to eat like this.....

[starsandguitars]

I think I've lost all sense of perspective about an acceptable diet.

This morning I made myself late to work due to diverting to Tesco, buying a box of cakes and a box of Matchmakers, and scoffing the lot in my (mercifully private) office before lunchtime (low cal ready meal.......) because I had a slightly trying day ahead of me.

Is this a tad loony?

all I can say is that I eat big lunches, and dinners, and never count calories, but don't put on weight.

You can actually eat quite a lot of nice food every day, as long as you avoid too much sugar.

See, I'd eat the toffees, but 4 or 5 would probably do me.

Don't know about Weight Watchers, it would not be for me, but I know it has helped lots of people.

I think you have to start by believing you are worth good quality, proper food.

Did you really eat like this Step? It's the fact it feels 'normal' to me now ...but I suppose a new regime will feel normal too after a while. I just need to find a path that works, that's not going to bring out the spoilt sweetie-denied brat in me!!

Is there a binge eating or healthy eating support thread? Reading this thread tbh the OP sounds exactly like something I'd do.

I really do recommend "overcoming binge eating". The first half has lots of stories and research which you may recognise yourself in. The second part is a plan to get you back on track... By avoiding dieting (just starts the cycle off again) and eating 3 meals and 2 snackseach day. Also recording feelings before and after eating..

You really can't do it overnight. But you can change.

Eat properly at meal times, then there is little need to snack. If you split the suggested 2000 calories for a woman into 3 meals, you end up with a split of 3x 600, plus 200 for snacks. You can shift the split to suit you e.g. shuffle some from breakfast to dinner, but it's a satisfying amount to play with.

Avoid sugar rushes and crashes, and low fat. Protein and whole grains fill for longer.

If I take a lunch for work, left overs work well for taste, satisfaction and time.

Skimping breakfast is a false economy. It's more than worth 10 minutes in the morning.

Eating sensibly shouldn't be tough to sustain in the long term. It shouldn't involve abstaining from lots of food. Just pause and think, do I need this today? Why do I want this? That doesn't mean never again, just not a routine "treat" for Monday / 5 pm/ slightly fed up...

The hard bit is recognising what you do and starting to phase in some changes.

ok, so I was a binge eater & spent many hours with other people with Eating Disorders.

It's disordered eating, OP. If you can get on top of it by merely trying hard in future, then great. All this talk of protein, carbs, fitness pals, whole grains, sugar addiction, snacking or full fat will be what you need to hear. Experiment with those ideas & you'll find what suits you (hopefully).

If the problem persists in spite of your best efforts, there are a lot of self-help groups out there.

I are 6 Lidl's version of snickers today so you're not alone.

I am so grateful for all this sensible advice. I feel like eating properly, 'normally' should come naturally but I've let it go off piste.

Really Flissity, was it a blow out for you or 'just another day at the office' food intake wise?

It is really unhealthy. I can binge eat at times, and I'm a bit of a sugar addict.

Perhaps as others have said, skip the diet for now and just concentrate on healthy, tasty filling meals? To break the habit of bingeing. Knowing you've only got a salad for lunch can make anyone reach for the box of chocolates.

Always eat breakfast, I find porridge really fills me up, have an omelette or some poached eggs, even a bit of bacon, or your toast fruit and yoghurt.

Have some fruit ready for mid morning snack or some hummus and carrot sticks. Something tasty and filling for lunch that you can look forward to, a nice chicken salad sandwich on a whole grain roll or some soup? And let yourself have a yoghurt for your dessert.

A diet is like a punishment. Deciding to treat your body to healthy but tasty filling foods can be like pampering yourself. Think if reasons you want to be healthy not skinny?

Giving up sugar has really made me stop falling from one sugar craving to the next day in day out. I still have sweeteners and bake with stevia but actually my bloodsugar levels are pretty stable. I eat eggs, nuts a lot

Starsa I really think it does come naturally once you get into the habit. What makes it go so badly wrong IMO is all the diet and low-fat food that's available. People think they are being "good" by buying that stuff, but it makes them want to eat more and crave calories. Then you end up bingeing on sugary stuff which is addictive, and you're "off piste" as you say. But IME just a few days effort to change track, and break the addiction, and it becomes much easier because you feel calmer and the cravings are gone.

Stars sorry for typo.

Also although giving up sugar completely won't do any harm, I don't think it's essential and it's not what I do. I'm fine with having a piece of chocolate or a sweetened yoghurt or a cake now and again, it's just that it's in balance and I don't have a craving for it. Once you're out of that cycle, it's possible to think "do I really fancy a bit of chocolate, hmm yes I'll have one bit with my coffee" and it really is enough, not self-denial IYSWIM.

There are a couple of support threads that you might like to look at/join, one is Eating Better in Food section and the other is in New Blog Posts, titled Overcoming BED. Have a read through and see if you want to jump in....

Don't blame yourself too much, OP. You're not alone. It's not coincidental that binge-eating is often women's 'drug' of choice, because you can still keep up with your responsibilities, hold down a job, look after your children, in a way you couldn't if you were doing coke or an alcoholic, and the person worst impacted is you. It can be hard and isolating being at home with small babies, and you can turn to food as a cheap, easily-available, 'safe' pick-me-up.

You turn to sugar and carbs the way some people hit the bottle when something trying comes along, and you sound as if you're stuck on a treat/deprivation treadmill with low low-cal ready meal in one hand and your Tesco cakes in the other. Can you think about what exactly you are feeling when you eat this way, and come up with other ways to deal with it?

It's deeply unpopular - and I understand why, to be fair - but I've just lost over three stone on a VLCD, and the instructive thing for me was taking food out of the equation entirely, and learning to live without that boost/treat/reward. The challenge once I reach a healthy BMI will be to begin to reintroduce food without falling back into old habits of emotional eating.

The weight loss forum on here is kind and well-informed. 5:2 seems to work well for lots of people...?

Lordy you are all so constructive and kind. I'm going to look at the threads suggested and think about how I can distract myself when I feel like I 'need a treat' .... I can't believe I've gone so long letting it escalate

It was a home alone with baby and needed a quick lunch situation.

Ooh I could easily eat what you ate if I let myself. I also have in the past and very recently (hated my job, my life and me in general).

Im too trying to overcome the binge eating. Ive done well so far.

Good luck OP in trying to stop the binging and hope you can lose some weight.

The problem with weight is it can go on slowly and if you're anything like me you wont notice it coming on. You will still see the smaller, thinner, (usually younger) you in your head, then one day you will see a picture or catch your reflection and then realise exactly how big you have become.

Ive had a shocking year for eating (and then gaining weight), but have found the ability to lose 2 lbs this last week (since finishing my hated job) so hope I can carry on. That's something else Ive found in the past, losing weight becomes addictive. Once you have lost the first few pounds, then half a stone. Once you notice your clothes becoming that bit looser it gets a lot easier. Its just the kick start that can be hard. Well that's how it has been for me.