Re: Compulsive Over-eater
Reyn wrote:Bella Dea wrote:Partly, I actually am hungry because of my thyroid.
Bella, are you on Synthroid for dealing with your thyroid?
I had the opposite problem from you. I was eating, but couldn't keep the weight on. I'm now 123 pounds (5'6"). Most of my life my weight was stable, but after radiation therapy, it seemed like I couldn't maintain my weight.
After the doctor put me on Synthroid, it still required adjusting the dosage so it was just right.
Could this be at least a small part of your problem? Perhaps your dosage needs adjusting?
I have over active thyroid. I couldn't keep the weight on. But now that I am treating it, the weight is literally piling on at a rate I'd rather it not be, only because my eating habits don't work for someone with a normal metabolism who doesn't work out.
Amigo, it is nice to know that there are others who eat their emotions. But I am worried about you! That's very excessive.
J_B has given you some great info!
I haven't dealt with this directly, but from my observations of my mom, I'd add:
1.) Don't pathologize normal eating habits. I still think that wanting some sausage with your two eggs and two pieces of toast was reasonable.
2.) Exercise. Great for all kinds of reasons, and if you're worried about putting on weight, now is precisely the time to start. It's much, much easier to use exercise to maintain a weight (or lose 10-20 recently acquired pounds) than to start exercising when you're already overweight.
For me, personally, thinking about food, even thinking about good eating habits, always backfires. It's the "don't think about an elephant" thing. It's only when I try to modify my diet that I get an urge for ice cream or whatever.
(Related to that, I've stopped letting sozlet watch "Lazy Town" because after they have some show about why healthy food is better than candy, she always wants candy. Which she usually doesn't want. If she doesn't watch the show, she sticks to her usual healthy diet.)
What has worked best for me is to completely ignore any "diet" -- I just eat what I want, when I want it* -- and keep things under control with exercise.
That's just me, though.
*If I'm not purposely dieting, "eat what I want, when I want it" usually ends up being quite reasonable.
I'm Known for eating alot. But I'm a construction worker and I'm athletic. I'm also hyper. I was a perfect weight. Now I'm just ten pounds over weight. I'm snapping out of it now. My mountain bike got stolen. Once I get a new one that ten pounds is history. But I used to have a weight problem. Your situation is totally different from mine but some how I identify with it. I'll come by and add my two cents some time in the future.
sozobe wrote:
2.) Exercise. Great for all kinds of reasons, and if you're worried about putting on weight, now is precisely the time to start. It's much, much easier to use exercise to maintain a weight (or lose 10-20 recently acquired pounds) than to start exercising when you're already overweight.
.
That's another problem. Because of my heart rate, I can't exercise yet. I can do very minimal, no cardio. I want to start up yoga again but...the lazy factor comes in.
