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A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Anyone else tend to eat constantly?

39 replies

Jahan · 21/04/2011 14:46

I seem to be eating all the time. I've been like this for ages and would like to stop.
I eat anything I can find, if theres not proper snacks around, I'll just eat dry cereal or bread.
I can't even remember the last time I felt hungry. That in itself is shameful and I've gained so much weight recently.

I want to try to eat 3 meals a day and snack only on fruit.
Its not really about dieting yet though I'm hoping weight loss will be side affect, its about getting back into the habit of just eating regular meals. It doesn't matter what the meals are even. I just need to get back in touch with my body and start to be healthier.

does anyone want to join me?

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 21/04/2011 14:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Jahan · 21/04/2011 15:09

I seem to snack all the time. I don't know why I do it. I'm not unhappy or anything. Just bad habits I think.
I need to change.

OP posts:
vickibee · 21/04/2011 15:18

Jahan
I empathise with you - I do the same even at work. I think it is partly down to comfort and partly down to boredom. I too am three stone overweight and not happy. How do we break the cycle? I have a packet of nuts & raisins in my drawer and sip in all the time.

My only redemming featiure is exercise - I walk for miles upto 8 or 9 miles a day which does keep my weight down a bit

Original poster
Jahan · 21/04/2011 15:24

I am actually fairly fit and exercise regularly. This has helped and I'm sure I would be obese if it wasn't for that.

I think the best way to break the cycle is to just go for it. Cold turkey like an addict Smile

OP posts:
HowToLookGoodGlaikit · 21/04/2011 16:11

I was like this til I started the Paul McKenna method. I too would grab dry cereal, bread and even dry crackers, just so I could eat. I had no idea what proper hunger felt like :(

foreverondiet · 21/04/2011 17:38

As a starting point try cans of diet coke/sprite and sugar free chewing gum. Also drink loads of water.

Plan your day in advance - even what time you are having your snacks at. Get out and about and don't have food to hand.

PositiveAttitude · 21/04/2011 18:01

I'd love to join you! I have been doing the same and this week decided enough is enough. I am huge! I had been making a lunch to take to work, eating it by 10.00, then eating another when I get home at 1.00 and carry on until tea time, then too full for a meal really. Sooooo, this week I have been sticking to meal times with fruit as snacks. I have felt so much better in myself. I am trying to recognise when I am hungry and need to eat. So far I have been really encouraged. I wont know if I have lost any weight yet, as I am not going to be hoping on and off the scales.

I am not sure if I should stick to meal-times, though. Like today I was busy and not hungry until nearly 3pm, so had lunch then. Now I am not hungry, have cooked tea for the family, but I haven't had any. The thing is, I know i will be hungry later, but I am also trying not to eat after 8pm!

Anyway, good luck! Keep posting so that we can support each other! Smile

Original poster
Jahan · 21/04/2011 19:51

Thanks for the advice. I'll try drinking lots of water but I don't like to drink diet drinks with artificial sweeteners. I'm sure theres only so much abuse my body can take Smile
I agree that planning is important.

Well done PositiveAttitude on making a good start. I think I need to stick to meal times as I tend to binge if I get hungry (not that I get hungry very often). I'm glad you said you feel so much better as that's where I want to be. I know it makes sense on every level and I'll be happier and healthier but it just seems so hard to get there.

OP posts:
Mahraih · 21/04/2011 23:26

I agree with Madamdeathstare - chewing gum is great if you're not really hungry but just at a loose end/feel like chewing. But if you are hungry, chewing gum will make your stomach rumble something aweful!

Flavoured water? Mildly more exciting than the straight stuff. And try to keep occupied, a lot of people (including me) eat through boredom. And when you make food choices, try to make them filling i.e. protein-rich, healthy fats etc.

It took me a long-time to relearn hunger signals but now that I have, I have managed to abandon strict mealtimes and simply eat when hungry.

PositiveAttitude · 22/04/2011 10:21

Not such a good start here today. Blush

Been up since stupid o'clock, had to take DD2 to work, popped into supermarket to get supplies on the way home and in honour of Good Friday picked up a couple of packs of yummy hot cross buns. Just a minor blip, back to it now..... and yes, drinking water really helps.

Tortington · 22/04/2011 10:24

yes i used to do this. then i went on a low carb diet and it is through this i realised the amount of sugar in everything and how addictive it can be - your hooked on the sugar - its in cereal bread, beans - almost everything. even fruit - as good for you as it it - is natural sugar.

i used to find that i would eat lots of fruit - but then i would follow this with other non healthy stuff as the sugar had me hooked.

here is my blog

Tortington · 22/04/2011 10:26

chewing gum - even sugar free - as a sugar substitute that can stall weightloss - the thing about low carbing is the food and butritional educational process you learn. I google ingredients all the time and there are a lot of different fancy words on ingredients for sugar substitute - especially in low fat products.

vickibee · 22/04/2011 10:51

Just eaten half a big packet of kettle chips - wish I hadn't but somehow couldn't help myself. Have put the rest out of sight

GreenToes · 22/04/2011 11:36

I would also recommend the Paul McKenna method. I haven't quite cracked it yet as it's hard to break habits but I'm definitely making progress and learning to recognise when I'm hungry. There's a thread on here if you're interested, everyone's really lovely and motivational :)

ppeatfruit · 22/04/2011 14:41

YES YES Greentoes and Howto are SOO right! I have lost 2 stone on the Paul Mckenna it is'nt a diet it re educates yr attitude to food. [busmile] See you on the thread?

Original poster
Jahan · 22/04/2011 15:27

So far so good Smile
Yesterday I just had my 3 meals and fruit for snack (and a packet of skips Blush)
Today I have done the same. I had my breakfast, half a hot cross bun for a mid morning snack, had lunch and have had grapes for a snack.

Custardo Thanks for your advice. I think you are right about the sugar addiction. I'd never thought of that. I think you've done amazingly well but I can't follow that kind of diet, I'm afraid. I don't really like meat and prefer to eat vegetables, grains and pulses. I'll try to cut back on the carbs as I think I probably have too much and will look at fat and portion size too.
I'll have a look at Paul Mckenna.
My main thing here is to stop eating all the time.

OP posts:
HowToLookGoodGlaikit · 22/04/2011 15:38

Paul McKenna does stop you eating all the time - I am proof (as wellas the numerous ladies on our thread) that it works :)

QueenStromba · 22/04/2011 17:18

Jahan: You should try following a low GI diet to help cure your carb addiction because what's happening is that you have become addicted to the quick increase in blood sugar levels that you get from some carbs. You can still eat carbs but should limit them to one quarter of your meal with protein taking up another quarter and veg the rest. On a GI diet plan pulses are actively encouraged. I can't think of a single carb rich high GI food that can't be substituted with a low GI alternative. For example, potatoes are really high GI but sweet potatoes and new potatoes are low/medium GI. New potatoes make great baked potatoes because you get more of the yummy skin per serving and sweet potatoes make lovely wedges. Sweet potatoes and swede make a lovely mash which is nice on it's own or as part of a fish pie or shepherds pie etc. All pasta is fine but obviously wholemeal is better than white. Rice is all over the place in terms of GI so it's best to stick to basmati rice (brown is best obviously). Standard noodles like sharwoods are fine, instant noodles aren't. White bread is terrible (some of the GI scales have white bread set as 100 rather than glucose) but if you eat wholegrain bread with oats and seeds or soya and linseed bread then it's fine. You can even substitute table sugar with fructose or xylitol which are both very low GI.

I first did the low GI diet about 5 years ago and have gone from having a sweet tooth to not being able to stand really sweet things. As I type I'm drinking sparkling water with some lemon and lime juice in it and it tastes sweet to me, I also find lattes with no sugar sweet when I used to have 2-3 sugars in a coffee just to counteract the bitterness.

Original poster
Jahan · 22/04/2011 17:47

QueenStromba that really sounds like a diet I can live with. I don't eat white bread. I love bread with seeds and stuff in it, though a bit too much I think Smile
I'll try and get a book about it but generally, I'll try to stick to the 1/4 of a plate rule you've described. I love salad so I can do half my plate with salad.
Thanks so much. I'm actually looking forward to eating like that Smile

I've done ok so far today. The only extra thing I hadthis afternoon was about 1/6th of a pitta bread. Just a small nibble then I just drank a big glass of water.

OP posts:
refmum · 22/04/2011 18:07

How funny,i was just going to post the same thing!! I realised today that i'm never hungry (not properly hungry) i can remember when i was a child my tummy would rumble,i would feel proper hunger and eat till i was not hungry (but never stuffed full)

I want to get back to that and stop this constant snacking,it's driving me nuts!!!

ConstanceFelicity · 22/04/2011 18:20

Jahan, I think your new healthy eating plan sounds very wise. I changed my eating habits about seven weeks ago and have lost a stone and a half :) Still a long way to go...

I, like you, think it's great to just follow your own healthy eating plan- I don't eat pasta, bread, potatoes or rice, but other carbs- seeds, legumes, root veg- I do eat. Also unlimited fruit. I am also trying to eat low fat food as I am thinking of this as a long term thing, and I don't want to include cream and that sort of thing in my regular diet.

I've stuck to this longer than any other diet, I think because I have no set rules. Good luck to you!

BTW, I find that a cuppa really fills me up almost as much as a meal. Liquid has totally replaced snacks for me and I am not hungry.

ledkr · 22/04/2011 18:29

I or think about eating all day,my dh and others i know who are thin do not think about it as much.im always planning nice meals or treats,never used to be a prob but since 5th dc 10 wks ago,i have at least 2 stone to shift,i too love carbs in all forms.Might look at the p mackenna thread.

ledkr · 22/04/2011 18:30

constance,do you not crave a biscuit with your cuppa?

ConstanceFelicity · 22/04/2011 19:22

Not really. Do eat a lot of fish/meat/quorn, think that is far more filling than I had thought.