Comfort eating

fireblade28

Anoneemoose wrote: »

I would argue there is no such thing as 'bad' food, and it's thinking that that causes people to want more of it. I can have biscuits, cake, crisps, chocolate and all sorts im the house and it can stay there for ages.

If you look at my previous post history and my own threads, you will see this was certainly not always the case and I was where OP is.

There is that factor when it comes to willpower. It's called ironic process theory in psych. The more you try to not want something the more you want it.

There's a great book called the willpower instinct that discusses things like this that the OP may like.

I just think that nowadays most of us just lack discipline and organisation because of the ease of modern day life. Myself included.

fairy_lights

Nicki wrote: »

This often strikes in the middle of the working day so ideas to keep hands occupied such as painting nails or knitting won't be an option.

You could try taking a healthy snack selection with you, cherry tomatoes, a few nuts, some raisins etc, and not taking any cash with you so you can hit the vending machine or go and buy other snacks even if you want to. Taking a selection of herbal teas, flavoured coffees might also help you substitute snacks for drinks.
What sort of thing do you normally have for lunch on work days? Maybe you need a larger mid-day meal to keep you satisfied.

teddysmum

pollypenny wrote: »

Buy Michael Mosley Intermittent Fasting, 5:2 Diet book - it's not education!
We've completely changed our habits and appetite.

Find things to do when stressed - do your nails, try those adult colouring books etc.

Don't have biscuits etc in the house, but snack on crunchy things like carrot sticks if your desperate.

The OP said that nails etc are not an option as she needs the alternative occupation during the working day, while not at home.

Rosemary7391

I just don't have that sort of food at my desk, and I don't take money with me to work. Can't get it, can't eat it. Doesn't work at home though!

TalesfromtheAvenue

Can't really offer any helpful advice Nicki as I'm exactly the same, but just want to say you're not alone. It also isn't restricted to sweet things etc with me either, I tend not to buy these, but I will just eat mindlessly when I'm feeling low or stressed or upset.

I echo what Anoneemoose says though, I have learnt that dieting in any form does not help in the long run. even though I have lost a lot of weight thanks to WW or SW and even becoming a regular gym bunny over the years, I have put it all back on. It makes me obsessed with food and, in the end, can have the opposite of the desired efect, it's not healthy.

At the moment, I'm trying to read books on intuitive eating, move more and build exercise into everyday life and change my way of thinking about food for good.

Good luck with everything

Ave
x

trailingspouse

I think I've been doing intuitive eating all my life. I don't have a sweet tooth, so hardly ever have pudding/cake/sweets/chocolate. I'm pretty good at realising that I'm full, and I don't care if we're at home or out for a fancy meal, if I'm full then I will stop eating.

I suspect this may have something to do with the way I was brought up. I remember being jealous of a friend of mine who was given a lolly for being in the school play - my parents never ever did anything like that. I regularly saw my Dad refuse sweets, cake etc (he's now an incredibly fit 81 year old), so I learnt that it was perfectly possible to do that. Don't get me wrong - sweets were part of my life and I could spend my pocket money on them, they just weren't a major thing. Which is why I now have a box of Black Magic in the kitchen cupboard that was opened over a week ago and we're still on the first layer - I'm just not that bothered.

I'm a firm believer that if you have sensible quantities of good food, and make the effort to move around more than you normally do, your body will find it's optimum, healthy, size. If you're healthy, the weight will come off if it needs to, if you see what I mean.

Can I just say, to anyone out there who is involved with children - don't make food into a treat, a reward, or a punishment. Food is just food. Don't encourage/force/bribe them to finish what's on their plate 'or they won't get any pudding' - if they've not finished their main course just let them go and play, there's no need to mention pudding at all.