the snowball effect
 

Why do I feel the need to constantly be putting food/drink in my mouth. It just makes me want more. Now I know why smokers stay skinny! I swear if I didnt have the taste of food in my mouth I would crave less. It is a vicious cycle that I would love to stop. It doesnt help that my family is so obsessed with food and eating either. I have to keep telling myself I move into my apartment October first and then I will not be tempted as much by the food surrounding me! This was really just a rant about nothing... just needed to do something other than eat for a few minutes.

I know! Sometimes I don't even want to start eating because I am afraid of the snowball effect and that I won't be able to stop!! :(

oral fixation eh? i know what you mean i LOVE chewing and will go through bag on bag of popcorn just for the eating part! here are some alternatives (DO NOT TAKE UP SMOKING! :) haha)

chew gum (sugar free)
chew ice (dont tell your dentist i told you to do this and fyi i cracked a tooth doing this but.... i love it!)
chew on a tooth pick
get one of those ring pops (like 80 cals and it lasts the WHOLE day....)
chew on lemon/lime wedges (again dont tell your dentist i told you too! can eat through enamel)
have a diet drink
drink water
distract yourself with other things (ie call a friend)

the hardest part for me is once i start chewing/eating/snacking i want to prolong the feeling. walk away and tell yourself if you still want it in an hour you can come back... by that time you prob wont want it!

also i think over eating messes with your blood sugar and causes you to want to eat more... try eating a diabetic diet (whole grains, lean protein, lots of veggies) for a week and see if these cravings (oral or otherwise) go away!

good luck! im right there with you!

I was just thinking to myself earlier today, (as I was shuffling through my pantry for a snack), hmmm...I am not even hungry, I just love the taste of food. That is a habit I need to break (FAST!)

[QUOTE=readyfreddy;1850412]
the hardest part for me is once i start chewing/eating/snacking i want to prolong the feeling. walk away and tell yourself if you still want it in an hour you can come back... by that time you prob wont want it![QUOTE]


She's right... this was also a big problem of mine, and I still struggle with it. But, if you can just get past that initial desire to eat something, it get's easier and easier to turn the stuff down. BE STRONG!!