Can't stop eating - extremely fed up!!

[fergyxx]

I am having major problems at the moment, and keep bingeing on junk/snacks etc.

I start the day off not too bad with either cereal, or toast and beans/toast and egg.

I take a sandwich and a yoghurt into work with me, along with a can of diet coke (yes, I know water would be better, but diet coke is better than ordinary coke)

However, I come home at night, with all the best intentions of making myself my evening meal, but always seem to end up snacking on crisps/biscuits/cakes, or whatever I can get my hands on. Sometimes, I pop out at lunchtime, for a bit of chocolate/crisps, although I am gradually weaning myself off of doing this.

I am at my wits end, and am really unhappy with my weight, yet I just can't seem to curtail these unhealthy habits.

Also, I work quite long hours, and always feel shattered, therefore the thought of exercise when I get in is unbearable.

Any tips please for the willpower - I feel like such a useless lump of lard, and am almost 3 stones overweight. It's playing havoc with my self-image, and I dread to think of the effects on my health.

 

[Iris]

Hi Fergy, sounds a bit like tiredness feeding extreme hunger when you get home at night. You're too tired to cook so you graze on tasty snacks? I've done that myself.

One thing I'd recommend is not having just cereal in the morning if you have a working day ahead of you. For me, at least, it seems to just fill me for about an hour, then I'm left looking for the next snack. A protein-rich breakfast may help keep you satisfied for much longer and avoid the trips out for chocs/crisps. If you can stomach it at all, fish in the morning would be great. Kippers on toast, some smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, even canned tuna.

Is there any way you could set aside a little time in the morning to get the basic prep done for whatever your evening meal is going to be? If you can plan what you mean to have and maybe chop up a few veggies before you leave for work, then you leave less of a daunting task for yourself when you arrive home exhausted. It's tough to summon up the will to cook after work, I know that. With that in mind, if you're ever in Asda, have a look at their microwavable 'Fresh Tastes' bagged meals. 400g and a wide range of really tasty meals from Thai prawns and noodles to Chilli Beef and noodles, or Chow Mein, or Thai curry. All at around 300-400 calories. Just 4 minutes in the microwave and you have a very nice meal - plenty of veggies in them, too, but if you supplement with a bowl of steamed broccoli it's even more satisfying.

Other tip would be to split your lunch in two, if possible, having a healthy snack late afternoon when energy levels are drooping - it may stop you from being so hungry when you get home that you just can't wait for anything to cook. If you need something quick and portable, I'd recommend the John West light lunch range - around 200 cals a tub, they're very tasty, packed with protein, and there's mediterranean tuna, moroccan salmon, tuna salsa, loads of flavours. Equally, a small tray of sushi would be great!

Only other tip I can think of involves planning ahead and a bit of prep - make sure you're buying in lots of healthy foods for snacks so they're easily to hand when you're hungry and tired. Strawberries are great, weightwatchers yoghurts, snackajacks rice cakes, bread sticks, light cereal bars, quorn slices, extra light cheese triangles... the kind of thing that you can have a munch on if you just can't wait for dinner. Steaming some vegetables (or just chopping them raw) and sticking them in a tupperware container gives you quick access to nibbles, too.

As for will power, it's tough to be disciplined when you're shattered with tiredness. How's your sleep? I find if I'm missing sleep then my entire frame of mind is pretty off-kilter and I'm prone to weakness. Don't beat yourself up too much, it takes a long time to find an eating plan that works well for you and then to get into a groove with it. But don't panic and put more pressure on yourself, take things nice and easy, one step at a time, plan and prepare whenever you can and keep a little store of healthy snacks with you if possible. As for the exercise - if you can factor it in, that's fabulous, but if you're too tired on working days to consider it, I wouldn't fret. I don't workout myself and it doesn't seem to have impacted on my weight loss. Don't try to do everything at once - maybe just make a goal to get into a good healthy eating routine, and then think about exercise when you have the time and energy.

Good luck!

 

[Iris]

Just had another thought - Batchelors Soupfuls are great. 400g pouches of microwavable soup, loads of flavours, but the Harvest Vegetable and the Chicken and Country Vegetable are both very tasty, chunky and satisfying, and only 3 minutes in the microwave and 160 calories for the pouch! If you have anywhere at work to heat up a bowl, they'd be great with your sandwich and fantastic for staving off hunger until well after you get home. Seriously, soup will leave you feeling very, very full for a very long time. Having one as soon as you get home might also work. Curl up and relax a bit with a big bowl. Then you can cook a light meal at your leisure - if you can still face it after the soup!

 

[caroline_ireland]

thanks i have the same problem, do well during the day but commute 2 hours to work so by time i get home im STARVING and cant resist temptations. Going to do a few things u suggested there thanks

 

[Iris]

You're welcome, hope it helped some! A 2 hour commute is enough to knock the stuffing out of anyone... don't feel bad! Just arm yourself with lots of portable good snacks, fruit and light cereal bars to fight off the demon hunger.

Hang in there!

 

[Lynn8124]

Iris, great tips there. Reckon you'd make a fab nutritionist/dietician!

 

[Iris]

Shucks... thank you kindly, Lyn. I'm not sure I'd make a credible one considering I used to pack away 5 lbs of chocolate a day!

I see you're a fellow Irishy... county Down here. How's the battle going for you?

 

[zoe.]

Can't add much to what Iris has already put so well, but would just like to say you're not alone. Not being in control of your eating does not make you a bad person.

I don't even have a commute but I start off well and then end up bingeing in the evenings. One of my biggest problems is my all or nothing attitude, ie I've blown the diet so might as well eat everything in sight. I'm working on getting rid of that now, but the best tips I can give you are:

1. Don't let yourself get too hungry
2. Don't beat yourself up over not being perfect (ie not exercising / having a bad day the day before)
3. Try not to let one slip turn into a binge - maybe by planning a treat (and I don't mean a low fat treat, I mean a real treat!) for when you arrive home to pre-empt a binge. It's not one high fat item that's the problem...

For me, I had to put away the idea of losing weight quickly, or by a certain deadline. Now I'm just trying to accept the fact that not gaining is a good thing and losing anything is fantastic. It takes the pressure off.

That, however is what works for me (so far, it's still early days!), it may of course not apply to you at all - so sorry if not, but whatever happens, come on here for support, and good luck.

 

[Georgiestar]

good advice iris, just noticed though your target bmi looks too low!

 

[zoe.]

I noticed that about Iris' target BMI too, and I've seen it commented on on other threads. However, all the advice I've seen Iris give is so solid. And ultimately, weight is such a personal issue.

Iris, what made you decide on a BMI down in the 17s?

 

[Braveheart]

I am having major problems at the moment, and keep bingeing on junk/snacks etc.

I start the day off not too bad with either cereal, or toast and beans/toast and egg.

I take a sandwich and a yoghurt into work with me, along with a can of diet coke (yes, I know water would be better, but diet coke is better than ordinary coke)

However, I come home at night, with all the best intentions of making myself my evening meal, but always seem to end up snacking on crisps/biscuits/cakes, or whatever I can get my hands on. Sometimes, I pop out at lunchtime, for a bit of chocolate/crisps, although I am gradually weaning myself off of doing this.

I am at my wits end, and am really unhappy with my weight, yet I just can't seem to curtail these unhealthy habits.

Also, I work quite long hours, and always feel shattered, therefore the thought of exercise when I get in is unbearable.

Any tips please for the willpower - I feel like such a useless lump of lard, and am almost 3 stones overweight. It's playing havoc with my self-image, and I dread to think of the effects on my health.

The reason you are feeling hungry is because you are not eating enough. Try to eat around 4-5 times daily, and you need to eat protein in each meal. From the above, I can see you are eating little to no protein (only protein source you've mentioned is the egg in the morning) protein will keep you feeling full and satisfied. So try to have some more eggs in the morning instead of toast, or at least, brown bread toast. Along with your yogurt, make sure that sandwich is based on protein, things like chicken/turkey breast, eggs and tuna are some of the best. If possible, make your own chicken sandwiches with salad or whatever you like. Simply because mass made sandwich in supermarkets have a lot of added crap you don't want nor need.

If you can, take some more tuna/chicken made sandwiches to work with you and eat every 3 or so hours. This way, your metabolism will speed up and you will feel more satisfied.

Plan your evening meal, if possible a week ahead. If you can plan exactly what you're going to have each night of the week, that will stop you from possibly picking a quick-cook dinner or even snacking on crisps etc. Keep your meals away from saturated fats and processed things, try to prepare all your own food.

And try to drink more water. Keeping yourself hydrated will make you feel better, and remember those meals. Another good way to stay fuel is actually soup, as long as it's not some cup-a-soup or crappy thrown together supermarket thing, and it's either home-made or a trusted and simple soup then it will keep you feeling fuel. Look for the protein rich soups such as chicken. But not just chicken flavoured because that doesn't necessarily mean it has any chicken in it, actual chicken in the soup!

 

[Lynn8124]

Shucks... thank you kindly, Lyn. I'm not sure I'd make a credible one considering I used to pack away 5 lbs of chocolate a day!

I see you're a fellow Irishy... county Down here. How's the battle going for you?

Hmm that's what the we need more of, nutritionists who have had weight problems, dealt with them and came out the other side smiling, at least they could truly empathise.

Yeah I have kept this 18lbs off thank goodness and I have been in OA for 7 months. Just need to get my head around the fact that diets do not work for me and can lead to years of obsessing and binging.

ETA: I bought 2 of those light lunches you mentioned morrocan one and oh can't remember other flavour but look forward to trying one tomorrow.

 

[mommyB]

My danger time is around 4pm, something just sets me off. thought it was cos the girls were home from school and having snacks, but even planning a healthy snack for that time of day doesnt always work.
getting really pigged off

 

[lemon_elmo]

hi i suggest ice lols and chewing gum!!! tricks your mind you see!!!

 

[Iris]

good advice iris, just noticed though your target bmi looks too low!

There's still some grabbable chub I'd like to get rid of... on the lower half, of course. Never comes off there does it?! I'm taking it easy, not going to worry how slowly it comes off. At the rate I've been eating lately, I doubt it'll come off at all. It'll probably take about another year!

Think I must have a smallish frame - always assumed I had a very large one, but I guess that was the fat and the height acting in tandem to make me kid myself I was naturally gargantuan.

I noticed that about Iris' target BMI too, and I've seen it commented on on other threads. However, all the advice I've seen Iris give is so solid. And ultimately, weight is such a personal issue.

Iris, what made you decide on a BMI down in the 17s?

Well, I didn't weigh myself at all while I was losing weight because I figured it'd take years to shed what I wanted to shed, but I caved in back in February I think it was... sneakily jumped on a pair of scales in the deserted homeware aisle in Asda. I thought I'd still be way over my rough target weight, but I was half a stone under it.

Just still feel a bit flabby. Probably because I don't exercise, and the old skin takes a battering when you're a former yo-yo'er. I don't mind all that much if I just float around the weight I'm right now, but you know how it is... you get so used to having a target to aim for that you feel you kind of need one to keep you focused! I'll hopefully let go of that safety net soon.

I'll have to stick up some before and after pics sometime, just so people can see I'm far from a twiglet. The neurotic side of me feels like that would be tempting fate a bit, though!

Hmm that's what the we need more of, nutritionists who have had weight problems, dealt with them and came out the other side smiling, at least they could truly empathise.

Yeah I have kept this 18lbs off thank goodness and I have been in OA for 7 months. Just need to get my head around the fact that diets do not work for me and can lead to years of obsessing and binging.

ETA: I bought 2 of those light lunches you mentioned morrocan one and oh can't remember other flavour but look forward to trying one tomorrow.

I totally agree... in fact, I don't think diets work at all. Might seem silly to say that when I've been reducing my calories to lose weight for so long, but I think Paul McKenna's right when he talks about dieting actually causing obesity, and causing far more heartache than happiness. It's just another con of an industry out there to sap your money and your hope. That old stat about the majority of women spending 30ish years of their life on a bloody diet! God, I don't want to be one of those women. But I think if I'm going to avoid that then I have to do more than just vigilantly watch what I eat - I have to go the McKenna route and restructure my brain's relationship with food completely.

I think he's bang on about eating more slowly. That was a little trick for me - I bought a load of chopsticks and started using them for my evening meal. A painful process but it certainly slowed me down and made me focus on each bite! Eating cottage pie with chopsticks is probably a bridge too far, though!

18lbs is a big chunk to have got off and kept off, and I think taking it slow and steady is the best way. No point torturing yourself if you're in it for the long haul - has to be sustainable for life, really, or madness beckons! I do hope you enjoy the John West light lunch meals. My palate is probably a bit weird now from all the vegetable scoffing, but I think they're tasty wee things. I'm a sucker for quick and easy!