I can't stop eating - what is wrong with me ?

[Thefroglover]

I'm usually very good at watching what I eat. For the last 8/9 weeks I have been eating anything and everything. I'm not always hungry, I am eating because the food is there. WFH isn't helping. I have zero discipline. I eat crap, I put on weight, I feel crap so I eat and then the cycle repeats. Every day for the last 2 -3 weeks I have woken up saying 'this is it. This is day 1. I will regain control' and I don't. I woke up at 3am this morning and ate a 4 bar kitkat.
What is wrong with me ? on top of the eating issue, I have zero energy, zero get up and go, lost the spring in my step, cannot sleep at night and am just sitting staring my my PC most days when I am supposed to be working.

Depression ? perimenopause (I'm 47) ?

I want to hide away for 6 months to lose the weight, work on myself and regain control of eating/myself.

Also a multivitamin a day really helps me with fatigue. Between that and getting enough water.

Have a look at Andrew Jenkins Book We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite when we eat UPF they make you hungrier. Balancing your blood sugar levels is crucial to getting out of the cycle.
I like the suggestion before - start with small acts of self care like washing etc.

Hopefully this link worksWhy we eat too much

The problem is everyday is diet day, when you then eat something not included in your 'diet' you then say fuck it, diet starts tomorrow. Stop dieting and eat 3 meals a day and snacks.

GET YOUR THYROID TESTED.

sorry to shout, but wanted you to see my suggestion. Google hypothyroidism. Make sure they do thyroid antibodies as well as TSH. I would also recommend Vit D, iron, ferritin and B12 levels as they can also cause fatigue. PPs are also right about perimenopause.

I think that when our energy levels are low because something is out of whack or deficient, we automatically try to compensate with a sugar hit, bit it doesnt work for more than a half an hour as its not an energy problem, its an underlying medical issue.

If you have a crappy GP situation, look at Medichecks, they can do blood tests and its not crazy expensive for the service.

Don’t cut out carbs it will make you crave them more

Are you eating enough protein? You should be aiming for 0.8-1g of protein per lb of body weight, the random pangs of carb cravings at 3am suggest your blood sugars are all over the place, more protein will help you feel full longer and steady that blood sugar making you want the rubbish less and less

Also get outside, if you are a little bit depressed it’s the hardest thing to get out there but afterwards you’ll be so glad you did and wonder what the difficulty was

Don’t cut out carbs it will make you crave them more

This is not the case if you replace with adequate fat and protein. Carbs is what make us crave carbs.

They could go for a few weeks without them in the house to be supportive. Seeing other people having chocolate and crisps at home must be hard if you are struggling to avoid them.

See that doesn't work for me. If there's no kitkats I start on the bread. And I don't think my kids would be too happy with breadless sandwiches for their lunches TBH. Before anyone suggests I don't buy bread.

Make and freeze all the kids sandwiches in advance?

Nutritionally hungry perhaps?

I.e the body needs nutrients so signals you to eat but what you eat doesn't have any nutrients so you remain hungry.

Try apples instead. You feel a lot more satisfied afterwards.

I meant as in a mental craving
If you’re ‘not allowed’ something you want it more
Obviously your body doesn’t actually crave it, your mind does

Have you actually tried it, @ColourfulOnesie ? I was surprised at how much the cravings dropped. Maybe OP could try it, in case she has the same experience, Many do.

You sound a lot like me, so I’m reading with interest.

I haven’t cut out carbs no, I don’t need to I don’t crave them or eat them in excess
I eat adequate protein, as I stated in my post I aim for 1g per lb of body weight therefore my blood sugars and hunger levels are stable meaning I don’t crave chocolate and other carbs

As I was advising the OP to do
I don’t know if you’ve misunderstood my post!

No, I think we're suggesting different things, both of which are valid, but you're telling OP that the thing I'm suggesting won't work. It might. It has for many.

Ok, it might, but I don’t think someone who wakes up at 3am to eat Kit Kat’s will be able to just go cold turkey without having a major crash at some point and eat everything in sight
Theres lots of evidence to support that strict diets and cutting things out don’t work for that reason, everything in moderation and all that, I’m saying if she is full and satisfied by eating adequate protein and other things then her body will naturally want the carbs less, rather than tormenting herself and locking them all up in a box and calling them forbidden

We have different opinions, the OP will take what she needs from the thread, we don’t really need to do this back and forth

we don’t really need to do this back and forth

So stop. You argue your point against mine and then say that we shouldn't argue our points. If OP is going to take what she wants from the thread, why are you talking other people's posts down? Don't answer though; we don't need this back and forth.

Sorry for the derail OP. The other PP might reply but I won't be continuing this bunfight. I'd suggest trying taking the carbs out of your evening meal, as an experiment, to see if it helps with cravings in the night or the next day. It did for me when I was in a similar position to you. Best of luck.

Am curious you mentioning about testing for antibodies mine was off the scale a decade ago, was told it doesn’t matter we just treat you the same anyhow!

I deffo agree the OP could see what her thyroid levels are, and actually get the TSH number not just be told the usual .. you’re in range - I personally feel rubbish at the upper end of ‘normal’.

Before I was diagnosed I felt very similar to the OP - thought I’d had a personality transplant almost overnight !

Some great advice on here.

OP - go back to the office. You won't do this in front of others and you will wash your hair etc if others can see you. WFH doesn't suit everyone.

what @GayParis said.

Also, Highly processed foods (such as chocolate) are created/designed for you to scoff it...feel the reward (dopamine)...so when you feel the need of a dopamine boost the brain says 'what worked last time?' and of you go again, same old vicious cycle. Try to reduce your highly processed foods one at a time?

I could have written this post word for word so wonder how you are getting on now@Thefroglover ?

Can you try setting out your food for the day, the night before? I think sometimes we have to be ready for the change to happen as I've been here so often and can only change things when I'm determined to do it.
Use a calorie counter but if you are lacking will power, set it to an extra 200 cals as a back up plan.
Fill your food box with things you like but that are better than what you ate previously. Coffee and banana first thing? Yoghurt and few nuts for early snack, half a pot of soup for lunch and a roll, popcorn as a snack or a small bag crisps. Coffee and an apple, small amount of cheese. Then a well balanced small plate of evening meal, small jacket potato and tuna or beans and a side salad. Have a back up snack ready for the evening if craving, low cal hot choc (options is tasty) or 2 biscuits.
If you break the meal plan, try again the next day and forgive yourself. If you're out for a meal and fancy what you like, eat it and don't feel guilty, just go back to the healthier plan the next day, try to see it as a long term healthier eating forever plan rather than a temporary diet as you'll just pile it back on again when you stop the diet

Eat more protein. So bacon egg and fried bread for breakfast. Failing that make breakfast granola with oatmeal, pinhead oatmeal , coconut, nuts etc melt honey in oil , mix in granola, bake in oven. Very filling.

Don't buy chocolate, keep some healthier snacks in and drink water, eat fruit, you can do it. Its willpower.