Has anyone overcome weight gain because of a scarcity mindset?

[Anonymous]

OP, who will eat the cookie if you won’t?

I have a very similar issue. What helped is talking to my husband (who has his own food issues) and explaining to him that if I set something aside for myself for later, he is not to touch it. Sometimes I literally have containers marked “Larla” in the fridge. If you are triggered by scarcity, do not let other people create scarcity around you.

[Anonymous]

the thing that helped me fight sugar cravings was intermittent fasting. no idea why (lost zero weight though).

i'm still not sure i could resist a cookie on the counter though. at least put it out of sight and leave the house for a bit.

[Anonymous]

Set a plan to buy a better cookie in 2 days so you know you aren’t missing out by ignoring this one. Then reassess and see if you really need that cookie in a couple days, or maybe you can wait 2 more days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Box the cookies, put it in your closet. Eat it later.

This. To turn off the scarcity mindset, you need to feel like you have a reserve. Which means you need to hide it or put it in a locked cabinet or something. Once you know it is there an no rush to eat it, you may want to save it.

[Anonymous]

I think one way past this is to promise yourself that you can have the cookie “tomorrow “ — IF you really still want the cookie. Then notice how you feel when you wake up the next day. For me, the issue is often desserts or chips. When I wake up in the morning, I usually don’t want whatever I was craving the evening before. When I don’t eat those things for a few days, the cravings go away.

An issue for me is that I was forced to “clean my plate” as a kid, so, at some deep level, “finishing” food means that I’m “good” and won’t get punished. I still battle that kind of “noise” sometimes too. So I think it’s a combination of emotional “noise” and food noise — possibly connected with some starchy + fat/sugar/salt foods. As others have suggested, the food noise may quiet down if you eliminate certain types of foods, and therapy can help with the emotional stuff.

[Anonymous]

I’ve had some success. Intuitive Eating (book) was a game changer, and giving myself permission to eat those foods takes away their power. You may need to go through a cycle where you kind of overdo it. But if you follow the intuitive eating guidance (notice how you feel after eating these foods), it’s like a switch flips. I have a drawer of cookies and lollipops next to me right now and it’s not calling my name at all.

Realistically you will have some bad days. For me, bad sleep leads to cravings. For those days, the other tool you need is to stop shaming and blaming yourself.

[Anonymous]

I didn't have success with this until I started Wegovy a few months ago - like a PP said, I didn't really know what "food noise" was until it was gone. (For me, food noise was a lot like you describe.) It's been eye-opening; I guess this is how normal people approach food and eating. Anyway, I know you said you don't want to go that route - just sharing my experience.

Another PP recommended Contrave - which didn't do anything for me (but glad to hear it works for others!).

[Anonymous]

Are you unable to get more cookies if someone else eats it?

[Anonymous]

You could do some deep depth psychology, emdr, inner child journaling work OR you could do the recommendations to quiet the good noise.

The latter will prob get you results faster

The former will be more work, be rough at times, but bring to much inner healing and eventually the results you desire to (but as a symptom of healing, not the main goal).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Find something more productive to do than fixing on the cookie maybe?

This is a useless answer.

OP, the answer is senaglutide. It isn’t a psychological problem, it’s a physiological one.

NP. Even if it is physiological, it does not necessarily mandate medication. I relate very well with the "if I don't have one of those cookies now, they'll be gone and I won't get one" mindset. It's a choice I make whether I am succumb, or reframe my thinking to whether or not I really really WANT that cookie right now and what's the worst that happens if I don't get one (answer: I don't get a cookie this time around but there will always be more later). I can also choose between it will taste good and will be gone if I don't take it now, and I don't really have to eat it and it's better for my health if I don't.

This gets done daily and requires no medication. Psychological.
After developing better eating habits and eliminating a lot of sugar, white flours, processed foods and increasing healthy foods and vegs, the cravings for the cookie diminish. Physiological. Without medication. That should be the immediate default, medication last resort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, here’s my story. I have hovered around 25/26 BMI since I was a kid, but am very tall with a large frame (e.g., size 11 feet, fit into men’s tall raincoats, eg). I’m fit, I eat clean (very little sugar, no processed foods, very little alcohol).

As a kid, my mom restricted our food out of fear of gaining, plus cost. my brothers and I fought over food all the time and would eat raw flour, pasta, cheese, uncooked bacon—whatever we could find. We stole food from other people’s houses. I had pica and went through a period of eating gelcaps. My brother ate a small container of paint. During an illness, I wasn’t allowed to eat food that I could keep down and lost 30 pounds over a 10 week period.

My brother developed binge eating disorder and gained over 200 pounds. He eventually lost the weight but developed serious chronic conditions.

I dieted, weighed myself, exercised, walked, lifted weights, counted calories, etc, for 44 years. I have been in therapy, seen nutritionists, take antidepressants, do meditation, yoga, etc.

A few months ago after some weight gain/high blood pressure readings (perimenopause) she recommended Contrave to help with cravings.

OP—WITHIN 24 HOURS the food noise quieted down. I didn’t realize it was there until it was gone. I no longer had my life controlled by what and when and how I would eat and what that meant about me and my body and my body compared to others etc etc. It’s just…..quiet?

I’ve lost a few pounds but honestly I don’t care. The improvement in my quality of life is huge. There are some people for whom nature, nurture, or a combination of both turns on the food scarcity mindset. But I couldn’t fix it without meds.

That is a terribly heartbreaking story and I'm glad you have finally found a place of peace and contentment. Still, your story is full of trauma OP does not indicate. I don't think OP needs to jump to medication as the first step. If there's truly an obsession with food due to some psychological issues, therapy would be warranted. People are often too quick to jump to a solution to the symptom rather than fixing the problem. (Not saying that's your case.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think one way past this is to promise yourself that you can have the cookie “tomorrow “ — IF you really still want the cookie. Then notice how you feel when you wake up the next day. For me, the issue is often desserts or chips. When I wake up in the morning, I usually don’t want whatever I was craving the evening before. When I don’t eat those things for a few days, the cravings go away.

An issue for me is that I was forced to “clean my plate” as a kid, so, at some deep level, “finishing” food means that I’m “good” and won’t get punished. I still battle that kind of “noise” sometimes too. So I think it’s a combination of emotional “noise” and food noise — possibly connected with some starchy + fat/sugar/salt foods. As others have suggested, the food noise may quiet down if you eliminate certain types of foods, and therapy can help with the emotional stuff.

I do this. Not always successfully with the cookies and brownies that are always around because my kids "have" to have "dessert" every night and won't accept fruit or yogurt with fruit "dessert." But often successfully, particularly with soda. My kids actually don't like that, so they aren't going to drink it; and husband drinks diet which I can't stand. So I know there is soda available IF I REALLY want it. If I find myself thinking about it for 3 days, I know I want it and have one and the craving is satisfied.

But I do struggle regularly with "if I don't eat it now, it will be gone" in general because that's how it's played out living as a family. When you're the only one trying to eat better and refrain from more treats, and you have a kid that seems to have no limit or consideration for the fact others might want some..... So I have resorted to "hiding" certain foods and letting my other kid know where they are, as well as keeping my own stash of certain things which I am able to make last a long time. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to do that with ice cream that has to be in the freezer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't buy junk food.
Eating a more basic diet of meat, milk, eggs, legumes, whole grains is cheaper than buying pre-fab foods and junk food, and healthier as well.

Avoid fresh vegetables unless you grow them yourself, as that is where most people waste their money on "eating healthy", as frozen is usually better than fresh if buying from a store. Once you are buying healthy, you can eat more.

Also, more you move, more calories you burn, and higher you basal metabolic rate will be, so no worries.

Avoid fresh vegetables, what in the what? This has nothing to do with anything and also is bad advice.

[Anonymous]

I think it's important to keep reminding yourself that there isn't scarcity. If you are worried someone else will eat your share, label or hide it. Or just remind yourself you're an adult with money, you can get more any time you want. I tell myself and my kids this - it's ok if we finish off X, we can buy more at the store next week, we are lucky to always have enough food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, here’s my story. I have hovered around 25/26 BMI since I was a kid, but am very tall with a large frame (e.g., size 11 feet, fit into men’s tall raincoats, eg). I’m fit, I eat clean (very little sugar, no processed foods, very little alcohol).

As a kid, my mom restricted our food out of fear of gaining, plus cost. my brothers and I fought over food all the time and would eat raw flour, pasta, cheese, uncooked bacon—whatever we could find. We stole food from other people’s houses. I had pica and went through a period of eating gelcaps. My brother ate a small container of paint. During an illness, I wasn’t allowed to eat food that I could keep down and lost 30 pounds over a 10 week period.

My brother developed binge eating disorder and gained over 200 pounds. He eventually lost the weight but developed serious chronic conditions.

I dieted, weighed myself, exercised, walked, lifted weights, counted calories, etc, for 44 years. I have been in therapy, seen nutritionists, take antidepressants, do meditation, yoga, etc.

A few months ago after some weight gain/high blood pressure readings (perimenopause) she recommended Contrave to help with cravings.

OP—WITHIN 24 HOURS the food noise quieted down. I didn’t realize it was there until it was gone. I no longer had my life controlled by what and when and how I would eat and what that meant about me and my body and my body compared to others etc etc. It’s just…..quiet?

I’ve lost a few pounds but honestly I don’t care. The improvement in my quality of life is huge. There are some people for whom nature, nurture, or a combination of both turns on the food scarcity mindset. But I couldn’t fix it without meds.

Wtf did I just read