Over Eating

I like to think about my constant hunger, as if I had a black hole inside ready to suck in everything.

There are some things e.g. Magnum icecreams, I cannnot say no to, no matter if I just ate or not, or just woke up or going to bed, happen I have a 'goodnight one'' in bed :P

I can only regulate what I eat, to have everything else more healthy, 

but I don't think I'm obese 13.5stone at 5'6″ is ok

I have for the longest time had an addiction to energy drinks. I tried moving away to coffee and tea, but I've realised that it was most likely the act of drinking something sweet. I've replaced the cans of monster with bottles of lemonade.

Now I manage my hunger by ensconcing myself in an activity which takes my entire focus, and set alarms for when I need to eat.

I also smoke cigarettes occasionally, but I wouldn't recommend replacing an eating habit with a smoking one.

I'm certain that many of the people browsing the forum will recount a tendency to chew random things (bits of plastic usually), myself included, but I generally use chewing gum as a form of stress relief.

I have the same issue, I've also put of over 3 stone in the last year. Until recently, also with alcohol. I've finally stopped drinking because I've become intolerant to alcohol, which has been really helpful! In some ways I wish I would become intolerant to food too (or at least some foods). 

I've always had an oral fixation and think I use food to stim. Could this be an issue for you too? I've just bought some chewable jewellery and a load of sugar free chewing gum in an attempt too transfer the stim. Have you tried anything like that?

In my experience, I struggle with over eating occasionally because I'm bored, and more often than not, I'm alone.

Olfactory (smells and tastes) stimulation gives way to just eating, and then becomes the dominant principle. I have found, that eating in the company of others, at a table without other distractions like TV or radio, works best. 

Having a routine for eating is also really important, because if I don't structure my eating correctly, I find that I will eat whenever I want and frequently I will eat to excess.

I have recently been cutting down my portion sizes to try and let my stomach shrink to a size where I notice that I'm full after a standard sized meal. 

I'm bulimarexic.  My family loves food and it's the center of all get-togethers.  I've resigned myself to living an eating disordered life and have done so since I was around 15 or 16.  I hope you can find the help you need and improve your relationship with food.  

I don't eat enough and I'm underweight, so I have the opposite that happens. Instead of an emotional eater, I'm an emotional worker, if there was ever such a term. I work when I'm happy, sad, stressed, that I prioritize work over food. I mean I like eating food and I'm not terrified of fat or anything, but when I have something to work on, I'll hold off on eating food for hours. I did a workaholic type of quiz, and I scored very high in it. I mean I don't work for money, but because there's a satisfaction from doing it. I just work on a project or do something that captures my interest. I don't know how to stop and take breaks to eat food. I'll let food get cold. I've developed some routines to get me to eat, but they don't work all the time. 

This makes me think of the models of girls everyone sees in msinstream media, who are all skinny, smiling, and their image is intertwined with the words health and beauty. These images are everywhere, that this became the unfortunate standard of how girls and women should look like to be considered healthy, that these images even influences doctors.

Even though it's well known that many models have eating disorders to keep themselves as thin as possible for their job, they are constantly under stress and they're not healthy, and they're suffering, but you can't tell because the photos of them show them otherwise (happy, confident, smiling). And the issue I have is that even if I'm not eating much, I'm famished, I'm weak, and I'm fatigued, I have an issue with eating enough food, the doctor does not take it seriously, because I mistakenly look healthy (by mainstream standards) to him, and then he just sends me on my way. When really, if I'm as skinny as those models, and those models have eating disorders, then naturally the doctor should actually conclude that I need to change my eating habits and get me on the right path right away. But instead, nothing happens, and I am sent on my way.

My Balance Now Wrote:

Thanks for the information, I will try to figure it out for more. Keep sharing such informative post.  

Not weed

Stoner made me smile.

Thank you for your reply Gerty and thank you for understanding about having children.  I do beat myself up that i do not do what other' moms do with their children.  When we have been on a long day out which i have enjoyed it takes the next two days to recover!!!  I do struggle with that but now I know this is not my fault. I am still getting my head around I need down time.  I knew there was a problem when I had my two youngest children (I have three, first one born many moons ago) with 19 months apart and I could not cope, I put it down to being a bad mom that could not cope.  I then realised there was an issue when my son displayed problems and was diagnosed with ADHD (still waiting on his ASD assessment, another long story)..  

I just now deep down that when i am in control of my eating then life seems a little bit easier.   Food is my friend when but a pain when I binge!!!  It has been lovely to hear from others that are on the spectrum and understand.  I have only had help or advice pre diagnosis and always beat myself up when I get it wrong.

Thank you again   

MrMaxaMan I have read that people on the spectrum are prone to more addiction.  Now I have not touched alcohol for 10 years and gave up the fags 25 years so I do not understand why i cant put the food down.  I think I am an all or nothing person and I know that i cannot give up food (even though i wish i could at times).  Thank you for your reply and i wish you well with your journey, hopefully we will find peace one day.  

Thank you for your reply out of step.   

Dawn please don't feel guilty about food, try to enjoy it - it's essential - but stick to 'eat real food mainly plants and not too much'. (Google Michael Pollen to explain this.)

Make sure you get enough sleep, which can be almost impossible when you have small children in school holidays, as I think tiredness can lead to overeating, and perhaps Aspies get more tired specially juggling family demands.

Just my thoughts, I get really impatient with both the food industry and the diet industry exploiting us, one selling over-processed low quality food making us overweight, and the other selling us ineffective diet programs!

I have no issues with food, it's alcohol that's the problem. Similar to you I have it when happy, sad or any excuse to have it. Alcohol & food issues take a lot of willpower and hopefully support to deal with.

I overeat.  It's like there's no off switch some days. I struggle to realise when I'm full.  HOWEVER I've recently started a well known dieting app. It's changing my relationship with food and I'm being more mindful if I feel full or not now. It's helping me form new habits. This is alongside other things which help my wellbeing like doing more exercise and meditation. 

I also find that when I've taken an illegal natural substance (which I won't mention because I don't want to get banned from the forum),,  it's regulated my appetite more along with regulating repetitive thoughts. I feel there's some link somewhere.

I am going to be honest and had to reply what Defence Mode was and lost of information came up pointing at someone with Asperger's.  thank you for this.  I am newly diagnosed so will look into the Defence Mode for myself, I can relate to what you have said.  At the moment a few appliances at home have broken down, the family car was in an accident and the kids are home for the 6 weeks hols so i am out of my comfort zone and out of my routine.  Will try and be more kinder to my self.  thanks for the reply moon.  

I did OA back in 2016/17 for around 15 months and for the first 12 months it was great.  I lost weight, got my eating on track and did the 12 steps.  I only struggled when my Sponsor was less involved with me and I became a sponsor myself.  I then found the whole thing overwhelming and I was unable to be a sponsor to someone else so I gave up>  I found the whole thing a positive experience but found I was unable to commit to the whole OA programme.  

Yes, absolutely.  I still don’t feel ready for OA or something like that.