Is anyone struggling with food? - YouLookFab Forum

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Is anyone struggling with food?

Helena

Veteran

Hi everyone, now I'm going to rain on Laurie's cookie parade, so let me start by saying, I am definitely pro-cookie.

BUT - I am struggling with my eating habits massively! I have never had this issue before - I enjoy the odd treats and love a salty snack, but have never been such a junk-monster before.

Is this stress? Perimenopause? Have I just lost all discipline? Has anyone had this problem and how have you steered yourself back on track?

To be clear - this is truly NOT about weight or weight-loss or dieting - it's really about healthy habits and eating for wellness - I don't want anyone to feel judged for enjoying what they enjoy; I am wholeheartedly in favour of balance and joy in eating and will never ever give up my chips and prosecco! I'm just not in balance at the moment and feel like I need to get it back.

Thanks for any tips or suggestions!

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37 replies

Latest reply was from Lieselotte Kander

Marmee

Veteran

I am definitely pro cookie, but I have to say that I am struggling with the amount of cookies and other baked goods that are being produced in my kitchen by my two daughters who see baking as a fun stress management activity! The sheer variety of treats is fun, but challenging to resist.

Anonymous

I've noticed I've been eating more junk since my normal fitness routine was disrupted. It seems the less I exercise, the more I want junk. I'm pretty sure it's stress related. I'm getting back on track with the exercise, which will help me stay away from those cookies,I hope!

cindysmith

Veteran

I was surviving on junk food at the big box grocer. I had to pass the bakery every morning as I walked to my department. Also? So many snacks there just begging me to buy them. I'm at a produce stand now, and the quality of the produce is far above and beyond anything I've tasted in a grocery store, so it's made it easier to eat more fruits and veggies. I still like my chips and cookies, I just don't eat as many of them. It was HARD at first, but it's gotten easier to bypass the donuts at the convenience store and the bakery stuff at the grocery store. However, I am currently angry at myself for not having any salty snacks in my home LOL

Helena

Veteran

Oh well at least it's not just me!!

Cindy, my husband hides the chips and rations them to me in small portions ... Otherwise it's just a disaster!!

Anonymous

I struggle with food every.single.day . I know exactly how to eat for optimizing my health , my weight and my energy . But do I do it ? No. Food comforts me - although it really doesn’t - when I’m tired , wound up or frustrated . Or bored. I don’t love cooking , don’t love veggies in general , and the amount of baking I’ve been doing ( for fun - yeah , sure Lisa ) means we are eating more white flour , sugars of all kinds and chocolate than usual . UGH . That said , one of my goals in my new semi retirement - which starts in a week - is to take a cooking class , spend time on meal planning and make a lot of healthier meals for my family .

Classically Casual

Veteran

My occasional indulgences were morphing into regular treats. That plus the closed gyms and various other reasons I’m not exercising like before, was not a good combination . Plus we seem to be in this for the long haul. For about the last month I’ve been eating low carb/keto. Planning is easy and so far DH has not rebelled. I don’t test, also am intermittent fasting most days. I think the ability to control something in my life appeals to me, and I’ve stopped gaining weight. We’ll see how long it lasts...

rachylou

Veteran

It’s not quite the same maybe, but before I became diabetic I was used to eating many small meals, snacking all day long. That was supposed to be healthy, right? But when I became diabetic, the doctor didn’t like that and it WAS difficult, for various reasons, in terms of having loaded up on carbs and insulin at all sorts of different times. The effects get sorta tangled. Anyways, now I have a rule about only eating every four hours. Took awhile to get used to - a long while - but it’s not a complicated thought. Having to think too much totally defeats me when it comes to diet.

rachylou

Veteran

Of course, now it occurs to me... maybe you’re talking about replacing dinner with chips or something. I think of junk food as a snacking-all-day problem...

rachylou

Veteran

And one more... a lot of us have had routine changes... that’s disruptive in more ways than one...

Liz

Veteran

You asked, "Is this stress? Perimenopause?" Yes, it could be either or both of those. I have far stronger cravings and far less desire to withstand them when I'm under stress, and perimenopause intensified everything--my cravings and my emotions. I doubt you've suddenly lost all self-discipline. Trace this trend you're noticing in yourself back to the time (approximately) when it started. What else was happening at the time?

Was perimenopause kicking in? Was it the pandemic? Other stresses?

elpgal

Veteran

Don’t have any advice except to say I am in the same boat.

slim cat

Veteran

Very similar - lots of snacking. Baking used to be a regular thing but now I don't have time for it ( plus my daughter said "less sweet things"
).

Jane

Veteran

I’m nodding and sympathise. I have been relaxed since March on the eating and put on a few pounds. Which I’m fine with.

But now I’m being a little bit healthier and aiming for lots of fruit and veg, hoping to loose the pounds and then I’ve more choice for my winter wardrobe.

It’s sugar cravings that get to me and stress leaves me wanting sugar.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

A small problem with food, and a bigger one with not wanting to exercise. I know it'll make me feel better and make it easier to focus, but day after day I tell myself I have to get x done first, or that I'm just too tired and will do it the next day... but the next day, I don't have any energy either, because I didn't work out.

I've just eaten a salad Nicoise from a jar. Making them ahead is key for me to get through the day. Otherwise I'm tired because I'm hungry. Then I whine and don't get work done or work out, think I need just one more little nap or round of facebook. Round and round. So I need to get off here and go be productive now that I've had my nutritious lunch.

So far my weight has crept back up less than 2 kg. Not really a problem, as long as it doesn't go up more. I'm OK with where it is now, need to be working on shape, not weight, but that clearly isn't going well either when I'm eating poorly and not moving.

Joyce B

Veteran

Added sugars have always been a struggle for me until I decided to mostly avoid them in my food, that helped me a lot. After that I am able to have an occasional treat without having to have more after I finish it.

Helena

Veteran

Thanks so much everyone ... it's therapeutic to know many are having the same issues! Rachy, you totally nailed it ... it's the snacking. I also relate to the simplicity piece - I've had good luck with food trackers in one way, but in another way it just sucks the joy out of eating, so while it's good as a sanity check for a week here or there, it's not something that feels sustainable in a positive way.

Joyce, the sugar is it for me too ... and Liz, I think I've been in peri for a while but my cycles are SO heavy now that I think I legitimately need extra calories during that time just to recover ... and definitely the pandemic has thrown everything into disarray, with schedules and routines out of whack, not being able to get out and about as much, etc.

I'm thinking based on everyone's feedback that picking one thing to focus on - maybe just limiting the added sugar - is enough to add to the situation!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Food trackers work for me without sucking out the joy if I take some time the evening before to play the tetris game of planning out my day. I allow myself a couple treats most days, so I have fun planning them out. I generally start with the yum and then add in other stuff around it. It works for me, because I think of it as getting the good stuff. And I often set some nibbles out in the morning. Sometimes it’s a 12.5 g bar of chocolate and a tablespoon of pb, some days it’s chips, sometimes it’s whipped cream to put in my coffee, on a baked apple or whatever else I can think of. Since my problem is often that I don’t eat if I haven’t figured it out ahead of me, I feel better when I take the time to set this up.

Helena

Veteran

Oh that's a great idea FI ... I'll try that!

MsMary

Veteran

Yup and don't even get me started on the daily cocktail hour...

Helena

Veteran

MsMary ... DH and I are doing our part supporting the Italian economy with our prosecco consumption ... or as my husband calls his: "bro-secco" *eyeroll* lol!!

JAileen

Veteran

I had to write a letter for our church, asking for more donations. This is a very hard thing to do, especially if you’re not a writer, which I’m not. Anyway, I frittered away my time until the very last day, and then I threw something together, eating cookies along the way. Stress eating.

Mary, we stopped our Pandemic cocktail hour. We’re sleeping a lot better. That’s not to say we don’t drink at all. My husband made us cocktails over the weekend. I was very down about RBG’s death.

My favorite pick me up is iced coffee, with stevia and whole milk. It’s very satisfying to me. It’s also super strong, so I can only have it in the morning.

RobinF

Veteran

Sweets has always been a problem for me and it is really easy for me to increase without even realizing it. That is where trackers can come in handy. But I also like to bake so instead of baking a whole batch of cookies I will make them and bake a few and then freeze the rest so they are ready to bake next time we want fresh cookies. It helps prevent me from eating too many at once. Works for scones and biscuits too, which I also love.

RobinF

Veteran

And I do love my daily glass of wine!

Sara L.

Veteran

I have two big issues - daily cocktail hour and meal planning. I've never been all that organized about meal planning and grocery shopping. I used to stop at the grocery store several times a week and pick up stuff for dinner that night. But with Covid, I'm trying to limit my grocery trips which means being more organized with meal planning, and I really struggle with it. I'm good for a couple weeks and then I fall off the wagon so end up ordering takeout.

nemosmom

Veteran

*Raises hand*... I struggle with snacking during the best of times. My problem is convenience of unhealthy options. Having healthier options to snack on requires planning and forethought and more effort than I feel like I can put in these days. It's easy to grab a quick handful of chips and go on about my business. Making a salad or cutting up fruit takes more time. Or, those things go bad before we get around to eating them.

anchie

Veteran

I don’t have a sweet tooth so I am not tempted by it at all. But salty and spicy things are my weakness. Who can eat only a few pieces of chips? Not me, LOL. So my best strategy is not to buy it, otherwise no guarantees. But last few months I was using junk food as my weight maintenance tool - whenever I would feel my clothes getting too lose, I would stock up and binge on junk food until things are back to normal.

Laurie

Veteran

I started 2020 so well - 5 weeks of no alcohol (so hard, but totally rewarding with how good I felt) followed by 4 weeks of tracking my food on MyFitnessPal (including wine, but now tracking calories per glass), losing a few pounds and feeling awesome. Then Covid. I lost all motivation to track my foods even though it had not been hard, it had worked so well, and it felt like a really good habit to be in...I just willfully, consciously undermined myself every day. The few pounds came back.

Cocktail hour? Even in the dark early days of limiting outside venturing, we made it to Total Wine multiple times. I keep thinking I'll take a wine hiatus again, but then I don't. I also start to record my food from time to time, but never seem to make it through a full day.

Weird sort of suspended animation, isn't it?

I get an A for exercise though. I have been 100% compliant and consistent. I think it's because it's actually daily pain management, and not for super difficult but (and therefore?) expendable goals like losing weight or training for a marathon. At least this.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I hear you. I don't know how it is that my pants still fit, because my eating habits have not been stellar this year. I do worry about my blood pressure though, so I should cool it on the sugary and fatty stuff. My bp was up when I donated blood last weekend, but....stress and 2020 go together like, um, peanut butter and chocolate. Oh, and I forgot to eat breakfast before my donation appointment so I very nearly fainted with a pint of blood out of me. Oops!

Cardiff girl

Veteran

We have eaten a lot more cake in our household since the pandemic started.l l think that the sugar is comforting and as I said to the DD now is not the time to get too skinny and weak(that’s my excuse anyways)

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