No eating in Front of the TV
 

Hi All,
Proud of myself today as its the second night that I haven't eaten in front of the TV. My counselor said I could only eat at night if I took the food to the table and didn't have a TV on. Working well as I don't want to miss my programs. My main pig out is at night as soon as we finish tea I say whats next and then the eating starts. How do others cope with night time eating as I can be so good during the day when I am working. If I can over come this hurdle I feel my weight will be on the down hill slide. He has me writing my thoughts down each time I think of food. Adverts are the worse so I had better stick to keeping on this forum each night.
Cheers ThisTime7

Since your biggest 'eating pigout time' is in the evening - it probably makes sense for your counselor to suggest eating only at the table. It causes you to really think about the food and actual eating of it - if you actually make yourself sit at the table. I think it's a hard thing to learn to do. It doesn't always feel very comfortable at first - but, it does make us mindful of the food when we do.

I honestly think, for many folks, eating at the kitchen table without distractions can be the number one thing that can help us with extra eating and being mindful of eating. That being said, I don't always eat every bit of food on the kitchen table with the TV turned off.

As far as eating in front of the TV goes - in the Dr. Beck’s first book she suggests that you learn to eat away from the tv and distractions - but, also learn to eat with distractions because that’s how life is. So, I do a little of both - tv on & tv off. In a perfect world we wouldn’t eat in front of the tv. If I did that, I wouldn’t ever eat with DH. He likes to eat with tv on and doesn’t budge from that. (he has no weight concerns) So when I eat with him, the tv is on.

During the day I sometimes eat alone with no distractions sitting in my easy chair. Sometimes the tv is on. If I feel that I am getting away form concentrating on eating - then I make sure the tv is off.

When I am cooking and I want to taste what I am cooking, I try to remember to take my taste and sit down at the table to taste it. It helps me be more mindful of tasting when I cook and also - keeps me eating only when seated.

Different Hands
 

Thanks Beverlyjoy,
Yes you are right I will need to eat in different places, but just for now he has me eating anything after tea with my left hand. I can eat it outside or at the table but I mustn't eat in front of TV. I pig out so much in front of TV and I have now gone the last 3 nights without eating after tea.
Thanks also for your advice on the forums. I have only been on Becks for 5 weeks and he hasn't moved me onto stage 2 yet. Thought just by using my advantage deck and response cards I have lost 3.kilos will have to work that out in pound as in Australia we are metric. I think its about 61/2 lbs.
Cheers

Hi,

I agree that eating without distractions is helpful. I have selected places to eat, and that gives me comfort. It feels like quality time between my food and myself :)

I knit or crochet while watching my TV programs in the evening. So I feel busy during the slow parts or commercials. I think that helps me be distracted from any hunger or cravings that may come along.

Congratulations on your weight loss !

Woodland

I need to knit
 

Hi Woodland,
Yes I was thinking about doing something like that to keep my hands busy. I use to crosstitch so I have one half done will have to get it out again. I can be fine all day long with my eating (not always the right foods) but once tea is over and I have had a big meal, the brain goes what next. Its crazy I can eat a horse and still want more and more in the evenings. Nothing to knock a bag of 200g chips or dry biscuits off in one sitting. Then I go again for the next thing. Its such a bad habit that I'm in and food is like my drug of choice especially when I am feeling down.
My counselor said this is the thing we will tackle before I move onto stage 2.
Really pleased with myself haven't eaten after tea for 3 nights now. This web site is also keeping my hands busy as I have my laptop in the family room.
Cheers ThisTime7

Hi ThisTime7,

The fact that you can identify an issue you want to change is also a great step forward. Good job!

One trick I use is to cap my evening meal with a healthy dessert (I like 100% fruit popsicles). Mentally that signals the end of my eating for the day. It is like a treat and I do look forward to it. I wait about a 1/2 hr after dinner to have it, which also helps me feel full from dinner before my treat.

I remember reading that Judith Beck plans a treat each evening and that gives her extra motivation to eat on plan during the day.

Woodland

Thats good idea Woodlands have something that triggers your end of day eating. I have fruit icy poles here, they are all fruit and water which have no fat . Might use that technique that will be a good marker. Because what we are aiming to do with Becks is the CBT.
My other half has joined me, but he always want an icy pole in front of the TV, well last night he had to come out to the family room and eat it with his left hand. I did the same with an apple after tea last night and its just not the same as eating it in front of the TV.
Now gone 4 nights and only had the apple at the table once.
What I will do is make a food on my plan as the marker for turning off the food thoughts for the night. If I can get that marker thought into my head I will be well on th way to stopping this night binge eating
Thanks
ThisTime7

Oh goodness!! TV and eating is my favorite thing to do. well it was my favorite thing to do. I tried about about 3 times to make a habit of never eating in front of the t.v. but it's finally stuck b/c I now have the Becks text.

I don't know why but for what ever reason it was either t.v. was better w/ eating or eating was better with t.v. I'm not sure which one it was but about a week into eating at the table away from he t.v. I found that I was getting annoyed b/c there was no visual stimulation besides my food (and my pacing cat :D). But my light bulb moment was when I was craving something and really really really wanted it but b/c I was dedicated to my rule to eat at the table I didn't eat it b/c I was literally bored at the idea of snacking w/o t.v.

@Woodland.. Yes! i do the same thing i have 1/2 to 1 cup of froyo (90-130 cals) (blue bunny/turkey hill) its so guilt free and it is also a signal for me that the there is no more eating except for tea and water after that.

@ThisTime7 I totally understand; for months I couldn't even go to asleep w/ out being full, Id always have oatmeal (too much of it) to fall asleep. idk how I got out of that but I know it gradually became less and less till I stopped night eating completely w/ the book and only eat when I get physical, w/o a doubt hunger signals and always always have desert. Ive also lost 13 lbs in the last 3 1/2 weeks. But the #1 thing i use is the cards. I fill the cards with any phrases idea or goals that inspire me and I feel my will power grow.

That is where I struggle too. I am going to try tomorrow and see if it makes a difference - I bet it will.

I am doing well with this issue. I think I have found a middle ground with food and the tv. Yes, sometimes I do still have the tv on - but, still I am trying to concentrate on time, taste, fork down, etc. If I go into mindless tv eating I will turn off the tv for a couple days/meals. Or, I will make myself wait 30 between bites for a few meals.

Tracking your eating triggers is the first step, says Lauren Solotar, PhD, chief psychologist at the May Institute, a nonprofit behavioral health organization in Walpole, Mass. Solotar, who studies obesity and eating disorders, has her clients fill out diaries detailing what they ate and their feelings at the time. Over time, the diary entries make it clear when the client is vulnerable to eating for reasons other than hunger.

This approach "gradually allows people to recognize how their feelings are triggering eating behaviors," Solotar says. That self-recognition, she says, is an important skill: "Once a client learns to recognize the feelings that trigger eating, that skill can be used to rein in unnecessary eating."