Emotional eating

Misty137

Hi. I'm struggling with emotional eating and I'm wondering how many other are/were and if anyone has advice on how to counter it . Thanks !

PeachyCarol

I used to struggle with it. I think the answer to your question on how to deal with it is individual, though.

I ate to suppress my emotions. That overly full feeling gave me a sense of security--strong emotions were something I didn't know how to handle, and that scared me. Learning that it was okay to face my emotions and that I was bigger than they were was the key to me getting over the hurdle.

However, things might be different for you.

Some people do better using a different outlet for their emotions like exercise or a hobby.

FreshStartForMyself

Hi,

It's not easy, I know your pain, I struggle with that myself. But you have to adress your problems in some other way and stop justifying your overeating. You are the only thing standing in your way, once you understand that you are responsible for your own actions you will be able to stop.

I don't know how to say this without sounding harsh, lol, that's not the intention, sorry.

When you get urges to eat, just sit and let those thoughts flow through your head. You don't need to act upon those urges. It sounds dumb but it makes sense and it's worked for me so far.

Best of luck. x

kamber13

I emotionally eat, too. When I'm bored and when I'm upset. It's like I want to punish myself for being upset or inability to find something more positive to do.

In general, to get myself out of a funk, I do something productive that's visually pleasing, but not too laborious. LOL... My go to are vacuuming, emptying the dish washer, dusting, or when I have the funds... online shopping.

jgnatca

I eat when bored or angry. Never when I am sad.

The first step is to understand which emotions are triggered and why.

Then work out new ways of dealing with those feelings. It might involve resolving a relationship, changing jobs, acknowledging the feelings out loud, setting boundaries with the clueless, or ditching the abusers.

A trick learned in my eating therapy class is to modify our self talk. If you tend to berate yourself, i.e. "You are so stupid", replace it with kinder and more accurate words like ,"Next time shoulder check left, babe!"

StellaMA20

I eat when I'm sad or feeling depressed or anxious - its a form of escapism. But its always good to try and let yourself feel your problems, no matter how much it hurts, then to drown them out with food.
I do a few things to keep emotional eating at bay:
I take a walk and listen to music. Sometimes ask a friend to join.
I force myself to be social and to go out, when I really feel like hiding away somewhere in hole, with comfort food and a tv show.
I take a shower and dress up - that is always calming. It restores some confidence.
I drink lots of water - hydration perks up your thoughts sometimes.
Forcing yourself to jump/dance for a few minutes will help improve your mood and banish bad thoughts.
Coffee is an excellent mood booster. Coffee with some fruits (especially dates and dried figs) really helps.
If all is to no avail, and emotions are overwhelming, sleep is awesome. Drink water, eat fruits, sleep.

85Cardinals

I tend to overeat when I feel especially apathetic and alienated.