Emotional eating

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  • muffinsandcakes
    muffinsandcakes Posts: 333 Member
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    Skyblueyellow wrote: »
    I struggle with this and I am certain that it is an issue you are never quite "cured" of. Emotional eating is a poor coping skill. It is something we have learned and so we have to go about un-learning it. Part of that is coming to terms with the underlying problems that are causing you to engage this poor coping skill. Is it stress? Anxiety? Depression? The next part is replacing that poor coping skill (eating) with a more appropriate skill (such as exercise, coloring, gaming, learning a new skill, volunteering in your community, deep-breathing/relaxation techniques, and the list goes on and on).

    I have had to work diligently to replace my poor coping skills with healthier versions. If I might be so bold as to offer some advice, try to learn an "anywhere" coping skill--something that you are able to employ when you are "in the moment" so that lack of access to your replacement activity isn't a barrier to your success. One thing that has worked for me is to purposefully slow my thinking. I have to really ask myself what it is that I need in that moment. Many times just getting up and taking a short walk, starting a load of laundry, or picking up the phone to make a call is enough to break that thinking and the urge passes within a short period of time. Another trick I have when it happens at night (which is when it normally happens) is to quickly log what I am doing with the rest of my calories and to close my diary. Seeing that "you should weigh XXX lbs in 5 weeks" message is very motivational to me.

    Good luck to you friend!

    Thank you for the pep talk! :))
  • muffinsandcakes
    muffinsandcakes Posts: 333 Member
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    MelanieCN77 wrote: »
    For me it's when I'm having a really rough time of it or I'm upset over multiple things, if I get over-hungry my brain goes, just eat what you want, you'll enjoy it and in the big scheme of things this doesn't even matter. I have this consciousness of "hey it's just you versus the world anyway so make yourself feel better." However I am one of the "lucky" ones I guess because I can and do take that in hand and recognise it for what it is, a moment of choice.

    yes I get you :)
  • KMartin_1977
    KMartin_1977 Posts: 29 Member
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    I too am an emotional eater and also a binge eater, try reading the BECK diet solution it isn't a diet but a book on CBT that has really helped me with my relationship with food and the triggers that make me eat
  • muffinsandcakes
    muffinsandcakes Posts: 333 Member
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    KMartin_1977 wrote: »
    I too am an emotional eater and also a binge eater, try reading the BECK diet solution it isn't a diet but a book on CBT that has really helped me with my relationship with food and the triggers that make me eat
    Thank you so much :D:blush:

  • nattyleigh1991
    nattyleigh1991 Posts: 10 Member
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    I am an emotional eater. It took me a long time to admit that. I opened up a blog (not public yet - I'm too scared!) and days when I'm feeling particularly emotional and I'm aware that I'm searching the biscuit cupboard or the crisps basket, I turn to my blog. I write down EXACTLY how I am feeling and what it's making me want to eat. Then I scroll back through all my previous posts and see how far I have come. It helps me stay on the straight and narrow.

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