I have REALLY bad overeating problems. Every meal I eat is also huge, and I use up my daily allotment of calories really soon, and most of the time go over.(I at least try to keep them under 2000.) I was wondering if it would be unhealthy to eat every other day? That way even if I go over a little, I won't be eating anything the other day, so it'd be like the calories were halved for both days. Has anyone ever tried this? I even overeat on healthy foods. I guess my stomach is just so stretched out, that I can't get filled up and satisfied on a normal-sized meal. I know, I know, drink more water, but water doesn't taste as good as food, and I'm not a big gum-chewer, either.
Last edited by 3FCer344892; 03-11-2012 at 08:22 AM.
Many of us do something called Intermittent Fasting. Check out the Eat Stop Eat thread. It's pretty active. Some eat in a 5 hour window each day, some eat in an 8 hour window each day and some eat regularly but fast a couple of days a week. There are many options out there for Intermittent Fasting (IF).
Check out these web sites - I don't have the links, but type these into your browser:
Fast-5 Intermittent Fasting
Eat Stop Eat
Lean Gains
IF life
Diary of a Retire Dieter
Many have found it to be liberating. IF along with reasonable eating of healthy foods on your regular eating days creates a calorie deficit so you can lose 1-2lbs per week. It isn't dangerous and it doesn't put you in "starvation mode."
You may need to play with it for a while to find what works for you, but give it a try. I love it. No restricted foods, no counting, etc.
I think your fat cells would hang on to as much fat as they could, if you did that.
Why not eat high fiber, low calorie food instead, like a head of lettuce, carrots, apples-- many other veggies are very low calorie. Munching on a whole head of lettuce before a meal will cut down on the food you eat, because nothing else will fit in your stomach. If you have problems feeling when you are actually full, that might be something you want to focus on. Are you full? Are you ignoring the feeling of fullness?
So, eat a big salad (no dressing, or just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar) before a meal. By eating something like 75-80% of your food as high fiber low calorie vegetables (no starch vegetables) you will get a lot of micro-nutrients, and also the fiber will fill you up.
You might also go to One meal a day-- some do that. Some days I like to get all my calories in one meal, usually breakfast. I'll eat an 800 calorie breakfast, and then drink only liquids, tea, and spirulina drinks the rest of the day, or eat low calorie vegetables.
You could try just sitting with the feeling of whatever your body is feeling after you eat a "normal" sized meal. Just sit quietly and see what your body feels like without trying to make that feeling go away by drinking water or chewing gum or eating giant amounts of lettuce. Just let your body feel what it feels, and sit with it. Let your brain realize that this feeling won't kill you, that you have eaten enough to fuel yourself for the day and that these physical sensations are just physical sensations. Maybe 10 minutes of a sitting meditation after a meal and then go for a slow meditative walk.
You have labeled these sensations as "hunger" and have the belief that you need to get rid of them. Maybe relabel them as "digesting" or "heartburn" or "processing" and just let them be.
I think the IF idea might work great for you. I don't think I could do it, but what I do is I save up my calories for later in the day because I know that's when I feel like I need them the most. Also, I try to start and end my day with protein to keep the blood sugar steady. In the morning, I usually have a string cheese around 10 a.m. (I have coffee when I wake up with just a splash of nonfat or lowfat milk. I then eat lunch where I do fill up on veggies as much as I can. I eat low calorie snacks (Arctic Zero ice cream, PB2 w celery, cottage cheese with salsa, maybe a protein bar like Luna Protein, perhaps an apple). Dinner is more veggies with a protein and if I still have calories allotted and I'm still hungry, I'll snack on turkey, chicken or string cheese.
Everyone is different and you have to figure out what works for you.
I do have a habit of eating the majority of my calories in one big meal, usually breakfast. I'm kind of wondering if the feelings aren't real hunger, and are more "cravings". I hate to say it, but the reason my diet fails the majority of the time, is I let my cravings dictate what I eat and how much I eat. I know I shouldn't buy bad stuff, and I've REALLY slacked off on buying junk. But like eating my calories all in one meal, I have the problem of almost spending all of our foodstamps in one or two shopping trips. I mostly buy fresh produce, but I do get a few junkie things. I guess it's just hard to unlearn some habits I grew up with. My mom always makes gigantic meals, where everyone can get like 2-3 servings. When I stayed with my in-laws the first time (a 9-12 person house btw) I actually lost like 15 lbs in just a couple of months, because I couldn't eat gigantic meals there, and there was hardly ever second helpings left, because there was so many people. I was hungry all the time! lol. I guess it's just what you get used to. The weight was put back on once I came back home, plus more.
another advice...eat only protein at breakfast. Protein is more filling. When you eat your protein breakfast dont add any carbs (juice, or bread or other carbs). carbs will make you think you are hungry fast. Protein will give you satisfaction for longer.
Also if you think your mind plays a trick on you making you think you are hungry - go do instance cardio. You will be surprised how intance cardio can takes edge of hunger.
To be honest, a lot of days I Intermittent fast without thinking about it. I really only eat 1-2 meals a day. Because they're so high in calories, I usually eat my calories (or over) way before dinner time, and will sometimes eat again after 12 am.
eating most of your calories in one meal per day is less healthy than doubling up on calories then eating nothing the next day. That is honestly one of the least healthiest things I've ever heard of. doing this latter option would really mess withyour blood sugar big time, and I don't think it'd be sustainable for the long term. Part of the reason for this is social. For example, suppose on you "starvation" day, there's a spontaneous invitation from a friend or family to go out for a coffee or to a grab a snack. You'd have to decline due to your rule, or sit there staring at your friend eating.
very interesting article which made me think that perhaps I'm not giving this enough credit. But, still skeptical, very close to my sister, who is a primary care generalist medical doctor, having had many discussions about how to eat healthy. That's my trusted source.
I feel like you'd be depriving yourself if you did that and it would only make you want food even more causing you to overeat EVEN more and fail in the end. If you want to try fasting, you would really have to makeover your mindset and be mentally prepared for it. I tried doing full day fasts before for a diet, it would be every 5 days, it followed a big cheat day, but you know what, the fast day itself is TERRIBLE. All you think about is food and how you wish you could eat and you get lightheaded and it just sucks. I stay away from fasting.
Eat a day, Skip a day?
