Can't sop eating!!

[bigpantywoman]

Is anyone else out there a compulsive eater? I think I am and I'm getting fatter and fatter. Basically I just can't stop eating. Not food like Big Macs and chocolate bars, but just handfuls of anything that I have to hand even when I'm not hungry or have just eaten a meal. I have a cosntant need just to chew and swallow pretty much all the time - to the point that I feel sick and bloated, in my rational mind it's not healthy but my irrational mind just keeps me going - a handful of cereal here, a slice of cheese, a scoop of peanut butter, some oat cakes, an apple, a biscuit, a slice of bread, another apple, another biscuit, some grapes, etc etc - all reasonably healthy in themselves but over a day it must be 100's of calories. I have tried dieting and atkins works for me but as soon as I start to lose weight I go back to square one and start overeating again. It's all done in secret too and because I nibble here and there I am able to hide it - but as soon as he nips out or I am home alone I start up again. I can't decide what is wrong - I don't think I need another diet, it's more of a mental thing, I have thought about hypnosis but it's expensive, same with counselling. Help! Anyone else out there had this issue and been able to address it? I just feel so fat.

[whomovedmychocolate]

I lost 27% of my body weight during the last twelve months with Paul McKenna CDs - they taught me to notice I was eating and enjoy my food. Sounds like you know what you need to do but need some help doing it.

You are focusing on being fat not where you want to be (which btw is not focusing on food and instead thinking of yourself as a slim happy person).

Don't feel bad about yourself, you've just learned some bad habits, you can unlearn them and learn some better ones

Good luck!

[slowreadingprogress]

whomoved has said it all - it's not about dieting but about habits.

The constant eating thing is a habit like any other. You need to replace that with more healthy habits. Maybe hypnotherapy type stuff would help? The good thing about your situation is that human beings are creatures of habit - we easily fall into habits! So if you are strong enough at the beginning to make these healthy changes they will soon enough become as much of a habit as your current snacking.

One good habit I've got into is not eating after 8pm. I sleep better, and am able to have a good breakfast (never fancied it before) which helps my eating habits for the whole time; if I've had a good breakfast I am less likely to get starving and eat crap mid morning. It's a nice easy habit to start as well because it's not about being hungry. I make sure I have a good dinner and am full at 8pm and I don't feel deprived.

HTH

[danthe4th]

I've just bought the paul mckenna cd as I sound the same as you, it was on offer on amazon, i'm going to listen to ir tonight. But I do know what you mean, I can eat until I feel sick, I noticed for the first time in ages last week that my stomach rumbled, we had been out for the day and I wasn't feeling great and hadn't packed any food for me in the picnic and in the afternoon my stomach rumbled and I was amazed I can't remember the last time that happened which says it all.