How to eat less?

newlywed

You don't seem to be eating a huge amount of food to be honest. Was breakfast just stawberries?

Is the snacking because you are really hungry? Could you increase your healthy food intake a bit until you get used to your new diet?

I find if I gradually make small changes to my diet and exercise over time, it works better for me. If I launch into a not eating much phase, then I'm hungry and tired and just crash and burn - in about 2 days

fuzzyhead_3

tara747 wrote: »

fuzzyhead - not that I practise what I preach as you will see from my sig - but maybe you could record how you feel before, during and after eating the chocolate etc? That might let you see how it affects you. Or maybe look at your posts from the previous day and see how you feel about what you have eaten. That might make you feel differently about what you are about to eat. Does that make sense?

(((hugs))) to you. I know you can do it! You just need to make one small change at a time. Starting today! So... what's the first one?

p.s. come on over to the 'axe the avoirdupois' thread, we are all trying to lose half a stone a month (breaking the bigger targets into small manageable chunks). It is very supportive even when you're doing badly - as I am! Or you could try the low carb or other weight loss threads xo

Thanks for the reply tara747.

I might try that. I will print off the whole thread and read it after work to see how I feel reading about my past eating e.g. do I think that yesterday's chocolate was worth it? I'm sure I know the answer already

Before I eat something sugary, I feel a real craving for it. It's not hunger in any sense of the word. I don't wait till I'm hungry. As I'm debating whether or not to eat it, I'm not sure how I feel but I guess I'm trying to justify it to myself. While I'm eating it, I feel a sense of pleasure - until I've eaten too much, then I feel slightly ill. Afterwards, I just feel discgusted.

Thanks for the invite but I'd be no good at those weight loss threads, I'm not disciplined in the least and would feel embarraessed coming on every day to post about how much rubbish I've eaten. I do lurk on them occasionally though... maybe I'll come on when I'm feeling braver or have something positive to report.

fuzzyhead_3

GrammarGirl wrote: »

Nutella on toast is quite a good way to curb chocolate cravings, especially if it's on wholemeal toast and you only have a few slices. Don't beat yourself up about that one.

Thanks for the reply GrammarGirl.

Hmm, not if the Nutella is spread thickly like I do it...

fuzzyhead_3

newlywed wrote: »

You don't seem to be eating a huge amount of food to be honest. Was breakfast just stawberries?

Is the snacking because you are really hungry? Could you increase your healthy food intake a bit until you get used to your new diet?

I find if I gradually make small changes to my diet and exercise over time, it works better for me. If I launch into a not eating much phase, then I'm hungry and tired and just crash and burn - in about 2 days

Breakfast was strawberries and low fat plain yogurt, I usually have cereal but am trying to have something less sugary. But then I'm starving during the day.

Today's food so far (dinner will be chicken and veg):
300g low fat plain yourt
1lb strawberries
1 small organic veg pie with mash topping
1 small tuna sandwich
1 chocolate
2 slices of bread with Nutella
Half a croissant
3 mint imperials

I am really shocked at that list!!!!!!!!! :eek: I seem to go totally off the rails between 11:30am and 5pm, and again after 8:30pm. I need to do something else to take my mind off food...

Still recuperating so no chance of any exercise for the rest of the week at least, the doc reckons I can start walking in a week or so.

Amanita_2

If you are eating due to habit and boredom you need to distract yourself. TV or reading just isn't enough.

As I mentioned earlier I am a dyed in the wool evening nibbler. I can eat my way through jars of olives, packs of peanuts, crisps and the 400g bars of cadbury chocolate if I let myself.

The method that worked for me was to take up cross stitch but knitting would also work. It occupied my mind sufficiently to stop me thinking about snacking but also you cannot eat and handle fabric or wool at the same time. It gets all sticky . I have resorted to eating hula hoops with tweezers but it just isn't worth the hassle so it is easier not to.

Once the habit was broken it got a lot easier not to eat all evening.

newlywed

If you want a more filling breakfast try porridge? If you don't like porridge then try the porridge oats just soaked in milk overnight. I have mine soaked in water with sliced banana and raisins and cinnamon and a touch of honey.

Or try protein for breakfast - like scrambled eggs on toast, or boiled egg. I find eggs for breakfast fill me up for even longer.

fuzzyhead_3

Amanita wrote: »

If you are eating due to habit and boredom you need to distract yourself. TV or reading just isn't enough.

As I mentioned earlier I am a dyed in the wool evening nibbler. I can eat my way through jars of olives, packs of peanuts, crisps and the 400g bars of cadbury chocolate if I let myself.

The method that worked for me was to take up cross stitch but knitting would also work. It occupied my mind sufficiently to stop me thinking about snacking but also you cannot eat and handle fabric or wool at the same time. It gets all sticky . I have resorted to eating hula hoops with tweezers but it just isn't worth the hassle so it is easier not to.

Once the habit was broken it got a lot easier not to eat all evening.

I agree, it is boredom - and I need to tackle it. TBH, when I am really engrossed in a book I don't snack - so maybe I need to read more! When I'm online I almost always have something snacky to hand. I do need to break the habit and the sooner I do it, the sooner I will start losing weight.

LOL at eating hula hoops with tweezers, that's really funny!

So far today I've had a slice of wholemeal toast with Nutella (not too much), a few blueberries and 200g low fat yogurt. I'm going to wait till I'm actually hungry before I eat again. I can't remember when I was last properly hungry, even first thing in the morning.

fuzzyhead_3

newlywed wrote: »

If you want a more filling breakfast try porridge? If you don't like porridge then try the porridge oats just soaked in milk overnight. I have mine soaked in water with sliced banana and raisins and cinnamon and a touch of honey.

Or try protein for breakfast - like scrambled eggs on toast, or boiled egg. I find eggs for breakfast fill me up for even longer.

I'm not a great fan of porridge, esp without sugar! But yours sounds very tasty.

I might try eating an egg in the morninng and see if that helps. Luckily, I love eggs.

ayamjay

Try the South Beach Diet (google it) - you will eat healthily, you will never feel hungry and it will completely change your eating habits.

lynzpower

fuzzyhead wrote: »

Breakfast was strawberries and low fat plain yogurt, I usually have cereal but am trying to have something less sugary. But then I'm starving during the day.

Today's food so far (dinner will be chicken and veg):
300g low fat plain yourt
1lb strawberries
1 small organic veg pie with mash topping
1 small tuna sandwich
1 chocolate
2 slices of bread with Nutella
Half a croissant
3 mint imperials

I am really shocked at that list!!!!!!!!! :eek: I seem to go totally off the rails between 11:30am and 5pm, and again after 8:30pm. I need to do something else to take my mind off food...

Still recuperating so no chance of any exercise for the rest of the week at least, the doc reckons I can start walking in a week or so.

I totally identify with the craving thats not a craving. that is certainly for me a carb demand. Again im loooking at this and seeing the bread- and the croissant. I suggest that if you cut these alone out you will have less demand. Instead of toat if you are hungry, go for muesli. You soon notice if you are not really hungry for food after the first mouthfull or so