Overeating junk, always tired, can't fall asleep, clothes won't fit... Help!

[tiredandgreedy]

Hi, I need some help but don't know where to begin.

Firstly, I can't stop eating, in the day it's ok, but in the evening, I can't stop (eg last night a whole pack of Fingers). I feel uncomfortable and am putting on weight but can't seem to stop it. I work alternate daily shifts (9-5pm, 2.30-10.30pm) which means it's hard to get into an eating routine but also at night after a late I find it very hard to switch off my brain and sleep, meaning sometimes I've had to get up for a 9am shift after not getting to sleep until 4am that night. All sorts of things swirl through my mind and I just can't switch off.

I've tried to exercise but as I'm so tired I always put it off. (I know working til 10.30pm then in at 9 the next day doesn't help my tiredness but I am stuck with this rota for a while). I've tried WW etc and I do ok in the day then again, in the evening, carbs and sweets overload, as though to compensate for being so cold and tired this time of year!

Now I'm not fitting in my clothes and I hate it, I know I need a kick up the bum, but I just don't know where to start, has anyone been in this situation or got any advice? It feels like I'm trapped in a circle!

(I've namechanged as I'm so down about this, but been here yonks, penguins, fresh pasta etc..) Thanks x

Its all sugar though, and carbs and stuff. (I'm well into the technical stuff behind it )

Honestly, if you are eating a whole pack of Fingers and feeling bloated, no energy, not sleeping well its fab. You can have decaff tea and coffee, cheese, and all the yogurt you can cram in. I still have skimmed milk so have my daily coffee.

I'll email the magazine article if you like. I'm that evangelical about it I am prepared to breach any copyright laws

Or you could just try cutting out carbs and upping the protein. It also goes about not mixing carbs and protein. Something to do with protein can't be converted to fat without carbs present (or the other way round).

On that note, the kids are raiding the biscuit time.

Might go and join them Good luck!

Oh yes I see! I must have bored everyone else off this thread!

Sorry OP!

I have the same problems and have consulted a nutritionist re. the same.

your problem is hormonal and blood sugar related and so the GI diet will help. I have been advised to cut out sugar and refined carbs. Eat 5 times daily (every 3 hours)..small meals, Eat a small amount of protein at every meal, Never skip breakfast, and exercise. Water is also important (1.5L) daily. I am finding it hard at present with xmas etc, but is early days, will let you know how i get on...oh and all information is contained in book "fat around the middle" by Dr Marilyn Glenville..highly recommend...good luck!

I have def lost weight in the last 2 weeks and am trying to eat GOOD food for my body, no diet or low fat crap. Low Gi though, made taboulleh(sp?) which was delish, instead of having a jacket potato or mash or whatever. I am not craving bread at all...craving oatcakes and cheese instead

Love GI/SL diet. Each much more meat. Have brown rice with meals, but not much of it. Drink tap water only. Eat regular meals. ideally no fruit - frustose causes blood sugar levels to go up and down although obviously is better than a pack of chocolate fingers. Make sure you at the every least start the day with a big breakfast with lots of protein.

this brilliant website will totally help you - the support there is amazing and will help you with eating junk food/sugar. life changing stuff.

www.radiantrecovery.com

I eat like that. It is the only way of eating which has ever made me feel good and effortlessly lose weight. Also amazingly since I started eating 3 balanced meals a day I haven't caught a single cold. In 12 months I haven't been ill once. It's amazing. It could just be coincidence but it may just be good food.

How are you doing t&g and Cybil?

This is a hard time of yeat for it!

If it is any ebcouragement, I have never lost more than 2lbs on a 'diet' before, but after not eating sugar or bread for 4 weeks now, I have lost half a stone. It is a real motivation for me to keep refusing the cr*p!

Hello all! What a great support thread this is turning out to be. I have been sleeping (a little bit) better and so I am off to bed now as don't want to spend all night on MN, but briefly, have joined back onto WW online, going to cut myself some slack the next few days but am getting there Went for a blood test yesterday which may prove interesting. Little change on the BM front! Mind you it's TOTM and that always seems to affect my errr 'other' cycle too

Website links, article links, all welcome, please keep posting, words of encouragement and/or what you have been eating, how your moods have been... I've been eating better, sleeping better but only cos I'm so very tired from work, home 10.30 last night then in at 9 today, hence off to the land of nod now! Night girls x

Merry Christmas! how is everybody getting on?

Hi - I have same probs with eating but re the going to sleep: I always find that a very clean tidy dark room after a hot bath is best,
and also I need a lined pad of paper and a pen to write down all the "to dos" and problems to solve - because I too find that when I sit/lie in bed quietly all the worries start going through my mind.
My DP on the other hand does suffer from stress and I think it might be because he thinks if he watches a film to send him to sleep he wont think about his (many awful) worries.

just you-tubed exercise

Well, I did Christmas with no wine/champagne/chocs/pudding/cakes/biscuits/sweets .

I did have bread sauce - that was the only deviation from my self-imposed regime!

I would not have believed you if two months ago you said I could do Xmas with no chocolate. However, I did and I felt fine. While I would have liked some, the 'need' to have it just wasn't there. Plus I didn't spend Xmas and Boxing Day feeling stuffed and icky.

I had loads to eat and only put on a pound in weight lol!

The big difference is just that I am just not having the urges to have bad stuff. I do get moments where I think 'I would like some chocolate', but I can control it, and the feeling passes. Before, the feeling would be all-consuming, and would not go away until I had given in. I find now that I am in control, and it is great!

I do think that having (in my case) sugar, leads my body to crave it more and more - it is a physical addiction. Going cold turkey is far, far more helpful than 'cutting down' (once you get past the first very hard few days)...

Hello all! OP here, feeling still tired but less greedy . I totally went to town over Xmas but started weightwatchers online last Sunday. I've done it with a friend and we noted down measurements too so we could see how many inches we lost as well as weight. I've just done my measurements and I've lost 3.5ins and will be weighing in tomorrow morning!

How are you all after Xmas, has anyone managed to get back on the wagon? I've left my old job (the one with the rubbish shift patterns) so my sleeping routine is starting to get back to normal. I've realised that movement is key so have been going for lots of walks in the snow

I've got a good stone to lose which I know isn't lots but it'll mean I can get back into my old clothes and feel better about myself too. Anyone fancy coming along for the ride? There's been so much good advice on this thread so all welcome

You sound very similar to me in that I can "diet" all day long but as soon as the evening comes I am weak and pathetic and cave in!

I have recently lost 4 stone with Slimming World. I do not know if you are familiar with the plan but basically despite the plan actually allowing me to eat loads during the day I just dont tend to - I dont go hungry but dont max out. The plan allows 2 "Healthy Extras"(cereal/fibre kind of based foods) and 15 syns a day - as well as load of "Free" food. I save my Healthy Extras until the evening and then use them for my fix supper. I use my bread allowance (healthy extra) for toast or a sandwich and have cereal bars on an evening too! I also save as many "syns" as possible and most nights have a Curly Wurly to feed my chocolate habit! If I am still needing to eat after this I max out on the allowed free food you are allowed to eat as much as you like of!!

People are shocked to hear I have lost 4 stone eating a chocolate bar most days and eating the volume of food I tend to eat on an evening.

I have put on loads over Xmas so am back to class this Thursday to try and reign it all in again. Am embrrassed to admit I have demolished the best part of a pack of sickly custard creams whilst surfing on here tonite!! I soooooooooooo appreciate where you are coming from!! It is not easy but it is doable!!

Good luck!