Emotional eater

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I need help. I was doing so well. I had a nice walk today, I have been eating well all week. I rcvd bad news that has been stressing me for months and boom I made the choice to say forget everything and messed up. How can I stop eating bad when things go wrong. I know its mental but I have been doing it for some years now and I need to separate the two. Any advice?

Replies

  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
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    I don't have any advice since I was always an emotional eater until l started my journey last year to lose weight. I've lost and gained before, but this time I hope will be different.

    I just wanted you to know that I understand. I still munch when I'm stressed at work like today but it was on my pre-logged snacks.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I think I'm an emotional eater too but walking has helped me a ton! I feel better and like I can deal with things better as well.

    When I started out 49 days ago I couldn't walk to the end of my 150' driveway. Now I'm walking 2-3 miles 3-4 times a week. I'm walking in my first 5k next week.

    You've got this!
  • ericatoday
    ericatoday Posts: 454 Member
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    I conpletely understand. I just had something awful happen for the second time this year and ive spent the week eating crap and even when i do good all day i end it with a bag of chips or three ice creams. Its awful. But the scale has only fluctuated a bit. I just need to be ready to start again probably tomorrow. Its okay. A week or 2 of bad eating wont kill you. I wish i had advice but i dont all i can say is tomorrow is another day to start over.
  • DetroitDarin
    DetroitDarin Posts: 955 Member
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    I'm an emotional eater too! :(

    Thing is - lately I've decided the emotions I feel seeing my fat body are worse than whatever drove me to eat.

    Something has to give, inside your brain - where you associate the pain you feel is driving you to eat with the pain you might feel seeing the scale.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    We cannot control the things that got wrong. They happen. We can kind of "distance" ourselves from them sometimes.

    Also, eventually we can find ways to deal with events and emotions that are unrelated to food.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    We humans have body and soul. We eat for many different reasons, fuelling up is just one. My suggestion is that you find a way of eating that you'll want to stick to through "thick and thin", not try to adhere to a diet that you are only able to follow as long as everything is great. You should eat in a way you like but doesn't harm you.
  • fatgiraffe2
    fatgiraffe2 Posts: 73 Member
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    I'm an emotional eater and have been really stressed lately so I completely understand the struggle! I usually have to mentally have a word with myself about how I feel when I gain weight and that these feelings are temporary. I have a glass of water, put whatever food I'm about to binge on away out of sight, and try to calm my mind down or distract myself. Rational me knows that I don't need it but emotional me doesn't care. It's trying to get my rational brain to come through which is sometimes easier said than done but I think remembering the feelings of gaining weight is definitely helping me to eat appropriately at the minute.
  • lnd0718
    lnd0718 Posts: 22 Member
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    emotional eater checking in. If you are aware that this is the behavior be hyper self aware when you are having the feeling. Feel it and consciously decide to find a different way to cope. Instead of running out of the office after a bad meeting and heading to grab junk food I will pace, walk something and let my negative thoughts just fly. Hell, it sounds crazy but, sometimes if you speak it out, even to yourself, it helps to keep me from internalizing the anger, fear, sadness, etc.
  • your_pal_crusher
    your_pal_crusher Posts: 4,437 Member
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    I'm an emotional eater and have been really stressed lately so I completely understand the struggle! I usually have to mentally have a word with myself about how I feel when I gain weight and that these feelings are temporary. I have a glass of water, put whatever food I'm about to binge on away out of sight, and try to calm my mind down or distract myself. Rational me knows that I don't need it but emotional me doesn't care. It's trying to get my rational brain to come through which is sometimes easier said than done but I think remembering the feelings of gaining weight is definitely helping me to eat appropriately at the minute.

    Right on!