stress/emotional eating

crimsongrey

Hi, my name is Crimsongrey and I'm an emotional eater.

I have had a huge set back and have not been logging or working out much for the past couple of weeks. Normally this time of year I would be kicking it up to high gear and almost obsessing over losing weight and getting fit for my trip south with my ponies. However, we have been negotiating the purchase of a farm and the anxiety of it all has sent me back to old habits. And the holidays certainly did not help! I know that when I'm sitting here with my hubby in the evenings and we're being anxious, we should get out for a walk, but it's cold and we're unmotivated.

Are you guys emotional eaters? Bored eaters? How do you deal with it?

cessi0909

I'm a bored eater and I'm still struggling with it. I'm doing the whole 30 right now to work on my relationship with food.
I try to make myself something amazing that takes some work if I want a snack instead of just grabbing a crappy snack. I'll tell myself that I know a good meal will taste better and make me feel better.

I also keep motivational pictures on my phone, kinda cheesy, but it works. I also have a list on my phone of my "why", I will pull it up and read it when I'm wanting to quit or have a crappy snack. I'm doing this for a reason and I need to remember my why.

Good luck!

Here4Ponies

Hi Crimsongrey.

My name is Here4Cookies and I'm an emotional eater (and a bored eater). It's been two days since my last binge.

I have always been a bored eater or a mindless eater. Reading a book? Must have nibbles. Watching TV or a movie? Must have nibbles. I've tried doing things to keep my hands busy but most of those activities (cross stitch, etc.) are fussy and I don't have patience for that. My solution for that has been to increase my barn time and to not buy the things I like to nibble on (crackers, snack mixes, other savory/salty/crunchy food).

Eating because I'm depressed/unhappy or anxious.... that's a more difficult situation. Not keeping the preferred foods around (sweet/creamy like ice cream or chocolate) helps. Activity helps. Honestly, tho, the only real solution I've found is to talk about what I'm feeling. Identify the root cause and the trigger (not often the same thing). For me, then, it helps to plan worst case scenarios.

For example, I'm in the middle of some drama with the barn owner. I complained about a situation that was caused by a failure of communication between her and the barn staff, leaving one of my horses (and two of my trainer's horses) caught in the crossfire. I was told the next day that my board is going to be raised by $50 per month per horse. Eeking out another $150 per month for what is already my single largest expense is going to be difficult. My trainer asked me to not make any decisions just yet; she is going to talk to the barn owner. So, I'm in limbo and this is causing a lot of anxiety. My horses are happy here and my trainer is here. If I move, I risk my horses' happiness and I likely lose access to my trainer. If I stay, I have to pay more money. It is an excellent facility but the lack of communication and the willingness to blame the clients really, really irks me.

The root cause is actually NOT the barn drama. The root cause goes all the way back to my childhood of being denied support for my riding because parental units didn't see it as important as baseball for my brothers or a cruise for them. I have a dream to ride Grand Prix. I've had this dream since I was 17 years old. Being denied access to what I need to accomplish that dream for the umpteenth time is a major emotional issue for me. This actually translates into a bigger issue of me always being last (or feeling like I am). The barn drama is just the trigger.

Talking about all of this with my partner, receiving his unconditional support for my dream and his assurances that I am NOT last helps me start resolving this trigger. I have chosen three other barns where I believe I could reasonably continue my training, either with my current trainer or with the trainer in residence at the new barn.

I'm still anxious but having a concrete path forward if the worst thing happens helps me say no the the chocolate. Most of the time.

snookb276

I like to eat while reading or studying and gained weight while going to school online. It's mindless impulse eating. I ran across a book that helped sort this out the around the same time I started MFP logging. The book is called Lose Weight Without Dieting by David Nordmark and focuses on training the mind. One of the suggestions for cravings was grab a glass of water and wait 7 minutes. If you are still truely hungry after that time then have the snack without any guilt. It had a lot of other great methods and is a quick read.

crimsongrey

proud of myself today. The guy we're trying to buy the farm from wants to move the closing date up by a month to the middle of February. I'll be working in Aiken in Feb! Things are feeling overwhelming. I wanted to eat and curl up with the cat under the blankets, but I went to the gym instead! I do feel better...still stressed, but better

showjumper

Yay!!! @crimsongrey cut up some celery and carrots and then curl up with the cat and a movie!

French_Peasant

crimsongrey wrote: »

proud of myself today. The guy we're trying to buy the farm from wants to move the closing date up by a month to the middle of February. I'll be working in Aiken in Feb! Things are feeling overwhelming. I wanted to eat and curl up with the cat under the blankets, but I went to the gym instead! I do feel better...still stressed, but better

Think of all the wonderful calorie burning work you are going to HAVE to do once you have a farm. Good luck!!

crimsongrey

@French_Peasant , trust me...I think of that every time I'm on the treadmill! There was a time when one of my barn jobs caused me to struggle to keep weight on! Can't wait. Thanks

crimsongrey

Here4Cookies wrote: »

Being denied access to what I need to accomplish that dream for the umpteenth time is a major emotional issue for me. This actually translates into a bigger issue of me always being last (or feeling like I am). The barn drama is just the trigger.

Talking about all of this with my partner, receiving his unconditional support for my dream and his assurances that I am NOT last helps me start resolving this trigger. I have chosen three other barns where I believe I could reasonably continue my training, either with my current trainer or with the trainer in residence at the new barn.

@Here4Cookies , I completely relate. I've sacrificed so much over the past decade and it seems that just when things are going well and I'm making great strides towards my goals, something happens. Lame horse, relocating, trainer moves to the other side of the country, etc. One step forward, 20 steps back.

I hope you work out a good solution to the barn issues. You, like me, are lucky to have someone who offers unconditional support.