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help, can't stop eating!

70 replies

sansouci · 31/03/2005 20:50

Since Easter Sunday, I've been stuffing myself with everything that comes to hand. I seem to have completely lost any self-control. I start with all good intentions in the morning but fall apart completely after the children are in bed. I am afraid to step on the scales, my largest trousers are tight at the waist, I feel bloody enormous. Please help me to stop or at least to understand what's going on! Thanks.

OP posts:
emmatom · 03/04/2005 21:37

ssd - You wouldn't be 'taking on a diet', that was my whole point.
Instead, tell yourself you are now going to be good to yourself, never feel hungry again, get more energy, and lose excess weight into the bargain.

It takes no more time to stir fry or bake some fresh chicken, pile on the veggies, and a bit of gravy than it does to make chicken nuggetts and chips.

I am talking simple good changes here, not faddy diets.

Porridge or wholemeal toast will fill you up until at least mid morning. If you need to snack then, have some fruit or handful of nuts or currants. I tell you I graze throughout the day, but on the good stuff.

There are low fat versions of everything these days. If you've heard of Nairns Oatcakes (bit like cream crackers) then you may have heard they've brought out a sweet biscuit, no added sugar and full of oats. I can tell you, when you have a biscuit/sweet moment, one of those dunked in your tea is as good as a digestive, but it's good for you.

When you've had your one biscuit, get busy, you said you have a busy life so use this to your advantage to stave off old habits of eating more than you really want.

I'm telling you, if you have just one or two days of eating healthy you will feel so good about yourself.

Also, think of how shitty you feel with yourself when you've pigged out - stomach bloating, lethargic, guilty. Well compare that to a feeling of 'WOW', energy, waistband looser.

Doesn't compare does it.

You can do this. If one day at a time is too much, take one meal at a time.

PS. I'm on a mission to help women and their attitude to food if you havn't noticed!!

MrsS99 · 03/04/2005 22:38

As regards the leftovers, I take them off the table line them up on the worktop and spray each plate with one quick blast of antibacterial. After that you won't be tempted. Then its bin and dishwasher. Worked for me. (why do we do it its not even NICE cold and mucked about with)??

Bearess · 03/04/2005 22:51

MrsS99 - I have never understood when people say that - why not put it straight in the bin - or is it a psychological thing - or have people been known to get things out of the bin and eat them - eeeuuuuuuu...

sansouci - diets are pants - the minute I deny myself anything I want it!! Healthy nutritious food - and the odd treat is fine - everything in moderation - and plenty of exercise. I was doing well beofre easter as would like to lose a stone - but have totally lost it _as in my willpower, not the stone, sadly!!) since, am going to try to be good from tomorrow though - want to help me?

MrsS99 · 03/04/2005 23:23

Definitely psychological Bearess but take your point. Not ever actually gone to bin and raked something out but willpower definitely (sometimes) not strong enough to make it to the bin without scoffing it unless I ruin it first.
How sad am I?

Bearess · 03/04/2005 23:57

ahhhhhhhhhhh! I see! Not sad, just normal!!

nightowl · 04/04/2005 00:35

seriously...do people eat childrens leftovers? just think of all the mucky things theyve done with it and how many times theyve spit something back onto the plate without you seeing it...that will put you off!! yeuuuch!!

TrinaJ · 04/04/2005 11:49

i really understand whar emmatom is saying, and i agree totally, my biggest problem is my dislike for any fruit or veg, meaning i can't fill up on them and i pick at other less healthy options. since having kids i've tried more fruit and veg than in my life but still don't like much.
sansouci .. is it junk or healthy food you're binging on?
i could also do with some suggestions for healthier, tasty, inexpensive snacks?

sansouci · 04/04/2005 11:53

I'm glad to see this thread still going. I finally weighed myself and was shocked: 6 lbs gained since Easter Sunday! That was a bit of a slap in the face & a kick up the backside (much needed). I mostly binge on chocolate, biscuits, cake, cheese & bread & wine, leftovers... whatever's in the house. It's rare that I binge outside of home.

OP posts:
sansouci · 04/04/2005 12:05

Yes, Bearess, be glad to help! I rarely eat because I'm hungry. I eat at mealtimes because I have to set an example for my children. But left alone, I would pick and snack all day, probably. I eat when I feel frustrated, bored, angry, depressed, etc but mostly because food tastes so damned GOOD! I agree that diets are pants, especially Atkins (I did a version of Atkins but without the fat... very tough, definitely works but at what a price!), but like emmatom, helping others with food problems is of great interest to me. This is one of the reasons why I'm doing Weight Watchers (again sigh!). It imposes limitations on how much you eat rather than what you eat. I want to be a WW group leader (excellent part-time job) but have to lose the weight and understand the mentality and discipline of point-counting first. Long, rambling post sorry!

OP posts:
wysiwyg · 04/04/2005 22:19

This has just been me over the last 3 days or so - constantly picking at stuff/ biscuits/ easter eggs/ anything. Definitely for me it happens when I am due on.

But I do agree with Emmatom too - I too have done Weightwatchers in the past (after having DD in 2000) but now after DS (aged 5 months) I want to try to get in shape by eating healthily and exercising more. Great in theory but sometimes hard to keep at it.

Most people I know who have done a group diet WW, Slimming world etc have all put the weight back on when they left - that's because they went back to old eating habits -
but IMO you need to change habits for life / lifestyle.
Also you think about food all the time when you are on these diets.

PS Why oh why are pringles so fattening?

ssd · 06/04/2005 09:24

emmatom, your post has really inspired me. I know my main problem is my attitude and that's what I need to work on.I eat for comfort and I've got to see food as something to make me strong and healthy rather than a comforter.Like a lot of people I was a size 10 - 12 before kids and now I'm a 14 - 16 and I hate myself for it.Can you advise me how to get rid of this self loathing (I'm not looking for pity) and see myself in a more positive light as someone who can tackle my weight problem rather than a loser who is overwhelmed by it and feels like I can't tackle it as it is too big for me to take on?
I'd really appreciate any advice from you.Thanks.

ssd · 07/04/2005 07:23

bump

ssd · 08/04/2005 16:05

emmatom where are you?

emmatom · 10/04/2005 23:27

ssd, sorry about not being here. I've just worked out how to keep watch on a topic!

Anyway, I'm back now.

Firstly, you can make changes girl, it so is possible!

Tell me when you eat for comfort. Is it the usual evening things, kids in bed, TV on, munchies start kicking in or are you a morning muncher?

Let me know a bit about your routine.

This is not, I repeat not, going to be an uphill battle, you can make steady little changes that will soon become the norm.

You won't feel hungry, you will be eating lots and my god woman, that loathing you feel for yourself will become loving!!!

Get back on here and tell me what your weaknesses are.

ssd · 11/04/2005 13:23

emmatom, I'm so glad you're back!!

Since you posted last week, I've really been inspired by you and I'm now trying to eat for health, not because I feel I should do this or that. And that's a first for me! I went out and bought low fat cookies and crisps and lots of fruit. My weakness is a cup of tea and a few biscuits when I want a sugar fix. So now I'm thinking, well those biscuits will make me feel unhealthy and bloated so I either have a bit of sugar in my tea and no biscuit, or tea and a low fat biscuit. I even bought the low fat oatmeal biscuits! And sometimes instead of having a biccy, I'm eating more fruit. Today I've already had 2 apples and 3 tomatoes! Also I've started having a cup of low fat drinking chocolate( it's been in my cupboard untouched for ages) when I need some sweetness.My main thing I haven't given up is butter on my toast, I love it too much and I just can't do with feeling deprived just now. You saying this eating thing is all in the mind is spot on, I need a change of thinking and that's what I'm aiming for. Just some control over myself, instead of thinking I'm a hopeless case.....so thanks! I'm really trying and anymore words of wisdom will be welcomed! .

ssd · 11/04/2005 13:29

I've also bought the Be Good To Yourself low fat versions of dinners from Asda.

One of my main problems is I feel I'm cooking different dinners at night as my kids like different things and then my dh something else and by the time I've done all that I can't think what to cook myself so I snack on buttered toast and cheese and bisciuts. I never feel hungary, but then again I never feel full. I suppose getting us all to eat a healthy version of the same meal would be the answer...

emmatom · 11/04/2005 18:31

ssd, WOW, you've done brilliantly already!

You are making all the right moves, stocking up on the healthy stuff, substituting high-fat versions for low-fat goodies.

Don't tell yourself you can never eat any of the old stuff again by the way as the old saying of 'forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest' is so true.

Sure, you could eat rubbish if you wanted too, no-one can stop you, but why on earth would you want to punish yourself with the horrible guilty, bloated feeling you get after.

I'm sure you've already started to feel proud of yourself when you've opted for the healthier food.

So, yes you could eat the crap if you wanted to but You have chosen not to.

Stop thinking of giving up butter and don't talk about depriving yourself. Remember the mind tricks. You don't have to give up the butter if butter is what floats your boat.

Your toast and butter (and maybe just use it a little more sparingly than you used to) is your treat. Keep this treat and you won't have any feeling of deprivation. My advice would be to have wholemeal/granary toast and a small portion of your butter. If you're tempted to slather it on, try melting it in the microwave and see the yellow grease and imagine that coarsing through your veins. That may be all it takes to help you use it sparingly!

As for the evening meals, wouldn't life be a lot easier anyway if you all ate the same or with only minor adaptations of the same meal.

Is your other half a meat and potatoe man? You and the kids have the same of whatever meat and potatoes it is but maybe smaller portion of meat and potatoes and as many veggies as you can eat.

If pasta is the way to go, fill him and the kids up with as much as they like and you have a portion too but don't make creamy heavy sauces. If you do just cut back on the sauce for you.

If we're having pasta, I just have a smaller portion and fill the rest of the plate with my veggies or a salad so there's no sense of you missing out on what others are having.
This type of meal is better than the ready made meals anyway.

It makes me so sad to hear your description of self- loathing. You sound a lovely lady. You've obviously produced children, what an achievement that is. There must be so many other things you've achieved in life you should be proud of so you are worthy of feeling good about yourself.

Spoil yourself often and not just in the food sense. Learn to realise you can take comfort from things like long bubbly baths, reading a magazine/book for half an hour, the simple pleasures in life.

Keep checking in here if it helps, I'll do anything I can to help. You are doing so well!

ssd · 11/04/2005 18:40

God emmatom, you're so nice!

Thanks for more good advice! But what would you suggest - I hate vegetables!

emmatom · 11/04/2005 22:45

Hey, there are so many crappy people in the world, why should we join them?!! A bit of niceness doesn't hurt anyone. Life's too short to be grotty!!

Bloomin Henry, you've thrown a spanner in the works with the veggie malarky havn't you!! No, we can get around that methinks.

Firstly, why do you dislike them? And, is it all types, some types?

Remember we're eating for health and longevity here, not just weight loss. So, it's good to eat the veg because of all the vitamins and anti-oxidents they have as well as giving you the full- up feeling.

Do you really dislike everything ie. sweet potatoes, beetroot, everything you can buy in a greengrocer. I'm just thinking that if you mash some types of veg together (not necessarily potatoes and beetroot by the way!) and add some garlic or herbs etc, they would taste absolutely yummy and probably completely different to soggy cabbage for example.

Other option are things like spaghetti bolognaise sauce - if you were to get a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes and bung them in a juicer with some slightly sauteed mushrooms, peppers, celery, carrot, anything basically, wizz it all up, add the o' herbs and spices you can have a spicy, tasty sauce that you probably wouldn't even taste the veg in.

That type of sauce is good to throw over some chicken or fish and add a jacket potatoe.

Is any of this sounding OK?

Remember, another day nearly over. If you've been good that is another step to feeling better about youself. Well done.

ssd · 12/04/2005 08:08

Good suggestions! And I've just remembered I've got a juicer to whizz up stuff for me and the kids. I should get out my recipe book and see what I could make. I know what you mean about blending stuff up, I try to do this for the kids but I forget to do it for me .

Anyway we are going away for a few days soon, so forgive me if I don't post for about 5 days, I'll let you know if I've kept on track when I get back!

TrinaJ · 13/04/2005 22:39

I'm delighted to see this thread still going as i agree with ssd entirely, The only veg i enjoy is sweede, i quite like sweet potato and broccoli and will also eat green beans but it becomes so boring keep eating the same veg and then i start to dilike them. I do the blending things up for my kids but didn't think it would fill me up the same as having portions of veg on my plate!? There is also no fruit i enjoy either! Any suggestions of what else i could eat to keep healthy?

emmatom · 14/04/2005 18:00

Have you tried baked jacket sweet potatoes? Sooooo lovely. They become even sweeter when they're baked. They're moist as well, so no or little butter/marg needed and can top with a great big dollop of cottage cheese/baked beans/tuna & low fat mayo etc etc.

You can make those big fat omeletes with the veggies you like as well. Can't think of their damn names.... is it tortias or something. Cook the potatoes and green veg and add to the egg mixture.

You could nosey through some cook books at the library. Just head for the low-fat/ healthy sections, but if there is something in the 'ordinary' section, just try adapting it with low-fat or low cal options or adding less of the cream,say, for example.

Just think 'good for you' as opposed to diet and deprivation.

With that blending thing I mentioned concerning the sauce, I did mean to say that I also put cooked meat into the sauce and the blender. I just use mince but always make sure it's the extra lean minced beef or lamb or chicken.

emmatom · 21/04/2005 21:47

bump for juicychops.

juicychops · 21/04/2005 21:51

Thanks emmatom

dinny · 21/04/2005 21:59

emmatom, wow, great advice. may I ask something? how can I break my kids-are-in-bed-let-me-stuff-my-face cycle? am fine all day and just lose it after 7.30, eating crap and drinking wine. why oh why do I do it? HELP!

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