Compulsive overeating

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It encouraged me, as you get these urges and anything that might help deflect them is useful. I made it thru yesterday on target. Today after 3 1/2 weeks I can finally say I am seeing a difference. It is a slow progress.

The feminine form of Dicator is Dictatress or Dictatrix.

It is indeed encouraging to read your accounts and successes, reassuring to know that this happens to other people... and that there is always hope for us to do better. Just because we screwed up yesterday, doesn't mean that tomorrow has to be the same. I apologize if I came off as rude, with my colossal monologue. Good luck to you, keep moving forward!

And luck to you! Your right, its never over, not while we are still breathing anyway.

On target yesterday and although a little premature, I'll call today good too... since its 11:40 PM and I am munching on a carrot.

I'm gradually doing better.

Edit: what also helps me is to work on an approach of disinterest towards 'bad' foods. Also, fruits and carrots are nice as well. When I want to overeat because of sensory overload (somehow it helps me cope) a carrot does the trick just as well.

As this is a recurring problem (it comes in waves) I know that it's best to practice discipline for a couple of days and not eat anything that's considered popularly 'nice'. That'd be overly fatty, salty, sweet etc foods that are most prone to make you crave for more. About a year ago I actually felt ''addicted'' (yes, it was a strong feeling...) to crisps etc, and why? Because I ate them and somehow they made my body/subconscious/whatever make me be almost obsessed with them. I got sick of that soon enough as this constant feeling of 'craving'' and ''I want that!'' is really distracting and annoying. I think there's some truth to food addiction as some of the really worst foods can get a grip on you. However I'm lucky that I can spot such things easily enough and with some effort counter it. But when I don't buy these things for a couple of days to a week I hardly still notice the product on the shelves. It then has lost its meaning to me.

I feel best in my own skin when I'm ''normal'', meaning that I'm not in a period of overeating. (which sometimes happens, longer or shorter time) I like it much more when I only think about food when I'm really hungry and thus far it seems a lot like I'm getting there

I know what you mean about sensory overload. Sort of replacing one sensory overload with another, as a distraction. Those fatty sweet and salty foods come with a built-in neurological reward system. I strongly believe that food can be physically addictive, for this reason.

The discipline approach goes a long way, looking at it as "What will this do for me? Do I really need it?". I eat lots of fruit - and that satisfies my sweet-tooth, most of the time. One thing that helps me; when I have a craving, is to allow myself just one small treat. If I let the craving go for too long, or try too hard to fight it... That is often a huge trigger. When I demonize something that I'm trying to let go of, it winds up just making it more desirable. As far as stocking trigger foods at home, I avoid it almost altogether. I do usually stock nuts and peanut butter, but have to be careful with those!!

When I get into a bad place with food, it makes me want to hide from the world - it actually makes me feel like everyone is looking at me and somehow knows. That they must be judging me, based on the "obvious" fact that there is something wrong with me. It hurts my performance at work and stifles my overall ambition.

Props to you guys, for keeping your eyes on the ball.

So far so good. Made target each day. 1 month now.

My situation sounds pretty much identical to yours 'Your Majesty'. (can I just call you YoMa for short? )

Not really a weight issue, though that is a part... more the compulsive desire for foods that I crave. Chips, pretzels, nuts, cheese, crackers... salt & carbs I guess. Salty items are especially hard to stop.

And eating them doesn't make me feel good. Its like trying to run a car with gas mixed with beer or something.

I had that problem for a while. Some of the issue was related to my eating habits because I was used to eating one big meal a day. I started eating 3 regular meals a day & took the med Topamax for abit to decrease my appetite so urge to pig out wasn't as strong while I was adjusting to better eating.

I like this thread! You guys are doing great.

I have been trying to loose weight for years and years. Over the last month I have finally changed my habits way for the better, but am not really losing any weight yet. I feel better though.

Here are some things I did:

1. One of my biggest problems was coming home from work and ordering food in. I would order a lot of food. I always felt like just a normal meal would leave me hungry and I was desperate not to feel that hunger. Now I just don't do it. It's fruit or a small salad or light soup and maybe some nuts. Sometimes popcorn.

2. Eating a huge lunch. Lunch is a big meal for me now, but I don't eat until I feel so full any more. I decided not to make myself eat until I want to puke. I just found the spot after satiation, before puke. That's a pretty nice change right there! Even if the food is all healthy, I just won't eat that much at once. Like no super huge salads. Before I couldn't imagine not having the whole container stuffed and overflowing (because it's all healthy, right)? Now there's room at the top of my salads!

3. Sugar, what the heck is the deal with that? I swear I crave sugary things that I don't even like that much. Then when I would get one sweet thing I would think, oh well, I'll start tomorrow, I'll eat every sugary thing in sight. Now I've finally figured out that I love Mexican coffee with a couple of sugars in it, so when the craving hits I drink one and it feels like a rich creamy dessert and does the trick.

All in all, I'm saving a lot of money and eating healthier.

Any other tips or substitutions you guys have made, I would love to hear!

I couldn't drop everything all in one step, but once I became adjusted to new level, could then cut out a little more. Kind of a process. A few things I allow myself to keep in as treats. It took a while to actually see any change in weight, like 3 weeks. And its a slow progress. But if you take in less then you did it will happen. Reaching that first tangible improvement helps keep you going.

To help curb an impulse I have been using:

carrots
gum
celery
having something to drink rather then something to eat

once in a while another raw vegetable I like, like brocalli, cauliflower, or lettuce.

As stated earlier, I use methods that wouldn't be suitable for most people. Even for an athlete, I'm pretty extreme in how I approach my nutrition. One huge meal a day actually works great for me, as it keeps food off my mind for most of the day. However, I do measure everything and calculate macronutrients.

I chew a lot of gum and like having a toothpick in my mouth. I sort of have an oral fixation, which may be part of this whole issue.

Hydration is important, being dehydrated contributes to feeling hungry. Make sure to get some water every hour - and don't worry about drinking too much, you'd have to be very determined to take enough to do harm.

Try eating calorically dense foods, that make you feel satiated. Complex carbs from vegetables and lean proteins go a long way. Also, do not avoid fats. Your body needs fats and they really don't deserve the bad rep that they've received. Dietary fat =/= bodyfat. If it's not a trigger for you; which it seems to be a common one, peanut butter is a great calorically dense food. Crazy hunger pangs? Make a sandwich with a couple tablespoons of peanut butter = win!!

Peanut butter has been an issue for me, but I now can always seem manage it. As long as I don't let myself have a taste, before the jar is put away ... Becoming more comfortable with peanut butter; in itself, has staved off a lot of potential episodes. If you have specific trigger foods, I'd recommend not demonizing them. Try to just approach them with caution, like treating yourself to these foods at a restaurant - or picking up a bit from the store, to enjoy on the go. Use moderation and try to keep them out of your home, at least till you develop a healthier relationship with these foods.

I'm convinced that if I started smoking weed again, I'd be back on the binge cycle so fast. However, I decided a few months ago that weed is something I can never go back to.

Hope this helps someone!!

YoMa actually sounds kinda cool

Yeah, those foods are absolute crap, they don't fill you up and they make you want more, that's what makes it so difficult for many people. Few people have issues with cucumber over-eating It helps me tremendously, as I've noticed, to realise that I crave. What also helped a lot recently was that I was in the store and my mind switched to chips (habitually) but I thought ''oh please don't fall into that trap again, it's getting old''.

As of yet it seems that I'm freed from this period of overeating, I feel freed from the craving, or better said: I don't think about food at all most of the time Needless to say I remain somewhat cautious and critical of my (subconscious) thinking as there's a risk. But I've been doing incredibly well during the last couple of days/week and just a few 'really good' days can be enough to set a new mood and habit.

Awesome!

Depending on what you make it of a 'normal' meal can really satisfy your hunger and make you feel full for an extended period of time. As far as I know it's better for your mood and energy even to eat old-fashioned normal meals. I say old-fashioned from my cultural perspective as I'm aware that American eating habits have been going in the wrong direction for a very long time, even from the 1950s. I realise of course that I might be wrong here as I'm not actually that knowledgeable on American culinary history It's just something that I read in an article about a book. (let alone the fact that the USA is actually quite a patch of land....) If I'm right though it means that it can be quite complicated for people to change as the culture and surroundings aren't supportive of healthy habits?

Good work!

Sugar is addicting, there's a reason people get addicted to Coca-Cola and afaik it's related to the massive amounts of sugar in the classic version of the drink.

Double win!

I like to play with carrots in my mouth. They have a certain 'structure' and that already makes it 'fun' to eat them.

By the way, good sleep helps a ton. Tiredness makes you hungry as your body seeks for energy.

Edit: took me some days to respond... everything has been incredibly busy and chaotic for the last couple of days and they still are so I didn't post how I did. (somehow didn't have the mind for it) But I did extremely well!

Glad to hear Yoma is doing well. Would suck if the patron saint of the thread fell off the wagon and we all trundled on, oblivious to the fact.

Last edited by Toy_Soldier on 19 Jun 2014, 3:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

Okay, somebody else here has an oral fixation .

Sleep is a big issue, I can't believe that I overlooked that! Now that I think of it, my worst struggles with this issue have been accompanied by inadequate sleep.

Chaos can be a good thing. I dunno about you; but the less chance I have to stop and think (and over-think and over-over-think), the better off I am.

I'm doing great and looking forward to an awesome celebratory dinner, after my first Powerlifting meet on Saturday. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have often developed very orthorexic tendencies. Eating the same "whole, natural foods", in different combinations - for extended periods of time. That's why I think treats are important.

I really love Pho - and how awesome, that the nutritional value is actually pretty good!! My favourite treat, right there!! ! But; this weekend, I aim to be adventurous and do something different.

What do you folks like, as far as guilt free treat meals? Fishing for ideas, here

Good luck to y'all and keep being awesome!! !! !

Well... mine is Ice Cream. Its not healthy, but my favorite treat and so I allow myself that one guilty pleasure. I have just cut down the frequency and portion size. At some point I think life can become just too healthy to be worth living anymore.

Still hitting my targets daily. Have been leaning more towards proteins lately as well as veggies. Love eggs and lean meat. But dropping the number of carbs like potatos, and bread. Especially reduced the bread. Though it seems easier now that its warm. In winter I crave it more.