can't stop overeating

[gcin32]

I am 33 years old. have been on Atkins off and on for a long time. I just can't seem to stay with it for more then 2 or 3 days. all I think about is food. some times I tell my self if no one knows or see me eat it, it is ok. I know I am not hurtting any one but me. but how do you stop your self from eatting and wantting every thing you see?

[loadislight]

Hi Cindy,

My name is David and I’m a 49 year old compulsive overeater and have been most of my life. I completely understand what you’re talking about. It has taken me the better part of a year to come to a moment of sanity and be able to put down the food. A week or so ago, I finally reached a point of being willing submit myself to a diet – something I never was willing to do in the past. I real issue for me was to surrender my control and admit that I can’t do it myself – like relying on myself ever worked for me in the past. Anyway, I started Atkins on Sat. 9/18/04. I chose Atkins because I am convinced that when I have certain foods in my system (carbs and sugar) I have absolutely no control over food and food rules my life. I had to white-knuckle it for the first two – three days until the sugar and carbs got out of my system. But after that point, I can gratefully say I’ve been at peace and far less compulsive about food. It’s not perfect, and I take great comfort in knowing that I can eat as much meat and cheese as I want. That’s probably just my need to control something. Anyway, that my story and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

David C.

[luving2loose]

I too can't stop eating. I plan my next binge while still eating. In bed last night planning on what I would order from the local pizza shop and what I would tell the delivery guy about who the food was for. And let my husband leave me alone with food I'll eat it all. I have no contoll. But I belive I can stop. So Cindy I will put you in my prays today and knowing I'm not out there alone I will try this one last time. Going one day at a time.
And david thanks you gave me a little hope that I can stop.

[gcin32]

I know what you mean. my husband buys junk food all the time I tell him when he leaves for work he needs to take it with him. if not I will eat it. just knowing it is in the house makes me crazy. food is all I ever think about. when I am worried or upset I want to eat more. it would be easier if my husband would try Atkins with me. but so far no luck. I plan to keep trying.

[manalu]

You know I am addicted to carbs, and there is a chain reaction that my body does. I am Insulin Resistant(IR), my pancreas makes too much insulin. Then something as simple as a Diet Pepsi can trigger my chain reaction.
When you are IR(I am not saying you are) and eat alot of carbs, your body thinks that at every meal it needs to make insulin. So I drink a Diet Pepsi, my body reacts the same as it would to a chocolate donut. The more insulin it makes, the more carbs I crave, the more carbs I eat, the more insulin my pancreas makes.
It is a vicious cycle. What happened to me was: once my organs and cells had enough insulin stored for energy, they rejected the rest of the insulin which turned into fat. I kept gaining weight, though I was eating the smallest meals of anyone I knew.
Once I got off the carbs at every meal, my cravings went away. I was only eating carbs 1x a day and it could be pie, as long as it was in proportion to the meat and veggies I ate.
I got the information from a good book called "The Carbohydrate Addicts Lifespan Program: by Dr's Richard and Rachel Heller. It gives you alot of information!
Good luck!

[fla gal 57]

Cindy---did you know that carbs in sweets, flour products, sugars, starches are all addicted. Thats why you want more and more of them even when you are nmot hungry. I just happened by that bit of info while searching about low carb diets. I know they were for me so bad that i would crave them so much that i would eat until i made myself sick and had to throw up.

If the world knew how addicted they( carbs) were they would make us get a prescription form our doctors in order to eat it. To many carbs in our bodies make us just like a drug addict except its the carbs we are addicted to instead of drugs.....we just keep wanting more and more of them and still are never satisfied and seek out more of them.

If you can keep your carbs down to about 20 a day for a few days you can break that carb addiction. It may be rough those few days and you may even want to grab up anything carby to eat but please don't, that will only make things worse. after a few days that driving urge to eat carbs will go away and you will have overcome part of the carb addiction. Now you have to stick to the low carb plan and you will lose weight and get healthy to.

No doctor is going to tell you about low carb diets, i am not sure why but they never do. They just don't don't understand that some of us are carb addicts and need help just like a drug addict would. You don't see carb addicts centers like you do drug centers, do you? i feel they need to have some centers around the country and educate the american people on how dangerous to many carbs and sweets can be for us.

If anyone wants to PM mail me i would be more than happy to help them out some with their low carb plan. I am no expert or anything but i have gone from 325 lbs. to 210 lbs. as you can see i still have more to lose and i am doing it with my low carb plan for the rest of my life. I do know some about low carb and had done alot of research on it to so i know what has worked for me and just maybe it will help you all some to.


REMEMBER TO KEEP THOSE CARBS LOW.....................

[fla gal 57]

"SOME HELPFUL LOW CARB HINTS"
1- keep a food journal
2-keep a copy of all food carb counts handy in kitchen
3-plan your meals carefully
4-make a menu up for the entire day and total carb count
5-keep low carb recipes handy in a cook book
6-plan your grocery list carefully and buy only what you list.
7- read labels on all food products, check for hidden carbs
8-get in some exercise
9- keep low carb snacks handy
10- limit the snacks to two a day
11- don't snack while at your computer
12- drinks lots of water
13-don't eat after 7:00 pm if you can help it
14-make sure you eat your veggies
15-watch your servings portions
16-eat from a smaller plate
17- eat slowly
18- lay your fork down after eat bite of food and chew food good.
19-if cravings hit you find something productive to do, do not eat.
20-go out and have fun, happiness is a great appetite depresser.


these are just a few hints i have for you low carbers.I know there are many many more so if you have some more you would like to add please feel free to do so.

[CanDo]

Hi Cindy....a few questions....Overeating is a compulsion just like alcohol or drugs...you can't get past it until you treat the ROOT CAUSE of the problem....

1. By "sticking to Atkins" do you mean Induction? Have you tried the second phase or just stuck to Induction levels and foods?

2. Is something else bothering you that is sort of "triggering" you to overeat? Like divorce, separation, job loss, illness? If so, Counseling and your FRIENDS AND FAMILY could help.

3. Are you depressed, or missing the longer daylight hours (I KNOW I AM!!!) where THAT could be triggering it? They have lamps you can put on your desk that could help.

4. Do you have small children and can't get "you time" to get out and say join a health club and work out or do something physically that you enjoy like go for long walks?? DO NOT hesitate to ask friends and relatives for help to give you an hour a day to yourself.

5. Have you tried to stick to a different plan like WW that also incorporates more fruits and healthy carbs to keep you satisfied for more than 3 days? I found after losing 60-70 pounds on Atkins in 2002 that I really needed to go more into his Phase 2 or even Maintenance plan to continue my journey. More healthy carbs like yogurt and 3-4 fruits a day, and one or 2 high fiber LC grain products like cereal or bread. Less fat and less overall calories too. And added more exercise.

6. Do you do any regular exercise? Health permitting...exercise is the BEST antidepressant on the market!!!!

7. Can you think of some other interest that you could do that would distract you from THINKING of food all the time? Perhaps something that would get you together with other people?

8. Is your health otherwise good besides the food challenge?

When I was in an unhappy marriage I gained 80 pounds over a 5-year period...1996-2001, and I was NOT obese prior to that period of time. I had ALWAYS fought off 20 pounds....but would range from a size 6 to maybe a 10 or 12....NOT a tight size 20. But a series of very unhappy events triggered me to that....and as a single parent of triplet sons, who are now 15, I was not able to get time or freedom for myself to get the regular exercise that for all my life has been my saving grace....

I am 48, and feel GREAT now. Started losing in Dec 2001, started Atkins in Jan 2002, and these days I am more on his lifetime plan, but with MUCH less fat - I don't do cream or high fat things except as a special occasion treat...limit my portions of high calorie foods. But I KNOW it is because I walk 4 miles EVERY morning and workout at a Contours gym at least 5 times a week. Still want to lose 10-15 pounds (back to fighting that typical "20") but overall in a size 8 and fit I feel great. DON'T give up. YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR ADDICTION. But you need to find the source of the pain that is causing the compulsive behavior and LOVE YOURSELF enough to change your behavior for life.

I still struggle, have been maintaining 151 since early March...got into the 140s but back up over summer vacations. Would LOVE to be in a size 6 and 135 rather than 151!!!

But overall I feel good. I can easily run a 10-minute mile. Feels GREAT.

Can't say enough for the power of exercise. Think that more than ANY diet is my best appitite supressant.

And remember you are an IMPORTANT person to lots of people in your life, and you CAN DO THIS!!! And people on this website are TERRIFIC HELP!!!

"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS"

<<<<HUGS>>>> and good luck Cindy!

Mary
239/151/139

[gcin32]

yes I mean Induction. I am depressed to a point. I have had a long hard life. not much of it was happy. my past still haunts me every time I close my eyes. my legs hurt so much some days I don't want to move. I do have 2 small kids a 1 year old and a 3 year old it is very hard to keep up with them all day.

[CanDo]

Hi Cindy! What beautiful children you have in that picture! You must be quite young...try to move forward and look to the future with those beautiful babies! If you have family closeby, ASK them for help so you get some time for yourself! I remember when my boys were little like that I felt like I seldom had a breather between working full time OUTSIDE of home and then coming home to 3 babies (actually, that is STILL true, except now I am always RUNNING them around as they are 15, vice babysitting them in my spare time!)

Are you a single mom Cindy? I met some nice people through the local parents without partners (I'm a single mother of triplet 15-year old boys). Plus you get discounts for the kids admission to activities too.

Good luck and hang in there, this is one aspect of your life that taking control of will really improve how you feel about yourself!!!! I hope some of the low carb tips others have given will help you!

Mary

[gcin32]

Mary- yes my family all live in the same town, but they are the ones that cause all my pain. that is why the past is so hard to get over. I need felt loved or wanted by any of them. I never fit in. I was more like a maid then any thing else. I always had to stay home. clean, cook. at 15 I had to take care of my sisters baby. I never had any friend, never learned to drive or any thing. my family will not watch my kids, they watch every one elses but never mine. my husband is not much help so every thing I do every were I go my kids go the only brake I get is when my 3 year old is at per-school but I still have the baby so guess that is not really a brake.

[MaryMary]

gcin32,

There are so many great ideas offered above. I have tried them all and still use many of them. But ultimately I had to turn to a 12 step program (www.greysheet.org) to help me rid myself of the compulsion to overeat all food not just carbs.

If you are interested in listening in to a phone meeting, send me a PM and I will send you the phone number. They are available 7 days a week, 3 times a day.

[puttchikins]

I agree there are great ideas in here...How do you find out if you are insuline resistant??? Is it a blood test???? At any rate I just wanted to say I was faithfully on Atkins for 2 years and managed to gain 40lbs..There are a lot of high calorie "safe foods" you have to be carefull with like cheese, pepperoni. bacon, sausage, steak cream cheese heavy cream etc...I finally gave up on Atkins and started South Beach which is "low carbs but still some good carbs" and I am losing nicely...I am with you though that every day is a struggle to stay on any diet...In the curves I go to they have a sign "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" and I think of that constanly to help keep me on the straight and narrow

[meme0]

Cindy doing atkins induction NOT Weight Watchers, I just decided to change and did WW for the last 3 mos and have gained 12 pounds. Anyway, induction but you must to it for awhile and then lets call it some kind of magic takes over and your appetite magically disapears and you will slowly but surely find yourself forgetting to eat. Its just dang wonderful and the first time in my adult life that I witnessed anything so wonderful. But, you must do it till you get to that point. Bite the bullet so to speak. I am going to share something an old alcoholic told me once and hopefully it will help you because it did me and I am so glad I found it.

He said he lived on skid roe and spent his gov check each month on a shower and booze. Tried so many times to quit but couldn't. One day someone bet him that he couldn't not drink for one minute. He said yes I can quit for 1 minute and he had quit for the last 20 years for one minute at a time. I used that to start, I would look at myself in the mirror and say I can not eat for one minute and it worked. One minute at a time. Soon those minutes became hours, etc. And then when the peace I spoke about that you will experience on atkins came I didn't have to look in that mirror anymore. Now thats not to say it is absolutely perfect but it is the closest thing to perfect that a food addicted person is going to find.

Good Luck!!!!

[T82]

HI Cindy,

I was at the same point you are at a couple years ago. All I did was eat. I didn't even know what full or hungry felt like anymore.

I stumbled across an author who also lived through this and has come out the other side. Her name is Geneen Roth. Reading her books honestly helped turn my life around. She gives a very different perspective about overeating and walks you through overcoming it.

I barely come here because I don't do any diet anymore of whatever kind. But I stumbled across your post today, and figured that if somehow I stumbled across this author, now you have too. No bullsh*t, this isn't any diet of any kind and no, I do not work for her! LOL. I just look at my life now and my life then and the difference is insane. I know the he** you're in.
Look her up at your local library if you like...

[gcin32]

thank you it was very helpful

[Ladyghosthunter]

Cindy, I too am an overeater at times. It's a long hard road and I too have had a very very dysfunctional life. When you live so close to those who have instigated the pain in your life, you comfort yourself by eating anything that makes you "comfortable" aka "comfort food".

What I do is that by confronting the pain head on and dealing with it, either through therapy or your doctor. It sounds like you need to talk to someone outside our realm to get to the root of your past. I had to, and now, I've become a lot better about overgorging myself.

(((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))) We're here for you, always. Love, Heather

[gcin32]

yes my past has been very bad and I need to find away to deal with it and let it go, but when the people that hurt you are still a part of your life it is hard to not let the past take over. because of my weight I have nothing and no one. I stay at home all most always. I ask my husband and family for help but no one ever helps me. I can't do it on my own and feel like no one cares. I would gave every thing I do have just to have 1 friend, just 1 person that wanted to care about my and help me. I am lost inside my self and don't know what to do any more.

[gcin32]

I am from ILLINOIS

[StephanieK]

Originally Posted by gcin32

yes my past has been very bad and I need to find away to deal with it and let it go, but when the people that hurt you are still a part of your life it is hard to not let the past take over. because of my weight I have nothing and no one. I stay at home all most always. I ask my husband and family for help but no one ever helps me. I can't do it on my own and feel like no one cares. I would gave every thing I do have just to have 1 friend, just 1 person that wanted to care about my and help me. I am lost inside my self and don't know what to do any more.

Hey I just saw this thread. I just want to say that there is freedom from the compulsion and the effects of your past. I am a Christian and that is where my help and strength to overcome comes from. Overcoming is a process and is something though that I have to work towards on many different levels. I highly suggest journaling for working through your past and present issues and to understand that there is a physiological component to binging.

I had to eliminate certain foods because everytime I ate them the cravings to eat more and more would overwhelm me. It was a physical problem. I now feed my body the best fuel I can and it is not letting me down. Corn in any way shape or form will drive me to scarf down an ungodly amount of food, especially chips and high fructose corn syrup. Corn is in most highly processed foods. Beef and eggs do the same thing for me. Once I understood my trigger foods I quit eating them. I no longer have those cravings and I no longer have the obsessive thoughts of food.

Several books helped me to see the connection of wacked out brain chemistry and poor dietary choices. One was Potatoes not Prozac, that book dealt with the addictive nature of certain foods and brain chemistry and the other one was The Schwarzbein Principle. Both advocate a whole foods controlled carb diet. I also do better eating my meals like Carbohydrate Addicts, very few during the day and then eating a balanced meal for supper and a small snack at bedtime. All I can say is by taking care of the physical the emotional is falling into place.

It can be so overwhelming if focusing on the big picture but by breaking it down and taking baby steps the big picture will take care of itself. Hang in there and just take it one day at a time, one meal at a time if necessary.

[gcin32]

thanks to every one. you words have helped me. I will try to keep them in mind as I face every new day. I am going to try Atkins again starting May. I did it before and I know I can do it again.

[Ladyghosthunter]

Cindy,

One thing I want you to know is that you have a HUGE support group on this bullentin board who love YOU and care about YOU. We're all in this together, so don't feel like you've been alienated...we're always here.

As far as your family goes, you have choices to see them or not. You have the power to say "I don't want to see you anymore" or "I've got to heal within myself before talking to you again." It's all about choices; if you let these people get you down, then you're letting them. I know it seems hard to believe and it takes time but one day, you'll ignore them.

Remember this phrase: Why do I hold a grudge while the other person is dancing?

Think about it..and for once, concentrate on you! Come here and talk about your successes with you NEW friends..

Love, Heather

[Squiggle]

Originally Posted by T82

HI Cindy,

I was at the same point you are at a couple years ago. All I did was eat. I didn't even know what full or hungry felt like anymore.

I stumbled across an author who also lived through this and has come out the other side. Her name is Geneen Roth. Reading her books honestly helped turn my life around. She gives a very different perspective about overeating and walks you through overcoming it.

I barely come here because I don't do any diet anymore of whatever kind. But I stumbled across your post today, and figured that if somehow I stumbled across this author, now you have too. No bullsh*t, this isn't any diet of any kind and no, I do not work for her! LOL. I just look at my life now and my life then and the difference is insane. I know the he** you're in.
Look her up at your local library if you like...

Cool to see another Ottawa person here

I was about to start a brand shiny new thread, but then I saw this.

Does anyone else watch that 'Intervention" show on A&E? This past Sunday they showed a really pretty young mom who was bulimic and compulsively overate.

Now, did anyone here besides me feel like that episode could have showcased them and been the exact same? I really had no idea that there was someone exactly like me, who did the same things as me (hiding food, eating all they can before family comes home, etc) and had the same thought processes as me.

How can you get out of that nasty loop, where what you eat next is all you look forward to? Or when you literally have dreams about your next binge?

Two days ago, I honestly had a dream where I was running around and trying to make a cake from a mix, sneakily before anyone came home. I remember trying to ice it, and ALL I wanted was to eat it. I woke up before I iced it... all along I was thinking about how it would mess up my ketosis.

Anyone else?

[gcin32]

well I said I was going to start back with atkins this month, but here it is may 4th and I have done nothing. my back and knee hurt so bad some days I can't move much without being in pain. my doctor said the weight is the big key. if the weight go's the pain with go the more weight I put on the more pain I will have. you would think that and wanting to be able to do more with my kids would be enough to get me moving and wanting to taken the weight off. so why is food all I think about. I think it has a lot to do with not haveing any friends and always stating home. it would be so nice to have a friend to cook with, walk with, some one to push me and show me I can do this and that some one cares that I do.

[tonyspoker]

WOW! Where do I start? I know EXACTLY where you're coming from! Want to know all the similarities? Here goes:

-32 year old stay-at-home mom
-my baby is almost 7 months
-originally from IL (born in Oak Lawn, raised in the 'burbs, last moved from Glendale Heights 11 years ago) I moved down here to FL 12/03
-stuck down here with only my hubby's family (they never come around, so my baby only knows me & her daddy very well - I would never dream of leaving her alone with any of them since none of them ever come around enough to know her schedule & signals)
-I also do not drive or have my own vehicle, so I am dependent on hubby to go the store, etc.
-I too am having a hard time trying to keep myself from overeating because we also quit smoking on 1/1/05 & I miss it so much that my mouth wants food all the time to keep it busy (the oral fixation thing has NOT gone away)
-I also do not have any friends/family here I can depend on

I am, however, fortunate enough to have a very supportive husband. He & I started Atkins & quit smoking TOGETHER on 1/1/05. So the only food in our house that isn't LC is baby food.

As far as being a stay-at-home mom to my baby, yeah sure it gets to me sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way. If I wanted to work, hubby would support me in that decision too. I sell on ebay to make extra money. I make more in a week selling on ebay than what I would have left out of a paycheck after paying a daycare center! Plus I always have the time & energy for her because I'm here with her all the time. But I do also recognize my own signals on when I need a break. That's where hubby comes in. He'll take over with her for an hour or so every day so I can take a bath or whatever I need to get done. I also make sure I take some "me" time when both of them are sleeping.

With the overeating urges, I have found sugar-free gum & crunchy snacks to be the best bets for me. I crunch on celery sticks, chunks of romaine lettuce, or LC chips. Drinking a full glass of cold ice water helps & so does crunching on ice cubes!

If you ever want someone to talk to, my phone line is thru the internet so my long distance is included. I can call anyone, anywhere in the USA or Canada & do not pay any extra on my phone. I know from going thru my own battles with depression that it's a lot nicer having another "voice" to talk to instead of just emailing or IM back & forth on the computer. All you have to do is email me your phone number & when the best time is for you to talk. I'm here for you if you need me. If you want a friend, I'm more than happy to oblige!

The email address connected with the ID on here is: digdaddysstuff1@earthlink.net & my own email address is chicagofan72@earthlink.net

Hope to hear from you! Julie

[gcin32]

I some times wonder if I my self am battleing with depression. I just feel so sad and tired all the time, but then I never get a break or time to my self. I don't get help from my family or my husband. I take care of the kids all day every day, all night every night. I can not even take a shower with iout them in the bathroom with me. I do all the cooking, cleaning. and I also take care of my niece's 7 month old baby from 11am till 4pm and from 6 pm to 10pm every day. that is also hard because my kids are only 3 and 18 months so just running after them all day is more then enough. most of the time I go all day with out eating then have a big meal at night. people have told me that is why I am having a hard time with weight. that it is better to eat small meal 3 to 4 times a day then skip a meal then eat a big one to make up for it.