overeating
Hi all, I've been having some trouble with overeating lately. Does anyone know triggers that start that cycle and how to stop doing that?
4 0r 5 months ago I had good control and had even been able to lose some weight. I had gotten up to 265, from 255. I lost down to 239. On Christmas I was 239. I'm 246 now.
My husband is working in North Dakota. I live in Montana. I miss him terribly but only get to see him for a week every few months. My children are grown so I'm alone. I babysit my grand kids for a few hours several times a week.
I'm disabled and can't do physical things. Before I became disabled, years ago, I could be very physical and could keep myself much more occupied. Now it's very difficilt to do that.
My worst overeating is in the evening. I have insomenia and can't get to sleep till 2 or 3am a lot of times. Too often I'm very over full when I finally go to bed.
Does anyone else have this problem and know what helps? I'm having trouble getting a hold of myself so I can stop this behavior.
Thanks for any help. marie
4 0r 5 months ago I had good control and had even been able to lose some weight. I had gotten up to 265, from 255. I lost down to 239. On Christmas I was 239. I'm 246 now.
My husband is working in North Dakota. I live in Montana. I miss him terribly but only get to see him for a week every few months. My children are grown so I'm alone. I babysit my grand kids for a few hours several times a week.
I'm disabled and can't do physical things. Before I became disabled, years ago, I could be very physical and could keep myself much more occupied. Now it's very difficilt to do that.
My worst overeating is in the evening. I have insomenia and can't get to sleep till 2 or 3am a lot of times. Too often I'm very over full when I finally go to bed.
Does anyone else have this problem and know what helps? I'm having trouble getting a hold of myself so I can stop this behavior.
Thanks for any help. marie
Hello!
First off, I assume you are several years out since you have been on here since 2004. I am only six months out, but I'll throw you some thoughts :)
First off, for me boredom is a huge trigger for overeating - always has been, probably always will be. So is loneliness, as I live alone. Keeping busy helps. Simple things like picking up around the house works. I also will go outside and sometimes take a walk, even if at night. I am not sure how disabled you are, but hopefully you can still manage a small bit of activity.
I find it's important to make sure you have only "okay" food sources in the house so when you do overeat it's not as damaging. I hit sugar free popcicles when I have a sweet craving. I will eat some cheese when I need something more substantial. Crunchy cravings are a bit harder, since that usually means carbs. I keep protein pretzels, Coco Pop wafers and protein-packed cereal on hand (either Kay's, the original Fiber One or Special K Protein Plus). Air-popped popcorn is very satisfying, too.
I suspect you may be experiencing some depression too, with your husband being gone a lot and with your physical limitations. That can lead to overeating. Do you see a counselor? I see one and it helps with working on what drives us to turn to food for comfort.
As far as night eating, I experience this sometimes. Have you talked to your doctor about the insomnia? Perhaps trying something OTC like melatonin or Benadryl first might help, and you could consider a prescription sleep med if needed. I find if I am able to go to sleep, I won't eat :) I have trouble falling asleep often but I can do it if I take a Benadryl. I have to be sure to stay in bed and not let myself get up, though, as I will then be wide awake again and it will take several hours for me to fall back to sleep.
Hope this is a bit helpful. Know that a lot of us have the same struggles and we are here to help!
First off, I assume you are several years out since you have been on here since 2004. I am only six months out, but I'll throw you some thoughts :)
First off, for me boredom is a huge trigger for overeating - always has been, probably always will be. So is loneliness, as I live alone. Keeping busy helps. Simple things like picking up around the house works. I also will go outside and sometimes take a walk, even if at night. I am not sure how disabled you are, but hopefully you can still manage a small bit of activity.
I find it's important to make sure you have only "okay" food sources in the house so when you do overeat it's not as damaging. I hit sugar free popcicles when I have a sweet craving. I will eat some cheese when I need something more substantial. Crunchy cravings are a bit harder, since that usually means carbs. I keep protein pretzels, Coco Pop wafers and protein-packed cereal on hand (either Kay's, the original Fiber One or Special K Protein Plus). Air-popped popcorn is very satisfying, too.
I suspect you may be experiencing some depression too, with your husband being gone a lot and with your physical limitations. That can lead to overeating. Do you see a counselor? I see one and it helps with working on what drives us to turn to food for comfort.
As far as night eating, I experience this sometimes. Have you talked to your doctor about the insomnia? Perhaps trying something OTC like melatonin or Benadryl first might help, and you could consider a prescription sleep med if needed. I find if I am able to go to sleep, I won't eat :) I have trouble falling asleep often but I can do it if I take a Benadryl. I have to be sure to stay in bed and not let myself get up, though, as I will then be wide awake again and it will take several hours for me to fall back to sleep.
Hope this is a bit helpful. Know that a lot of us have the same struggles and we are here to help!
"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come" 
Thanks for your reply.
A year ago I developed bursitis in my right hip. The pain has been like a broken bone. Very painful. I have to use a cane and I haven't been able to take walks because of the severity of the pain. It has caused me a lot of depression and boredom since I can't be as active as I want to be.
I think that getting myself more occupied and seeing if I can get something to help me to get to sleep miight help.
I get to see my hubby next week so I'm really looking forward to that. Maybe it can help to motivate me to get my eating under control.
I will get more foods that won't do as much damage in calories. That might help.
Thanks a lot. marie
A year ago I developed bursitis in my right hip. The pain has been like a broken bone. Very painful. I have to use a cane and I haven't been able to take walks because of the severity of the pain. It has caused me a lot of depression and boredom since I can't be as active as I want to be.
I think that getting myself more occupied and seeing if I can get something to help me to get to sleep miight help.
I get to see my hubby next week so I'm really looking forward to that. Maybe it can help to motivate me to get my eating under control.
I will get more foods that won't do as much damage in calories. That might help.
Thanks a lot. marie
Glad I could help! It's amazing how many of us feel so alone yet so many of us have the same struggles! Visit this board a lot if you aren't already. It really helps me just seeing people that understand what I am going through. My friends and family are wonderful and mean the world to me, but sometimes they don't get the big picture of all we deal with :) We are human, and we make sometimes bad choices - no amount of counseling will ever change that in my opinion. I try to be as conscious of the decisions I make as I can be, and try to take steps to help soften the blow when I do make a bad choice (like getting rid of all the BAD foods - if I don't have them in the house, I won't go out and get them to eat)!
"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come"
One small suggestion: learn to knit or do some other craft. It keeps your hands and mind occupied.
Knitting is great because it's repetitive and soothing, you can do it while you're watching TV or listening to a book on tape, and it's portable. Plus, it's creative and you get useful, beautiful objects out of it. I picked it up after many years on the advice of a therapist (a specialist in chronic pain) who told me I needed to find things I enjoyed and could still do in spite of my pain.
Is there any chance of you moving to North Dakota to be with your husband? Maybe you could rent out your house. Or would you miss the grandkids too much?
Knitting is great because it's repetitive and soothing, you can do it while you're watching TV or listening to a book on tape, and it's portable. Plus, it's creative and you get useful, beautiful objects out of it. I picked it up after many years on the advice of a therapist (a specialist in chronic pain) who told me I needed to find things I enjoyed and could still do in spite of my pain.
Is there any chance of you moving to North Dakota to be with your husband? Maybe you could rent out your house. Or would you miss the grandkids too much?
- Barb, who is at GOOOOOOAAAAAAL!
HW: 274 SW: 244 GW: 137 CW: 137!
Keep on swimming! Keep on swimming!
Hello sister
We are carbon copies!!! I was in the Restore Trial in 2007 to 2008. The trial ended early because the controls were doing as well as the participants. I have started eating the Restore Lifetime diet again and it is helping me lose very slowly. If you go on my blog I have been logging my food and actually put the diet in a few posts ago. I am still not perfect but it is better than I was doing.
Bursitis is very painful. I worked with a physical therapist and she gave me exercises to do. She also used ultrasound which helped. She also kneaded my hip to break down injured tissue. She had me roll on my side on this hard foam cylinder. I no longer use my cane. I also have had a cortisone shot in my shoulder for tendinitis and it was instant relief. I have a home traction for my neck. I am now able to swim, jog and bike.
If you look at my blog you will notice my sleeping problems. I have to take 50 mg of benedryl at night to get to sleep. Sometimes even with that I can't sleep, but it is over the counter, it is cheap and it works. It actually is an antihistamine and not habit forming. I think I am going to take it for the rest of my life so even though it is not "physically" habit forming I do need it or I am up all night.
My husband also works many hours, but he does come home at night. My heart goes out to you for your husband's absence. I am sure you are grateful that your grand kids are in town.
You are not alone, many of us are in your shoes. I wish you well. Tri
We are carbon copies!!! I was in the Restore Trial in 2007 to 2008. The trial ended early because the controls were doing as well as the participants. I have started eating the Restore Lifetime diet again and it is helping me lose very slowly. If you go on my blog I have been logging my food and actually put the diet in a few posts ago. I am still not perfect but it is better than I was doing.
Bursitis is very painful. I worked with a physical therapist and she gave me exercises to do. She also used ultrasound which helped. She also kneaded my hip to break down injured tissue. She had me roll on my side on this hard foam cylinder. I no longer use my cane. I also have had a cortisone shot in my shoulder for tendinitis and it was instant relief. I have a home traction for my neck. I am now able to swim, jog and bike.
If you look at my blog you will notice my sleeping problems. I have to take 50 mg of benedryl at night to get to sleep. Sometimes even with that I can't sleep, but it is over the counter, it is cheap and it works. It actually is an antihistamine and not habit forming. I think I am going to take it for the rest of my life so even though it is not "physically" habit forming I do need it or I am up all night.
My husband also works many hours, but he does come home at night. My heart goes out to you for your husband's absence. I am sure you are grateful that your grand kids are in town.
You are not alone, many of us are in your shoes. I wish you well. Tri
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