Struggling with GI

[Golden Phoenix]

Hey all. I'ma newbie with a lot of weight to lose and on my doctor's advice i've started on the Low GI diet, but i'm struggling.

I have serious emotional/mental issues around food and my weight has largely come about because of them, massive portions, sneaking food from the cupboards and binging on it, eating even when not hungry. I've hidden the extent of the problem from my family for years but i'm admitting to it now, or trying to, and have sought professional help.

My problem right now is i'm so used to the huge portions and constant eating from my old lifestyle that i'm gnawing-the-walls hungry constantly. I'm severely at risk of blowing the whole thing not even a full week in, what can i do to ease this until i get used to normal portions?

It doesn't help that if i'm hungry for too long i get a horrible hollow gnawing pain in my stomach and back of my throat, the doctor said it's probably a hiatus hernia but despite me prodding for more info has never suggested anything by way of treatment for it.

When the urge to eat hits i usually go for the fastest thing i can so i could do with a ready supply of things i can go to quickly.

Sorry if this is disjointed, i'm almost going crazy

I've read about food addiction and i'm seriously starting to wonder....

 

[Mis-behave]

Hi

Glad to here you are facing up to your addition

When u feel hungry 1st step pint of water..

Then Things to go for on low GI
Apples, nuts and seeds. (Almonds, pumpkin seeds etc) plain yogurt with berries.
Big plate of salad with grilled chicken, tuna, ham etc
Sweet potato chips
Smoothie - made with coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk, berries, bananas. With a added scoop whey protein.
Loads water!

Dinner fill your plate with loads veg at least 1/2 and the 1/4 low GI carb item and the other 1/4 meat.

Good luck

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[shakenomore]

Hi Golden Phoenix

You could be writing about me in your post! I can identify so much with where you are at and how hard it is to deal with it. On a low GI/GL plan it is important to eat regularly to try to keep blood sugar levels balanced. This can help me with the portion sizes as I know that I am going to have a small snack in a couple of hours again etc. So for example if I have my breakfast at 7am I know that around 10am I am going to have a healthy snack, perhaps some oatcakes with peanut butter or guacomole or some nuts and fruit etc. Then for lunch at 1pm I will be having my soup and salad or wrap or whatever that day. I struggle with a very sweet tooth and find taking a supplement of chromium (PH recommends it) really helps here. For my afternoon snack if I am still craving something sweet I will have some dark chocolate and fruit or nuts. The evening is my real problem...I need to ensure I have a substantial meal or I feel as if I am depriving myself, so I will fill 1/4 my plate with my carb (brown rice, quinoa, pasta etc) and the remaining 3/4 with veg and protein. If after my dinner I want something sweet I will try to have something small like low fat yoghurt or sugar free jelly to kill the cravings. I also needed to get rid of all the "bad/tempting" foods from the cupboard because like you, if they were there I ate them in secret. Green tea can also be good for getting rid of cravings. Now when a craving strikes, I try to say to myself that if I still want it in 15 minutes I will have it, but most times it will have gone and if not I allow myself it then.....Stick with it and keep us updated on how you are getting on.

 

[Golden Phoenix]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Regarding the fact that i'm so hungry all the time, do you think i should have slightly larger portions for now and reduce them again once i'm used to it, or should i just have another snack (a sensible sized one) when the hunger/pain hits really bad?

I think the continuous hunger is my main problem so far.

 

[Golden Phoenix]

Ok, in an effort to get this under control lunch has been: two open faced sandwiches on stone ground bread topped with chicken thigh meat, tomatoes, cabbage, houmous and onion/low fgat cottage cheese with pineapple. (I try to have a little variation in the sandwiches so i don't get bored)

I'm thinking of having a weight watchers fromage frais to finish off. I haven't eaten this yet though.

I'm still ravenous and i think that was quite a large lunch. *sigh* I'm on the verge of giving in to my old sneaking food ways but i'm resisting so far

Update: i ate the yoghurt

 

[shakenomore]

Ok, in an effort to get this under control lunch has been: two open faced sandwiches on stone ground bread topped with chicken thigh meat, tomatoes, cabbage, houmous and onion/low fgat cottage cheese with pineapple. (I try to have a little variation in the sandwiches so i don't get bored)

I'm thinking of having a weight watchers fromage frais to finish off. I haven't eaten this yet though.

I'm still ravenous and i think that was quite a large lunch. *sigh* I'm on the verge of giving in to my old sneaking food ways but i'm resisting so far

Update: i ate the yoghurt

Don't give yourself a hard time! It will take time for your stomach to adjust to smaller portions so rather than trying to cut back drastically I think you are better off to have slightly smaller portions over a period of time until you have found what works for you. If you force yourself to stick to very small portions (or what may appear to be after being used to larger portions) you will feel like you are depriving yourself and probably sucumb to the mindless eating and pinching food from cupboards that we do. Take it each meal at a time and you will get there.

 

[Golden Phoenix]

Thanks shakenmore. Thing is, i'm really not sure what a suitable portion is, i have no clue if lunch was ok, or way too big I guess i'll figure it out over time.

on the bright side i have discovered that oranges knock my comfort food/sweets cravings on the head...quick, buy stock in Tropicana! Lol.

 

[shakenomore]

Excellent you've found something to help with cravings! Google portion sizes and you will find loads of information. I find it helpful to split my plate as previously mentioned, with regards to bread I try to have no more than a 30g slice (you'd be amazed how much some of it weighs) or 2 if I am eating them as my lunch, or rice etc no bigger than my fist (it can help to bulk these out with lentils or grated cauliflower or courgette etc if you find it too small). A protein portion is approximately the size of a deck of cards (personally I find this a little small! so I often have more than that). Fill your plate at least 1/2 full of veg, salad etc as this will help to bulk up the plate and if at all possible try to have a bowl of soup before your meal to help to curb the hunger. I tend to make a couple of batches of fat free carb free etc soup during the week and use these. Some good ones can be vegetable (no potato, carrot and ginger, roast pepper and tomato, butternut squash etc). Also make sure to have some water regularly throughout the day. Good luck!

 

[shakenomore]

This might help with portion control....

“THINK” Before You Plate: How to ‘Portion Control’ Your Meals
By Tina Pretsch

Learning what a portion size actually is, and eating that amount can be tricky and require some discipline—especially during the holidays. Unfortunately, people are notoriously bad at estimating what 3 ounces of lean meat or one cup of cereal looks like. Learning about portions and sticking with it is the secret to preventing weight gain. Studies have proven that people who practiced portion control for two years lost 5% or more body weight, compared with the 33% of participants who did not (they gained 5% or more body weight).


Turkey, ham, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, pecan pie with vanilla ice cream are just a few of the mouth-watering food items that bring family and friends together over the holiday season. But, how much is too much of these non-brain healthy foods that will leave you feeling lethargic, full, and bloated? The average person needs approximately 2,000 calories a day. Holiday meals can set you back about 4,500 calories – more than double you need in an entire day and there are extra calories lurking around every corner.

This year, size up your portions and make smart selections by using these helpful suggestions as a guide to help you with portion control. It’ll help make figuring out portion sizes easy by comparing them to every day objects.

3 oz. of meat, fish and poultry = deck of cards
1 baked potato = fist
½ cup mashed potatoes = ½ of a baseball
¼ cup gravy = about the size of a golf ball
1 cup of salad greens = baseball
½ cup of stuffing = ½ baseball
1 cup of green beans = baseball
1 medium fruit = baseball
¼ cup cranberry sauce = about the size of a golf ball
1 piece of cornbread = bar of soap
1 ½ oz. cheese = 2 cheese slices
½ cup of sugar free ice cream = ½ baseball
1 teaspoon butter = 1 dice
1/8 of a 9-inch pie = about the size of a standard light bulb

Use these simple portion-control tricks to keep your diet in check and fend off weight gain this holiday season.

1. Eat a modest breakfast and lunch and drink 2 tall refreshing glasses of water prior to eating your holiday meal.
2. Don’t sit down to your holiday meal starving. You’re more likely to eat extra large portions and feel uncomfortable after. Eat a little something high in fiber about one hour before to help you not over eat.
3. Avoid skin and gravy on your turkey to keep this protein packed meal a guilt free holiday indulgence. Gravy has approximately 40 calories per ¼ cup serving. Two delicious tablespoons of gravy will help keep your calorie count in check and still allow you to savor its flavor.
4. Instead of high calorie mashed potatoes, try a healthier option of cooked cauliflower with herbs or spices, such as pepper or chives, added for flavor. This would only add up to 15 calories.
5. Sit next to a fellow healthy eater. There’s always strength in numbers.
6. Fill up at least half of your plate with vegetables. This will leave a lot less room for the higher calorie items. Fill up on healthy cooked vegetables before digging into anything else on the table.
7. Instead of pouring on the butter, add flavor to your potatoes or cooked vegetables by mixing in chicken broth, herbs or roasted garlic.
8. Reduce the amount of gravies and sauces you put on your plate. These are typically high in fat and calories.
9. Pace yourself through the meal. Eat slowly and enjoy the conversations around you. This will give you a chance to enjoy the meal and feel full.
10. Pay attention to your body’s cues. Eat slowly, breath, and when you start to feel full, it is time to stop.
11. When you’re done with your meal. Politely get up and excuse yourself from the table. This is a good time to help start cleaning up in the kitchen.
12. If you have a choice, select a smaller plate. It’ll give you the illusion of a fuller plate.

Following these 12 steps will give you the freedom to enjoy the holidays and give you the confidence you need to continue on your journey to improve your brain healthy lifestyle. Besides, after all you’ve done, it is not worth throwing in the towel during this time of year. You have spent your time, energy, hard work, and money on brain healthy supplements to insure you the lifestyle you deserve.

 

[tennisfan1986]

Hi,

I feel your "pain" with the hunger but well done on taking the first few steps to changing your life. I'm sure it will get much easier as your body adjusts.

I had a huge problem with portion control and over eating and eating the wrong types of food, and had done pretty much all my adult life. I'm now reading a book called Eating Less, Say Goodbye to Overeating (by Gillian Riley) which has completely turned all my thoughts about food, weight and health on their head. It's incredible! I wish I had read it years ago. I've nearly finished it now but I'll always have it close by to re-read parts of it when I need to. One of the most interesting parts was reading about different types of hunger. I knew there was a difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger but I didn't realise physical hunger can be split into different categories of which only one is true hunger that needs to be satisfied. It tells you how to avoid, by altering your overall diet, feeling these other types of hunger and one of the suggestions is following a low GL diet, and it actually explains the science behind why it helps. I'm one of those people who finds it easier to follow something if I know why I should. I keep harping on about this book to people but it has done such great things for me that I want everyone else to know about it too so they can benefit like I have

Good luck on your journey.

Laura

 

[Golden Phoenix]

Hey tennisfan. I'll have to see about getting a copy of that book, it sounds very interesting.

I'm now finding that i'm adapting to smaller portions a bit and the hunger isn't so bad or frequent any more. I realised that going from my old portions to normal ones all at once was not a good idea and increased my veg intake to fill me up a bit more until i adapt and can bring it down even more, that seems to have worked nicely and i'm doing much better. And i managed a 5lb loss in my first week!

They always say week 2 is the worst though don't they.

 

[tennisfan1986]

Wow well done on your weight loss!!

Loads of veggies is definitely the way to go and, as someone not so keen on veggies on the side, I try to make meals that incorporate as many veggies in them as possible, or add them in to recipes.

Gradual progression with portion sizes will make the transition easier I'm sure. Otherwise it's too much of a shock to the body!

Keep at it, you're doing well! And definitely get the book, I finished it today and it changes the way you think so much...and the way you think obviously affects how much and what you eat!

Laura