Is this why I am prone to overeating?

[Anonymous]

Maybe. I grew up the same way. We had basic meals and apples, carrots and bananas to snack on. That was it. When I got a job as a teen I bought bags of candy and hid them in my backpack/purse.

If we ever had any kind of treat food (i.e cold cereal, crackers), I felt I had to scarf it down before my other siblings ate it all.

However, I'm the only one in my family who ever had a weight problem, so I'm guessing it just has something to do with my wiring.

[Anonymous]

Why not go after the veggies and fruit since you also didn't have those. Sugar is absolute poison. I legs start shaking 5 minutes after I eat sugar.
Think about your body-the temple- not your sweet tooth. You body has very hard time getting rid of all the sugar.
There are several isles in grocery stores that shouldn't even exist. They are there to take your money, not to offer what body needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not go after the veggies and fruit since you also didn't have those. Sugar is absolute poison. I legs start shaking 5 minutes after I eat sugar.
Think about your body-the temple- not your sweet tooth. You body has very hard time getting rid of all the sugar.
There are several isles in grocery stores that shouldn't even exist. They are there to take your money, not to offer what body needs.

If you are shaking after eating fruit, you need to go to a doctor. That is not normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone suggesting healthy snacks appears to be missing the point which is to indulge in the freedom to actually have treats!

OP, I have found it helpful to take the treat-oriented indulge mindset and try to redirect it to something not candy/overeating related. So when I’m tempted by cookies at the grocery stores, I instead look up recipes for fancy salads and indulge on expensive or unusual produce. Or I let myself pay for an insanely overpriced naked smoothie (small) instead of buying a gallon of soda. Or instead of buying myself a whole pizza I order a fancy slice from some local artisanal pizzeria. That and I avoid one off checkout candy bars and spontaneous delivery because the wasted money makes me twitch.

+1 Plus the OP never asked for healthy snack suggestions. The point of hte OP has gone over their head.

OP, I grew up with plenty of food/snacks available to me at all times. I was always a healthy weight until I got to my mid-30s. I began overeating at mealtime, and eating when I was not even hungry. For me, it's emotional eating. It's a real struggle and I think about it every single day.

[Anonymous]

No..it is your personality and brain chemistry that makes you prone to binge eating, plus with pretty much all types of junk food ever present in most of lives, many many people from every upbringing struggle with eating too much. It isn’t how you grew up.

[Anonymous]

No, you just have no self control. Instead you are blaming some old evils.

[Anonymous]

Yes, that could absolutely be the source. As a healthy and active child I was heavily criticized by my very thin mother for my eating choices. So were my siblings. 4/4 of my mother’s children have eating issues; one is obese; one is anorexic; I and my brother are healthy weight but fixate on choices and overstock our kitchens. Go figure…

Parents screw us up. We need to fix ourselves so we don’t scree up *our* kids. It’s hard. So.hard.

[Anonymous]

agree that is likely a contributing factor. consider looking at intuitive eating or intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting can help some people 'reset' the relationship with food in a way that you may find helpful.

[Anonymous]

I had a controlling mother who criticized weight and always commented on whether something was fattening or not (of course this was also during the low fat high carb days). I would hoard/hide sweets as a response I think. Once I was in my own I veered between extremes of overeating and restricting. Took me years to be ok with just having a cookie and leaving the rest, not feeling guilty or that I had to get rid of them all etc; I had to really accept there will always be cookies and I get to decide whether to have on. Or not, o one else, there is no need to finish them in secret or ban them from the house.

[Anonymous]

Growing up we very rarely had treats because of very tight money situation. I don't particularly crave treats now.

[Anonymous]

I've felt similarly. My parents were poor but didn't ask for help. I was sneaking uncooked macaroni to school and eating it there, I was so hungry but so embarrassed when the teacher came and asked if my mom knew I had it.

Only when my parents were gone could I sneak a spoonful of peanut butter or something, and my dad and brother always got the extra food. If we had pizza, my mom would slice one piece in half to give me "2" and my dad and younger brother would get 2-3 actual pieces. I was a skinny kid on the running team... Also parents had cheap apples sometimes, but no other fruits or vegetables. I spent all my birthday money etc on food.

When I had my kids I bought all organic foods even organic junk foods and they ate as much as they wanted (save for the hour or so before dinner). Then when they were 7 or so I started letting them eat other more common foods. They are older teens now and eat as much as they want of what they want, but I don't buy too much candy, try to buy healthier granola bars like madegood, and my only real rule is have to at least eat a portion of dinner before eating snacks.

I was appalled when my daughter went through her growth spurt (and was also in activities) - if we went out to eat, she would eat 2 full (big) kids meals, my leftovers, and my sons. It made me realize how truly hungry (and deprived) I might have been.

Their friends also always knew they could help themselves, which they did. But it still sometimes triggered me even if my daughter was just making herself a tea, because it wasn't allowed when I was little. When my kids go somewhere with my oarents and my parents try to cut their food I have to step in (my parents aren't poor anymore). My kids have always stayed on their exact growth curves and both are very healthy weights, daughter sometimes a touch too skinny.

I use food to comfort myself a lot more than I want to. The thought of food and the thought of not having food gives me anxiety sometimes. When I hit adulthood and could make my own meals freely, I gained 20lbs or so. Then my life turned into years of low weight, years of overweight.

It's hard to feel hungry. Even when I haven't eaten all day, it's like my self blocks the hunger feeling because it's traumatic. I absolutely think the food issues and body issues are really wired in for me. My childhood was difficult in many ways so I also have dopamine issues.

[Anonymous]

It’s anecdotal, but I tend to agree. My husband overeats, and he was deprived of treats growing up. My mom always had sweets around. I specifically remember there always being a bag of miniature nestle crunch bars in the fridge. I do not overeat because I know it is always available. I think this happens with smokers too. My parents smoked, so I never felt the inclination to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Focus on healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, lean meats/fish, and sushi.

Salmon is a great food as is roast duck. Turkey, chicken, roasted vegetables, brown rice, and le seuer canned peas, healthy salads with chicken & cashews. Angus steaks and dry rub St. Louis style ribs. Mashed potatoes goes well with peas. Bananas, tomatoes, onions, and lemon water. Baked beans.

Apples, pears, & watermelon. Cantaloupe.

No soda, no cookies, no candy, no junk food ever.

If you need a sweet junk food, then consider a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on your favorite bread.

Thanks for the diet tip and not actually answering OP’s question. 🤔

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try pre-washed, pre-cut celery with a healthy dip. Same for baby carrots.

If you stock only healthy foods in your refrigerator, then you will eat healthy.

Can you read? Not answering the question. What is wrong with you people? Lazy readers.