Comfort eater

sugarpuff29

im try desperately to loose weight for my wedding in August I've lost 2 stone but need to loose atleast 1 more but I can't stop comfort eating. I have a bad day so I dive into the cupboard and eat anything and everything I can find but the worse thing is I obviously don't feel any better after wards I just feel worse.
How do I get out of this ? How do I stop myself ? I've probably put half a stone on this week alone and I'm worried I'll put all I've lost back on

girlviernes

Well the first thing is to ensure you are eating enough and a steady 3 meals per day. This gives you a good foundation. Then make out a list of other things you can do to comfort yourself rather than eat. There is a book called 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food.

If you are losing track of your motivation, writing out the reasons to change things and the reasons not to change can be very helpful, or talk it through with someone. We often get stuck in ambivalence especially when our short-term wants are different than our long-term wants. So keep focusing on the long-term as often as you need to and take care of yourself!

dannycoulombe

I had the same problem as you. Over time, I realised that I was in fact looking for something hot to eat. Brewing a decaf in the evening solved all my issues. Hope this help and good luck.

Liftng4Lis

Pre-log your days and stick to it.

ncboiler89

I'm a comfort drinker. Southern Comfort.

kickassbarbie

I totally get how hard it is to avoid comfort eating. Every time I gain a little the last few years it's down to comfort eating when sad, lonely or stressed. You need to work on the emotional reason your comfort eating or it won't go away imo. But while working on that....

Are you a tea drinker? I find a BIG pot of tea with stevia when i finish my day and sit in the couch fills me up and is like a big hug for me. (I'm English...can you tell? Lol)

Or find your fav comfort food and look for a healthier alternative..
A few that work for me are:
-Ice cream comfort = vegan/banana ice cream.
-Chocolate comfort = light flavoured hot chocolate with squirter cream and sprinkles
-Cake type comfort = mug cake or (single/double serve size) cake mix and diet coke mixed to correct consistency and baked.you can buy cake mix and just cook amount you want if use diet soda instead of eggs oil ect. Lower calorie and by time you've baked and eaten it urge to comfort eat may have passed) protein brownies are god with froyo or cream.
You get the idea! I have millions of alternatives I won't list!

Another idea is to have a freaking gigantic (and I mean mixing bowl sized) salad/low cal dish you like but is low in calories in the fridge ready prepared so you can grab it, eat it before you can reach for the high cal food. at least it won't be too much over cals! Better to have a massive time consuming thing to eat on hand than random stuff from fridge if your in a "I need food, stat!" mood.

bendyourkneekatie

As well as a boredom eater, a stress eater, and a tired eater, I'm a comfort eater (I guess since boredom, tiredness, and stress all cause me some level of pain, it's all comfort eating).
I'm really trying to change my habits, my attitude to food, and, yes, lose some weight.

I am finding that pre-logging is helpful to stay in my calorie goal, but as far as trying to change the comfort eating habit, what I'm focussing on is finding other means of comfort.

As others have said, a nice warm cup of tea is good, though that is kind of another form of comfort eating, but still. The warmth and the act of preparing and drinking, and the hydration, are all quite satisfying.

The weather is getting cold here, and I've bought myself some new slippers and pyjamas. Evenings are often my worst for overeating, so now instead I have a nice warm shower, put my slippers and pjs on, and I find I feel comforted by that.

I've also treated myself to some lovely smelling and feeling face and hand creams. And a few nice scented candles. A pleasant scent in the air, the ritual and comfort of putting fancy creams on my face and hands... it's all a form of self comforting that I'm finding is working very well in place of overeating.

And, of course, the occasional treat! As long as I stay within my calories

Obviously you may very well differ in what you find comforting, but it may be worth figuring out what things other than food make you feel good/comforted, and trying to redirect the comfort eating to them.

pineapple_peach10

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Pre-log your days and stick to it.

This is 100%.

Also, when you go to grab something to eat, sit down and drink a full glass of water. Ask yourself why you want to eat and try to work things through mentally before turning to food. The water may help to make you feel physically full, which is the sensation you are seeking during times of stress.

Alatariel75

I used to call myself a 'comfort eater'. Sounds nice, doesn't it? kinda fuzzy and warm. But why wasn't I comforted when I ate like that? If it was comfort food, why did I feel worse after?

Because I was not 'comfort eating', what I was doing was tatamount to self abuse. I was in a dark place because of a bad mood, or a bad day, and I was taking it out on myself.

Honestly, my biggest advice to you - stop calling it comfort eating. You already said you don't feel better after. I can honestly say, that was my first step to stopping, recognizing it was actually a form of self flagelation, not 'comfort' eating at all.