So the past two weeks I have been getting up, exercise with 20-35 minutes of yoga then later 20-35 minutes walking. I eat breakfast and count calories. I focus on veggies and nutritious foods. Lean meat, nuts, beans...I drink plenty of water and unsweetened tea.
Eventually at some point in the evening I end up just throwing calories out the window. I might not eat junk foods, but I eat until I am full. Probably 2500+ calories. I need roughly 2000 to lose 1lb per week.
Normally this would be grounds for me to just give up and stop exercising, stop eating veggies, stop caring. The mindset is "if I am not losing then why bother?"
I have scrapped that idea. My new viewpoint is that exercise, veggies and paying attention to labels are all beneficial in their own way. I keep hoping I will overcome the urge to overeat.
Is this just the place I need to start before I can conquer my overeating and binging? What do you guys think?
For me, the only way to consistently conquer cravings has been a low carb diet. Ketosis zaps my cravings hard core and keeps them gone. I struggled for almost two years on calorie counting within a supposedly appropriate range for slow, consistent losses, and tried to stick to it like glue. But I still found myself hungry and having bad cravings on that, and the pounds came off fitfully and with a lot of effort. By sticking to the same calorie limit and going low carb I obliterated the cravings and snack urges that plagued me, and often can't FINISH my daily calorie amount unless I snack when I'm not hungry. The weight also came off much more quickly and with less struggle.
Calorie counting was a good framework and I've used it for several years, but for ME, someone with some metabolic issues, nutrient composition mattered much more than I thought. So a low carb program to go with my prior discoveries (no grains/legumes/sugar) for reducing inflammation and binge urges has been the very best setup for me. I'm not the only person who has benefitted from going low carb for life, either - obliteration of the worst of the binge urges is common among adherents, and the maintenance carb levels are INCREDIBLY comfortable if, like me, you already got rid of grains and sugar. Definitely not all bacon, all the time
It's a great place to start... congrats. The late in the day binge eating can be a hard habit to break but it can be done... I've done it.
I am not on any "diet" or restrictions -- except eating healthful, nutritious foods and *especially* avoiding all the chemicals and high sugar, fat and salt content that processed foods are made with. There are so many good things to eat that are natural food... yummy ways to fix fruits and veggies, etc. I eat brown rice, nuts, whole grain bread from a bakery... all kinds of delicious things, and it is working! I find that when the "junk" is out of my system it really reduces the cravings because I am getting more good, quality *nutrients* in my system.
Taryl, Congrats on Blessing #4! Just curious about which low-carb plan food plan you follow? I need one that allows fruit as I love it, and it's healthy.
Your approaching this with a great mindset... and I think thats a fanastic way to start...
Since your problem is overeating, you can do a few things...Eat slower so you can feel when your fuller, sooner...Chances are you actually are full way before your brain picks up on it...
You can also figure out why you overeat....boredom for instance...and figure out what you can do to fix that
I agree that counting calories and making sure your taking accurate measurements of what your eating would be a good way to go...at least until you get in the habbit of eating less of all those healthy foods...
Loosing weight is trial and error. You'll figure out what works for you.. Good luck...Seriously...congrats on eating healthy and picking up on excerise...especially yoga...my best friend does hot yoga almost exclusivly and he is superfit because of it now...
Low carb would probably help, it does with most people but I am keying in on eating till you're full comment.
How many times a day are you eating? I was always hungry when I tried to eat every 2-3 hours to "keep my metabolism humming along". Turns out the number of times a day you eat is irrelevant - only calories. So now I eat two times a day and eat larger more satisfying meals.
Also - maybe you're the type to want to eat more later in the day. I am for sure. Doesn't matter what I ate during the day I want my dinner, so I eat less during the day so I can eat a bigger dinner. The idea that breakfast is a mission critical meal is a myth. I haven't eaten breakfast in about two years.
Ultimately it comes down to calories so figuring out what is going to work for you long term is the most important thing so solve. Some people go low carb but I love my carbs too much to give them up so I do intermittent fasting as a means to control my calories.
Taryl, Congrats on Blessing #4! Just curious about which low-carb plan food plan you follow? I need one that allows fruit as I love it, and it's healthy.
Well I have to contest fruit being healthy - for some folks, like me, it really isn't. Many fruits spike blood sugar and cause cravings, so I avoid them. And I even thought I'd miss them, as someone who used to eat 4+ servings of fruit a day. But truly? I don't anymore!
That said. Almost all the low carb plans allow for fruit consumption, just not right away. I've found the most success in good old Atkins, completely by the book. That means that in ongoing weight loss I can transition back in berries and cantaloupe/honeydew, and later in ongoing weight loss or premaintenance I can try portions of higher carb fruit like grapefruit and apples, if my body tolerates them. It's not opposed to fruit by any means, but rather advocates getting the nutrient density without the added sugar load
I tried some more fruit and nut friendly plans, like Primal Blueprint/Paleo/ Perfect Health Diet, but those did not adequately budge the weight OR the cravings cycle. I really needed to eliminate those foods, at least temporarily, and reintroduce them in a controlled, limited way, to see the benefits. Gratefully Atkins provided a framework to do that and I've been greatly enjoying it.
I was always hungry when I tried to eat every 2-3 hours to "keep my metabolism humming along". Turns out the number of times a day you eat is irrelevant - only calories. So now I eat two times a day and eat larger more satisfying meals.
Also - maybe you're the type to want to eat more later in the day. I am for sure. Doesn't matter what I ate during the day I want my dinner, so I eat less during the day so I can eat a bigger dinner. The idea that breakfast is a mission critical meal is a myth. I haven't eaten breakfast in about two years.
im a calorie counter and this is exactly what i do. eating snacks several times a day just leaves me feeling unsatisfied. i also eat a lot at night so i save calories as much as possible to end my day with one big meal.
this really helped me a lot in not being hungry.
id say that if you're not in it to lose weight, just to be more healthy, then your plan is great. however, if losing weight is your main goal then calorie intake is the most important step. until you can get your intake under control you probably wont see much loss.
best of luck!
Last edited by juliastl27; 11-22-2012 at 01:53 PM.
As you can see you will get many different ideas. We have all come to find what works best for us individually. It may take a little experimenting, that's OK. I did many plans until I decided two things, I was not going to pay anyone to tell me what to eat and I would give calorie counting my best shot. I find that works best for me. Remember we are all coming from our own experience , what works for one may not work for all. Don't be discouraged if you do not find success right away, you will, good luck.
I am not one to count calories. It makes me crazy. About the only thing I'll check calories/fat/sugar on is packaged meals that I use for my lunches when I have to work. What I eat regularly is fresh fruits/veggies & lean meats (turkey/chicken/fish). I have basically cut out soda (even diet---loaded with sodium) & drinking water/unsweetened tea/flavored sparkling water instead. I also no longer eat junk food...you'd be stunned at how many calories are in that stuff.
What works for me. Is eat less. I use a smaller plate for meals = smaller portions. I do not eat seconds until I wait at least 15-20 mins. (Studies have shown that it takes the brain time to register as the tummy being full) I exercise for at least 20-30 mins. per day, but as I become healthier...I add more time or strength/flexability training.
DON'T give up! If you can maintain a healthy lifestyle for at least 30 days, most times you can make a permanent healthy change. Also YOU ARE WORTH IT!!! Stick with us, we'll help you! That is what we are here for to push & pull each other along our healthy journey.
Is this where I need to start?
and I think thats a fanastic way to start...
About the only thing I'll check calories/fat/sugar on is packaged meals that I use for my lunches when I have to work. What I eat regularly is fresh fruits/veggies & lean meats (turkey/chicken/fish). I have basically cut out soda (even diet---loaded with sodium) & drinking water/unsweetened tea/flavored sparkling water instead. I also no longer eat junk food...you'd be stunned at how many calories are in that stuff. 
