how to ditch bad eating habits - any ideas?

[MummyToSteven]

Hi all - i am eating far too much junk food being at home all day with ds - know that I need to take myself in hand. My eating habits went completely out of kilter during my early attempts at bfing and haven't gone fully back to normal since. My main problem is packets of biscuits - can't stick to one or two - end up ploughing through what is left in the packet. I'm not sure why I do it - almost like I go into a trance while reading/computing and "have" to finish the packet. Anyone with similar experiences/advice?

Yes, I'm completely rubbish with sweet things, if they're there then they call to me and I can't resist. At the moment I'm doing Weight Watchers and I weighing everything before it goes into my mouth and writing everything down which has stopped the sugar binges for the time being.

You could try eating something bulky (like a stick of celery) between every biscuit, that will slow you down at least. Or have something fibrous and sweet like wholemeal bread/Ryvita and jam. I would say don't buy sweet things and don't have them in the house, but I know from experience that they somehow just find their way into your trolly of their own accord.

Best of luck - I'm sure there'll be some more useful advice along soon.

yes I only buy for dh and dd now mental in my head I say this for dh and dd and then I don't eat them - alternatively I have a coffee instead

Sounds really obvious, but going to weight watchers helped me focus - don't buy biscuits or other 'unhealthy' foods. Only eat at mealtimes. When you feel the urge to snack, do something active instead - play with ds/go for a walk/do some ironing/log onto mumsnet - anything except eat. Have some fruit (something small like grapes or plums, easy to nibble on). Make a cup of coffee with milk and pretend it's a cappucino (needs good imagination). Plan menus for the week ahead and only buy food for those menus - be strict. If it's not in the house you can't eat it. I was 4 stone overweight when ds was born, probably only one stone due to pregnancy, the rest from 2 years ttc with IVF. I waited till he was 9 months old before doing something about it and have lost 18 lbs in 12 weeks. It hasn't been easy and I'm often depressed at the thought of how far I've still got to go. But I'm thinner and fitter than I've been in years and can finally get back into size 16 jeans again, which makes me feel almost human.
Stick with it, and if you want to do it badly enough you will do it. My motivation was dreading someone asking me if I was pregnant again. Nobody did but I'm sure lots of people thought I might be. Good luck

I'm trying to do weight watchers at the moment and I've found writing down everything that I eat very helpful, also chucking kids' leftovers straight in bin and really trying not to finishe those off and lastly, really difficult I know, not buying cakes, biscuits etc at all. We had DS2's birthday party the other day and it's been really difficult with left over cakes and biscuits but...if we want to do it, then I guess we just have to!! Good luck

You can get biscuits from WW which have individual packets, so they give you a feeling that you've 'finished' a packet. Ryvita also do a sweet version, slightly more calories than normal ryvita but they are more chewy. Also another tip is to brush your teeth before you feel that you might snack. I find that it's good to have and use a range of tactics so that it doesn't become more of a chore than it has to be.

HTH

Spod75

bump

Why not join one of the threads - there's a lactating losers thread if you're still breast feeding. I find them very helpful, at the very least they give me a laugh, which is almost as good as sugar.