Feel like I'm killing myself with food:(
 

Hi guys, sorry for the depressing title, but that sums up how I feel and what I'm doing to myself right now.

Today I started off with melon with fat free natural yoghurt and a weetabix.

Brilliant!

Lunch was two small turkey salad sandwiches.

Once again brilliant.

Then it just went down hill. Six two finger kitkats, two bags of crisps and a chocolate pudding.

I am doing something like this every single day. Sometimes I don't even get past breakfast without a binge.

Needless to say my weight is on the up, no idea what I weigh right now, but it's probably the heaviest I've ever been. Plan on weighing tomorrow to see what the damage is.

I am 50 and I believe starting the menopause. The mood swings are the biggest problem and I think this is what is leading me to binge, or maybe I'm making excuses.

No idea what I'm asking, just needed to get it out if you know what I mean.

I guess any tips on breaking the destructive habits would be appreciated.

I have the same problem as you. That is why I can't lose weigh for 10 years. I will be good until afternoon came when I am tired, or hang out with friends and my caution flew out the window. Then it's all you can drink starbucks, chocolate, and everything else. I am trying to break my habit right now going on a green smoothie diet. People said it is not healthy, but for temporary, my body get rid of the junk, and I don't feel like eating junk anymore. If you cannot do that, then maybe carrying snack with you ? Or have a small soup (chicken noodle soup is low in calories). I found that eating soup stop me from feeling like binging :)

I would binge if I ate fat free yogurt, weetabix, and melon for breakfast. I really doubt that that's what you want to eat for breakfast each morning. Have you tried eating foods that you enjoy but in smaller portions?

I doubt it's your mood swings. It's more likely the restrictions you are placing on yourself that are causing the binges.

Restriction almost inevitably leads to overeating.

I know well the practice you're describing. I've been there, done that.

That's why I no longer diet. Once I stopped dieting, I stopped gaining weight. And I think I may have dropped a couple of pounds, but I don't know for sure, since I no longer weigh myself.

I say that because my clothes are a bit looser and I feel lighter and more energetic.

So would I. That's why I'm eating an English muffin, scrambled eggs, and jam for breakfast - whenever I finally decide to go downstairs and fix it. I'm hungry enough to eat, but not so hungry that I need to stop what I'm doing to do so.

I never eat anything I don't want to eat. I do love yogurt & melon (have no idea what weetabix is) and if that's what I really craved you better believe that's what I'd be eating...but until that desire presents itself, I'll eat what it is I want at the moment I get hungry.

hi brit girl.

I think weight loss success has a lot more going on than just what your eat. You don't say enough for me to be sure but one of the things that think causes these false starts is low seratonin. So read the article in nutrition wonderland website about seratonin to get a sense of where i am coming from on this. You will probably need to read it twice but its full of information that if you can take it in will help you in the long run.

Its really late for me right and i should be in bed so i'm getting tired. Otherwise i'd say a lot more. But you will no doubt read my take on these things around the traps if you stay cause i write the same things over and over.

But you can take a look at my blog in the link below for understand about what i'm doing and why its working. Some of it may register with you and some of it may not. Take what you find useful. I do modify somethings a little bit along the way. I always do that. For instance i now eat more protein than at the start and i don't find that too easy.

btw i'm also 50 but not yet at menopause. I have a theory that antidepressants might help with it because i am taking them but my sister is not and she has been going through a rough menopause for a couple of years. My turn might come later but i also remember years ago when i started on Ads that it is helpful for people who get strong PMS.

btw when i'm not on a diet, i just about only eat junk like you described. I don't even want to cook or eat vegetables when i'm in that frame of mind and so i put on weight really quickly when i let myself go.

Sounds like you're almost existing on carbs and sugar. That is almost for sure going to trigger a binge behavior.

Breakfast is fruit (sugar) yogurt (probably has sugar, yes?) and a whatever that is, which sounds like a granola bar-ish thing. So pretty much all carbs and sugar and no fats. Breakfast should contain good protein, which the yogurt may have some, and some fat. Why not eat scrambled eggs or oatmeal with peanut butter etc? If you can eat those foods, try it. See if it holds you over better.

You should probably also hit a mid morning snack, like half an apple with some nut butter.

Lunch you say is two turkey salad sandwiches. That sounds like a lot of bread for a lunch, and turkey "salad" probably means there is mayo or some sort of sauce? Also not necessarily good depending on how it's made. Most sauces have carbs and sugar in them along with fat. Some fat is ok, but again, it depends on the amount and type. Where were the veggies? I wouldn't count some celery mixed into the turkey salad myself. You need fiber!

What are you drinking?

I'd agree with what's been said. You might try adding protein to your breakfast. Really, eggs are not that high in calories and, if you don't have cholesterol issues, it is a great way to start the day. Ham is also good for being low in calories. You might give it a try!

For those of you who have asked Weetabix is a cereal wafer sort of like shredded wheat.

Just to echo what everyone else is saying; you're not eating enough fat, enough protein or enough FOOD! Try an omlette with mushroom, cheese and some green veg for breakfast and you won't need two sandwiches at lunchtime. Swap the sandwiches for a big turkey salad with some cream cheese and you won't be so hungry that you're snorting Kitkats in the afternoon.

I know that it works for some folks but I find the whole low fat/high carb tyhing is a bit like swimming underwater, nice while it lasts but sooner or later you have to come up for air/chocolate.

^ I agree with what you said about low fat. I don't touch low fat products. I lose weight with ease and most successfully when I have enough fat in my diet. Last year when I almost hit goal, my gym coach could not believe that my health assessment was so perfect and the pounds were flying off with the percentage of fat I ate on a daily basis. No less than 35% as part of my daily calories. I like to stay around 35%-38% fat calories. NEVER had a problem losing weight at that range.

You've gotten lots of good nutritional advice so I won't add to that. Just wanted to say that I am also 50 and have been in menopause for two years and the time leading up to it (perimenopause) was very difficult for me in terms of food so I understand that part of it.

The mood swings, depression and junk food cravings were really rough. I'm a maintainer so I had to be really careful not to give in or it would have been so easy to regain.

Hope things get better for you!

I definitely agree. I think others in this thread have suggested it as well.

What I've learned about myself (you may be different) is that it's not so much the carbs I have with meals that cause me to get hungry sooner, it's the lack of protein. I can eat a substantial breakfast that's more than 50% carbs, but if I have a good serving of protein as well it will hold me for 8-10 hours before hunger starts. In fact, this is often what I do, if my schedule permits. Then I have a very light meal in the evening, if at all. Sometimes I never get hungry again during the day if I eat enough at my mid-morning breakfast.

Just make sure you're nice and hungry when you eat it (or anything else). If you're not hungry, there's just no point in eating, is there?

I've found the same thing. If I eat a breakfast burrito with eggs, meat, and potatoes then I won't have to eat lunch. If I have a bagel with cream cheese I will be hungry in 3-4 hours. The most obvious reason is that the burrito has probably about twice the calories of the bagel, but there's also much less protein and fat even with the cheese spread. Sometimes I want a lighter breakfast and go with the bagel, other times I was something substantial that will keep me full for a long time. It just depends on what I'm in the mood for.

Sorry maui, carbs by themselves do not cause a binge. this is extreme misinformation! It is not the carbs! Especially not the carbs found in fruit and natural yoghurt. Natural yoghurt does not usually contain added sugars.

It is far more likely to be due to an other factor. I know this because, apart from a lot of other things and experiences, a lot of the early part of my diet was similar to what the OP was eating, and did not cause a binge. And never does when i'm am on a diet.

Its always the mental stuff that seems to cause a binge, unless i eat a trigger food which causes me to want more but not a binge in normal circumstances. The binge will come when my hormones are out of balance - e.g. i am stressed, depressed, or have been eating badly for a while or if i get too hungry. That is all mental stuff that helps cause hormone imbalances and or cause some bad food choices, but now binge per se.

Small side note - if you're looking to add more protein & if you like your yogurt then definitely give Greek yogurt a try. It can have upwards of 18g of protein per serving! it's a slightly different after taste and might be weird to get used to at first but it's worth it.

I think we've all been there. Nothing more to add except weigh yourself, accept the result of your actions and start fresh with the good ideas mentioned by the others here. I'm confident you will get back on track.

Britchick: First I feel for your frustration. I felt a whole gambit of negative emotions for years trying to control my eating with what felt like 50 different "healthy food plans." I know the fear and desperation you have pointed to. I am also 50.

Ok, here comes an unpopular thought on the whole binge thing!

I had to cut out almost every food and go on a strict pre-planned, prepackaged, very restrictive plan to break my food addictive behaviors. Yup I threw out/gave away everything in my house that was not "on plan." I ate nothing but Medifast and wonderslim and the allowed "lean and greens for the past 60 or so days. I was out of control and could not stop myself from killing myself with a fork. I needed a drastic intervention. Medifast to the rescue. From January 10th until Feb 3, I tried to "clean my gut" with a cleanse, use atkins 72 (almost no carbs) eat vegan and raw(listening to my raw foodist health coach daughter)and ended up binging on a whole pizza, cookies, icecream and whatever for 2 solid days until, I just gave up trying the "healthy stuff" until I could get myself under control. I never lost a lb in January. My Bp was out of control on two meds, I was taking 2 asthma drugs and antidepressants and my next step was taking insulin.

I have a sister that had the vertical sleeve stomach removal in Jan too. I was just as sick as she was and did not want to HAVE to go that route.

Now, 65 days later I'm down 33lbs. I am on one bp med and my blood sugars are normal everyday. I let go of one asthma med and exercise 4x a week at least. AND I can stop eating when I'm full, cravings are mostly gone except the peri-menopause stuff but now I can at least make a choice about what I'm doing with my fork. Rather than stabbing myself in the eye with it. and for goodness sake no ANTIDEPRESSANTS for me. Diet and Exercise took care of that.

I know this post is long but I wanted you to know that sometimes we need help getting on the right track. Self control is not the issue- body systems are. The pre-planned diet was designed so I did not have to make choices. Just followed the plan, it worked for me.

I am now transitioning to all "real" food and am able to take all the good advice that was given to me before. But, 'for me' it all has to be done WITH A PLAN, written out, spelled out and exacting for me. I need absolute success this time! I just don't have anymore time to lose.

Best wishes with whatever you chose to do. Never, Never think of yourself as weak or alone. There is 40% of the population in the same boat as us. Stay in touch on here it really does help a lot.

If you grew up in Greece like I did then greek yogurt is all that is available. We call it just "yogurt" and it does not have a different after taste and is not weird at all. Just saying, to some of us greek yogurt is quite normal and doesn't need any getting used to. The other stuff (what you might call normal yogurt) is runny goopy to me lol.

Agreed. I always hated yogurt until I tasted homemade Greek yogurt from a Greek market. Even plain, it's the most amazing, creamy flavor. Mmm!

Ah...killing ourselves with our forks and snorting KitKats pretty much puts things in perspective. Who among us hasn't been there/done that/won the t-shirt? It's a long slog with lots of setbacks, but we just have to keep at it as best we can. Good luck!

Greek yogurt has become my "go to" topping for baked potatoes, fruit salads, and other things that call for sour cream. I have used the reduced fat sour cream, but the yogurt is much better. No deprivation at all. Regular yogurt doesn't cut it as a sour cream substitute.

Thank you all for taking the time out to reply.

Today has been better than yesterday, not brilliant, but it's a start:)

Didn't manage to face the scales, but will do tomorrow when I am working next door to the chemist.

BTW, I love greek yoghurt:)

I've read you can make your non Greek yogurt "Greek" by letting it drain (so getting rid of the goop :lol:) I would say if your Greek yogurt has a weird taste it is more likely from some additive like artificial flavor or sweetener, not the Greek-ness.

BritChick I see you came back, best of luck to you :sunny:

BritChick, I wanted to echo what miniapplecocoa said about a plan. I never had success until I actually made a plan. While I didn't go with a program, I did (and usually still do) take 10 minutes to plan out my day before it started, including measurements of meals and snacks to make sure that I am on target for my day.

Minnie, did you make up your own plan? What was it like? Glad to hear it worked for you. The earlier experience sounds really painful.

Britchick, just a little point about scales. You weigh your least first thing in the morning because you've got less water in your system left after sleep and morning pee. Its also the most consistent so when you can, get yourself a set of scales. And learn how not to be upset by them.

Someone else around here had a very good strategy of weighing daily and taking the average for the week. This is probably an accurate way to determine your true loss or gain for the week.

Hi BritChick..
 

I go through the same things from time to time. I would say, forgive yourself for your weak days and stop beating yourself up. The world does enough of that! Fluids help me. I just drink so much water that I can't fit anything else in my belly LOL. I also drink my protein shakes a few times a day and they are very filling. I am down from 289 to my lowest weight of 229 now. I don't remember the last time I weighed that much. Just keep going, don't quit. I do know how you feel though. xoPeach

Lol true, but it is completely different to the stuff we typically eat here in north america. In fact, the "greek" yogurt only really started showing up on the shelves in abundance the last couple years and even more brands jumping on the band wagon this year alone. Of course, if that's all that's available to you it wouldn't be weird but over here it is a novelty ;)

The so-called greek yoghurt here in Australia is not usually greek yoghurt. Its usually got added cream. That wasn't the case in greece.

I personally prefer the term natural yoghurt because this means its made with whole milk but no added sugars or cream or anything else.

We also had a thing called european style yoghurt. I think what i call natural yoghurt is pretty much the same thing.

Most of the yoghurt now on our shelves here in Australia seism to be either low fat or yoghurt with added fat. Its very hard to find straight whole milk yoghurt which in my view is the healthiest.

WE have fairly good food labelling standards in Australia so if its like that in the states, then just read the labels.

I'm from Canada, actually, and we too have very good labelling standards. But the yogurt aisle, much like the cereal aisle, can be seriously dizzying lol.

When i buy my yogurt, i pretty much focus on the protein & sugar content as I don't eat much of it as is and typically only have a bit at breakfast.

I binge really bad at night so I know what you mean. I have gained so much, I don't even look like myself anymore. It is sad.

kaybee the sugar content could be misleading because natural yoghurt contains natural sugars so you wouldn't know if its got added sugar or not really unless you taste it.

I think the protein and carb, i.e. lactose sugars content of yoghurt is fairly standard, isn't it?

I've found a key component to aiding in reduced afternoon binges is eating protein at breakfast. I know it seems odd that protein so early in the day could help with something so many hours later but it does, especially when each subsequent meal includes protein as well.

I think by reading the ingredients you would be able to see if there are added sugars, no?