I was reading a post on another thread and one thing really hit me hard and that I had been thinking about constantly. For awhile now, I have been thinking about food constantly. I'm not hungry, but I will sometimes eat anyways. I am so tired of this behavior and it has to stop. So I'm hoping others will share how they manage these pesky thoughts and stay on track. I believe it has lead me to grazing behavior. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Time to kick my butt. I can't even go to mall now because I know how to get free chocolates from See's Candies. I am so sabotaging myself right now.....

I know others are struggling with this too so now what do we do and how do we change this?

I can't say I've been thinking of food constantly, but the times I've had the urge to eat something I shouldn't I literally say "stop" (to myself) and ask myself what I'm feeling. If I'm honest (which is hard sometimes because I've spent decades ignoring my feelings) it helps me tap into the emotion and recognize that the bite of food I'm craving isn't going to "cure" the issue.

I have only been into Sees twice. I manage to avoid even walking by it now!! I'm with you' date=' IDK about the old habits, but I AM developing new ones, so hopefully they'll be the norm one of these days!!! All the 'head' stuff is the most difficult, but it is easier than it was 2 years ago, at least I "recognize" myself now!! LoL I'm telling you, going shopping takes our mind OFF wanting to graze!!! Good for you!![/quote']

My only problem is I'm a recovering shopaholic. Too! Lol.

Love the boat and seats! Image in my head of all of us three to a seat now ( since we CAN) cheerfully rowing on!

Think ill go get that piece of fresh fruit now!

As some of you know I was feeling a bit down yesterday... Well I have to admit that I went shopping yesterday just for little things here and there but I did make me feel good because I "forced" myself out to be part of society! Oh and at one point I had my son with me and we stopped into See's so he could pick out two chocolates. Damn those sweat old ladies pushing those free samples!!! But I'm proud to say I said "no thank you"

Oh did I mention I was a secret binge eater anyway so it wouldn't of given me the pleasure that I get from eating alone...

(Yes I was a special kind of messed up)

Proud of you Laura! I know you were depressed about eating bad and then losing, but I want to mention that alcohol is a diuretic, so that may have contributed to weight loss after a night out. Or maybe you body finally took the hint that you want to be smaller!

I'm happier with my two lb. bounce range. I don't feel like I will get as out of control with the snacking.

Lynda

Proud of you Laura! I know you were depressed about eating bad and then losing' date=' but I want to mention that alcohol is a diuretic, so that may have contributed to weight loss after a night out. Or maybe you body finally took the hint that you want to be smaller!

I'm happier with my two lb. bounce range. I don't feel like I will get as out of control with the snacking.

Lynda[/quote']

You know I thought about the diuretic aspect of alcohol yesterday and this morning. So when I do step on the scale I'm not going to be surprised to see the second round of weight loss this week bounce into the upper ranges!

I do not drink... But boy I drank a lot on Saturday so I'm sure it had and affect on the scale! I know it had an effect on my head yesterday morning!

food. Food and weight. Everyday food and weight.... I'm so thankful that we are together here discussing it and not feeling alone.

As some of you know I was feeling a bit down yesterday... Well I have to admit that I went shopping yesterday just for little things here and there but I did make me feel good because I "forced" myself out to be part of society! Oh and at one point I had my son with me and we stopped into See's so he could pick out two chocolates. Damn those sweat old ladies pushing those free samples!!! But I'm proud to say I said "no thank you"

Oh did I mention I was a secret binge eater anyway so it wouldn't of given me the pleasure that I get from eating alone...

(Yes I was a special kind of messed up)

Yikes, eating in secret is no fun! Let's make a deal that whenever you slip back into binge eating that you will come onto this post and share what's going on with you that triggers you to binge eat in secret...If you feel way uncomfortable, then PM one of us. We would gladly be there for you.....

I like how you told See's Candies, "No Thank You." Good job...... I will go to the mall today and walk right on by. It's not on my meal plan........

Yikes' date=' eating in secret is no fun! Let's make a deal that whenever you slip back into binge eating that you will come onto this post and share what's going on with you that triggers you to binge eat in secret...If you feel way uncomfortable, then PM one of us. We would gladly be there for you.....

I like how you told See's Candies, "No Thank You." Good job...... I will go to the mall today and walk right on by. It's not on my meal plan........ [/quote']

Thank you.. You got me crying again but in a good way today

It's really is nice to know I'm not alone...

Oh yes! Walk on the other side too! The smell of that place alone is wrong so wrong (but good)

I always try to ask myself, if what I am about to put in my mouth is going to contribute to me being a fat ass or is it going to contribute to me being healthy. It is all part of the mental chess game that we all play inside our heads. The decision to face temptation and pass on it, is part of us becoming more strong mentally. Just like when we work out, we build muscles, we must learn to develop the tools that give us strength to pass on temptation. It takes practice, to face our weaknesses head on because it soooo effing easy to fall back into the wonderful, comfortable shelter that food and eating has provided for us. Will we fail? Sure of course, but learn from that, really take the time to understand why. Was it a trigger? Was it a brain fart? If we fail, as we all do, then we think about it, learn from it and then file it away. I said in another thread, that none of us woke up last Tuesday as a fat ass, and we won't be thin tomorrow. Part of this whole process and the success therein, is learning what makes us tick. I've had the best time with that. It was something I had to learn a long time ago when combating other problems. Give yourself permission to fail, but learn from that failing. It keeps the butthurt to a minimum and allows you get out of the squalor of guilt. Heads up people, we got a long road ahead.

I believe I think about food just as much now as I did before surgery...which means all the time. The difference is I can't indulge my cravings each and every time like I did before, and that makes it hard to deal with. The only way I know to deal with it is to stay busy and log those crappy foods before I eat them...seeing them on my food diary makes them much less appealing.

This is the thing that works best for me on my list of tools...Write it all down. I went on vacation (in more ways than one!) last year, and gained 20+pounds. It was easy as falling off a log! All I had to do was eat what I wanted and not write anything down. I had company for over 2 months, went to New Orleans to a music and eating festival(!) and then came home and had bone spurs in my knee that kept me from the gym for 4 months. The perfect storm. I guess I was thinking about food and acting on it as if I was a normally thin person. It was sooo easy! So now I write it all down, even when I slip up or choose to eat sugar or too much or whatever is not on the plan for the day...I write it down. This accountability helps me stay on track, and sometimes I just want to eat that Sees candy. It may mean I cant eat something else better for me that day... silly girl! And if I do it too much, then I start wanting more and more! At that point I adopt Southbeach phase 1 for a week, and that usually gets my head off the carbs. I just started 5:2 intermittent semi/fasting and that seems to help me gain perspective on what Im eating, and how much, appetite. It is a challenge. I also prep snacks, so I have them ready while at work or whenever. I am trying to cultivate other things I like to do that don't involve thinking about food. Thinking about food is both a bore and a guilty pleasure! What a dilemma!

Ok not a vet so forgive me in advance. But had a thought....

I was trying to help a client that was a cutter, and read a behavior modifier that may work here. Put a rubber band and around your wrist and when you find yourself thinking of food inappropriately snap the rubber band. Hopefully your brain will begin to associate that particular thought or food with pain.

Fwiw

Others have said it, mindfulness. It is a practice, and not one that comes easy to anyone I know. You have to work hard to be in the moment and to be conscious of your every action, thought, decision and choice. You also have to suspend judgement enough to allow yourself to sometimes not be mindfull. Sometimes you will make poor choices. The trick is to recognise when it happens, learn from it, and move forward again. Let go of any of th e blame, angst or negative self talk and instead take it as part of the journey of learning to be mindful and to make the right choices.

One crazy and out there thing that has worked for me (though I am really aware this is not for everyone and I am a bit odd) is to actually face the fear of it all. I try to take back the power from the food. The food doesn't have power over me, I have power over the food. Reading what I am writing here I acknowledge I sound a bit crazy but I will try and explain as best I can. I would be more likely to go to the mall, go into the candy store place you refer to and eyeball the merchandise. I would face it and say "no", both to my internal voice and to any hawker of sweetness. Part of this journey for me has been taking the power back. The food is not in control, I am. It might try and be the boss of me but I have the power to say no and each time I say no, I feel a little bit stronger, A little bit more in control, more mindful and I feel healthy.

Louise C,

Love the idea of taking the power back. That's what I do when I visualize how much of that food there is in the world. I really don't have to eat it now. It is there for me when I want it. I am not there to consume all of it so it is not sitting there waiting for me.

Lynda

Im really glad I read this thread tonight. Ive been stuck at the same weight since January. Thinking of food all the time again & eating more often than needed. Today I downloaded mfp to get a calorie reality check & came here for advice/ support. Mindfulness is a great word to end tonight with & begin with again tomorrow! Thanks, Eat small, Be small!

As some of you know I was feeling a bit down yesterday... Well I have to admit that I went shopping yesterday just for little things here and there but I did make me feel good because I "forced" myself out to be part of society! Oh and at one point I had my son with me and we stopped into See's so he could pick out two chocolates. Damn those sweat old ladies pushing those free samples!!! But I'm proud to say I said "no thank you"

Oh did I mention I was a secret binge eater anyway so it wouldn't of given me the pleasure that I get from eating alone...

(Yes I was a special kind of messed up)

You're not alone, Laura. We're in the secret binge club together. I'm embarrassed to think of how much food I ingested on the sly over the years.