dandelions
New member
what are some tips on how to change my lifestyle and diet? I feel completely out of control and whenever I try to diet or eat less it's impossible 
Weight-Loss diet/lifestyle change for compulsive eaters
- Thread starter dandelions
- Start date
Weight-Loss
Try yoga. It can help you focus and also help with stress and a host of other things. Most of all it helps quiet your mind. As far as dieting goes, exercise a little, drink plenty of water, and eliminate processed food or at least most of it.
when grocery shopping, try to stay on the outer lanes of the store where you find meats and fresh produce. cut out or reduce sugar(can substitute with stevia) and white flour(substitute with whole grain flour). Eat more whole grains,poultry and fish,fruit and vegatables.
when grocery shopping, try to stay on the outer lanes of the store where you find meats and fresh produce. cut out or reduce sugar(can substitute with stevia) and white flour(substitute with whole grain flour). Eat more whole grains,poultry and fish,fruit and vegatables.
dandelions
New member
thankyou for the yoga suggestion, I think if I look into it it will help me relax and keep my focus off of food. I think what I need is some distraction from food.
do processed foods include most canned foods?
do processed foods include most canned foods?
KaraCooks
New member
I think really what it boils down to is that you have to want it enough. I know that seems sort of glib and simplistic, but I really do think it's the truth. Lots of people say they "can't". They can't stop eating. They can't give up the chips. They can't exercise. They can't ... whatever. But the truth is that no one else can do it for them, right? So either they decide that they can ... REALLY can ... or they don't.
Until someone wants it badly enough, they can make excuses until the world ends. I know I did for years. I must have said "I can't" or "It's impossible" a million times. Until I finally decided I'd had enough.
I'm not saying it's easy. There are times every single day that I struggle. Today I went out to lunch with a friend and I ordered soup and 1/2 sandwich. And then the woman taking my order asked me if I wanted chips with my sandwich ... and for a long minute I thought "Well what kind of dumb question is that? Of COURSE I want chips." And seriously ... I STRUGGLED to say "no, thanks". It was freakin' hard. All of a sudden I wanted those chips - had to have them and would die without them. Seriously, the thoughts that went through my mind in those maybe 20 seconds were ridiculous - it's ok, you can skip dinner tonight, you can work out for an extra 20 minutes, you were good yesterday, you don't have to say no, it's not fair that everyone else can eat chips and you can't, damnit I really want chips.
But ultimately I want to lose weight more than I want chips and so I said no - that was the word that came out of my mouth, even though my head was screaming GIVE ME THE DAMN CHIPS!!!
I agree with Jen that a good start is to cut out the processed foods as much as possible. Yes, canned food counts as processed. Think about the things you're putting into your body and if there's an ingredient that you can't pronounce or don't know what it is ... then don't eat it.
At least that's a start.
Until someone wants it badly enough, they can make excuses until the world ends. I know I did for years. I must have said "I can't" or "It's impossible" a million times. Until I finally decided I'd had enough.
I'm not saying it's easy. There are times every single day that I struggle. Today I went out to lunch with a friend and I ordered soup and 1/2 sandwich. And then the woman taking my order asked me if I wanted chips with my sandwich ... and for a long minute I thought "Well what kind of dumb question is that? Of COURSE I want chips." And seriously ... I STRUGGLED to say "no, thanks". It was freakin' hard. All of a sudden I wanted those chips - had to have them and would die without them. Seriously, the thoughts that went through my mind in those maybe 20 seconds were ridiculous - it's ok, you can skip dinner tonight, you can work out for an extra 20 minutes, you were good yesterday, you don't have to say no, it's not fair that everyone else can eat chips and you can't, damnit I really want chips.
But ultimately I want to lose weight more than I want chips and so I said no - that was the word that came out of my mouth, even though my head was screaming GIVE ME THE DAMN CHIPS!!!
I agree with Jen that a good start is to cut out the processed foods as much as possible. Yes, canned food counts as processed.
Think about the things you're putting into your body and if there's an ingredient that you can't pronounce or don't know what it is ... then don't eat it.At least that's a start.
dandelions
New member
That is very true! I know because I used to be able to go on diets for long segments of time, but nowadays I can barely go a day before cracking. It's all about willpower, which I feel I am seriously lacking right now.
I think, to start off, I have to stop procrastinating with the exercising but also get out of the house, away from the food and seclusion. Because when I'm around people, I eat less. It's tough, but I have to stop going in circles.
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it!
I think, to start off, I have to stop procrastinating with the exercising but also get out of the house, away from the food and seclusion. Because when I'm around people, I eat less. It's tough, but I have to stop going in circles.
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it!
dandelions
New member
awesome! thanks =)
spootiee
New member
But ultimately I want to lose weight more than I want chips and so I said no - that was the word that came out of my mouth, even though my head was screaming GIVE ME THE DAMN CHIPS!!!
BAHAHA that was me with donuts today at work!! GD donuts.. lol
I'm reading that book right now!! It's so good. dandelions, its a super eye opener book. It really makes you second guess everything you put in your mouth, if you really WANT food or entertainment, and how things are prepared and engineered to make you eat more and more and more! You have to really want to give up the old habits of giving in and just finally let that little voice in your head yelling "NO!" to take over. Like you have to give in to give up
You can do it. Simpler solutions: brush your teeth when you want to eat when you shouldn't, chew gum, drink a couple glasses of water, wait for 15 minutes and then decide and wait 15 MORE minutes, start puzzle like sudoku to get your mind moving in another direction, anything to distract yourself from mindless snacking.
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dandelions
New member
thanks for the tips, spootie! the waiting for several minutes thing helped. I had the urge to snack yesterday but I distracted myself into checking my email first and I totally forgot about the food.
spootiee
New member
Haha yeah, that's the worst thing about working in an office. Co-workers always bring in some form of sweets, especially donuts. I've yet to give in, but some days it's tough. And I hate when I hear "Are you on a diet?". I simply smile and say "No", but I really want to say is "No, it's part of my healthy lifestyle. Those donuts aren't going to help me out in that respect.". Of course, I avoid saying that to avoid hurting anyone's feelings that are eating them.
spootiee
New member
Yet again I can empathize and relate to someone. (I love this forum!) I have this issue with my family, specifically my paternal grandmother. The sweetest woman I know, she makes these brownies. Every. Freaking. Holiday. Which is every time I see her. I feel rude ignoring what she's worked on that entire morning and she askes, "Sara, don't you want a brownie?"
".....Sure, mom-mom, in a little bit." SO GUILTY. I end up eating like three because one is the 'guilty' brownie, two is the 'giving in' brownie, and three is the 'F*%K it, these are good' brownie. An equation that adds up to overeating sugary, fattening treats that mess up my day calorically, mentally and physically.
My mum says no one should ever feel guilted into eating anything, and she's tried to bring up the brownie issue with the family for the sake of my dad and I specifically, but everyone gets defensive!! It's sucky. I have yet to overcome it. Maybe this Labor Day (nevermind, in school).. BIRTHDAY, my birthday, I'll finally succeed in avoiding brownie consumption.
Anyway, congrats on your success and good luck with your office donut dilemmas. Moral of the story: don't feel guilty about not eating anything, even if it's family!!
KaraCooks
New member
Ya know .. the brownie thing ...
One brownie is probably about 250 calories (at least that's what my homemade brownies with nuts coms out to). You can "find" 250 calories in a day pretty easily. At least most people can. I'm not saying use that as an excuse to eat brownies every day, but you're far better off having ONE brownie and enjoying it (and making your grandma happy) than you are feeling guilty about it and then chowing down on 3 of them.
Don't have a "guilty" brownie. Just have a brownie. Or even have a 1/2 a brownie. And enjoy it when you do. You'll be less likely to give in and have 2 or 3 or more.
One brownie is probably about 250 calories (at least that's what my homemade brownies with nuts coms out to). You can "find" 250 calories in a day pretty easily. At least most people can. I'm not saying use that as an excuse to eat brownies every day, but you're far better off having ONE brownie and enjoying it (and making your grandma happy) than you are feeling guilty about it and then chowing down on 3 of them.
Don't have a "guilty" brownie. Just have a brownie. Or even have a 1/2 a brownie. And enjoy it when you do. You'll be less likely to give in and have 2 or 3 or more.
spootiee
New member
I will definitely do that as soon as I overcome my mindless, overeating tendencies, which are exampled by the 3 brownies. I'm still waiting for that day. I'll remember what you've said when the time comes
I tell the director in our department that she is trying to fatten us all up so she can eat us because she brings in cookies from Paradise bakery at least once a month. And she brings enough for everyone to have at least two. It is so hard to pass up free food!
And I work right in between two obese women who call me skinny. So whenever I pass up on the cookies or something else brought in I feel bad. They always ask me why I'm not having one and sometimes will even bring one directy to my desk. I always feel bad because they are both at least 150lbs overweight, chowing them down while I am 30 pounds over weight saying no. I feel this same guilt when I eat my chicken breast, rice and brocolli and they bring in McDonald's.
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usedtobefatmatt
New member
Hey dandelions and welcome to the site. It's tough being a compulsive eater. I was one for many years and will be for the rest of my life. It's just something we need to control and keep in check.
Maybe you should start a diary and tell us a little bit more about you. I know i sometimes feel better when i put my thoughts in writing. Tell us what might trigger these situations. Is there one type of food you really have trouble with? There are a lot of people that can give you help with this type of problem.
I know I found a hobby that got my mind off eating. Not many people beleive me when i said that sitting in front of a computer for 3-4 hours a night helped me lose weight but it did. I didnt associate eating with sitting in front of a computer like i did with TV. I followed the Red Sox on live every game instead of TV. People thought i was crazy but it worked for me.
Like i said, tell us more and we can help some more. Stick around and good luck with your new lifestyle.
Maybe you should start a diary and tell us a little bit more about you. I know i sometimes feel better when i put my thoughts in writing. Tell us what might trigger these situations. Is there one type of food you really have trouble with? There are a lot of people that can give you help with this type of problem.
I know I found a hobby that got my mind off eating. Not many people beleive me when i said that sitting in front of a computer for 3-4 hours a night helped me lose weight but it did. I didnt associate eating with sitting in front of a computer like i did with TV. I followed the Red Sox on live every game instead of TV. People thought i was crazy but it worked for me.
Like i said, tell us more and we can help some more. Stick around and good luck with your new lifestyle.