CRAM Circuit Challenge

[moonlight]

I don't know if I can call last night a success. I didn't eat after dinner until bedtime but I went to bed early and woke up about 3 hours later and had a huge snack of crackers.... I guess that is technically a fail last night.
Extinction Curve Success
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[laurag]

Hi there I can relate with the eating after dinner or lunch so much I feel like I need to keep eating I call it the unsaitables I also eat and kinda feel sick like I ate too much but I will usually wait a little while and then eat a little more. If I could have a goal it would be to not snack and only do three meals with a night time snack just one.that is so hard for me.

[AnnetteW]

Well it's 3 PM and I just got home from my lunch out and errands. I am no hungry....but I have munchies. It's also past my cram time, so eating now is just not a good plan. I don't think at least. I will probably feel some hunger in about 1 hour since my lunch wasn't all that large.

I do understand that cramming and snacking when hungry are not the same thing. I'm home, I'm at my computer, this is a what I would think of as a snack time (though I would overeat/cram at the same place.)

I will make myself a cup of tea, and put on Netflix and work on some knitting. And do my best not to think about eating. And when I could use a small snack, then I'll have one.

Ugh...this is hard work.

[moonlight]

Good morning! I made it through the evening without snacking. One day good, one day bad, maybe I will now move to two days good.
Extinction Curve Success
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[Ejeff]

I am also trying to stop the cramming in the evening. Last night I had success I believe. Ate normal supper and then about one hour later had my dessert which was sweet potato mashed up with applesauce, little peanut butter, cinnamon and raisins. I know Dr. lisle says have dessert right with the meal, but waiting about an hour seems to work better for me. I think that as long as it’s just the one snack or dessert then it’s not cramming. What do you think? I was very tempted to eat more before bed as I felt slightly hungry, but as the good doctor states you just need a few days of not giving in to the conditioning of the brain.

[AnnetteW]

Ejeff, I sure don't know what's right or wrong. I think it's really for us to judge for ourselves without being overly restrictive or silly about it. I do know that "cramming" on fruit (frozen watermelon in my case) is totally different than munching down on a box of cookies, or nuts.

Perhaps we have to have the discussion with ourselves about if we are eating for a certain reason. One thing I like about Doug Lisle is that he says we don't have issues, we're not eating for mental reasons (though some might, it's not for me to know), but honestly for myself I agree. I overeat because food is delicious, and I almost only ever overeat after lunch. So I do feel it's a bit of a cram session for me. I might overeat at dinner if it's super yummy, but I don't continue to eat. I just wish I hadn't eaten so much. But after lunch I can keep packing it in, and I don't even feel full. I think that is so weird.

Today was an odd day, I had my breakfast of millet/peach/soymilk. Lunch was at my grandson's birthday party and I made compliant beans and brought my own cook corn tortillas and made my tacos. But I ate cake (I told myself I could, I love cake and adore frosting), but then I had a second piece. Plus I had 2 glasses of wine. Ooops, my bad. Oh, before we left for the party I ate a bag of frozen watermelon. I got home and had another bag of frozen watermelon. I wasn't hungry, but I was plopped down in front of my computer, watched a movie and it is a bad habit that will take a lot of work to break. But it was still only watermelon (just a large quantity).

But my stomach doesn't hurt, I feel good actually. Now that it's getting late I'm actually feeling a little hungry. But not really hungry...more like it's just time to eat. I'm going to just not eat tonight, I've eaten enough today (though not enough green stuff....alas.)

I think I will focus more on this during weekdays, it's easier than on a weekend.

Hope everyone is doing well. Definitely check in with us.

[squealcat]

Oh Annette ! I was so happy to hear that "someone" started a CRAM circuit challenge here !! This is one of my biggest problems and I, too have trouble in the afternoon. The problem occurs mostly when I am home alone but also it happens when there is nothing in the house that I really love to eat so I eat what I have and keep looking and looking for more and end up with bread, peanut butter, jelly, chips.....and the list goes on and on. I also love fruit but right now, that is not my problem.

I am determined to find a way past this cramming thing! I have bought some tea that I love. After lunch I sipped a cup of the hot tea to signal the end of my meal. I didn't have any problem today for some reason but I do have several things I plan to do after my cup of tea. 1) a short walk to get out of the house 2) a short, easy chore that I have been putting off (has to take 15 minutes or less or I won't do it) 3) read or knit (I have a new project to start on for my future grandson that is due in 3 months).

I also have to be more diligent about having things to eat that I love.

So, thank you again Annette for starting this challenge. It WILL be a challenge for me but so important ! I love Dr Lisle and all his talks. I listen to him when I need a boost.

-squealcat

[moonlight]

I made it through another evening without constant snacking. I realized last night that I tend to snack a lot when I haven't made a proper dinner. When I'm a little lazy I will cook some potatoes and eat those then later cook some veggies and eat those. I go through spurts when I cook a lot and then when I don't. Last night I had soup then veggies and potatoes. I stayed full a long time. I still had the urge to graze but I managed to fight the urges.

It feels like I've been doing this for more than 4 days....

Extinction Curve Success
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[sirdle]

Last night was another good night.

Immediately after having a big bowl of pasta for dinner, I headed to the kitchen for my 'treat'. But then stopped and thought about it and decided that I was actually full! So I skipped the blueberries.

My weight has held pretty steady for the last three weeks, but it looks like I might lose 1 lb this week. Too early to tell for sure, but that's what it looks like. I had no idea I was snacking so much! It's not the fruit -- fruit is good for you -- it's the eating when already full... which, for me, just happens to be triggered by super sweet fruit.

Cheers,

[squealcat]

Yes, Sirdle, I agree with you. Fruit is good for us and I know I have to work on eating when hungry. I am so used to mindlessly putting things in my mouth. Right now though, I want to concentrate on eating my lunch, having what I love for my lunch and then being finished with eating and not cramming more into my "system". I guess that is pretty much the same as eating when hungry but the habit of continued eating is what I have to stop. I am sure my stomach needs time to digest and rest and I am sure that toast, vegan butter, peanut butter etc is not what I need.

I have started to compile a list of little, quick things that I need to accomplish that take 15 minutes or less. I put these things off and then never get them done. I plan on doing them during the afternoon when I get that uneasy feeling that feels like I need to eat. I think the feeling of accomplishment will make me happy and override that false hunger (will see). I need to get a birthday card out to my grandson and my son in Illinois, change the shower curtain, clean the bathroom window (easy because we have those nice windows that slide open ), vacuum the upstairs hallway.....oh there are lots of things that just take a few minutes! I just have to remember to do just one each time the CRAM calls me and say "NO" to that call.

Good luck to every one ! Success to all !

_squealcat

[moonlight]

So last night I succeeded in not snacking between dinner and my bedtime snack. I woke up during the night and ate a few red potatoes. I noticed last night that first I ate watermelon around 7:00 as an afternoon snack, I guess. My husband brought it home and we cut into it. I ate way too much... I wasn't hungry for dinner until about 9:00. I had a small sweet potato and a small serving of okra. From then until bedtime, even though I was full, I still thought about going to the kitchen for a snack. I watched my husband snack. (We were watching a movie.) When I got ready for bed I had a small bowl of frozen blueberries, maybe 1/2 cup. I woke up during the night pretty hungry. I ate some leftover red potatoes. I consider my Extinction Curve challenge a success because I didn't graze all evening. It was interesting to be aware of how often I thought about eating even though I wasn't hungry!! I need a new hobby besides eating!! After this two weeks of breaking the evening snacking habit, I will try a challenge of only eating when hungry no matter if it is evening or during the day. One challenge at a time.


Extinction Curve Success
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[squealcat]

Eating late morning has been helpful to me the last couple of days. I go for my morning walk, come in and drink down some water and go out to work in the garden. After that I am pretty hungry so I have then taken a shower and warmed up some steel cut oats . I then get hungry for lunch soon after but that is ok. It is 4:30 now and I am still comfortable! I have my list of things to do instead of eat so if the urge gets to me, I will do one of those things and hopefully complete my list by the end of the week !

Hope everyone is doing well and avoiding the cram circuit !

-squealcat

[moonlight]

Extinction Curve Success
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Last night I forgot about food for a while! I was startled when I realized I had not been struggling all evening to get my mind off food. That felt so good. My husband had a late dinner in which he sautéed garlic in butter for part of his meal. I could smell it two rooms away! That triggered me. At about 9:30 I decided to get busy and make potato salad for today's hike. It worked. I ate a little potato salad as a bedtime snack.

[AnnetteW]

Morning everyone. This week is a really good week for me to practice my skills. My husband is gone for the week, and therefore I can easily eat when I choose to, which is never dinner time anyway. So I'll be eating more to my hunger needs, at least that's what I'm telling myself.

Today I will be out of the house from noon on for a few hours, so right during my favorite time of cramming. I have a Physical therapy appointment, I need to go to the quilt shop, and to Target and I might even get my car washed.

Then I can come home and eat my dinner.

I am about to have a large breakfast, will only have a light snack sort of lunch (so I'm actually hungry a bit during the day), then home for dinner, which is going to be potatoes and beans.

I'm trying to be hungryish during the afternoon to just prove to myself I don't need to eat all the time. Just a way to mess with myself.

[JeffN]

I noticed this thread this past weekend while at the 10-Day program, read through it, and had some concerns. As Doug was there with me, I showed him the thread and we read through several of the posts and he shared the same concerns.

There seems to be a misunderstanding of the CRAM Circuit.

Basically, the CRAM Circuit is in regard to overeating on calorie dense foods (even whole plants like nuts, seeds, dried fruit and avocado), and highly processed hyper-palatable foods. The CRAM circuit does not apply to MWL approved foods which are minimally processed foods low in calorie density and high in fiber and satiety.

There is a huge difference between enjoying some delicious fruit in summer and eating an entire chocolate cake after dinner. Same with having some oatmeal and blueberries as an afternoon snack vs cramming some blueberry oat muffins. At the 10-Day Program, we serve 3 buffets a day, plus all participants have 24 hour/day access to a snack room. Stopping people from enjoying recommended MWL foods when hungry, is not part of our recommendations. As a reminder, you can review the MWL guidelines here...

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26620&p=578019#p569991

I do appreciate the enthusiasm and initiative in starting the challenge, and to all those participating in it, but it is giving the wrong message and/or applying the right message in the wrong way. We moderate these boards to keep them on target and to avoid this kind of confusion. I don't think we need a separate thread for the CRAM Circuit and would encourage anyone who is struggling with these issues to share their comments in their journal or as part of their participation in the MWL Weigh-In thread.

Remember, one of our fundamental principles is to eat when hungry, until comfortable full of the approved foods.

I apologize for not catching this sooner.

In Health
Jeff