Really struggling with eating too much! Addictive perosnality

[Itshotoday]

I posted on the diet forum too.

Is anyone else struggling? I’m working from home for most of the week and work continues. Stress of the commute And drop off to childminder etc has been removed Which is fantastic. I still am working though (thankful for having a job) and sometimes my job is still stressful and full on. I have just lost all willpower. I usually wouldn’t keep chocolate etc in the house by my husband is working full time from home and likes lots of the stuff I overeat on. It’s not his fault he didn’t buy it all for me! Yet I’m diving into the sugar and carbs by 10 am.

It doesn’t matter if I have eggs for breakfast or porridge this isn’t a hunger thing Or to do with the nutritional Quality of my meals. I’m just turning to food. I don’t have any willpower.

I’m have tried various strategies but have to say I’ve even been tempted to drink earlier in the day - which I’m avoiding as sort of think overeating. I never used to eat milk chocolate or biscuits as I found they only ever used to make me want more and weren’t satisfying - I would eat bread, dark choc etc. Now all I want is carbs and would eat a packet given the chance! I don’t want one, I want the lot.

Anyone else really struggling when it comes to food?

This isn’t meant to be a moan as generally everything else is good. Apart from my terrible willpower.

Hi everyone!!
@Siameasy the mood passed quite quickly. Not had a period for 2 yrs - haven't been to doc but am assuming menopause (I'm the right age!!). I have looked at the bootcamp but it's a bit scary and I tend to rebel when told what to eat and go crazy

@Itshotoday hope you're ok too. I'm fine now, completed another day without sugar. I have been having some carbs up to today - not had much today though. Still having plenty of caffeine

How are you doing? Did you manage to avoid the Crunchy Nut today? Mid afternoon.is so hard, it's definitely my low point too.

Hello Fergus. Not my thread, but welcome!!

If you don’t want full fat milk you can buy lactose free milk - that has fewer carbs in it as lactose is a sugar.

The first pic is regular semi skimmed milk, the second is LactoFree milk,

Thanks@MarkRuffaloCrumble
I didn't know that, will definitely try lactose free milk.

Had another good day today - day 7 without sugar completed. I did eat 2 small slices of wholemeal bread, but it didn't drive me to the food cupboard all day. Am going to try to avoid it tomorrow.

Feeling pretty positive tonight. How's everyone else doing?
@Itshotoday did you survive the afternoon without cereal?

I’ve been low carbing for four days now. I’m going to start on the bootcamp thread next week so easing myself in gently this week.

I’ve already noticed that I’m not really hungry. I usually eat non stop all day, grazing all evening while I watch TV and having pudding or chocolate most days.

Since starting this I have been able to stick to 16:8 - not eating between 8pm and midday. Having two meals that are high fat, medium protein and low carb.

I know there are tricky days to come, but so far so good!

I daren’t weigh myself, as I know I won’t show a loss yet, but I feel a bit less bloated already.

Hi

My update I had one awesome day really low carb and found it had a great effect I’m my energy and mood - I saw what everyone was talking about. Could I sleep? Nope kept waking up and had a total of about four hours and crashed the day after. I think I may need some carb before bed as maybe low carb is slightly too good!???

I found some bread in Waitrose (I know posh bread) but it was wheat free and made from
Oats flaxseed sunflower seeds looked reasonably low carb- pretty good. I have kept away from crunchy but my husband says how on earth can I overeat this! It’s bland but honestly I think they put some addictive drug in it - all sugary cereals and bread.

Odd isn’t it when stressed I don’t want a piece of fish, steak or a beautifully cooked meal- I want carbs and loads. I’m also trying to work in my stress levels which is probably the most effective strategy for not operating carbs.

Now onto your guys after having discussed myself in details. Rosey peas that’s brilliant you went to day 7 zero sugar. Are you hoping to make this a way of life or just as a short fix?

Ruff also crumble - I love your approach - how are you getting on? I know a couple in their 70s who have gone low carb two meals a day, interestingly they gentleman had lost three stone, his wife has not lost anything but skin looks fantastic - she is a bit peeved she hasn’t lost though. His blood pressure has dropped and has a heart condition so get news. I actually think most of us don’t really need 3 meals and the gut think about 16:8 I found was when you got to meal times you really appreciated your food.

Take care all and have a great weekend!

Well big fail. Went for a v long walk > 10 k. We did a similar one yesterday and all the rest of the family are buzzing with energy me? I sleep and had a carb raid. Not much of the seeded loaf left and then raided the kids Easter egg - I don’t even like milk choc that much. Oops drat.

I’m not doing very well. If I was in a class I’d be getting A capital F in red pen on my assignment.

@Itshotoday don't beat yourself up. It's done now, sometimes it's almost impossible to resist.

Do you think lack of sleep made it harder? Bizarrely, I had 8 hrs last night - the most sleep in nearly 3 months.

Well done on the long walks - I have done no exercise at all, been very lazy!

I'm trying not to think past the day I'm on. I feel calmer when I'm off sugar, but I know that there are family birthdays coming up and I can't imagine not having a piece of birthday cake. So like AA - one day at a time.

I'm still having some carbs - I know what you mean about not wanting a beautifully cooked meal. Carbs are just so easy - quick to cook, tasty...

@MarkRuffaloCrumble I have tried 16.8 in the past and done.well, might give it another go, or at least reduce my eating hours.

I started Keto this time last year and now low carb.
I did it not really for weight (though did loose 2 stone) but mainly because my sugar/carb cravings were out of control. I would easily eat a whole loaf of bread or a multi pack of KitKats. I was also having massive energy slumps.
Keto made a massive difference but it did take a good few days to get over keto flu and feel good.
Now I feel great! Way, way more energy, need less sleep and for me the biggest bonus is stopping the cycle of overeating/physically feeling bloated/psychologically beating myself up for having no control.
I've found keto/low carb way less time consuming and cheaper too.
Meals now are very simple. So maybe chicken with cream sauce and veg. The key is to add plenty of (good) fats as they keep you filled up.
Initially I used the website Diet Doctor for info/recipes.

Hi girl it was really great of you to share!

That’s interesting. How do you sleep on keto ? Sis you pay to go on to diet doctor? I’ve had a nose at their site. Do you do time restricted eating too?

How is your mood? Sounds likes it’s better if without slumps? I get lots of energy slumps.

Sorry for all the questions!

Mark ruffalo - hi!

I’d be interested to hear how you’re getting on with 16:8.

I sleep much better than I did but only need about 6 hours to feel good. I fall asleep very easily which is a massive improvement.
Mood is much more even keeled too. Possibly because I'm not having massive energy ups and downs. Maybe also because I generally feel happier. The cycle I was in was really getting me down. I would start off saying I was going to have one of cake/KitKat/sweets but it honestly felt like it flicked some kind of switch in me. I've never binged in the true sense but I did eat way, way more than I wanted to. Then I would physically and mentally feel awful, promise myself I wouldn't do it again, until next time. In much happier with my way of eating now plus more energy and an out walking etc. Generally feel great which is a big positive for my mood.
I've never been a breakfast person but started eating breakfast initially. Now though I don't eat till around midday and stop eating around 8pm.
I never paid for Diet Doctor. I did use there site a lot to begin with to guide me. A year on I know what to eat so use it less. There are quite a few good sites like gnom gnom, low carb life, sugar free Londoner etc.
I enjoy cooking and experimenting so it's been fun.
A must I found was using the app Carb Manager. I only ever used it fir free too. It meant I could properly count my carbs as wanted to have

Hello! I’m doing well - the 16:8 isn’t as hard as thought it would be. I’m normally a midnight snacker. I tend to have my breakfast before I go to bed so I thought I would struggle.

But because the low carb thing fills you up so much (or not full exactly, but makes you not feel hungry potentially slightly queasy! I haven’t even noticed the fast.

I’ve been doing it 5 days and dropped 7lb so far . I know it’s not all fat, probably water weight, but satisfying none the less!

Wow ruffalo even if water weight some must be fat too - well done. Yes I’m a bit concerned by the feeling sick bit. I did very well with 16:8 for a long time. I don’t know why I stopped except I do like breakfast for a comfort thing - I’m so grumpy in the mornings 😂 my poor family. So I often reach for something but it took me quite a while to adapt and I’ve now got to reestablish the routine. Hi odyssey I did it but desperately wanted my milky coffees (note plural) with a. Few carbs. I refrained but was starving by 12. It worked though. I did have dark chocolate within eating time frame.

Girls the flame I totally resonate with the flicking of the switch feeling with carbs. I had quite a long period where this wasn’t such an issue but since excessive availability and lockdown I don’t seem to be able to just have one so easily.

Husband made home made pizzas yesterday. Yes not low carb but he was insistent we all eat together. Had my step children here. He served pizzas the size our our heads. I looked up and everyone was absolutely stuffed but me - I had eaten all of mine. Didn’t feel stuffed at all in fact everyone was chucking their last Slices on my plate. I’m a human bin!

I did notice I don’t get full when others get full. Obviously I ate too quickly but I can just keep going. All the others felt ill and couldn’t move I was absolutely fine and realised there is something different with my appetite (Of course I’m greedy) but why wasn’t I full up? Interesting don’t you think? I’m not excusing I am a glutton perhaps I eat more quickly and can slow down but with bread my husband finds it filling I find it compulsive, no satiety at all. It does make me sleepy. It’s hard isn’t it when family aren’t really on board with the diet. It’s me that makes the decision to eat too much but just frustrating.

I'm same. I can't stop snacking. It's like an addiction and I want to stop myself as I'm doing it but it's like a compulsion then I hate myself afterwards. I used to be really slim and careful then something happened and I comfort ate and just never stopped. I'm Def an emotional and boredom eater

Hi people.
After a couple of really good days, I went bonkers with half a packet of cream crackers. DRY cream crackers ffs.

I could not stop myself. Wtf?

@Itshotoday I know the bottomless stomach feeling too - how can everyone else be full?

And @Girlintheframe I also know the flicking the switch feeling. In fact the only reason I stopped was because we'd run out of cream crackers.

I find low carb diets very boring and eventually give up. I know there are lots of recipes online but it becomes tedious to keep making one thing for me and something else for the rest of the family.

And then I end up thinking about food all day - researching, planning meals, cooking...

Strangely, the time I felt least bothered by food was when I was doing fast 800 shakes. Could take food or leave it then. But then covid hit and I started cooking elaborate meals for the family and having little tastes which led to bigger tastes and then massive portions.

Think maybe I'll go back on shakes.

Rosey I sometimes think it can be challenge feeding the family three times a day every day, that combined with all being home, little else to do apart from work - food becomes such a focus. Plus kids? What’s going on? They’re like bean poles but are permanently hungry requiring snacks 😂

1/2 pack of cracker I think you were caving into carbs. That’s not bad anyway maybe you needed it. Did you like the fast shakes? I had some when they were first introduced but found them grainy - have they improved them I wonder?

I do think life becomes a bit food focused and diets can make it more obsessional.

OStagaz sorry to hear you’re on the snacking boat too. So what’s the plan? You’ve achieved your goals before you can achieve again. Is now the right time?

Should we be focusing on things that are not too much of a hardship? Ie a walk, maybe choosing a walk at peak craving times, adding vegetables to our plates. Today I finished off one of the kids egg sandwiches, I was about to get myself some lunch and thought I’ve actually eaten half a sandwich I’m not hungry, I don’t feel like any food.

16:8 did work for me before I think it can work again too. I don’t think low carb or no carb is sustainable however lessening carbs might be. So sandwich for lunch so huge pile of veg + protein for tea.

I have an inner child in me- when I think I can’t have something I think “I want it all”. It’s very vain but currently there are little incentives. Of course keeping healthy.

I think we beat ourselves up too much too. I Spoke to a very together slim friend who said she never eats cakes and biscuits as she doesn’t like them, on further questioning she said “oh when I eat them I can’t stop and get no enjoyment from them so I don’t eat them, I don’t like them” she didn’t apologise for her behaviour, she hasn’t labelled herself as a snacked or binger and appears to have a otherwise healthy relationship with food. She just made the decision why should I eat something I don’t want to.

That's really interesting about your slim friend. So is she saying that she doesn't like the effect that they have on her - ie.making her eat compulsively? Rather than she doesn't like the flavours?
If so that's a great way to think of it.

Made me laugh you referring to your kids as bean poles. Mine are too! Always snacking and not a scrap of fat on them.

I look at my son and think that it would take 2 of him to make a bean pole.

Yep, I don't think very low carb is for me. Low sugar helps me hugely, but low carb sends me crazy.

I agree the fast 800 shakes are grainy - think they have more fibre than other shakes. They always seem to be lumpy too!! I like the strawberry best, and when I had them I used to tell myself that the lumps were strawberries

We really are twins Roseypeas

Oh no fast shakes 🤢 to the lumps.i don’t know what I was hoping for maybe a thick McDonald’s style milk shake 😂

My friend she just says she doesn’t like them not fussed by them and never grouches them. Reflecting in the past when everyone else has desserts she has had a coffee cheese or just assertively says she’s full. She’ll eat everything else and does eat chips, bread on occasion but does say she doesn’t like sweet stuff. She said when she starts she can’t stop so I’m presuming she likes the flavour! Not sure. I can relate to this and think you may too, if you have a lovely Italian/Thai (whatever food you adore) meal you enjoy the flavours, savour the food. If you’re excessively eating cake biscuits bread you’re not really enjoying it are you - not like really enjoying the food. It’s a carb fix I guess. She’s incredibly confident and as mentioned makes no apologies for it. She’s assertive in lots of other areas of her life too.

I think with low carb you have to find what works for you- just like everything in life. I think for me, a lower carb diet may help. I just don’t have the willpower and wouldn’t sustain being keto but on desperate days think I should give it a go.

Never grouches them 😂 sorry my grammar and spelling is awful. I’ll blame trying to type on my phone...

I am exactly the same OP. I was chomping in a bit of buttered toast when I fell on your post. Am now going back to RTFT.

What I found with keto is that you don't really have to sustain it, it sustains itself iyswim.
I was so satisfied after eating that carb cravings just went. Saying that you do have to be very committed in the beginning to get into ketosis. I don't think I could do it forever as eating

Girlintheframe well despite my arguments with myself I went v low carb for a couple of days because it was easy - curries we were having anyway alongside Cauliflower instead of bread scenario and swapped sandwich for lunch.

Ok hands down my appetite was zilch even with huge work stress. Two issues though and this happened before and I will sound a absolute crazy person but

1. Can’t sleep v well
2. My mood during the day wa a much better but I get this agitated feeling my legs - yep I can’t even describe it just felt uncomfortable like I needed to keep moving my legs and then got cramp in my toes - how bizarre.

I had lots of salt in my meals. This am I woke at five am wide awake. Then made cakes with dc and decided to have one - one ended up being four and I realised something in sugary food is so compulsive or maybe it just tastes nice and all day been more snacky.

So I’m half amazed by v low carb (I mean I am never full) but also found it really frustrating that feeling in my legs and insomnia. Is this usual?!

I’m sort of excited to have found something that might stop me permanently snacking during lockdown.

Hi @Itshotoday I get that feeling in my legs, it's quite common. Had it while pregnant too and midwife advised rubbing Vicks vapour rub on leg. Bizarre but it really helps!

Don't think it's anything to do with lack of carbs for me as I had plenty yesterday and still had it last night! Look up Restless Legs Syndrome.

I'm still off sugar, which helps me with the constant desire to graze but having carbs at every meal. I just get so bored of low carb meals. I think I need a personal chef