weightloss / overeating

[l345l]

i've had some issues with my weight.

for the most part, my diet consists of healthy foods. i stay away from fast foods, sweets, sodas and chemical additives all together.

however, i have a tendency to overeat because i lack a structure in the way i eat. i eat throughout the day, especially on days where there is no school. i cannot seem to have 3 square meals unless i am having a very, very busy day when i am not at home for most of the day.

i do, however, take part in regular exercise - either jogging or cycling.

calorie counting has not worked for me at all. i have this all-or-nothing mentality - if i mess one thing up on one day, then the whole day is screwed - might as well start tomorrow! -- this is why calorie counting has not worked for me at all.

so, while the foods i eat are healthy, the quantities are not. any suggestions or previous experiences?

[AJB]

Have you tried sparkpeople.com? It's free and there are many resources to help you reach your goal.

[l345l]

Have you tried sparkpeople.com? It's free and there are many resources to help you reach your goal.
yes, but again, sparkpeople.com is a medium in which you count calories in order to lose weight.

i just need to keep my mind off food - not concentrate on food.

[Jakalwarrior]

Have you tried making your meals ahead of time right after a meal? so you can use your brain to plan them out rather than hunger? Its harder to plan to over eat.

[Flamethrower]

i have a tendency to overeat because i lack a structure in the way i eat.

calorie counting has not worked for me at all. i have this all-or-nothing mentality - if i mess one thing up on one day, then the whole day is screwed - might as well start tomorrow!

I can relate to this. I think calorie counting is really stressful. If I ever try doing this I just get irritable about being distracted all the time trying to remember a bunch of numbers in my head all day.

I have an unstructured relationship with food. I basically forget to eat all day until something reminds me to (eg someone else cooks dinner) and then I eat whatever amount of food they serve up (which is usually twice as much as I need). If noone is home I forget completely. But I am trying to give up this stupid habit because I think it is unhealthy.

I have found the easiest way is to eat 3 healthy meals a day and just make sure they are a sensible size rather than try to be too scientific about it. And anything inbetween those times only eat in small amounts. Basically eating everything in moderation. That way if you mess one thing up it doesn't really matter so much.

i just need to keep my mind off food - not concentrate on food.

I have this problem with caffeine. I basically drink coffee non-stop all day and I think about it constantly. I drink more coffee than anyone I have ever met in my life. I've been trying to give up for the past 10 years and never make it past one day. I've tried everyone else's tricks for giving up stuff too and it never works. A few days ago after reading something else on here I got thinking that I only really drink coffee for psychological reasons - it's either because I am bored or stressed. So I've started thinking about nothing instead and actually that seems to work. I've only drunk half what I normally do!

[Danisty]

For me, it's all about what time I eat. I have to wait until 9:00 for breakfast, 2:00 for lunch, and 7:00 for dinner. If I get off schedule, I will tend to eat all day.

[l345l]

I have this problem with caffeine. I basically drink coffee non-stop all day and I think about it constantly.


well, your eating patterns might be a result of your caffeine consumption. caffeine suppresses appetite, so you stop thinking about food for a while. excessive caffeine consumption might lead to the relationship that you have with food perhaps?

yes, i do make it seem like drinking coffee could be the answer to my problem, but it really isn't. i tend to be very sensitive to caffeine - i get upset stomachs and sleeplessness from coffee. i do drink some tea before working out for the slight caffeine kick, but that's not strong enough to stop me from thinking about food.


i just wish i could get some kind of hobby, or some kind of interest that completely immerses me - so that food is no longer something that occupies my thoughts 24/7...

[Saint]

Are you sure there's something wrong with eating all day? I, like the peoples in various regions (southern france, probably most places on the mediterranian), eat throughout the day.

I'd be concerned much more with what you're eating.

Anything with hydrogenated oils? MSG? High fructose corn syrup? These things never appear in my diet.

Actually, if I made you a kind of diet plan, would you agree to follow it for a month?

[zibber]

How would you define weight issues? I ask because my girlfriend, her sister and her mother seem to be focused constantly on their weight, while they really don't look like people with weight problems to me. They rationalize their worries by talking about all kinds of calculations that apparently show that their height/weight ratio is off, but will admit, when pressed, that their worries are essentially induced by cultural conventions. (The sister actually lists her main reason for wanting to lose weight as a conviction that this will increase her chances of finding love, which seems direly problematic.) I'm really skeptical of the true health related urgency of their supposed problems. Anyway, real or no, they are completely focused on what they eat, and impose all kinds of restrictions upon themselves. Not a single man I know has any problems even slightly resembling these, which only fuels my scepticism.

Anyway, kind of a rant, but ultimately it seems quite futile to me to try and lose weight by counting calories and essentially depriving yourself. It just doesn't seem particularly prudent, in terms of physical health, to actually suppress your apetite or stop eating while you're still hungry.

[Danisty]

Anyway, kind of a rant, but ultimately it seems quite futile to me to try and lose weight by counting calories and essentially depriving yourself. It just doesn't seem particularly prudent, in terms of physical health, to actually suppress your apetite or stop eating while you're still hungry.The problem is that some people (myself included) have a tendency to eat past the point where we aren't hungry anymore.

[Flamethrower]

well, your eating patterns might be a result of your caffeine consumption. caffeine suppresses appetite, so you stop thinking about food for a while. excessive caffeine consumption might lead to the relationship that you have with food perhaps?

Yeah, I heard that thing about appetite suppression. Will be interesting to see what happens then. I always had a bad relationship with food though even before I started drinking coffee (when I was 9). I never ate breakfast and would normally just throw most of my lunch away at school. And then usually not eat all of my dinner. Just boredom more than anything. I am actually hungry, I just have more "important" things on my mind half the time and I ignore it.

yes, i do make it seem like drinking coffee could be the answer to my problem, but it really isn't. i tend to be very sensitive to caffeine - i get upset stomachs and sleeplessness from coffee.

Best not to start! :yuck:

i just wish i could get some kind of hobby, or some kind of interest that completely immerses me - so that food is no longer something that occupies my thoughts 24/7...

Finding an interest is a great idea. It sounds almost like we have the reverse problem! I have too many interests. I get so obsessed with what I am doing I don't like to interrupt myself to go eat.

[manger]

Eating behavior has a lot to do with environmental cues. Bigger portions will cause people to eat more, so one thing you can do is after you're done preparing your food, set aside the normal healthy portion that you want to eat. Then get away from the food preparing area and sit down to eat it. Eating standing up at the counter or fridge, where you essentially have a huge array of food at your fingertips, will lead you to eat more than you need.

[demaugustus]

i've had some issues with my weight.

for the most part, my diet consists of healthy foods. i stay away from fast foods, sweets, sodas and chemical additives all together.

however, i have a tendency to overeat because i lack a structure in the way i eat. i eat throughout the day, especially on days where there is no school. i cannot seem to have 3 square meals unless i am having a very, very busy day when i am not at home for most of the day.

i do, however, take part in regular exercise - either jogging or cycling.

calorie counting has not worked for me at all. i have this all-or-nothing mentality - if i mess one thing up on one day, then the whole day is screwed - might as well start tomorrow! -- this is why calorie counting has not worked for me at all.

so, while the foods i eat are healthy, the quantities are not. any suggestions or previous experiences?

If you're eating healthy and taking part in regular exorcise, but you're still over weight, I'd say, "Great!". You're already going to outlive the guy who is over weight, but smokes, eats junk, and sits on his ass all day, by more than a decade. Some people just aren't meant to be skinny or "average". Unless you're training for a major athletic competition, just keep doing what you're doing, don't stress, and enjoy life.

[Seppuku Savant]

i do, however, take part in regular exercise - either jogging or cycling.

If you can do that, your really way ahead of the pack. It's fine to be a bit overweight as long as you regularly exercise. There's nothing more attractive than someone that's active and comfortable in their own skin.

[l345l]

There's nothing more attractive than someone that's active and comfortable in their own skin.

Yes. I would agree.

The thing is, i have some body image issues and self-esteem problems. I am 15 years old, and moderately overweight - at least 10lbs before i am at a healthy or "ideal" weight. now, you may think that i shouldn't worry because it's nothing of the extreme. however, if i continue eating the way that i am now, i will probably gain even more weight. i also believe that weight loss will bring me more confidence..... which may or may not be true ... i think my problem is more of an emotional/psychological one than a physical one.

saint - i avoid msg, high fructose corn syrup and other chemical additives. i don't consume any "light" products. my diet consists mainly of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nut butters, yogurt, curries and soups. this does sound healthy, but the quantities with which i eat them is not healthy at all. so i'm sure a "diet plan" will be like anything else i've tried.

dainsty - i have that problem of not being able to stop eating when i'm full. actually, i can't really tell when i'm hungry or when i'm full. i just constantly eat...so... i'm either full or fuller. :(

[mkay]

i avoid msg, high fructose corn syrup and other chemical additives. i don't consume any "light" products. my diet consists mainly of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nut butters, yogurt, curries and soups. this does sound healthy, but the quantities with which i eat them is not healthy at all. so i'm sure a "diet plan" will be like anything else i've tried.

Don't know whether you'd be willing to try going vegan. ... I went vegan for six months, starting out height-weight proportionate. I did it for health reasons rather than appearance, but I quickly lost weight without trying. I ate mostly vegetables -- LOTS of Mediterranean-type salads, virtually no processed foods -- and had a homemade nondairy smoothie and a spelt bagel many mornings. I had to eat constantly just to get full and I still lost weight, getting about 30 minutes of exercise four or five times a week and not counting calories. ... Everyone's metabolism varies, of course.

I definitely looked and felt healthier. The drawback was taking time to prep food because the vegan restaurant and takeout options close to my workplace were limited and not nearly as tasty. I've since fallen off the wagon, but I eat better now than before I went vegan just because I'm more conscious of what's healthy.

[l345l]

that's interesting. i could try including more vegan meals, but becoming a vegan is something that does not call my name. i guess fruit smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch and rice & curry for dinner is a sensible plan for one day. however, it's between the meals that i have issues with.

[thegnat]

I think a problem a lot of people have is mistaking thirst for hunger.

When I started drinking when I felt hungry (this was aside from the normal 3 meals, which were healthy except for the occasional cookie), I lost a good bit of weight. Mind you, I was also working out like a fiend. I got back to a decent weight in a couple of weeks.

I also try to avoid high fructose corn syrup. I don't know if it really does a lot of good to avoid it or not, it just sounds unappetizing frankly.

[mkay]

that's interesting. i could try including more vegan meals, but becoming a vegan is something that does not call my name. i guess fruit smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch and rice & curry for dinner is a sensible plan for one day. however, it's between the meals that i have issues with.

I don't snack much, but if I wanted to snack, I would try to keep healthier snacks on hand -- natural popcorn, pretzels, grapes, carrots and such. I would try not to keep anything too tasty on hand -- I'd be more likely to gobble it all up if it were just there. Maybe eat boring stuff like celery to try to wean yourself off snacking a lot? Drinking a lot of water also fills you up, so it would be harder to snack.

If you're someone who snacks regularly, consider that it's a habit you can wean yourself off, maybe replace the habit with something healthier. So maybe every time you feel like snacking, you replace the snack with a bottle of water or a walk around the building / block. It might take time to get used to, but habits -- good or bad -- don't happen overnight.

[l345l]

If you're someone who snacks regularly, consider that it's a habit you can wean yourself off, maybe replace the habit with something healthier. So maybe every time you feel like snacking, you replace the snack with a bottle of water or a walk around the building / block. It might take time to get used to, but habits -- good or bad -- don't happen overnight.

Thanks, I'll try. Whenever i usually try to make changes, i have a hard time being consistent. i'll do great for one week, and then, i'll make one mistake, and then OH! THE whole WEEK is ruined! Time to eat all the fruit i can!


and... since i'm quite short 5'1, i gain weight quite easily, and even fruit can make me gain weight instantaneously.

[Musicguy]

Yes. I would agree.

The thing is, i have some body image issues and self-esteem problems. I am 15 years old, and moderately overweight - at least 10lbs before i am at a healthy or "ideal" weight. now, you may think that i shouldn't worry because it's nothing of the extreme. however, if i continue eating the way that i am now, i will probably gain even more weight. i also believe that weight loss will bring me more confidence..... which may or may not be true ... i think my problem is more of an emotional/psychological one than a physical one.

saint - i avoid msg, high fructose corn syrup and other chemical additives. i don't consume any "light" products. my diet consists mainly of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nut butters, yogurt, curries and soups. this does sound healthy, but the quantities with which i eat them is not healthy at all. so i'm sure a "diet plan" will be like anything else i've tried.

dainsty - i have that problem of not being able to stop eating when i'm full. actually, i can't really tell when i'm hungry or when i'm full. i just constantly eat...so... i'm either full or fuller. :(

Good for you, that you're making this a project now, before becoming terribly obese.

I'm 6'1", but let myself get all the way up to 300 lbs by the time I was 19. I dropped 120 lbs over a 14 month period, 1981-1982. In 1998 I weighed 172 lbs.

Since losing weight I've engaged in regular exercise, which includes walking for exercise, other forms of cardio, and, since 2002, lifting weights. I'm currently 47 years old, and weigh just under 200 lbs. (Weightlifting will cause you to gain some weight from muscle growth. I've gained about 25 lbs since 2002, which includes some fat as well as muscle).

The older you get, the more you will need to think about diet and getting adequate rest in order to control your body weight.

Regarding diet, here are a few tips I've learned over the years that work for me:

1. Eat everything you want, but maintain awareness of what you're eating, and intentionally cut the amount (portion control seems to be your primary issue).

2. Slow the pace of your eating, so that your body has time to realize that you've had enough before you over eat.

3. Recognize that you have established a pattern of behavior that results in eating too much, and that you need to change. Maintaining the way you've always done things will result in obesity. mkay makes a good point: habits don't happen overnight. Make small changes in your behavior over a period of several weeks. You're setting yourself up for failure if you try to change everything at once.

4. When tempted, say to yourself, "I can have that anytime I want it, I don't need to eat it right now." This is one of the best tips I can give you; I call it delaying yourself, rather than denying yourself.

Best of luck to you.

[l345l]

thank you very much for your advice, musicguy, and congratulations on your successes.


thank you everyone! you've all been very helpful and seem to understand my condition well :) greatly appreciated.

[mkay]

Whenever i usually try to make changes, i have a hard time being consistent. i'll do great for one week, and then, i'll make one mistake, and then OH! THE whole WEEK is ruined! Time to eat all the fruit i can!

and... since i'm quite short 5'1, i gain weight quite easily, and even fruit can make me gain weight instantaneously.

It would help to change this mindset. I'm no diet / nutrition expert, but it doesn't seem healthy to see food as "one mistake" and then "time to eat all the fruit I can." As Musicguy says, consistent moderation works better than denying yourself and then going on binges.

[Dominguez]

i eat more than 3 times a day. i'll have my two scoops of whey protein in milk with some fruit at 8 before work, half of my sandwich and other fruit at 10:30 or 11, i'll eat lunch with the guys around 12 or 1, and i'll eat the other half of my sandwich around 4 if i remember to eat it, then i'll eat dinner at 6 or 7 when i get home. some days i'll have another 2 scoops of whey if i'm still hungry. i've been eating this way for the past month and i haven't gain a pound. i've been fluctuating between 185-190 for the past couple of months, i've just been losing fat and putting on more muscle weight. i honestly don't do too much exercise. i ride my bike a couple days out of the week and i'll do weight training a few days out of the week as well. i do feel i've somewhat reached a plateau tho, so i need to start upping the intensity.

[l345l]

the other thing i should do, is to exercise first thing in the morning. then, i will feel motivated to eat well and do more exercise throughout the day. i also have a pedometer, so i should start using that.

i think if place my focus on EXERCISE rather than FOOD, then my obsession over food with slowly dissolve and be replaced with a new found love for exercise.

i'm looking forward to my long morning run around the lake tomorrow!

[Saint]

I'm still not so sure what you mean by "obsession with food"?

[l345l]

I'm still not so sure what you mean by "obsession with food"?

well, it started when i began to count calories, which i have now stopped doing. it's rather hard to explain --- for example, between breakfast and lunch, i still want to eat something, even though i'm no longer hungry.

i am worried about whether or not something has too many calories, or if i've eaten too much for today, and since i messed something up, i might as well eat everything i have ... .... that sort of thing.





l345l added to this post, 319 minutes and 8 seconds later...

changing my eating habits was always something i tried to do on my own.


i'm going to write up what i ate throughout the day and what exercises i did on this thread. you can ignore it if you wish --- i'm just hoping that a few little encouraging messeges will keep me going. much like the "my workout diary" thread.

i'll be starting tomorrow :):):)

[Musicguy]

...changing my eating habits was always something i tried to do on my own.

i'm going to write up what i ate throughout the day and what exercises i did on this thread. you can ignore it if you wish --- i'm just hoping that a few little encouraging messeges will keep me going. much like the "my workout diary" thread.

i'll be starting tomorrow :):):)

Not a bad idea. I write down everything I eat, every day, and also record my exercises. The heightened awareness that comes from this helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Best of luck to you.

[Beery Swine]

As far as weight problems go I think it's mostly genetic. Not saying a fatass like me can't lose weight, because I have, just that it takes significantly more effort for me than it does for a friend of mine. The guy's like 5'11", eats twice as much as me on average, never works out, and is, I swear, 150 lbs soaking wet with his clothes on.

The only way for me to lose weight is to plan out what I'm going to eat in advance when I go to the store, don't stray from the list, have a brisk or vigorous 2-mile walk a day, weigh yourself every day (if you don't follow any other part of my plan, at least do this) and drink lots of water. Most of these things I usually do anyways, but that damn walk just gets more boring the more I do it.

[Saint]

That sounds good, l345l, but why don't you make your personal log in a separate thread in the Member's Only forum, so we can follow along solely with your personal progress there and keep this for general discussion of wegihtloss/overeating

[l345l]

As far as weight problems go I think it's mostly genetic.

yes, i agree. some people have a genetic predisposition to developing obesity; some people have slow metabolisms that make weightloss difficult. i am not one of those people - my weight problems are the effects of poor decisions regarding portion control.





l345l added to this post, 1 minutes and 18 seconds later...

why don't you make your personal log in a separate thread in the Member's Only forum, so we can follow along solely with your personal progress there and keep this for general discussion of wegihtloss/overeating


yes, sounds good. :) will do.

[JessicaHavenLea]

i've had some issues with my weight.

for the most part, my diet consists of healthy foods. i stay away from fast foods, sweets, sodas and chemical additives all together.

however, i have a tendency to overeat because i lack a structure in the way i eat. i eat throughout the day, especially on days where there is no school. i cannot seem to have 3 square meals unless i am having a very, very busy day when i am not at home for most of the day.

i do, however, take part in regular exercise - either jogging or cycling.

calorie counting has not worked for me at all. i have this all-or-nothing mentality - if i mess one thing up on one day, then the whole day is screwed - might as well start tomorrow! -- this is why calorie counting has not worked for me at all.

so, while the foods i eat are healthy, the quantities are not. any suggestions or previous experiences?

Are you overweight or just being picky? :p

I eat throughout the day. I actually need to eat more to maintain my metabolism. I've lost 14 pounds in two months so apparently eating more than three meals is not the problem. It's kinda of difficult to offer any meaningful advice because you left out two important details: how much you should weigh (want to lose) and how long you exercise. I ask because your body may have become accustomed to your routine.

[l345l]

i should weigh 110 lbs (i am short), but i am currently 138lbs.

i usually go running/jogging for about 1h15min - i try to do this at least every other day.
i also do some strength training exercises, which i do everyday.

when i do have school, i bike to school - about 10 miles total.


congrats for your success -- i would like to know more about how your habits were before, and what you did in order to lose the weight.

[JessicaHavenLea]

Thank you.

My habits before were nothing...seriously. About 2 years ago I was 164, the shock from that number motivated me to get up and WALK. After getting down a bit I stopped exercising (bad idea). I just recently started again (walking or riding my bike). I alternate depending on how I feel (If I have the energy I'll do both). I've somehow lost the desire for junk food. The thought of eating McDonald's grosses me out. I only count calories occasionally (and if my last calculation is right I'm not eating enough).

PS. I'm short too (4'9" so I should be between 92-119, I'm aiming for 112-115 at the moment. I am currently 122).

[l345l]

alright, i'm somewhere between 5'0 and 5'1.

i find that if you exercise, you will tend to want to eat healthier, so i try to do exercise first thing in the morning to get the coin rolling.

calorie-wise, how many do you think you should be consuming? ... i'm trying not to focus on calorie counting because it becomes discouraging and obsessive -__-

[JessicaHavenLea]

I should be eating around 1500 calories a day which is easier said than done. I have to make myself eat to keep my metabolism up or I won't be able to lose any more weight. Otherwise I wouldn't bother counting at all because it's annoying and inconvenient.

[Flamethrower]

alright, i'm somewhere between 5'0 and 5'1.

I'm short too (4'9" so I should be between 92-119, I'm aiming for 112-115 at the moment. I am currently 122).

Wow, this must be the short arse club. I am 5'2.

I should be eating around 1500 calories a day which is easier said than done. I have to make myself eat to keep my metabolism up or I won't be able to lose any more weight.

Interesting. I currently weigh my recommended weight so if I start eating as much as I am supposed to will I lose weight or put it on?

[Monte314]

I'm 5' 6.5", and weigh 180... starting to get a little round in the middle.

[l345l]

Interesting. I currently weigh my recommended weight so if I start eating as much as I am supposed to will I lose weight or put it on?

initially, you will probably gain weight, but then your metabolism will re-normalize. if coupled with exercise, you later will lose weight because of the calorie deficit caused by the exercise.

[Flamethrower]

initially, you will probably gain weight, but then your metabolism will re-normalize. if coupled with exercise, you later will lose weight because of the calorie deficit caused by the exercise.

Maybe I will have to test this out!

[zibber]

I'm 6"2 and 180, am I good?

[Flamethrower]

I'm 6"2 and 180, am I good?

Yeah. But isn't that a bit underweight?

[Saint]

Not by a long shot Flamethrower. Underweight for 6'2 is ~145 lbs

You're a great weight for your height, Jarno.

I'm 5'9 or 5'10 (havent checked since I was 17) and 135 lbs (just checked)

My older brother is 5'9 (slightly shorter) and weighs 110 lbs. He's underweight.

[Stealth]

The problem is that some people (myself included) have a tendency to eat past the point where we aren't hungry anymore.

It helps if you reduce the amount of food you put on your plate and then, when you have eaten it all up and want to get up to refill, stop instead and wait for 20-30 minutes.

The stomach needs some time to signal to your brain that it has had enough, which is why you may overeat if you eat everything in one go. So reducing the size of servings and waiting some time after you have consumed each seems like a workable approach.

[Tabemashoo]

I've always had a problem with my weight. A couple of years ago I made the mistake of trying to lose weight by extreme calorie restriction (about 800 a day for two months or so). Coupled with light exercise, I lost almost 35 pounds... But I severely damaged my metabolism and now it's extremely difficult for me to lose anything, and I still have another 45 pounds to go before I'm "healthy"!

So yeah, jogging, biking, walking for two hours or so at the beginning of the day--I get plenty of exercise. I just need to be really careful when I eat. So much more so than before my crash diet, ironically. It's hard. I'm a pretty compulsive eater. I can be full--so full that it's physically painful--and I still want to eat more. It's nasty, but I'm working on it, piece by piece.

I agree with what the other folks here are saying--prep your meals for the day right after you've eaten, and then make a conscious commitment to only eat what you prepared earlier. Probably the only way to do it.

[Dreamer]

I'm 5'7 and 158 pounds.

I do a combination of the Zone Diet + Crossfit.To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I tend to have 1 or 2 cheat meals/days per week where I eat anything I can find.

[Caesar]

Is 5'6 and 120 pounds underweight? :blank: