Stopping emotional eating

viola343

waiting and hoping to stop emotional eating. I tend to only eat when i'm feeling a certain way this leads to binge eating. I would like to practice stomach eating. eat when hungry and maybe 3-6 times a day.

kommodevaran

I think you could benefit from a more concrete plan. Your normal hunger cues can be retrained if you get in better habits. Make a goal to eat a set number of planned meals at regular intervals every day. Be sure you are eating enough, and plenty of nutritious food. Tend to your emotional needs in a more suitable way than trying to eat them. But don't neglect yourself pleasure from eating. Plan meals that you find interesting and delicious.

tulips_and_tea

viola343 wrote: »

waiting and hoping to stop emotional eating. I tend to only eat when i'm feeling a certain way this leads to binge eating. I would like to practice stomach eating. eat when hungry and maybe 3-6 times a day.

A goal without a plan is just a wish! I agree with @kommodevaran. Make a plan, but don't expect perfection from yourself. It takes practice and consistency. Just get started and make a few small changes at a time.

Have a list of alternate things to do NOT related to food when you start feeling the feelings that lead you to binge. Some days will be better than others, but whatever you do, don't give up!

viola343

@Kommdevaran and @BZAH10. Yall's reply are great. I feel motivated. I forgot about having a plan. yes a plan and following through with that plan will help. Thank you guys.

anniemarie94

I've stopped emotional eating when I've started intermittent fasting. I was overeating junk food between meals, but now I eat 2 big meals a day (around 12am and 8pm) and that's all.

Curlygurly13

I stopped emotional eating once I realized that's what I was doing. I had no clue. I was eating a small snack to reward myself for finishing a project at work. Then slowly it added up to 18 pounds over time. Once I realized that you really don't need that much food to live, I had to retrain myself to know what hunger feels like. Now my stomach "pings" me to let me know it is time to eat. Also, healthier and SMALLER portions are pre-packed for my office meals, I only eat what I bring to work. I instead go for a quick walk outside after finishing a project. Or look up a quick blog on helping myself or pin things to Pinterest. These are all rewards, just not food ones. I also looked around and noticed none of my co-workers are eating at the desk.

cakeordeath

I have the hardest time not eating my feelings.

Unknown

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viola343

Hello. Another day and another battle. emotional eating is something that can be seasonal. I know i've gone through emotional eating during times of aloneness or when i'm job hunting or even when somebody or something has upset me. Yes, the truth, we have to recognize this triggers and develope a plan that can help us curve the monster that robs us of our joy every morning. I know one of my weakness is waiting to eat. So, I am planning on learning to eat 3-6 times a day and not just one big meal.... spread out my meals even if it is in small increments. Food does not have to always be the main hero in our lives. food does not have to be a reward...I know yesterday was a reward. i worked all day, then i went to the mall. it was nice. being around all the things you can look at and the smell and also getting in some steps in.. Remember becareful of your friends, because they can influence your healthy habits. make sure to have uplifting, motivating and positive firends. that celebrates you and your goals for yourself. and not your emotion.

viola343

Here is a popular link that i enjoy using. it has many articles about the issues we face as humans. Sometimes it just feels like there is a monster that wants us to hate ourselves. Anyways click on it.
http://www.livestrong.com/

Whitezombiegirl

Try acknowledging the feelings e.g im down, and nothings going to change that till im done being down. It wont be forever, just ride it out and accept it.

Worked for me. I got down over something and spent the weekend mindlessly munching. Come monday im either over whatever it was or still down. The food didnt really make any difference.

viola343

for example, i'm going to say...hmmmm...I think i'm just being "fraustrated." I will face this feeling and not choose to eat instead." sometimes that "stuck" feeling makes you continue your pattern of eating. every time the emotion comes i just want to eat some more. some emotions can make you hungry

KetoneKaren

I hope this doesn't seem just silly to you, @viola343, but a simple trick I use sometimes is to put a piece of gum in my mouth instead of food, and think about why I want to eat when I am not hungry while I chew the gum. This might not work or even be a good idea for you, but I find that it buys me time. If I have access to the internet, I get on this site at the same time and post on one of the supportive threads about it, which also helps me.

Sometimes all you need is a minute of extra time to gain the control you need to make a better choice. Of course there are other times when the urge to eat your emotions nags at you all day. It happens to me when I am anxious, tired, or bored.

I think the advice above about having a plan is the key.

viola343

I also use hot water and spice to calm me down.

lapierrecyclist

Some things that have been helpful for me in the past: have protein at every meal for a few days (hardboiled eggs, chicken, tuna, cheese), make peppermint tea for a snack, get a walk in every day, try journaling your feelings. Know that your feelings (and you) have value.

viola343

peppermint tea sounds great. yes, sometimes i bottle in my feelings and i don't react or remove myself until its too late.

KetoneKaren

Peppermint tea is also a winner for me.

juanitagardner07

Well, you have conquered the first step.... you realize what the problem is.. I too was an emotional eater and also a bored eater....I really do not think there is a "one size fits all" plan to this, but just learning what brings on the feeling of wanting to binge can help. What has helped me is every time I get that "feeling" I ask myself am I really hungry? Or am I bored and/ or emotional? Is eating this """" going to make anything better? YES, I pretty much talk to myself and then get up and do something.. ANYTHING just to get my mind off of it..

02172009

I'm an emotional eater as well please add me

viola343

02172009 wrote: »

I'm an emotional eater as well please add me

. well you are added. Remember, have a plan when you start wanting to emotional eat. a piece of gum, carbonated water, fruit, cofee...the goal is to push that feeling away from you. anything that will help stop the "stuffing of the mouth." I always try to remember how i want to feel the next morning. even a glass of wine can help curve the anxiety. a glass of wine is better than a bag of potato chips and a bag of cookies. The point is Try to have a plan... when that emotion hits...I hope this help. remember, we can push past this issue and develop a healthy habit of eating and excersing. Also our culture has ALOT of food to offer us..and it gets HARD!!

viola343

Yesterday night was a very late on...I also needed to have compassion...fight or flight can cause your stomach to get nasueas and upset. So yea, i had to run to the store really late at night...which i don't like doing. I wanted to beat myself up about it but i had to talk to myself and reminded myself that i was on track until something changed...anyways keep progressing and keep saying no to binge eating...cheers to a good morning.

viola343

juanitagardner07 wrote: »

Well, you have conquered the first step.... you realize what the problem is.. I too was an emotional eater and also a bored eater....I really do not think there is a "one size fits all" plan to this, but just learning what brings on the feeling of wanting to binge can help. What has helped me is every time I get that "feeling" I ask myself am I really hungry? Or am I bored and/ or emotional? Is eating this """" going to make anything better? YES, I pretty much talk to myself and then get up and do something.. ANYTHING just to get my mind off of it..

yes. you are right.. i don't think there is a one size fit all plans...my background, my trials, and my relationships is different from the person on my right or left but we can definately find coping mechanisms that can help us until we can estabalish healthier habits.

viola343

Hello world or people of america. This morning, i realized we have to confront our feelings or the people or situation that makes us drown. I've been having a difficult time at the stores close to where i currently reside. I've felt very negative feelings each time i purchased and ate. these feelings and action led to huge down turns on a weekly basis. So today, i took action and i called a manager to complain about a rude cashier. the cashier was very intimadting. It made me turn away and i left the store upset and aggravated. I spoke to the store manager about the situation and she said she was going to handle it. My point is let us not drown in these emotions projected from others to toward ourselves. I know i've been dealing with this for the past few years. make it a point to speak up and speak out...so that we can prevent emotional eating, compulsive buying of food to cure our emotions.

viola343

Here is an idea after a bad night with yourself...do not eat immediately the next morning....wait until you feel better. drink warm water, or even coffee if you like...if you can excercise, sun bathe, going for a walk do that. this might help decrease the emotion. I would wait until 12 or 1 pm to eat and when you do eat start with something light. it will help decrease the heavy feeling of food. can this stop the viscious cycle? yes! knowing your triggers(external factors), be aware, and having a PLAN, all can help stop it.

viola343

Does anyone have any ideas or plans or actions that I can take to make-up for my compulsion spending on food? what can i do to redeem myself and my body? i still feel bad...how do i redeem my body and money.

kommodevaran

I don't think you can undo spending or eating. But you can be better prepared for next time. Write a list of what you need, and bring just enough money to buy what's on the list. The worst that can heppen then, is that you don't get what you wanted, but you can take that as a learning opportunity.

Koldnomore

viola343 wrote: »

Does anyone have any ideas or plans or actions that I can take to make-up for my compulsion spending on food? what can i do to redeem myself and my body? i still feel bad...how do i redeem my body and money.

Do not bring money with you when you leave the house If you have cash it's easy to convince yourself to go and buy that chocolate or ice cream or chip bag (or whatever) I find that unless I am deliberately going to shop, I try not to take cash. Of course I always have a credit card or debit for an emergency but if I am just going for a walk, I don't bring money.

Also, when you do go shop, make a list and bring only enough cash to buy what is on it. That will make it impossible to spend on anything other than what you have to buy. Stick to your list and don't buy anything unless you have already added it.

viola343

@Koldnomore "Do not bring money with you when you leave the house." I think i can practice that. especially when that impulse hits. I notice sometimes its not the food i'm leaving the house form because i'm already full. I also realize on my way to the store, i end up not really wanting or eating the food but i still allow myself to buy it or get it anyways." Leave the purse at home.

viola343

Hello! so how was last night? The good news was that there was no impulse buying and I returned what i bought the night before yesterday!! Also, I am looking forward to dealing with some of the emotions that has caused my food habits. Remember stick to your plan!! remember it can work!! a plan, a good professional, and a good support group can help overcome your challenges. Remember increase your power!! fight back!! do not eat your emotions!! and don't let it drown you!!

viola343

Hi everybody, I copied this idea from a few women that i met in the past. these women tend to eat healthy and they said that at times they aren't full or satisfied so they made sure they had something extra...like guacamole, nuts, even a handful of chips...this way they will not over indulge in the yummy food but use it to help keep their hunger at bay. ..by doing this you won't feel to heavy and you wont feel like you've eaten because you only had a portion so last night I snacked on nuts after my dinner because i needed something extra. so helpful reminder try to keep something around that keeps the hunger at bay and won't leave you wanting more.

viola343

Hello, my morning today, i don't feel to motivated but I'm sure I can feel better as the day moves on. Again, i got too hungry and ate more than i think i should of my yummy food(mixed nuts)...I'm feeling a little bit bad because of it.