Want to lose weight but find it difficult

[Annmurry]

I find that I am struggling keeping the weight off, I do really well and then I get bored and comfort eat? Has anyone got any suggestions?

[bunblebeaz]

There's a couple of ways you can get round this:

> When you fancy something try putting it off - so say if you're watching tv and part way through the programme you fancy a biscuit. Put it off until the break/end of programme and see if you still need one then.

> Have a glass of water or other low cal drink instead

> Think of something else to do to alleviate your boredom. Come on here and have a look round if you must!

> Don't have 'bad' food in the house to snack on. If all you have is healthy food and you're craving chocolate etc then if you don't have it you cant eat it. At worse you'll binge on fruit or something good for you. At best you'll not bother at all.

Good Luck.

[Hidden]

Hi Annmurry,

There's basically a number of ways of dealing with any 'bad eating habit' - for want of a better term.

And most overweight people - if they're anything like me - will have at least one or two of them, either in terms of food types or times of eating, or perhaps in quantities.

The ways fall into groups.

First there's remove the problem - you can't eat what you don't have or can't get at!

Wean yourself off - e.g. reduce the amount or regularity down, e.g. only eat one square of chocolate a day, or only do lattes at the weekend and then when that regime is settled in reduce it down again.

Distract your attention / change the predecessor - e.g. if you "always" eat chocolate cake when you get home from work on Tuesdays, make sure something else is going on for you at that time / situation, e.g. meet up with someone to do something (gym / walk / dancing / evening class) or go somewhere (art gallery / exhibition / theatre / ten-pin bowling) instead of your usual home from work routine.

Substitute - instead of eating cream cakes, eat something less calorific, more nutritious and generally healthier, e.g. fruit and fat-free yoghurt, crispbread and low-fat cheese, whatever.

Kick the can down the road - e.g. I really fancy a bag of crisps, but I'm not going to have one right now, I'll leave it until after Eastenders and have it then if I still fancy it. (Chances are that by then the craving will have gone away!)

Change the contextual cue - If you're comfort-eating, then consider other forms of comfort; if you're boredom eating - find other things (i.e. other than snacking / bingeing) to keep you mentally busy; if you're stress-relieving-eating - find other ways to deal with your pent up stress, etc., etc.

Adapt those strategies to suit your situation, your needs and lifestyle.

Good luck with your weight loss journey.