Can't stop eating!!!

Get yourself back to the previous diet that did you so much good, BUT indulge in a few treats now and then. Not large quantities, but a little bit here and there. One of the biggest diet killers is actually NOT allowing yourself the things you like. Allowing yourself small amounts once in awhile of the things you do love will help keep the cravings on a leash.

 

I know exactly how you feel, its a personal battle/war and only you can control your desires/ cravings. like lil bit said go back on your diet and try to incoporate all the food groups in moderation, but dont deny youself a treat also in moderation. I like weight watchers been on it 3 times . I always do good and lose weight then I guess I get ####y or lazy or something not sure and the weight comes back. hang in there and keep trying thats what Im doing ! good luck !

 

Why do you eat? Are your cravings physical (hunger pangs, headaches, etc) or mental (when you're stressed, bored, etc.)? You can't solve the effect until you find the cause.

If it's physical, eat small bits often. Snack on low calorie foods (raw veggies, fruit, low fat yogurt) Fighting your hunger is only going to make you more hungry, and willpower is only so strong. So give yourself some food, but keep it small and light.

If it's mental, it's up to you to address the underlying issue in a positive way. Stressed out? Take a walk or call a friend. Bored? Find a hobby you can carry with you in the truck. Etc, etc.

You've made progress before, so you know it can be done. It's hard, but not impossible. Keep focused on what you stand to gain by being healthy, keep your reasons foremost in your mind at all times, keep your motivation strong.

 

I, too, have this issue. When I got off the truck several years ago due to back injury, I was around 270-ish. I am now bouncing off 400. I have been at a desk for the last several years and it shows. The sad thing is; I know what I need to do to fix it, but I just don't have the discipline. I have a fitness center right outside my office door that's free for me to use, but I loathe exercise. Oh, I go in and will start a workout regimen but I lose interest in it after a short period. I am getting ready to get back into the truck and I know for a fact that it will be better for me in regards to weight loss. There will be a lot more physical activity for me on the truck, as the cars won't find and load themselves. Where I work now, in addition to the fitness center is easily obtainable food, what with the cafeteria and freaking goodies that pop up every single holiday.

I am in a sad state and a fool. You see, someone that has my weight problem and doesn't know what to do to fix it is ignorant and uneducated. Someone like me that knows how to fix it and doesn't is a fool.

 

Some of the biggest factors in weight gain we can actually control.

Surprisingly the biggest one is sleep. Get 8 hours + a night.
When you cut your sleep your body runs low on seratonin and dopamine,to compensate,the body craves sugar which will result in a quick boost in seratonin/dopamine and unfortunatley.....insulin. Insulin is actually a type of feul used as a catalyst to convert convert food into glycogen,so when you spike your insulin levels(pop,sweets and simple carbohydrate) that feul will be used first before fat stores are tapped into.
With a lack of sleep your body also produces more Cortisol, a stress hormone that stimulates adrenalin. Again,your not using fat stores adequately with high adrenalin levels.

Don't believe me? When you wake up each morning take your resting heart rate and write it down,also record the number of hours you slept. After a week you'll start to see a trend that follows. On nights when you slept poorly the HR will be a little higher than on nights you slept well. A higher than usual resting HR is your body trying to recover from the day before(sometimes an illness too can see HR rise) so you'll find as the day wanes that the body has not been able to replete its Seratonin levels back up and you start craving sweets and caffeine to get going or to "freshen up".

Resist it,if you sleep poorly the night before or have to cut your sleep to make a delivery. Try to catch a nap in the afternoon if you can. Undertsnad one thing, that the cravings are chemical and not mental. Fight them by drinking water and grabbing a high glycemic fruit,apples and bananas will help. Raising blood glucose quickly with a low calorie/healthy snack will help curb the craving. You're not weak if you have to cave in........food,especially the "up and down" cyle of eating is as adictive as heroin or cocaine according to some studies. So if it takes some time,don't worry,you didn't put the weight on overnight and it won't come off overnight.

Once you get to sleeping well,you'll find energy levels start coming back up and you can get out of the truck for some walks and maybe do some exercise.
NEVER cut your sleep for a workout,it will be counter productive.

Poor Sleep is as much to blame for weight gain as a poor diet.

Good for you guys in trying to lose weight!!!

 

"Normal" blood sugar is between 80 and 120. However, this will spike or bottom out at certain times. For instance: if you are taking your BGL (Blood Glucose Level) within 45 minutes or so of eating, it can be as high as 160 and still be normal. You just ate and flooded your system with glucose. If you take your BGL first thing in the morning, after running two miles and before eating breakfast, your BGL can be as low as 65-70 and still be normal.

You have cravings because you placed yourself on an anorexic diet. Now you think you need to drop your calorie count back down to anorexic levels. What's next? Bulimia? My advice: see an eating disorder specialist, a dietician and a counselor. Your body is hungry because you have starved it. Now that you are feeding it again, it wants more nutrition. Look at what your cravings are for, what nutrients are in those foods and get a vitamin regimen to match. Your cravings should diminish. But don't stop feeding the machine.

Not seeing the doctor because you think you might have a BGL problem is foolish, selfish and dangerous...to you for your health's sake and to those around you who you may "take out" when you pass out from malnutrition. Just sayin.

 

Great advice, TradeUp. Thx for posting.

I know our body/mind/being is constantly trying to 'balance'. If we get too hot by working too hard, we must cool down, etc. by having a lot of water.
Trying to stay in balance while fighting what is a part of an 'archaic' brain gets us out of whack. Realizing that addictions are just the archaic brain 'having its way' is where we can learn to change; no matter what the addiction.

Meditation is useful to some. Prayer, for others. Calmness and understanding that the problem lies within our old, old, old brain-center that was used since dinosaur? age,,,is a tool to get back in balance.

Once you realize you are 'out of balance', this organism that we call 'human' automatically starts the process to put itself 'back in balance'. Trust Mother Nature,,,in other words. Then trust yourself; know that you only need x amount of calories per day. Get it together,,,eh? STOP eating so much. Tell your body you have 'had enough food this meal', and relax,,,knowing you are in control and you can eventually get back to any shape you want to be in. Believe it.

Get out and walk, do what you can to make your body MORE tired by the time its sleep cycle comes around. You remember how you sleep really well after hard physical work? Start becoming totally aware of your addictions; see them and let them go... Just be aware is the first step. Take control,,,have faith in your ability of your SMART brain; it is the archaic brain that 'wants its way'. Disable it by 'being quiet' and seeing it,,,and overruling it.

We don't have to be, nor will we ever be,,,perfect. Accept this fact, and be happy about it!!!

 

Eating a lot is a problem if it's causing fat gain. As others have said, your weight seems to be a bit low for your height(unless you're an ectomorph).

Try a slow carb diet if you're having issues with your food intake. Drop all grains, dairy, and anything white or sugary(no potatoes or fruits). Eat lots of unprocessed protein(beef, chicken, eggs), lots of legumes(beans, lentils), and lots of vegetables(broccoli, cauliflower), at each meal. Also, try to ingest at least 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking. Drink a good gallon of water a day, and no drinking calories(pop, sugar and milk in coffee). Eating this way helps to keep you fuller, longer, and is much healthier for you. Then, one day a week(say, a Saturday) eat whatever you want to for the day.

Eating this way, which is almost like a paleo diet, is basically the healthiest way of eating. Also, you can eat more on this diet because of what you're eating. Breads and the like are denser, so it's easy to overeat these types of foods. Eating beans and lentils in place of grains gives you more protein, and more fiber. This helps to control any cravings, and keeps blood sugar levels in check.