How do I stop??
I apologize if this gets kind of long but I just am having a really hard time right now. I feel so out of control. I walk around the kitchen going from cabinet to cabinet to fridge to freezer looking for things to eat. Take a bite of this, a piece of this and another bite of this. Nothing seems to be satisfying ~ even protein bars and the edamame I've been addicted to. I eat my snacks and meals but don't enjoy anything! I want chocolate and have put M&M's and a Hershey's kiss in my mouth but spit them out because they are NASTY!! I've made some "fluff" and find myself picking at it all day. I've also made jello and pudding and just can't find anything that fills me up. I eat fish, chicken and/or eggs and just keep going. My pouch doesn't seem to feel full. I'm going through a huge amount of stress and am sure this is part of it...that emotional eating thing and I know I shouldn't over-eat so I've taken to nibbling. Any suggestions??? I'm struggling to not gain even though I've been told I need to. I want to maintain ~ I like 120 would like to get back to 118 - would be amazing to see 115!! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
When I start grazing or picking all day its definitely due to emotional eating for me. Do you journal your food at all? I do at thedailyplate.com and when I'm having a tough time I will journal my whole day out in advance and then eat only what is in that daily entry~if I consume everything by 3pm (which has never happened, but just as an example) then I would be done eating for the day and if its not on the list, I don't eat it. This helps me to stick to a plan for the day. Also, a diversion might help~go walk, read, nap, get online, use relaxation techniques, etc~something to take you out of the kitchen and into a different frame of mind. Good Luck!!!!
~*~Tracy B~*~
328/160 *** 5'9"
start/current
I can totally feel your pain on this one..It's very very hard so don't beat yourself up.
Jello and pudding are slider foods and won't fill you up..They slide right through. So find something with density..Really dense stuff will stick in your pouch longer so find something like that. Beef jerky is better than chocolate because chocolate will melt and become slider foods. Nuts are good.
When I first feel hungry, I drink a 24 oz container of water so that I can force myself to get the water in. I find that my hunger signals have become messed up with thirst signals so I do that...Then I do something with alot of fiber or density like steak. a 4 oz piece of steak sticks with me for hours and hours.
Just know that we all have been there. Keep after it. It's going to work.
Jello and pudding are slider foods and won't fill you up..They slide right through. So find something with density..Really dense stuff will stick in your pouch longer so find something like that. Beef jerky is better than chocolate because chocolate will melt and become slider foods. Nuts are good.
When I first feel hungry, I drink a 24 oz container of water so that I can force myself to get the water in. I find that my hunger signals have become messed up with thirst signals so I do that...Then I do something with alot of fiber or density like steak. a 4 oz piece of steak sticks with me for hours and hours.
Just know that we all have been there. Keep after it. It's going to work.
Yes, RNY worked for me but it also requires a lot of work from me!
Before Surgery: 214
Highest Weight: 240
Now: 125.6
Goal: 130
Before Surgery: 214
Highest Weight: 240
Now: 125.6
Goal: 130
Stephanie,
Sorry to hear about your struggle. hugs.
I do understand the craving....and the stress. I agree with what tracey wrote, about emotional eating and slider foods.
Period times are times when chocolate things call me. I remain sugar free, but I still crave the sf chocolate. Is this related at all?
Also, if you eat frequently with small amounts the food you previously ate has passed through your pouch. So now we've covered some possible causes and pouch.
Is this just a "today" thing, or has this been going on daily or every once in a w hile?
If this is a once in a while thing, then put it aside and move on. If its daily or several times a week you do need to address it.
Stress doesn't go away when we want it to, and it comes when we don't ask it to. So we have to deal with it. Its easy to go back to our old food habits or binging and comfort foods,,,,,the good thing is that you realized it.
you many not be able to control the stress, but you can control what you do about it. Lets put a plan in motion.....whey protein drinks, riding the horses, getting on line and helping someone else, calling someone to talk it through....re-directing your stress off of food and yourself and not keeping junk in the house you can binge on.
For me, when I am "scaveging" the kitchen, if I can't find anything, I'll get frustrated, but it'll stop me, and if I only have pork rinds to eat....then its them or nothing. I rarely will get into the car and go get a bad nibbly, does that make sense?
We all should have a healthy fear of regain....so its great you see where you have a temptation and problem. We can try to help you get a plan together and encourage you past this.....the stress and food won't go away, but you can be stronger than either of them, and quite frankly you are worth it!!!!
Sorry to hear about your struggle. hugs.
I do understand the craving....and the stress. I agree with what tracey wrote, about emotional eating and slider foods.
Period times are times when chocolate things call me. I remain sugar free, but I still crave the sf chocolate. Is this related at all?
Also, if you eat frequently with small amounts the food you previously ate has passed through your pouch. So now we've covered some possible causes and pouch.
Is this just a "today" thing, or has this been going on daily or every once in a w hile?
If this is a once in a while thing, then put it aside and move on. If its daily or several times a week you do need to address it.
Stress doesn't go away when we want it to, and it comes when we don't ask it to. So we have to deal with it. Its easy to go back to our old food habits or binging and comfort foods,,,,,the good thing is that you realized it.
you many not be able to control the stress, but you can control what you do about it. Lets put a plan in motion.....whey protein drinks, riding the horses, getting on line and helping someone else, calling someone to talk it through....re-directing your stress off of food and yourself and not keeping junk in the house you can binge on.
For me, when I am "scaveging" the kitchen, if I can't find anything, I'll get frustrated, but it'll stop me, and if I only have pork rinds to eat....then its them or nothing. I rarely will get into the car and go get a bad nibbly, does that make sense?
We all should have a healthy fear of regain....so its great you see where you have a temptation and problem. We can try to help you get a plan together and encourage you past this.....the stress and food won't go away, but you can be stronger than either of them, and quite frankly you are worth it!!!!
blessings,
Tami
Remember, nothing tastes as good as THIN feels!!
http://www.marykay.com/tami
thank you.
I don't know if it's a period thing as I haven't had one since February but if I remember correctly it was consistantly at the beginning of the month so that would contribute to it. It's only been this week which has been really stressful at work & on the home front. I've been baking today rother than eating. It's keeping me from picking. I find it rather humorous that I'm not eating what I bake.
I've cleaned 5 horse stalls, ridden my horse, done laundry, colored with the kids, & gone to my Dad's to get zucchini, summer squash & butternut squash out of the garden ~ guess I'll be doing some cooking and freezing tonight. I just had a snack of a protein bar (11g) & a handful of Green Tea pumpkin seeds mix. I'm stuffed!! Getting ready to do more laundry & have a cup of coffee (decaf in about 20 minutes).
It will be an ongoing battle I'm sure and it so helps to have friends to put it into perspective and search out solutions.
I don't know if it's a period thing as I haven't had one since February but if I remember correctly it was consistantly at the beginning of the month so that would contribute to it. It's only been this week which has been really stressful at work & on the home front. I've been baking today rother than eating. It's keeping me from picking. I find it rather humorous that I'm not eating what I bake.
I've cleaned 5 horse stalls, ridden my horse, done laundry, colored with the kids, & gone to my Dad's to get zucchini, summer squash & butternut squash out of the garden ~ guess I'll be doing some cooking and freezing tonight. I just had a snack of a protein bar (11g) & a handful of Green Tea pumpkin seeds mix. I'm stuffed!! Getting ready to do more laundry & have a cup of coffee (decaf in about 20 minutes).
It will be an ongoing battle I'm sure and it so helps to have friends to put it into perspective and search out solutions.
You received great support and suggestions in this thread, especially from Tracy and Tami.
Emotional eating and grazing are, to me, the challenge that will come up. For years, we turned to food for self-medication and the numbing of our emotions. As we all know, we don't eat because we're hungry, we eat to soothe and calm our emotions and to cope.
A couple of things I've learned.......when I'm doing the searching thing, I try to catch myself and dig behind for the emotions driving my craving to eat. Am I bored, angry, tired, etc., what is the emotion(s) I'm feeling? Is it a situation that is upsetting to me? If so, what am I feeling? If I can identify what is driving my compulsion to eat to calm myself, most of the time I can overcome it.
Also, distractions are important. When I'm feeling strong, I put together a list of distractions. When the emotional eating hits, I refer to my distraction list and do sometime on it. Many times it takes a few things. I also tell myself that this too shall pass, yet if I gain weight from the grazing, it is harder to pass a regain. Emotions are fleeting. If we can sit with them without eating, they will pass. Some of my distractions are calling a friend, change my environment by going in another room, go outside on my back porch, read something inspirational or get lost in a book, clean a drawer, etc.
Your awareness is inspirational. You can do it!!!
Cathy
Emotional eating and grazing are, to me, the challenge that will come up. For years, we turned to food for self-medication and the numbing of our emotions. As we all know, we don't eat because we're hungry, we eat to soothe and calm our emotions and to cope.
A couple of things I've learned.......when I'm doing the searching thing, I try to catch myself and dig behind for the emotions driving my craving to eat. Am I bored, angry, tired, etc., what is the emotion(s) I'm feeling? Is it a situation that is upsetting to me? If so, what am I feeling? If I can identify what is driving my compulsion to eat to calm myself, most of the time I can overcome it.
Also, distractions are important. When I'm feeling strong, I put together a list of distractions. When the emotional eating hits, I refer to my distraction list and do sometime on it. Many times it takes a few things. I also tell myself that this too shall pass, yet if I gain weight from the grazing, it is harder to pass a regain. Emotions are fleeting. If we can sit with them without eating, they will pass. Some of my distractions are calling a friend, change my environment by going in another room, go outside on my back porch, read something inspirational or get lost in a book, clean a drawer, etc.
Your awareness is inspirational. You can do it!!!
Cathy
Cathy
Want to get back on track or stay on track? Get Back On Track Together!
Hi Cathy,
Thank you. I work with individuals on identifying their emotions and then figuring out how to deal with them appropriately. One of the things I have them do is come up with a list of things they can do instead...I NEVER took the time to do it myself??? I'm going to make a list tonight and see what of it I can do easity when I need to. Thank you!
Thank you. I work with individuals on identifying their emotions and then figuring out how to deal with them appropriately. One of the things I have them do is come up with a list of things they can do instead...I NEVER took the time to do it myself??? I'm going to make a list tonight and see what of it I can do easity when I need to. Thank you!
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