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Overeating
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jmalchik
Member
 

Joined: 28 April 2005
Location: Santa Cruz, California USA
Posts: 16
 Posted: 15 June 2005 02:25 am
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I am generally healthy. I exercise and eat lots of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy whole grains. My problem is that I go through phases of eating too much and craving sweets to the point of desperation. I am constantly thinking about how I shouldn't eat this or that. It's beginning to wear on me because I know if I could overcome this obstacle I would be at my ideal weight. I'm only 5 lbs away. I've had my metabolism measured using a breath device at my gym and have even done the most accurate body fat analysis available (dunk tank method). I know I'm close and if I could only eat just as much as I need and fewer sweets and I would be there. But when it comes to meal time I'm notorious for putting away food like I'm starving in the desert. It's like I just lose all control and trying to maintain that control takes all the energy I have. As an example I switched to frozen berries for dessert but I'll eat a whole bag rather than one serving. When I am out to dinner I spend the entire time focusing on not overeating or eating to fast. I can never just relax. I realize this is probably a psychological problem, but I am open to advice. I would also be interested in any online Overeater Anonymous groups or similar support systems. Thanks for listening!

Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com


Joined: 24 May 2005
Location:  
Posts: 4178
 Posted: 15 June 2005 04:18 am
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One of the things I liked about OA (see FAQ on eating disorders) was simply the group support. Haven't heard of an on-line form of OA, but anyone interested is welcome to start a support group using this forum. I can create a separate forum for the group, and even make it private so that only your group members see it and can post and read the group's posts.

Interesting about the berries. A whole bag could certainly contain more calories than a regular dessert! Perhaps you might try keeping a food journal. (See Newsletter archives.) The value of keeping a food journal isn't only keeping track of calories... perhaps the greater benefit is that it makes you conscious of all your food decisions.

I look forward to reading about your progress!

Peter:monkey:
caloriesperhour

jmalchik
Member
 

Joined: 28 April 2005
Location: Santa Cruz, California USA
Posts: 16
 Posted: 15 June 2005 06:21 am
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I do actually keep a food log which seems to make me get more depressed about my overeating habits. I wish it was enough to not do it!

Even after I wrote my post I went to the gym and then came home and binged on a bunch of food... all healthy stuff, but too much of it. I would love to be a part of a support group on this site if anyone else is interested. Thanks for the input and support!

Dave Brown
Senior Member


Joined: 26 April 2005
Location: Kalispell, Montana USA
Posts: 121
 Posted: 17 June 2005 05:26 am
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jamilchik,

The body has a number of mechanisms for regulating appetite. You might want to research them to find out if you are eating something (like too much fructose) that is deranging your appetite regulating mechanism. There's also the possibility that you are not eating enough of something else (fat comes to mind) that could make you feel more satiated.

Type leptin into a search engine. Here's a sample of what you can learn about leptin:

Leptin's signaling ability may also help explain the high rates of regaining weight found among dieters, the investigators report. "After dieting, the levels of leptin drop, suggesting that less leptin is made and available to signal the brain," Friedman says. "This reduction may contribute to increased hunger and slower metabolism.

When you've learned about leptin, type ghrelin into a search engine. Here's a sample of what you'll be reading:

Ghrelin, Appetite & Weight Control
Scientists say they may have found out why people get hungry at mealtime, why dieters who lose weight often gain it back and why a certain type of stomach surgery helps very obese people lose a great deal of weight.

The reason may be a hormone called ghrelin, which makes people hungry, slows metabolism and decreases the body's ability to burn fat.

Ghrelin Levels
Ghrelin levels in the blood spike before meals and drop afterward. People given ghrelin injections felt voraciously hungry, and, when turned loose at a buffet, ate 30 percent more than they normally would.

Dieters who lose weight and then try to keep it off make more ghrelin than they did before dieting, as if their bodies are fighting to regain the lost fat, researchers are reporting today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

By contrast, the same study showed that very obese people who have an operation called gastric bypass to lose weight wind up with relatively little ghrelin, which may help explain why their appetites decrease markedly after the surgery.

No time for further discussion. Hope this helps.

Dave Brown

Benjee
Member
 

Joined: 3 June 2005
Location:  
Posts: 26
 Posted: 17 June 2005 08:22 pm
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Hey Dave...

I was wondering if you know anything about the health effects of taking Fish Oil supplements. I also use real butter and drink whole milk.... I just dont drink a gallon a day and slather the butter over everything i eat. One word that really scares me is Hydroginated or partially hydroginized... If I have trouble spelling it it bothers me.

-Ben

Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com


Joined: 24 May 2005
Location:  
Posts: 4178
 Posted: 17 June 2005 08:35 pm
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I'm on a trip and don't have my book with me, but if I remember correctly the author of Eat To Live describes fish oil supplements as being practically rancid and devoid of nutrients.

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/faqs_ETL.html

For Omega 3s I add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to my morning oatmeal and raisins, and have deep water fish (salmon or sardines) maybe once a week.

Peter:monkey:

Dave Brown
Senior Member


Joined: 26 April 2005
Location: Kalispell, Montana USA
Posts: 121
 Posted: 18 June 2005 07:09 am
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Benjee wrote: Hey Dave...

I was wondering if you know anything about the health effects of taking Fish Oil supplements. I also use real butter and drink whole milk.... I just dont drink a gallon a day and slather the butter over everything i eat. One word that really scares me is Hydroginated or partially hydroginized... If I have trouble spelling it it bothers me.

-Ben

Ben,

I'm not a walking encylopedia in so far as supplements are concerned. My theory of being healthy is to consistantly eat good quality food and experiment with supplements if illness occurs.  However, in my reading of nutrition material, I've noted opinions of others regarding fish oils. Here are some of Dr. Mercola's comments:

My list of safe fish:

Summer Flounder
Wild Pacific Salmon
Croaker
Sardines
Haddock
Tilapia


Not a very big list. It is important to note that farmed fish are very similar to commercial beef. The fish are fed grain products and the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are totally distorted. Additionally, non-organic grain is used, so the fish pick up the pesticides that were used on the grains and also that run-off from neighboring farmland.

So I would recommend limiting fish consumption and suggest you consider replacing it with cod liver oil. NOT the cod liver oil you typically think of from many decades ago.

Most cod liver oil from the past was improperly processed and as a result was rancid and tasted terrible. My current favorite is from Carlson Labs. Their lemon flavored cod liver oil tastes like lemon melted butter.

The cod liver oil also has the additional advantage of providing vitamin D, which is necessary for most of us in the US to take in the cold winter months when we don't get very much sun exposure on our skin to make vitamin D.

You are wise to consume real butter. As for whole milk, I've drunk it most of my life. Most of the time it has been pasteurized, homoginized whole milk which is way inferior to raw milk from grass fed cattle. If you care to learn more about raw milk, I recommend The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid, ND. You'll get some historical background behind the current policy requiring pasteurization of all dairy products in most states.

My first recollection of hydrogenated fats is from the 60s when my grandpa told my dad that hydrogenated fats were bad for the heart. Shortly thereafter my mom started buying the kind of peanut butter that had to be stirred and then refrigerated to keep the oil from separating and rising to the top. The creamy stuff that stays mixed contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oils which means that trans fats are present in the product. Unfortunately, we kept on consuming margarine instead of butter. Grandpa tended to rely on his physician for information, not nutrition books.

Nowadays, most baked goods, snacks, fried restaurant foods, and prepared foods contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil. If you want to learn the history behind this foolishness type "The Oiling of America" into a search engine and click on the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button.

Thanks for your questions.

Dave

jmalchik
Member
 

Joined: 28 April 2005
Location: Santa Cruz, California USA
Posts: 16
 Posted: 20 June 2005 06:04 am
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Thanks for the input. I look forward to reading about these chemicals as they very well may pertain to my problem. I know a lot of my issues regarding food are overeating for comfort, but it helps me to understand what other factors may be involved. I have lost weight recently and am now facing the appetite problem so it sounds like some of what you researched could be related. I also looked up Overeaters Anonymous online. There are online support groups, but I need to set myself up for IRC chat in order to join. In any case I appreciate all the input.

BTW I grew up in Whitefish. Montana Native :)


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