Can't Stop Eating
 

Have you guys ever had those times where you just feel like you need to eat all day and even though you know your stomach is full, your mind still tells you that your hunger isn't satisfied??

I've been trying to eat better and eat less and am starting to lose weight, but all of a sudden, my mind and body keeps wanting food and I can't stop the cravings or the eating!! Any suggestions?

I know exactly how you feel! I always get the urge to eat when I'm not doing anything or bored, I have no idea why, even if I'm not hungry I'll start thinking about some food. What I try to do is have something at least relatively healthy for those times, some kind of fruit or some yogurt or something. That way, I can still do my bored eating, but I hopefully don't gain weight from doing so! Simple idea, but seems to be doing ok for me.

I think the problem is that I have a craving for SOMETHING, I just don't know what that is, so I keep eating hoping that the "hunger" will die down, but it doesn't.

Plus, I'm studying for a big exam right now, so maybe that has to do with it, too.

^^^^ i so hate that, you want something, but you just can't find it, no matter what you eat, you still crave it :(

When you're hungry and you know that you've consumed enough food, drink water and lots. 2.5 litres a day!

Agreed with the water solution. It works.

Do you buy your own food? Buy nothing but healthy food, and you'll never have to worry about eating all day. If you eat fruits and veggies all day...no problem.

I find for me carbohydrates and some medicines cause this hunger.

Being under stress might also make you hungry. Food becomes a distraction and pulls you away from studying. I agree to buy healthy food, get a big bag of baby carrots...you'll get sick of them eventually and not want to eat anything.

For sure. I always find when I'm studying or practicing something intensely, I get very hungry. The brain consumes calories too!

...I'm not a doctor, don't listen to me.

Water or Gatorade usually does it for me. Just chug some fluids until you feel like throwing up - that should do the trick.

yeah, i've experienced this often. when i worked long network support shifts in college i'd have that same craving.

for me, i think the cause is a combination of lack of exercise, empty-calorie foods, and artificial sweeteners.

- during periods where i have less exercise i use food to occupy myself. also, when i work out i feel healthier, fortifying my will to keep good eating habits.

- empty calorie foods are digested quickly and the high sugar content usually throws your blood-sugar levels on a rollercoaster throughout the day. your body's quick absorption of the carbs and sugars in these foods never sate your body's need for nutrition while the precipitous drops in blood-sugar make you crave "something".

- i think artificial sweeteners (like those found in diet coke) cause a craving. it's like my body expects a jump in sugar levels but doesn't find it in the food i eat so i keeps wanting more. not sure if this is medically sound... but that's the feedback i get from my own urges. before you open a soda of any kind, drink two glasses of water. that will balance the sugar/sweetener of the drink and make you less likely to grab a second one.

a great way to save calories is to not stay up late in the night snacking. eat enough to sate yourself before 8 PM. when you're tired... avoid the temptation to get a snack before bed. just go to sleep, you really don't need food that bad (or so i try to convince myself).

Water, agreed. Also, get in more walking or low-intensity exercise on a daily basis; the body will draw more of the energy it needs from fat, not carbs, and you'll eat less.

Finally, if you just need something to put in your mouth, keep lettuce (with the lowest-calorie dressing possible), apples, or other nearly no-cal snacks around. Apples are actually fairly good at quelling hunger, for having so few calories. But if your problem is eating as a nervous habit, hunger's not really the issue; it's the habit of eating that's causing you problems.

Focus on quality nutrition and nothing tastes as good as being in shape feels. If you are having constant carb cravings consider the quality of the carb intake that you are currently using. Low glycemic index (impact) carbs are better for you and should help aleviate the craving. Apples and bananas are great for this.

Being under stress can cause this type of hunger. Are you depressed, this can also cause binge eating? I agree with the above, drinking lots of water can help.

Willpower. It's just mind over matter.

Don't be a pushover to your body. Let it know who is in control.

It's caused by what foods you eat dude. Certain foods are going to spike your insulin and make you want to eat more soon after..

Learn what those foods are and cure this prob

This is easy, just eat lots of celery and when you get sick of that, other low-calorie-density foods like vegetables. The water's not bad, but vegetables are mostly water and fills you up more. Besides that, self-control won't hurt. But my solution is probably easier.

+C

Orange Juice works great. It will fill you up pretty quick and has a good taste.

No, they are liquid and so do not fill you up as much. Also, they are almost always high in sugar. Eating the oranges instead is a far better idea.

+C

I am the same way you guys. Man, I don't know what to do about the fact that I wil get bored, then because of that I will eat like all day long just to have some thing to do.(I tell my self that I don't need the food)
Like I do go to the fridge and say "Why am I looking in the fridge,I am not hungrey"
But I will still find some thing to eat. I need to put signs on the fridge that say's only use if hungrey.

I am the exact same way it seems. Eating is my comfort. I binge eat when I get depressed which can be a really bad situation if something truly tragic happes. I have gained 50 pounds in four months and am now just able to stop weight gain. The water thing is what works for me. I get hungry I down a liter of water as quickly as I can. The only negative of that is I am in the bathroom constantly lol. I also dont keep any unhealthy food that I can fix quickly. I say eliminate anything that can be served up in under 5 minutes that is unhealthy. Good Luck!

i'm lucky to have inherited high metabolism so my habit (it feels like a need) to eat at least every three hours (and when I don't, I can increasingly cranky) has no visual effect. i'm hoping nothing changes when I'm 30.

Go with eating smarter. Try whole grain foods that keep you fuller longer. Make sure to drink plenty of water. Don't eat in front of the TV or computer because you will overeat. Pay attention to your body. Try to make sure you are getting enough sleep, a little bit of exercise every day, all that general health stuff. If you find that you are eating because you are bored, then distract yourself. Clean something or go for a walk. If you eat because you are craving something, then use portion control.
If you just want to taste something, keep some hard candy or gum nearby, or even brush your teeth.

Whenever i'm studying, i too always get the urge to go grab something to eat. I think that i do this because in my head i see it as an excuse to stop studying. This happens when i'm not hungry too. Hopefully after your exams/tests/quizes/ect... are done with you will find that you eat more normally. If it doesn't why don't you just exercise some more so it just balances out.

the water trick doesnt always work for me. when that doesnt work, i'll go outside to work on the yard, or with the laptop. then i'll be doing something and wont be thinking of food as much.

Everyone's body goes through days or periods of time when they're real hungry all the time or have no appetite at all. Exams, a death in the family, moving, any stressful situation can trigger stuff like this. Just keep an eye on your body. If you have long periods of time when you're never satisfied and there's no real amount of stress going on, it could be a symptom of an underlying problem (diabetes, etc). However, what you said here, looks like it's just a case of the "I'm stressed, I need food!" types of things.

P.S. I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV.

Low glycemic index (impact) carbs are better for you and should help aleviate the craving. Apples and bananas are great for this.