-programme my brain (for want of a better word) on how I approach my eating. Might be worth a look?

this thread

Good luck

[Gen35]

In terms of eating distraction tactics - dog walking, which is surprisingly rewarding in all weathers if you like dogs, dance with your dc if you have them, reading, do an exercise video - jillian michael's shred really is fab. That's about it - good to hear more ideas too.

[Newbiecrafter]

Co. Ing = convincing. Sorry for that and ALL the other typos.

[Hobbes8]

I found low carb really helpful for controlling appetite. I think it's just a way of eating which prevents big swings in blood sugar. The food is also tasty and satisfying, which helps as I don't feel deprived. It's also strict in a very particular way - I find it helpful to think I simply can't have chocolate, or crisps, or whatever, rather than thinking I'll have two squares and then stop (I won't stop!). I've lost about half a stone so far.

I'm not so sure about the emotional side though. Perhaps join the boot camp threads on here? You can get some support with the emotional side of your eating that way.

And be kind to yourself. Liking food doesn't make you a bad person.

[TheSpottedZebra]

I'm another who likes a big portion - fnarr fnarr!
I love food. I love cooking for other people, when I am celebrating, I eat. When I am sad, I console myself with a carby blanket. All my 'occasions' are dominated by food, lots of it.

And I've also lost weight this year - c.2 stone, since August. I've done this by focusing on what I am eating, logging everything in my fitness pal. Calorie counting, I guess. And I have honestly got used to eating less than before.

But the old habits, compulsions are still there. I could not have 1 biscuit, I'd eat the whole packet. Ditto chocolate, yes even if it is 80% dark chocolate, I'd st eat the whole bar. So I have to not buy it. I've fallen off the wagon a few times, of course, but I haven't let that 'ruin everything' and justify me diving into the hot cross buns or whatever.

I have also aimed to eat protein regularly. I'm veggie so I probably need to think about this more than a meat eater would. It's been ,made much easier by the fact that I'm about the house at the mo -so I have time to shop and cook, and I am not in that horrible exhausted space where you just need lots of energy for the least effort and so mainline toast. Plus I am happy to eat the same thing quite a lot - eg I make a huge batch of lentil and veg soup which I freeze, and eat pretty much every weekday lunch.

[Newbiecrafter]

I actually HATE cooking. I'm not very good at it. My children also have lots of allergies which means I view food as poison and often can't be arsed for myself so live off 'easy' options like GF toast, chocs and ready meals.

Not good but I properly hate cooking!

[TheSpottedZebra]

I love cooking for 'occasions' but if I am totally honest i find the repeated dinners a massive drudge.

[Atreelapse]

Just a quick post- thank you for all the replies; advice and support.

I had a smoothie after lunch today, and felt that slump within 20 minutes of having it and I know I will eat when I'm feeling tired/flat/low, so to the poster re low carb I do junk that helps during the day, if I can find the willpower.

Distraction techniques are good, I do get my doc to dance , we usually end up doing an elephant dance- don't ask!

Ian a light sleeper and my son and husband are not great sleepers so I think sleep deprivation is a huge trigger for that "I just want to eat all day and sleep" feeling, however, I have to accept sleep deprivation is something I can try and minimise but it's something that is going to happen. It does said my appetite through the roof though.

It is actually helping to avoid bread and cereals because when I start I just want the whole box, it's almost like "ahhhh relief and it's so sad to say, but ofcourse my family mean all to me, however I wake up and think "coffee and chocolate mmm" and if I don't have those things I'm very, very grumpy (just call me a spoilt brat!).

In all seriousness though, I need a way of being excited about this because, I can often eat till my stomach hurts and it's getting ridiculous I then feel tired, unproductive....

I was I'll recently and I couldn't eat much and in some weird way it was a relief as my appetite was switched off. I just fancied one jam tart and then was like "foof I'm full" there was no euphoria or then the urge to eat a 100 jam tarts. So I do wonder if this is how normal people feel, they feel full? Or maybe I have lost the sense of what true hunger feels like...
I often find a walk or jog helps, but I would have to do it straight away, as soon as I get up, and with a little one that's not possible.

[Newbiecrafter]

I often think I don't have 'that' switch.

[ShebaQueen]

You sound exactly like me OP!

I've previously lost a lot of weight low carbing and I never felt hungry, but I found that after a while I'd gradually crave chocolate and then I'd start cheating and I found that after low carbing the weight piled on faster than ever before.

I also tried hypnosis as I know that my cravings for sweet foods have nothing to do with hunger - I overeat when I am bored, stressed, tired etc etc, I didn't notice hypnosis made any difference though and it was expensive so I gave it up.

I definitely need to take control because I have backache and sore joints and I am ashamed of the state I've got myself in.

[TalkinPeace]

a silly thing : you mention what you eat, but not what you drink.

Do you start the day with a pint of water
do you have a large glass of water before every meal / snack
and a large glass of milk with every meal
and another large glass of water before you go to bed

much of what people think is hunger is in fact thirst
AND
if your stomach has water in it, it can be fobbed off food for another hour

[Atreelapse]

Ah Sheba sorry you are like me I think whether we like it or not we have to try harder, be mindful. I went for a breakfast with husband this weekend
There were baskets of bread, fry up, chocolate butter..: you name it. I ate the entire basket of bread. I can just keep going. I am noticing I have to plan and think ahead, my husband will have a slice of bread and say he feels bloated...

I do try the water thing too, often a warm water helps and soup helps too. I think I used to be motivated by looking good, but that's less of a factor these days.... It's not enough.

Non food rewards seems like an idea too...

[Atreelapse]

Great advice thanks talking peace - I used to find I used to get fuller when I have a milky latte with breakfast and lunch... It didn't seem healthy ...but it helped

[Atreelapse]

I also meant to add I have tried low carb but I think I gain as soon as I go off it... I also tend to go for fuller fat options when I'm low carbing and that isn't helpful

[HermioneWeasley]

I found that after a while of eating less, my appetite reduced. It took sheer willpower to get through the first few weeks though

[TalkinPeace]

Hermoine is utterly correct.
You have to give your stomach time to shrink.

Atreelapse
I do not know how much of the science of weight management you have investigated, but there is a really useful number
its called your TDEE
thefastdiet.co.uk/how-many-calories-on-a-non-fast-day/
Its very slightly different for every person.

A really cool, long term diet trick is to try to eat within the TDEE for your ideal weight.
No gimmicks, no cutting out food groups, just eating as if you were already lean and mean at your happy weight.
The magic bit is that because that happy weight TDEE is a lot less than you are used to, you'll lose weight steadily, gently, consistently
while having eating habits in place to last you the rest of your life.

[Atreelapse]

Talkin peace very cool top thank you - you should have seen the smile on my face when I thought, if I didn't have breakfast, two of my meals could be 900 kcal each- result!

Just tackling the not eating everything I see between meals and, as I said before, eating whole batches of bread! Portion control, and not spending the whole day finishing off leftovers, snacking snacking and more snacking! I'm hoping once my stomach gets used to smaller portions I'll develop an off switch.

Pmt is still an absolute killer though, I read low carbs can reduce hormone issues but I don't know to be honest I think I consume about 3500 kcal each day in my luteal phase

[Atreelapse]

Well done hermionie how did you get that willpower? Did you previously have pmt too? And, if so, got through it without overeating?

[calilark]

following with interest, I need help!