Compulsive Over-eater

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I had no idea where to put this so I stuck it here.

I have recently come to terms with the fact that I am a compulsive over-eater. I eat when I am angry. I eat when I am sad. I eat when I am bored. I eat when I am happy. I eat eat eat all the time. Partly, I actually am hungry because of my thyroid. But 50% of the time, I am not or I eat past the line where I am not hungry any more. This morning, I had 2 eggs and 2 pieces of toast and as I finished them I thought to myself "I am still hungry" when in reality, that is plenty for breakfast for a person my size. I've gained about 10 lbs recently and I don't like it. None of my clothes fit. I feel fat. I am unhappy and so guess what I do? I eat. It's awful.

Does anyone else struggle with compulsive over-eating? Any suggestions on how I can learn to curb this? Any ideas on foods that are not bad for me so if I "need" to eat, I can? I love sweets and salty foods. Current obsession is Ritz Chips, the cheddar variety. 12 of these chips contain 140 calories and 50 of those are fat calories. Not a very good snack to be having every day, sometimes two times a day. And who eats only 12 little chips?

Any help or ideas would be extremely welcome.

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Ive put on 2 stone(maybe 3)in the last couple of years.I now have a sit down, office job and I eat junk food because I see it as a treat, so I eat midnight snacks.

You eat because of a thyroid problem, at least you have an excuse!
I can only suggest you snack throughout the day on salad.Cut up carrot/celery/cucumber sticks, mini tomatoes, cut up apples, grapes, raisons etc and nibble at them.
You say you eat wether you are hungry or not so its what yuo are eating that has to be changed.
I understand about salty/sweet food, my snack treats are crisps n chocolate.

I have to tell myself that an apple is better for me and I can eat as many as I want.

Its all about substitution.If you find a better substitute for the things you like things will get easier.

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Hi Bella. I have the same problem. My response to every emotional state is reaching for food. I've been working on that.

What's working for me is substituting foods that are similar to my usual favorites, but slightly lower in fat or calories. I know I can't change my ways all at once, so I'm going for gradual. So 2% cheese, and olive oil when I used to use butter, baked chips, etc. And like mg says above, more carrots and celery (and less dip! or fat free dressing for dip)

What has really turned me around was joining Weight Watchers last May. I've lost about 42 pounds so far. Only about 90 to go! Rolling Eyes

Their system works, but staying motivated is a challenge.

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Wow well done!!!

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wow mac!!
A great big high five to you!

> whispers<
can i have some of those secrets?? hehe

over eaters anonymous was made for me.
At my biggest I was 285. And I was that big when i first moved to austin. Austin is a nice city , but for my psyche, it is torture. Instead of facing past things that happened here, I ate. I ate it all.. I ate the happiness, I ate the fear, I ate the frustration, the memories, the hatred, the uncomfort.
I ate it all
And I could probally name the foods those emotions have become. Bomb-pops were anger. Amys ice cream was happy. deep fried food was confusion.. etc.

It is hard to UN learn eating your emotions. It is engraved into who you are at this point.
I had to make myself wait before I ate.
If i wanted some cheeze-its.. I took them out, put them on the counter and set a timer. If I remembered them in 45 minutes I would eat them.
most of the time I got side tracked.. or I realized i was TRULY hungry and ate a meal instead.

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http://img80.exs.cx/img80/4728/me0tr.th.jpg

Bella,

Isn't this you (from the gallery thread)? Aren't you exagerating your weight problem?

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Having a snack available helps me.

I've got a Smartie and a jelly bean on my desk. They've been there for close to a month now. As long as I know they're there, I'm ok. I don't NEED to get a snack if there's one in front of me.

Before I put the Smartie on my desk, I was joining the 4 p.m. rush to the manager's office to get a handful of Smarties.

Three full pant sizes down since mid-April, working on the next size. March/April was the biggest I've ever ever been. I have to keep finding ways to trick myself.

<trying to remember the snacks that work to replace sweet/salty. As I recall, salty often means cravings for crunch - so, celery rules that craving. In any case, celery does help me when the salt cravings start crawling all over me>

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Bella-

i wont leave this up too long, but -
here is a before and after. I know you say that you dont believe , from my pictures that i was huge.. but.. here ya go

You can combat this . It isnt easy.
It took me a year to finally be where my legs dont rub, where i can run and not pass out , i can bend over and touch my toes.. HELL i can put my hands flat on the ground now.
Best of all.. I CAN SEE my shoes..

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/5835/mvc008s9up.jpg

boy howdy... look at them CHINS

December last year

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/1439/mvc091s0em.th.jpg

a few months ago.

notice, chin gone.. you can actually SEE i have shoulders they are not just big fluffy things on tops of my arms..

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Wow! Congratulations ehBeth - three sizes is a lot!

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Shewolf, i think Ive got yuor old chin,I dont want it anymore,any takers???

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wandeljw, I think Bella isn't saying that she currently has a weight problem -- just an extra 10 pounds -- but that she's worried about where things are going. (?)

That said, I have a similar point -- Bella, you're worrying about wanting more than 2 eggs and 2 pieces of toast? You might be overthinking this one. Maybe not, but that evidence alone doesn't worry me much. How much more did you want, and what? Like, a banana? A banana split?

I think a fair amount (especially fruit) could be added to the breakfast you mention without it getting out of control, at all.

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I wish I had shewolf's old chin instead of the one I have. <sigh> Oh, did I say one? I meant three...

Thanks for being so brave and posting pics, shewolf. You're beautiful and Bean is incredibly exotic. She must be very big by now.

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I wanna know why chins are so stubborn?
I can retrieve all kinds of body shapes - but the chin, that is agony.

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wandeljw wrote:

Bella,

Isn't this you (from the gallery thread)? Aren't you exagerating your weight problem?

This was me a while back. I've since gained weight. I am by no means fat and never said I was. I said I feel fat. And I do. When you have been a certain weight and build all your life and suddenly jump up 20lbs, on a small frame it's noticable. I am unhappy and would like to lose 10 lbs, as well as not gain 50. Remember that perception is reality.

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the only body shape that wont pop back into place -
boobs-
Crying or Very sad

im forever going to have rug burns on these deflated tubes..
>sigh<

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sozobe wrote:

wandeljw, I think Bella isn't saying that she currently has a weight problem -- just an extra 10 pounds -- but that she's worried about where things are going. (?)

Yes. By fixing my thyroid, I am creating other problems. Like gaining weight. I was able to be a compulsive eater before because my body was on over drive. Soon, it will be normal and my eating habits will not cut it. I've gain those 10 lbs in about a month. I don't want to make this a habit.

sozobe wrote:

How much more did you want, and what?
.

Bacon. Sausage. Anything.

Here's an example. I used to eat 1 or maybe 2 pieces of pizza. I ate several times a day, very small meals. Now, I can eat 3-4 pieces of pizza, several times a day. I just keep eating, even though I know that realistically I know I am not hungry anymore. It's so bizarre.

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oh f-k me running with a duck bill

no more edit.
great...... just great..

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shewolfnm wrote:

oh f-k me running with a duck bill

no more edit.
great...... just great..

Me too. I hate my picture being up. I thought I took that out of the gallery...... Confused

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Maybe request they be removed via Help Desk?

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It's the damn rationalization that does me in.
I can always find a reason why that chocolate chip cookie is OK.
Only after it's gone do I get my senses back and then feel like an idiot and a weakling.

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Compulsive Over-eater

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