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Gotta change my behavior...HELP!



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I do absolutely great all day long when i'm at work, but i have realized that when I get home and get in front of my TV my body is automatically trained to eat. So I start craving food and go after it. Now I LOVE my tv time and am not willing to give it up but I know i have to replace my eating with something else. Any ideas? In the meanwhile I think i'm giong to go trash alot of food so I don't binge (on my 100 calorie snack packs). What else should I do to get out of the habit of eating when i'm in front of the TV.

Any ideas? Anyone with a similar problem?

Thanks!

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Good start - rid the house of foods that will be deadly if found by your roving hands at a time like this! *laughs*

Pop secret has 100 calorie bags. Regular or Kettle Corn. Very good, and if you eat one piece at a time, it takes quite a while. I don't consider a snack a meal, so do not apply the "no drinking" rule. I have a nice glass of iced tea with lemon and splenda while I eat my popcorn.< /p>

There is also watermelon. Very filling but a bit on the sweet side, so be careful about it causing more cravings. I believe watermelon is about 50 calories per cup.

But the best thing you can do, is grab a can of tuna, drain it, add 2 tablespoons of fat free thousand island dressing. Drop that onto a nice bowl of lettuce and take your sweet time munching through that salad. The added Protein will help tons. Dawg used to make himself eat a can of tuna everytime he felt the need to snack. Eventually, when his mind would start to think about snacking it would immediately think "Tuna" and the cravings would go away. *laughs*

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It is almost impossible to eat and knit at the same time. You can do it watching TV! Good Luck!

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Both of those are GREAT ideas. I used to know how to needlepoint when I was VERY young. Maybe I could do something like that, or fill up on tuna. I haven't tried the dressing in it, i'll have to do that.

Thanks!

Any more suggestions?

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It is almost impossible to eat and knit at the same time. You can do it watching TV! Good Luck!

Where would one learn to knit? A book? A class? I would love to learn.

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Hey Malice,

I discovered that it is the food commercials that are what make me hungry when I watch tv. We invested in a TIVO so now I rarely watch "live television." I TIVO the show I want to watch and forward throught those horrible food commercials! I am actually surprised at how much this has helped with those sudden cravings.

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I know it's a different addiction, but when I quit smoking I kept all kinds of things available to keep my hands busy. Popping bubble wrap was at times satisfying, but my most helpful was keeping silly putty around. I also worked on jigsaw puzzles while watching tv. And yes, I needlepointed some beautiful pillows, christmas stockings etc. TV watching and eating can be such an 'event', you just need to find that one thing or things that compliments that time. I also sucked on jaw breakers, you just can't eat them too quick, red hot fireballs were my favorite. Just some ideas. Learning to knit or crochet would be rather fun if you don't already know how. Good luck! cassie

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Linda, that might be part of my problem. I have TIVO maybe i'll utilize it a bit more.

Cassie, you are SO RIGHT about making it an event. It is the highlight of my afternoon to be perfectly honest. I have convinced myself and have made it my way of unwinding from work every day.

Thanks!

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A class would be better then a book. You need someone to show you how to hold the needles properly. A friend taught me how to knit. Ask your friends if they know anyone who could teach you. I taught my daughter and a couple of my friends after I learned.

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I got a puppy and she sits on my lap and I hold her bone for her so she is chewing and I'm watching TV she is spoiled but I love the time with her and it sure does make me eat less at night!

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Other ideas for something to do while watching tv...

Cross Stitch, Crochet, Needlepoint, scrapbook, stamp cards (you can pull up a small table or tv tray right in front of you), if you're wireless and on a laptop you can surf the web during commercials, read magazines during commercials (then you can finish articles sooner than you would a book), or read a book during commercials, too. Journal your journey, balance your checkbook, I could go on and on.

Good luck to you!

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I got a puppy and she sits on my lap and I hold her bone for her so she is chewing and I'm watching TV she is spoiled but I love the time with her and it sure does make me eat less at night!

This is so funny! I hold the bone for my dog too!! He will actually whine at my feet with the bone in his mouth until I pick it up and hold it! I love spoiling my dog!

(You're puppy will get hooked and you'll be stuck holding the bone forever too!)

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Cross stitch...can't eat while doing it and its very theraputic...lol. And in the end, you get a picture out of it...LOL.

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I do absolutely great all day long when i'm at work, but i have realized that when I get home and get in front of my TV my body is automatically trained to eat. So I start craving food and go after it. Now I LOVE my tv time and am not willing to give it up but I know i have to replace my eating with something else. Any ideas? In the meanwhile I think i'm giong to go trash alot of food so I don't binge (on my 100 calorie snack packs). What else should I do to get out of the habit of eating when i'm in front of the TV.

Any ideas? Anyone with a similar problem?

Thanks!

To get myself out of this BAD habit I am indulging myself in trashy magazines (no not porn! lol) like Us, and those weekly mags that have all the drama (made up and real) of stars and such. I get so into them there is no way I am thinking of eating! lol...good to be wrapped up in something other than my tummy!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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