Hey everyone, I need some help with this problem of mine. Usually, my days go well starting in the morning and through lunch. It's after work or school (around 3:00) that I have the problem. I practically binge come this time. It's like someone invades my body and I'm this entirely different person than earlier in the day. I start eating and then I can't stop.

Yesterday, for example. I always go to my boyfriend's house after work. So I got there, talked to him on the phone. Then right when I hung up I went searching through the house for any kind of food. I had a big bowl of cereal, then I made a peanut butter sandwich, then I had some juice...I still wanted more, but I made myself stop.

Why do I do this? I'm not hungry - I eat balanced meals throughout the day. It's probably cuz I'm bored, and maybe...do you think it could be stress too? My job isn't that stressful (I'm just an office assistant), so I'm not sure about that one.

How can I make myself stop? No matter what I do, it doesn't work. I try to find something else to do (like homework or keep my hands busy), but that ends up with me still wandering towards the kitchen to look for food. And obviously I don't live there so I can't tell my boyfriend to not buy food. He doesn't have a lot of junk food in the house, so that's a good thing. But this pig-out at 3:00 always ends up with me going way over my daily alotted calories.

Any ideas/suggestions??

Hey LaBonita,

First, are you tracking calories? And second, what do you have for breakfast, snack, and lunch? Just trying to get an idea of the first part of your day.

Jay

Yes I track calories at Spark People. And here's my typical menu the first half of my day....it usually keeps me satisfied and I'm not hungry at all, as I tend to take my time eating and this helps spread out my meals and stuff...

*Workout first thing in the morning
B (around 7:00) - 1 serving Oatmeal with Molly McButter, 1/2 banana, and 1/2 cup skim milk
S (around 9:45) - 1 serving Pistachio's (sp?)
L (around 12:00) - 1/2 turkey sandwich with lettuce, 1/2 slice of cheese, 1 tsp mustard...all on whole wheat bread; 1 cup baby carrots or celery w/ PB; 1 apple

Then I get off work at 2 and get to the boyfriend's house around 2:30 and start looking for food.

***And I forgot to mention in my other post, I usually try to eat healthy food as a snack around 3, but then it gets out of hand and I eat junk food along with the healthy snack I already ate. Maybe I want junk food so bad that I pig out? Who knows...

I've done that before - just eat uncontrollably even tho I'm not REALLY hungry. I do think it's boredom. Keeping my hands "busy" never really worked for me.

The only thing that ever has worked for me is exercise. Even if it wasn't "exercise exercise" ya know? Like for instance... cutting the grass, or cleaning house, or rearranging the living room furniture, or cleaning out the closets, or hey- how about a bike ride? Just about ANYTHING to keep me AWAY from the kitchen.

By the way... this is how I have lost weight & kept such a clean house at the same time.

Lol...I think this is a common problem!
Looking at your meal schedule, I think you're binging at 3 because you're overdue for a snack. All day you're eating at 2-2 1/2 hour intervals, until lunch time--then nothing until 3 or so...even if you're not feeling hungry, your body is telling you "Hey! I wanted to eat an hour ago...let's make up for lost time!!"
I suggest that you keep a healthy snack in the car or your purse for when you leave work..almonds are my personal favorite afternoon snack- the protien and fats kill off my cravings and slow me down a lot. A handfull of almonds, an apple and a bottle of water should lessen your need to eat.
Now, if you're eating because you're bored (another HUGE issue for me) try and find something to do somewhere where you don't have access to food. Instead of heading home or to your boyfriend's go to the library...you can't even TAKE food in there!
Good Luck!
Monica

When you say you try to have a healthy snack around 3 what do you mean by that?

I had a horrendous time with the 3-4 pm munchies until I started planning a MEAL for that time. Not a teeny tiny snack. I try to keep it high in volume and fairly light like a big salad AND a bowl of soup. Or one of the frozen dinners that is really too small to be a meal (there are a bunch at ~200 calories)

So my schedule might be more
B: 7 am
S: 10
L 12
S 2
L2: 4
D: 6:30

It may not work for everyone and it means stealing calories for other meals but I found it easier to plan on eating more at 3 than to change my desire to eat then.

I think having a substantial, satisfyiing snack at 3:00 may help you. Something with protein. An egg white omlette with some vegetables. FF/SF yogurt with some high fiber cereal mixed in. Oatmeal and an egg white omlette. Low fat cottage cheese and some fruit.

If you're still having problems, and you know it's not hunger, then you just might need to make the decision that no matter what, you won't nibble and overeat. Try and keep yourself real busy. Whether it's reading, knitting, doing a puzzle, straightening up the house, the computer - the whatever. Just find SOMETHING to occupy yourself and stick to the no nibbling/overeating rule like glue. Do whatever you have to for a few days. After that, it will probably get much easier. You will feel better about doing it and want to continue.

Good luck.

What Robin said.

First, make sure you're not truly hungry. I think everyone has a point of day where they really just need to eat something. Mine is around 4 or so, and I started throwing in a protein shake then...bingo, no more afternoon binges.

Second, if you're not hungry, commit to not doing it. Or if thats overwhelming to you, commit to not doing it for 2 weeks, then try introducing a snack at that time. Still triggers a binge? Commit to not doing it for another two weeks. Eventually you'll lose the "habit" of eating at that time.

Oh wow, does this ever sound like me.

I have changed my ways... sorta. But I remember when I would come home, go straight for the kitchen even if I wasn't hungry. It was habit. I don't even want to think about what I would stuff my face with or how many calories I was eating. It was habit and boredom combined into one. It really was bad.

I used to do that when living at home, I started my life style change after moving out on my own but I find, even now, a year a half later there is something about going to my parents house and being there (especially in the kitchen) that makes me want to eat even if I am not hungry. I do it ONCE and a while in my own house but nothing like when I am there.

So for me, I think it is habit. It is something you are and have been doing for a while - I don't have any really good advice expect for find something else to do when you get home.

Wow, lots of great suggestions. Thanks everyone!

I'm definitely going to try a few of the ideas. I think I'll lower the calories in other meals during the day so I can have a bigger snack at 3, and I'll also try to straighten up my bf's house and do dishes and stuff to keep me busy (he loves when I do that ) I'll try that first, and if it doesn't work....I think I'm going to try what mandalinn suggested and commit to not doing it for 2 weeks, then try to introduce a small healthy snack, if that doesn't work try another 2 weeks, and so on. I'll just see what works for me!

Thanks again for the support ladies!

You're singing my song too only mine lasts from about 4 to 7:30! I've done what has been suggested here.....1) plan a decent snack for that time, and include some protein for holding power 2)make a decision that even if I WANT to snack and eat more, it's part of my new fit and healthy life NOT to just graze and 3) I really try to keep busy. Even if I'm vegging out in front of the TV, I put my yoga mat there and do pilates or yoga to further occupy myself.

I think my afternoon snacking is simply a bad habit started when I was in grade school that continued into adult hood (after work comfort eating).