help, over eater

what can i do i ate 4 thin slices of raisin bread this morn and now i am snacking on ruffles, i do eat and drink together, but i am always thirsty, and i am always snacking

((((((BIG SQUEEZIE HUGS!!!!)))) O Mary, you know what you need to do. Start by changing the behaviors you know need to be changed. Start slow, it's about progress not perfection afterall. 1. I'd suggest stopping the drinking with meals first - as it empties the pouch out fast making more room for snacking. If you can't fit anymore food in then you'll be less likely to try snacking. 2. I am reading this and see my own downfall written - the CARB monster. When I have simple carbs (like bread, or potatos) first thing in the morning I want them all day long. Try having a more complex carb in the morning, (like whole wheat bread instead of sugary rasin bread) and let the rest of breakfast be protein. Often I'll eat my mandarin oranges or applesauce in the morning with some string cheese, an egg or a piece of sausage. It keeps me fuller much longer. 3. If you're always thirsty, then keep a water bottle with you and keep hold of the drinking rule - 30 minutes after you eat and no sooner. You'll stop eating so much if for no other reason than you want to drink again. When I'm feeling really "hungry" usually its either 1. dehydration - so I do some waterloading. (get 44 oz in as fast as possible) or it is 2. head hunger - so I distract myself. If it really won't go away sometimes I sneak into the stairwell in my office building and hike up a few flights of stairs. It tends to help me refocus. I'm trapped at a desk all day, so getting away from my usual area can be all it takes sometimes to help me change my thinking pattern. 4. Are you still seeing your therapist? If it's head hunger, you want to get to the root of those things that prompt you to compulsively eat. Use this time and opportunity to establish a new healthy relationship with food, rather than working to build a new unhealthy relationship with food. Consider scheduling a visit in the very near future. You CAN pull yourself together Mary. I believe in you, and you should too. Hugs and support, ~Lara

You won't feel as hungry is you keep your food and liquids separated by at least a 1/2 hour! It works!

Mary- WELCOME! The smell of that sweet bread in the morning is enough to make me want to rip my pouch open and eat slice after slice, oozing with butter... ::drool:: So, what do I do? I don't buy it. My family has learned to deal with it, and they can have a plethora of other foods instead of my "problem" foods. I cannot be tempted, I have ZERO willpower to stay away from the sweet carbs and crunchy carbs, all things naughty... I WANT. One bite, and it's a downward spiral for me... ruins my entire DAY. So, I suggest, don't even allow it in your house. If you're the grocery shopper... don't buy it. If you must have bread in your house, buy whole grain, flax, soy, multigrain, high protein breads.... and limit your serving to 1 slice per day... reli**** Enjoy it. Toast it, sprinkle splenda, cinnamon and a scrape of real butter. Take small bites, enjoy the flavor. It's so easy to overdo it with the naughty carbohydrates, and once you turn on the cycle of carb intake, you want more, and more, and more.... hence the four slices....right? As for drinking, it's a no-no while you eat. Wait at least a 1/2 hour after eating solids to drink. It pushes your food down and makes room for more, when you do not need it. If you're trying to gain weight, this is the first suggestion many docs make... is to drink with food. Also, it can be uncomfortable... can swell food and make you .... But, if you're losing weight, happy with your progress, or you don't need to lose anymore, you can tell me to shove it... Anyways- take care of yourself. This is hard stuff. We're all there with ya! -beth 313/298/149/130