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Conference rocks::weight_control

Title: Weight Loss and Maintenance
Notice:**PLEASE** enter notes in mixed case (CAPS ARE SHOUTING)!
Moderator:ASICS::LESLIE
Created:Tue Jul 10 1990
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:933
Total number of notes:9931

91.0. "Going-home munchies" by AKOV77::GRIFFITH () Tue Jul 28 1987 14:38

    I am desperate for some GOOD advice.  I always do fine on my diet
    throughout the day, but as soon as I walk in the house I eat.  I
    eat even when I'm not hungry.  I eat even as I am telling myself
    that I don't want to.  If I don't go home, I don't eat.  I think
    back in high school I conditioned myself to eat as soon as I walk
    in the door.  I plan on having only what I planned on having for dinner,
    but then I just keep on eating and eating.  I'm not really overweight,
    but I would like to lose about 10 pounds.  I'm so frustrated with
    myself!  I think the problem is in my head, and not in my stomach.
     Does anybody else do this?  How do you control yourself?  
    
    Any advice on this will be GREATLY appreciated.
    
    Thanx,
    
    Amy
    

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91.1minimize the damage, at least :-)ARGUS::CORWINI don't care if I AM a lemmingTue Jul 28 1987 18:3625
re .0

I have the same problem.  I haven't really solved it, but I've done a few
things to manage it better.

I allow myself to eat when I come home.  I really try to make room in my
food plan for this planned snack (or snacks!), like having a WW chocolate
treat, the fudgicle kind that lasts a while.  I do something else while I'm
eating it, maybe even eating it away from the kitchen and trying to get involved
in a book, so when I finish it I'll still keep reading and it won't be as
convenient to get something else to eat.  (This is probably the wrong way to
handle it, but it seems to work for me; you're supposed to eat only in the
kitchen and not do something else while you're eating, right?).

Also, if you just have to eat SOMETHING, pick something bulky/low-cal like
popcorn, or raw veggies, or just something else on your food plan, or at least
good for you.  I munch more than I should on raisins, but at least they're good
for you :-)

My other strategy is to make sure I'm not the first one home!

good luck!

Jill

91.2making deals with yourself.SQM::AITELHelllllllp Mr. Wizard!Wed Jul 29 1987 12:1846
    Planting a garden has worked for me.  I have to work outside while
    it's light out, so I can't really stay inside and eat.  And it's
    hard to eat with dirt all over my hands.  I get home, change,
    grab a diet soda, grab my weeding tools and clippers, and out I
    go!  Then, after I've had an hour or so to "cool down" from work,
    I can go inside and not be frantic in the fridge.  I think it's
    nerves - I eat sometimes just to be doing something mechanical
    that feels good that calms my nerves after a day at work.
    Weeding and planting seeds fills that need, plus I can pick my
    dinner salad while I'm at it.  And I get some exercise and fresh
    air to boot!
    
    Perhaps you can make a deal with yourself - no food except diet
    soda for n minutes after you get home.  Say start at 10 or 15 min.
    just to break the "instant feeding frenzy" syndrome.  Then increase
    the time a bit.  Put some other habit in its place.  Even if you
    live in an apartment, you could water all the houseplants (excepting
    the cacti!), or feed the cat, or walk around the block, or at LEAST
    get changed out of your work clothes and, while you're there,
    straighten out your bedroom a bit.  You can fool yourself, too,
    by saying, "Ok, self, only 5 more minutes and then you can hit
    the fridge."  Then in 5 minutes, "ok, self, you can hit the
    fridge for a soda and then it's 5 more minutes until you can
    open it again."
    
    My bad habit was that I cleared the table after dinner without
    putting the leftovers in the fridge...well, you can imagine how
    much weight a half cup of extra mashed potatoes and gravy plus
    several pickings at the roast plus... can put on a person in
    a few years.  So I had to make a real attempt to put things
    in refrigeratable dishes BEFORE I served them, and then to put
    the lids on and pop them into the fridge IMMEDIATELY after
    dinner.  I also had to learn how much to make so that there
    weren't so many leftovers, except when I was planning them
    for other meals, and how to deal with planned leftovers so they'd
    last until the next meal.  The freezer helped here, along with
    individual sized containers.
    
    This is a lot of self-trickery for a while, until you can break
    the habits you've had for years.  Took me about 4 months to break
    the habit of uncontrollably eating everything I'd made for dinner,
    no matter how much.  Now I *can* leave things on the table, but
    it does make for a cleaner kitchen to put it up right away!
    
    --Louise

91.3Think I'll look for a sale on containers!OVDVAX::WIEGMANNWed Jul 29 1987 14:2935
Louise - I like your idea of the right containers - my hips don't
    understand that it's easier to finish off leftovers than fighting
    with Saran Wrap!
    
    After thinking about my beeline to the fridge after work, I realized
    that it seems to be because I think I "deserve" it because I worked
    hard or had a rough day (like slender people don't???) and it was
    like a reward!  So then I tried substituting other things.  Lots
    of days my husband doesn't get home till 9 or 10, which is good
    and bad!  but I might soak in a bubble bath (telling myself that
    things will taste better when I'm clean) or deep condition my hair,
    or stop at the store/library for a book or magazine.  Or I start
    the dishwasher before I leave for work so that the dishes are ready
    to put away when I get home.  True, it is in the kitchen, but involves
    some bending and stretching, and after it's all cleaned up, I sure
    don't want to get any dishes dirty right away!  Changing my attitude
    about work has helped, too - I realized how stressed I was when
    I flew out the door at the office and flew in the door at home,
    so I started staying after 5 a little just to regroup, get ready
    for the next day, write do-lists, etc.  I tell ya, this half hour
    even without pay does me much more good than a half hour in front
    of the fridge.  Plus, when I do get home, I'm not as stressed, because
    I've taken care of it already!  I'm not going to school this quarter,
    so have started a major reorganizing of the basement, finally going
    through old clothes to give away, just generally getting rid of
    junk, boxing/labelling other stuff.  Can only stay down there a
    couple hours because of the dust (but that gives me another reason
    to clean it up!), and by then I'm past the frantic point and can
    be rational about snacking.  But then, it's late enough that it's
    time to fix something for Mike for when he gets home and I can hold
    off one more hour.  Plus, it's embarrassing to me for him to see a plate
    in the sink and think I couldn't hold out just a little longer!