Advice to stop myself from eating

[Jess55 97]

When I eat sometimes, I get full like halfway through and instead of listening and stop eating, I continue to finish my meal. Then when I get up I feel like crap. I don't know why I do this and I know I cannot post band, or else I will vomit or whatever. Does anyone else do this and have any advice to stop eating?

[MerreyMac 0]

I have not had my surgery yet (Im planning for sometime in Jan or Feb 2011) but I have the same problem of eating even after I know Im full (of course the amount that makes me full is WAYYY too much). I think mine is because I was raised as a member of the "clean plate club". In other words, if the food is on the plate, you still have food to eat, you arent finished with a meal until the plate is empty.

Since I dont have the band yet, my suggestion might prove useless but here it is....

You might try setting yourself up with two "servings". Example, if you are going to eat a 1 to 1-1/2 cups of food, prepare only 3/4c. Eat that then if you still are hungry go fix 1/3c more. Just remember to take your time eating, but not take so long that your stomach starts to empty and you have to start filling it all over at the same meal.

Hope this helps! Sometimes it helps me, sometimes it doesnt, usually I get tired of going back so many times, but thats what my band will be for, to help me get to the full point with less food/trips.

[stateofzen 46]

Start talking to yourself while you eat, actively and often. This is one of the reasons docs/nutritionists don't want us doing ANYTHING else while we eat-- because the more "mindless" we are, the more we ignore the cues our bodies are giving us. Be mindful, monitor yourself intentionally, and when you hit the "full stage", use coping statements- I can stop eating now since I'm full; eating more than this will make me feel sick; I can be proud of myself if I put the rest of this away for leftovers, etc.

[cassie1978 0]

Hi there

One piece of advice I got once at Weight Watchers was serve up a meal on a smaller plate. Divide meal in half - when at half way stage - get up and get drink a big glass of Water, and return to meal. Taking a break from the meal gives your stomach time to digest and brain to stop focussing so much on eating constantly and maybe stop eating so much. I agree with the talking during the meal. Also don't eat in front of the tv - you will always eat more without realising it. I guess its trying to trick the brain Ive also learnt lately that I did not chew my food properly so I am trying to retrain to chew properly before swallowing. I have found that I take a lot longer to eat now, and feel fuller quicker. I also get bored so I am eating less. Hope any of the suggestions may help. I have not been banded yet either.

[CrimsonCherries 0]

My bf and I just got this audio book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think By Brian Wansink. It's really interesting. I haven't gotten as far into it as he has, but one thing he told me from the book was that when you're full and about to eat more, say out loud: "I'm already full but I'm going to eat this anyway." It's helped for him.

Also Geneen Roth's books are great too. She helps you realize what's behind your eating. Like what's making you want to finish your meal even though you're full and it may not be something you think of that's effecting your behavior.... if that makes sense. Definitely worth checking out at the library.

You don't want to drink with your meals. It's not bad advice for normal weight loss, but I assume you're goign to get banded, so you don't want to drink b/c you won't be drinking with meals after being banded. How we're eating now is practice for eating after getting banded.

What may help more than eating on a smaller plate or serving yourself smaller portions is sticking to a meal plan. Idk if your doctor has given you one or not, but at Kaiser they have one and it's pretty easy to follow in theory (I'm having a hell of a time sticking to it in practice). Basically you weigh and measure out all your food for the meal and that's all you get. So it makes it easier by not having extra food left over. It's hard to follow at first, but get's easier. But what I've found, is that even though I'm full, I don't get the same satisfaction I get when I'm stuffed and feeling like crap.

If you can get a copy of Kaisers binder, the meal plan and all the pre-op advice in it is great. They used to have it on their website, but I have searched all over it and haven't been able to find it.

One thing that helped me, not in over eating specifically, but eating better in general was to make a public statement about it. For me I wrote in my blog (that I doubt anyone reads but is still public on the internet) that for the month of August I was not going to eat any fast food or drink any soda. And I did it with the exception of drinking soda like twice. And that's from eating fast food and drinking soda more days out of the week than not. So you could say, 'I will stop eating when I am full for a week' and then do it, see how it goes and see if you want to continue. It's like making a public promise to yourself.

After doing that I am down 6lbs, but I have been eating bad since but not as bad as I was before. Even doing that just 2 weeks I noticed that I didn't want to eat fast food and soda was way too sweet, so maybe after a week you'll realize not eating after your full is worth it even though it's really hard.

[btrieger 21]

... I get full like halfway through and instead of listening and stop eating, I continue to finish my meal...

Great advice above except the silly one about drinking Water.

The simple answer is, don't put so much on your plate.

If you're eating out; ask for a to-go box when the meal arrives and stow everything you aren't going to eat before you start eating or put what you plan on eating on the bread plate and push the rest to the side.

[Jess55 97]

I've been very good about not drinking when I eat. I have not been good about giving up soda yet. My surgery will be in December, so I really have to start soon. Thank you for the advice, I will really try to maybe put half of it on a plate and put the other half away.