Why can't i stop OVEReating?

Question

i manage to work out and do lots of exercise,,but i still cant control overeating.
Any adivce?

Answer 1

This is almost as difficult to stop as smoking. My suggestion is to find something that can fulfill your need to eat or place food in your mouth that is not damaging. Something like grapes for instance. Or celery sticks. Carrot Sticks are also good. when you feel the need to eat.. munch on these healthy snacks and avoid junk. At least this way.. you are actually doing yourself more good than harm.

Now.. that is a temporary solution to help you while you try to kick the habit. Since there is no "food patch" I suggest trying regulate your life into routine. Do this for three months. (thats the magic number) OK? For three months.. wake up at EXACTLY the same time.. perform as close to EXACTLY the same routine each day. During these days.. break your eating into 5-6 smaller portioned meals during the day. (small breakfast, small brunch, small lunch, small afternoon snack, small dinner, small evening snack.) This is where all the healthy snack foods come into play. You will find you are eating LESS by spreading out your meals, eating more frequently SMALLER PORTIONS. Yet you will be more satisfied from the eating.

You have to be serious for at least three months to get your body to accept the change.

Answer 2

The advice you've received thus far regarding food sometimes being a comfort food is absolutely true. It's also called "emotional eating". I didn't realize until recently when my overeating became it's worse. It was after my daughter passed away unexpectedly at only 29 yrs old. You may not have lost a loved one, but life events, stress, fear, disappointment, job changes, depression, loneliness, boredom, financial stress, etc. can affect our eating habits just as a person who drinks alcohol will start drinking more when placed under stress or going through changes in their life such as I mentioned above. My advice is to think about when you get these urges to overeat. Is it late night after everyone else has gone to bed? Do you have an emptiness in your life? Go back a few months or even a year or more and try to think about what changes have occurred in your life which may be the root problem for your overeating.

I've added a link to a Women Today Magazine article regarding comfort or emotional eating which may be of reading interest to you.

http://www.womentodaymagazine.com/advice/emotional_eating.html

I hope this helps. I can relate to the problem you're having and wish you well.

Answer 3

Sorry to hear about your problem. I go through the same thing lots of days. I wish I could stop over eating sweets and stuff like that. Lots of people say that are good with just a taste, but if I taste something good, I just want more and more!

I've read books and things that say there is probably a reason for this, like a trigger--stress or being emotional over something. I can occassionally see a link between me eating and my emotions but lots of times I just want the food!

Good luck to you--I understand what you are going through.

Answer 4

I used to have the same problem. Some of the suggestions here are pretty good, such as eating more fruits and veggies, but that can be hard to follow-through on if you crave rich foods.

This may seem silly, but it worked for me:

1. Buy smaller plates and cups. Don't eat out of cartons/boxes. Whenever you eat, always eat out of those smaller dishes. Feel free to have as many servings as you want, but you'll be amazed at how smaller portions cuts down the food you eat overall.

2. Eliminate soda or other sugary drinks from your diet. Juices will make you feel much more 'full' and are way healthier.

3. Eat more meals each day (may 4-5), but reduce the portions of those meals. (EDIT: I noticed just now that someone else suggested this before - it works!)

4. Avoid going to bed right after eating. Overeating can cause esophagageal (spelled corrrectly?) problems (e.g. heartburn), and sleeping on a full stomach worsens it.

5. Often, we mirror the behavior of those around us. If your family or friends tend to overeat, don't avoid eating with them, but tell them why you're changing your eating habits and encourage them to try it out.

6. Try to resist the urge to finish everything in one sitting, if you can. That was my biggest problem. I hate wasting food, since my parents taught me to never waste food. Try to pay close attention to when you are beginning to feel full, and train yourself to put the leftovers away once you start feeling full.

I'm quite healthy, since I eat very healthy and work out, but I still tend to indulge in overeating occassionally, especially if I've skipped a meal earlier. That's another thing, don't skip meals - at least have a filling snack (e.g. bagels, fruit, granola bars) if you have to 'postpone' a meal. Overeating doesn't really cause me any problems now, but it definitely will when our metabolisms slow down. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?

Hope that helps!

Answer 5

It is probably a problem that a psycologist could help you with. There are probably ones out there that specialize in overeating. Also, are you sure you're over eating? Perhaps you should meet with a nutritionist and find out how many calories you need and count your calories for a week. Counting calories alone could help. Knowing how many calories are in things really made me think twice about what I was eating.

Answer 6

there is a problem in your life that makes you run to food for comfort.or maybe you just like food.figure out when you started overeating a lot.if it was when a problem in your life started then that's why or maybe like i said you just love food.try eating food slowly.you get full faster and you wont eat as much.but if your overeating and thin because of exercising then i don't see the problem.i guess because i love eating too.

Answer 7

Anytime you get a craving or feel hungry try brushing your teeth. This has worked the best for me, cuz not much taste very good after you have just brushed your teeth. Or drink water a lot of times I was confusing hunger with thirst. Good luck!

Answer 8

Because you love food. Just stick to exercising even if you eat a lot.

Answer 9

Although you may not be able to control overeating, you might be able to help by eating healthy things.

Answer 10

its called comfort eating something in your life is lacking ...love work sex money so you comfort eat