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Overeating ALL THE TIME


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I find myself overeating almost every day and this has been going on for about 4 days or so now and it's starting to get to me. I think the feeling deprivation is causing me to overeat. 

 

Has this happened to anyone? How do you stop yourself from doing that? 

 

Example: last night I had a normal, if not large, portion of shrimp stir fry, a sweet potato with almond butter and then 8oz of roasted brussel sprouts (half the amount I made). Instead of stopping when I was full I then ate a grapefruit and the rest of the brussel sprouts and woke up today overly full. 

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What is causing you to feel deprived?  Are you not enjoying your foods?  I find my most satisfying meals to be ones I have been really excited about like short ribs or cracklin' chicken.  Are you in a food rut?

 

Distraction, like leaving the table and going for a walk is also a good tactic to try when you know you have had enough food.  A phone call to a loved one.  Anything you can think of that might help you tell yourself that your meal is over?

 

Also, roasted brussel's sprouts might just leave you with that overly full feeling.

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Nico, that was just one example. I've been doing it with other things too --i.e. having both a grapefruit and a sweet potato after a meal, eating a chicken burger even though I already had a hefty portion of protein, etc. 

 

I really enjoy everything I eat, so it's not a food rut or even missing something really. I think it's just the fact that I know I'm depriving myself of things--having off-limit foods seems to be making me stuff myself silly. hmph. It's rather upsetting though because instead of feeling less bloated I'm feeling more bloated than ever. 

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So, how about your motivation then...Were you the one who asked a really awesome question about motivation the other day?  If not, ask yourself what motivates you.  Why are you doing this?

 

During my first 30 days, I reminded myself that I was giving my body food to fuel me.  I told myself that off-plan "food" was not fuel or not-food.  Treats, maybe, but not food.  I also had so much food on my plate after a good bout of 1200 calories a day, so that full plate really made me smile.  Another thing I did was to avoid things that might remind me too much of off-plan foods.  My husband and I were just talking about burgers.  He said he might miss the bun too much.  But, guac piled on top and he might be cool with it.  We are just now starting to add back things that might make us think or or miss things that are not on our plates.

 

Also, while on a W30, I do my best not to think about the reintros or feasts at the end.  I think it is easier to stay on track if I keep my head in the game.  I will explore recipes, look at photos on the Whole30 Facebook page, and offer help to others to stay on track.

 

Some people finish a meal with a cup of tea, a book, a glass of kombucha, etc.  Could you see yourself using a new ritual to end your meals?

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What were you eating like before whole 30?

I have struggled for 15 years by trying to restrict calories and yo yo diet.. Seriously messed up my metabolism.. Gaining and losing 10-15kg probably 3 or 4 times.

I knew when I started this that I needed to heal my body and my metabolism first. If I'm hungry I eat (whole30 foods).. If I want to eat and it's meal time I eat... If I'm hungry between meals next day I make my portions bigger.

I don't ever want to starve my body again..

I wonder if you have come from a similar place?

Previously I would binge on stupid foods after dinner even when I was full and then feel terrible and guilty.. Is that how you're feeling now? Guilty for eating the extra food?

If so, I don't think you need to stop. Maybe cut the fruit (in case it's the sugar dragon) but make your meals a bit larger filled with wholesome nutritious whole30 foods and throw the guilt out the window and let your body heal.

This might not be your story at all but maybe someone else will read it..

But I have really struggled leading up to this and this week (I'm on day 6) and it's only now just becoming clear.

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Salsa--Thank you for sharing! Fortunately I did away with restriction years ago after a bout of anorexia. I typically eat rather "healthily"--oatmeal, seafood on occasion,  beans,  lentils,  Greek yogurt,  cottage cheese,  LOTS of veggies,  whole grain cereal on occasion, whole wheat tortillas for wraps,  mozzarella cheese sticks,  and things like that.  I'd indulge on occasion--froyo,  protein bars,  a mini candy bar here and there.  No real restriction and a rather balanced diet (usually getting 100g of protein or so a day). I probably ate less fat then than now though. Anyway,  I don't have an issue with feeding my body whatsoever but I do dislike feeling gluttonous and stuffed.  That's why I can't make sense of this behavior. 

 

Nico--I dont have any GREAT reasons for doing this aude from wanting to give my baby (I'm pregnant) the best start at life.   Maybe not thinking about the end is key because it makes the days feel like they're painful when they really aren't. I did but a few things that might help me to stay on track--freeze dried fruit, heaps of veg that I love and coconut milk to make my favorite dishes. 

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Can you experiment with stopping when you're full for the rest of your Whole30?  Literally push yourself away from the table when you're done eating a meal, wash your dishes (or put them in the dishwasher), and do something else if you have to (non food related), to distract yourself.

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What are you eating for breakfast? I find that breakfast really sets the tone for the day (sufficient = day with no issues feeling satiated and insufficient = snacky all darn day long). Also, the fact that you're pregnant must make some difference here. Could you post a few days' worth of food so the Mods can weigh in with more info? They are super helpful.

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Well today was a mega fail. Still compliant but I've eaten more today by 3pm than I usually eat in an entire day and it was a rest day so I wasn't overexerted or anything. Now I'm starting to just get mad at myself. This isn't acceptable.

 

So, I wanted to share a couple of blog posts to see if they resonate with you at all.  

 

http://whole9life.com/2012/07/language-of-food/

http://whole9life.com/2010/04/crazytown2/

 

Also, I've been thinking along the lines of Alyson.  Are you getting enough food to fuel your pregnancy?  When you feel overfull, is it at all because of the pregnancy?  I know this might depend on how far along you are.  Could it be that you need more meals?

 

Making the best food choices (better than 99% of the population!) is something to applaud yourself for.  You and your baby will reap the benefits.

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Nico--I'm not far enough along for the fullness to be pregnancy related (only 16 weeks). I'm definitely eating more than enough...I know because the eating is unrelated to hunger. Sorry if it sounds combative, this truly just is overeating and there's no way around that reality. Ill check out those links, thanks.

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I wonder if you're getting enough fat. I know that if I'm not incorporating enough I will continue to eat past the point of fullness for some reason. Like my brain tells me to just keep eating in desperation to get enough.

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I've had a background of both binge eating and bulemia. I've found, for me sweet potatoes and nut butters are trigger foods. Too starchy and sweet. Really upping the fat helped. But I've found a few compliantn foods I just cannot keep around. Besides the aforementioned sweet potatoes and nut butters I can't have dried fruit or plantains either. It sucks but it is what it is, for me they fall almost in to swypo. However when it comes to paleo pancakes? Meh I am not interested.

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I find myself overeating almost every day and this has been going on for about 4 days or so now and it's starting to get to me. I think the feeling deprivation is causing me to overeat. 

 

Has this happened to anyone? How do you stop yourself from doing that? 

 

Example: last night I had a normal, if not large, portion of shrimp stir fry, a sweet potato with almond butter and then 8oz of roasted brussel sprouts (half the amount I made). Instead of stopping when I was full I then ate a grapefruit and the rest of the brussel sprouts and woke up today overly full. 

 

Try waiting 30 minutes after a meal.  Tell yourself "if I still want some grapefruit or {compliant food} I can have it in 30 minutes".  I often notice I finish my meals full, but not satisfied; even if I've really enjoyed them I still want to eat.  It's just like a trigger hasn't been turned off yet.  It almost always goes away within 30 minutes, and if I still want something after that it's usually because I actually need more food.  

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I have a similar problem, and I sure wish I could figure out how to get a handle on it. All of the standard suggestions people have sound great, but they just don't do it for me. Some days I will sit there eating, and I'm full, and I'll keep putting my fork in my mouth. Or even get up and get more food. In my head, I'm thinking "you are full. you don't need this. just stop now. put it away. you don't have to clean your plate. you don't have to get up and get more food." Yet...I continue. This was a problem before the W30, and I would eat a whole sleeve of graham crackers, or a whole bag of chocolate rice cakes, or the equivalent of a whole meal at 3-4 PM, then have my regular dinner at 6. Now I'm still engaging in the same behavior, but it's frozen mango, or sweet potatoes, or nuts/nut butter/coconut flakes if I've been silly enough to buy them again (last time I bought a 16 oz jar of sunbutter, it was gone in 3 days). Of course it's better than what I used to eat, but still unnecessary, unhealthy, and frustrating....and still causing my weight to fluctuate a lot more than I like.

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If you are not overeating broccoli or plain chicken but things like fruits, nut butters, sweet potatoes, etc...then it's not likely a food void you are filling.  

 

Have you stopped to evaluate your emotional state when this happens?  Is there some other void you are trying to fill?

 

I know that for me, when I am off the meal-template road, it's because I'm compensating for something.  Most of the time, it's emotional and it could be all kinds of things (boredom, procrastination, punishment, sadness)....  It is entirely possible to eat complaint foods in un-compliant ways!  I have made myself sick to my stomach on roasted broccoli.  When that's the case, it's clearly not about the food.

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If you are not overeating broccoli or plain chicken but things like fruits, nut butters, sweet potatoes, etc...then it's not likely a food void you are filling.  

 

Have you stopped to evaluate your emotional state when this happens?  Is there some other void you are trying to fill?

 

I know that for me, when I am off the meal-template road, it's because I'm compensating for something.  Most of the time, it's emotional and it could be all kinds of things (boredom, procrastination, punishment, sadness)....  It is entirely possible to eat complaint foods in un-compliant ways!  I have made myself sick to my stomach on roasted broccoli.  When that's the case, it's clearly not about the food.

It's precisely something other than a food void--I think it's the feeling of sadness/deprivation coupled with stress, anxiety, and overall just overwhelmed with where I'm at in my life. Some days are easier to eat "normally" because my emotions are on an even keel...other days it's nearly impossible. It truly is overeating though--i wouldn't call it binging (not that you called it that) ....just eating past the point of fullness for no good reason. 

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I have found that in the beginning of my Whole30 I overate because I was afraid of being hungry between meals.  Before I could have snacks...On Whole30 I haven't. 

I am currently on day 42. 

I know my body is recoverying from years of resticted 1200-1500 calories per day and training for Ironmans.

After this weekend my pants are tighter than when I started Whole30 and I try to remember that my pants will get looser once my body is healed.

And again...for me the over eating was about being afraid to feel hungry.

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