Overeaters' Anonymous

[Ultralight]

Have you considered the meal prep services? They are portion controlled for 2 servings, have just enough of what you need, and are a good support for this transition to healthier eating. If you are already eating out then the cost is not that different I would think.

Shopping economically means eating what you buy, and if you buy a large package of fresh herbs and most of it gets slimy then you can get discouraged. I like buying fresh foods that I can use in at least 2 different recipes. Then I cook meals of only 2 servings, one for dinner and one for a lunch. Any more than that and I get sick of it. To keep my variety high and my pantry from being over-stuffed I shop at the bulk bins a lot, places like Sprouts. I can get just one cup of quinoa or a handful of pumpkin seeds.

Keep up the good work

The meals I cook at home are usually fine. Baked salmon, steamed broc, hard boiled eggs, whole oatmeal, stew in the crock pot with plenty of veggies, black beans and rice, apples and PB, and so forth.

I need to stay away from restaurants and not order pizzas.

I am still doing the 5:2 intermittent fasting.

[Zoe Girl]

The meals I cook at home are usually fine. Baked salmon, steamed broc, hard boiled eggs, whole oatmeal, stew in the crock pot with plenty of veggies, black beans and rice, apples and PB, and so forth.

I need to stay away from restaurants and not order pizzas.

I am still doing the 5:2 intermittent fasting.

Hmm, that makes me curious. I go to coffee shops sometimes to just get out, I get a lot of work done, I drink too much sugar, and it meets several needs. It sounds like from your previous post that you overeat when you eat out alone (not sure about the pizza). It may just be something to consider over time as you heal, I know from my own situation that it is long process with many factors.

[merince]

UL, are you by any chance diabetic or pre-diabetic? You seem awfully sensitive to carbs. What triggered you is fairly healthy, but it is a carb bomb just like bread, pancakes, etc. While keto is hard, you might want to look into a low carb diet in order to reduce your triggers.

[Ultralight]

UL, are you by any chance diabetic or pre-diabetic? You seem awfully sensitive to carbs. What triggered you is fairly healthy, but it is a carb bomb just like bread, pancakes, etc. While keto is hard, you might want to look into a low carb diet in order to reduce your triggers.

I am not diabetic or pre, according to my recent tests. I have to take the tests each year for work. But I have not eaten desserts or drank soda pop in about 15 years.

Keto sounds really gross to me. I don't like most meats, though bacon is like crack cocaine to me. I also dislike veggies.

Why can't I just not eat the things that trigger me? Celery sticks don't trigger me. Baked salmon does not trigger me. Ripe pears don't trigger me. Rice and beans is pretty safe. Oatmeal with nuts, berries, honey, and milk is pretty safe.

Pizza turns me into a wolf. Any time of buffet transforms me into a madman.

[SteveinMN]

I am not diabetic or pre, according to my recent tests. I have to take the tests each year for work. But I have not eaten desserts or drank soda pop in about 15 years.

Keto sounds really gross to me. I don't like most meats, though bacon is like crack cocaine to me. I also dislike veggies.

FWIW diabetes does not arise purely out of the consumption of sucrose. It's caused by the body not being able to react appropriately to increases in blood glucose. Those spikes can come from ice cream, soda pop, starchy vegetables, beans, juices, donuts, bread,... it's not just sugary snacks and desserts.

And keto is not what you think. With keto, most of your calories (about 70% per day) come from fats, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates . Many people (including those starting to eat keto) think of keto as a high-protein diet and it is not that at all. I eat about 90 grams of protein a day. Too much gets turned int a bump in my blood glucose. And limiting oneself to those few carbs a day pretty much leaves you with not-unlimited amounts of leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, string beans, and sprouts. btw I'm not suggesting you go keto at this time; just pointing out that it's not what you think.

Why can't I just not eat the things that trigger me?

Well, that is the central question, isn't it? A lot depends on how easy they are for you to avoid. Pizza and buffets are loaded with carbs, particularly the more processed ones because they're cheap. You can avoid them, but you may be better off knowing just what it is that triggers you. Is it the highly-processed carbs? The sodium level? The fact that these foods are eaten outside the home? Figure that out and you'll have a better idea of just what to avoid.

[JaneV2.0]

...
And keto is not what you think. With keto, most of your calories (about 70% per day) come from fats, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates . Many people (including those starting to eat keto) think of keto as a high-protein diet and it is not that at all. I eat about 90 grams of protein a day. Too much gets turned int a bump in my blood glucose. And limiting oneself to those few carbs a day pretty much leaves you with not-unlimited amounts of leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, string beans, and sprouts. btw I'm not suggesting you go keto at this time; just pointing out that it's not what you think. ...

And you can always go low-carb (maybe 70-100 gm daily) without embracing ketosis. The book Life Without Bread spells that option out nicely.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I suspect the trigger is hyperpalatability, I've said it before.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-hyperpal...add-1575144399

But shrug maybe it's emotional.

I mean sometimes the point of somewhat self-destructive behaviors is because it's self-destructive, and in that case then it all depends on how well contained it is, if it's once in a blue moon then it's probably more useful than not as catharsis, if not then not.

[JaneV2.0]

Or, if you're not fat-adapted, maybe it's about refilling glycogen stores.

[Ultralight]

I have a temporary sponsor.

[Ultralight]

So not too long before I went to OA I had this flash of a realization. I have mentioned this perhaps already, but bear with me. I realized that there was no way I was going to put this demon back on its leash unless I changed who I am, unless I changed my identity. As Foodie with the inside info on all the best ethnic foods in the city I was all about food.

I am progressing into the OA program. I have an appointment sent up with my health coach. I have not been in a restaurant in over a week. I have not been to a restaurant alone in well over a week. I am cooking simple, healthy meals at home that include veggies and all manner of real, whole foods. Nothing heavily processed.

What will fill this void in my identity that Foodie so powerfully took up? Do I need to fill it? Can I fill it? What would be good -- truly good -- to fill it with?

I would like it to be something as compelling as food but healthy and worthwhile.