Weekend over eating

[Heather31]

Just started week 2 after a good week 1. My issues lie with over eating at weekends and using food as rewards. Trying to alter my attitude to food, non-food rewards sound good it's just putting it into practise! So keen to get back into clothes that are too tight, I also want to look good and feel confident for Christmas nights out and a night out planned in October so pressure is on! I really like the food and activity chart, its colourful, practical and user friendly. Any tips on avoiding over eating at social events and weekends much appreciated

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome, Heather

It's difficult to not go mad at the weekends and social occasions, because we've taught ourselves that this is 'normal' behaviour. We have to re-programme ourselves to accepting a new kind of norm. Some are able to reduce their input, to a little bit of what you fancy, some find it easier to eliminate trigger foods. You have to decide what's best for you and keep plugging away at it, until it becomes second nature

I'd like to invite you to join our Newbie Club, which we hope will be a good place for you to connect with members, who are also just starting out. If you just post a few words to introduce yourself and respond to others there, you'll soon break the ice. Here's the link

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

I've given you a week 2 badge, so that we can follow your progress

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello Heather31

I hear that some people have an 'off' switch, wish I knew how to find it!! Lol 😂

I deal with weekends by eating less through the week, limiting alcohol to occasional events (offering to be designated driver earns you brownie points 😜) And also repeatedly telling myself things like 'I'm not a dog, don't reward me with food' and 'nothing tastes as good as healthy feels' and my favourite, 'it's not a waste of it goes on your waist'.

The best advice I heard was don't be tempted to cut back too far, or ea too little, as this leads to cravings. Eat your full calorie allowance (see the NHS BMI chescker for your personal target range) and don't go hungry.

Good luck!

Anna

[Pineapple27]

Hi Heather31

Willpower and resistance to temptation doesn't just happen! It has to be worked at. I always say that the "willpower" is the muscle that needs to be the strongest to succeed!

The only way I have succeeded this time is to change how I approach food and eating it. I have learned to resist temptation! BUT please believe that this has taken a LOT of hard work and practice!

If you log your food - keep track of how many calories some of those "treats" or "rewards" contain, after a while they kind of stay in your head (medium egg = 70 cals, slice of white bread 100 cals, meringue nest 57 cals, 30g (matchbox size) of cheddar, 122 cals), 100g of peanuts (less than a handful) = 600 calories!!

I do have sweet treats, but I buy my own choice, so things like 2 finger Kitkat, single finger Twix, Club biscuit... these are all around 100 calories. I keep them in a tin and I can have one whenever I want to, but I limit it to no more than one a day and usually with my afternoon cup of tea. They are always logged into my diary.

If you don't keep a log of what you are eating and the calories foods contain, then it's a bit like trying to travel from one place to another without a map! You might get there eventually BUT it's likely to take you much longer than if you planned the route and used a map PLUS you might take a few wrong turnings and end up going back on yourself!

I have also learned not to plan each trip out of the house to include food. Once upon a time, I'd have included lunch with a trip into town, coffee and cake with a visit to the garden centre. I now plan or even prepare a meal BEFORE I go out (usually a salad) so that I know exactly what I can eat as soon as I walk into the door... and don't turn to "what I fancy" (usually high calorie carbs that don't keep you full for very long...)

Make a list of the reasons WHY you want to lose weight. Keep it somewhere safe (stuck to the inside of a kitchen cupboard door?) and look at it from time to time, especially when you are raiding the kitchen for treats!

I always ask myself before eating something really calorific "Do I really want to eat this thing more than I want to lose weight this week?". It's called "mindful eating" - being aware of why you are considering eating - real hunger? Boredom? Temptation? Feeling fed up?

Have a glass of water, wait 5 minutes and consider whether you still want the food. Once it's been snaffled down, it's too late and you may end up feeling cross and angry with yourself.... and that feeling lasts for a long time, much longer than the temporary enjoyment of whatever treat you ate....

Oh, and I always remind myself how good the feeling is of seeing a loss on the scales at my weekly weigh in! That feeling lasts for days!