Emotional eating

juliasulay

How can I get rid of emotional eating disorder? I think I have that...:( My mom passed away 6 month ago and I am finding comfort in food

cj94404

First off, so sorry for your loss. It is hard to lose a parent so be gentle with yourself. I don't have a perfect solution but a few things.
1. Don't eat mindlessly. Think about what and why you are eating whatever you are eating. I know from experience I can eat half a loaf of bread on automatic.
2. Let yourself feel your feelings. If you are hurting, let yourself hurt. It usually fades with time. Please note the usually. Everyone is different.
3. Maybe get grief counseling. Friends and family tend to move on. Grief makes people uncomfortable. Find support.
4. And if you just need to eat somethinrg, make it really good! Your favorite foods. Don't waste those calories on junk. Enjoy it. Food can be a comfort in my opinion. Then again I have never been thin, so take that with a grain of salt!

juliasulay

thank you for your kind words

MJ2victory

I've been talking to a therapist about this and she's encouraged me to focus on self care. Self care can range from things like a bubble bath or a cup of herbal tea, to keeping your home clean, exercising, etc. Food is a very easy and quick way to turn your mood but if you start adding more and more self care into your life, you'll need it less.

ValkyrieOnline

Terribly sorry for your loss, I have yet to experience it but I see the outcomes of it and it is hard!
When I was extremely upset/saddened I found out that when I binged watched television shows on Netflix/Amazon/Hulu, the sadness took a backseat and because I was so into the show(s) I didn't feel like eating as much/being upset because I was that invested.

If you have Netflix, I watched:
Malcolm In the Middle
The Inbetweeners
Fresh Meat
Orange is the new Black
Young & Hungry [this one is really upbeat ]
Glitch
I heard 'Sense 8' was pretty good!
Stranger Things
American Horror Story
True Blood (Amazon)
RuPaul's Drag Race (very uplifting on Amazon)

Even if you don't like those shows, basically anything that had a lot of seasons and long episodes was a good distractor. Take it easy, okay?

nikoba

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. The first poster said it well...be kind to yourself during this time of grief and healing.

I'm an emotional eater too...never talked to a professional about it...so my advice is what's just worked for me personally (and know that even though I've been generally successful - I still have pitfalls and eat my feelings from time to time)

I personally really like journaling...especially if I know I'm just eating out of depression/boredom/whatever. It forces me to focus on what's really going on in my head. I like the physical act of writing, I find it calming. Get me nice pen and a pretty notebook and I'm a happy girl. Sometimes I ramble my thoughts, sometimes I journal action plans and goals, and sometimes I make up hypothetical situations and scenarios to help me figure out my goals and next steps. Not always weight related, but usually life related.

I find a similar tool is adult coloring books & a set of markers. Can find both pretty cheap at Walmart.

RastaLousGirl

juliasulay wrote: »

How can I get rid of emotional eating disorder? I think I have that...:( My mom passed away 6 month ago and I am finding comfort in food

Hi! First, I am very sorry for your loss. I can completely relate to the issues you are facing. I definitely am a thoughtless eater when my emotions are high. I have suffered great loss as well: my dad, my older brother (who was my best friend), and just last month I lost my baby sister. It is very hard to control eating when you are emotional, cause most of the time you are at the " I don't really care" moment or that "I will start again tomorrow, but right now I hurt" moment.

This weekend was so rough on me, emotionally. It was the first time since my baby sister left me, that I allowed my self to completely break down. It was the first time, since the age of 14, that I did not run to food for comfort.

I cannot tell you how you can get rid of it, but I can tell you how I am getting rid of it.

1. I started opening up to my husband and family or any friend that will listen to me, so that I find comfort in them instead of comfort in food (redirection of comfort feeling) .

2. I started acknowledging my eating habits during different emotions, and became aware of everything I decided to eat and drink during those times. Now, that doesn't mean that I did not give myself a day to indulge. It means that I still held myself accountable for that day. And when I told myself that tomorrow is a new day and I will start over, I meant it and followed through.

3. I started becoming more aware of my feelings. I let myself grieve, feel angry, hurt, sad, etc. Then I acknowledge the reason why I feel these feelings and go from there. I took control back from my feelings, and they are no longer an anchor on my life.

I believe the only way to get rid of emotional eating is finding a way to cope and handle the emotions when they hit you. Once you tackle that, I believe you will have it. Good luck!

RastaLousGirl

Just thought I would point out that I didn't read anyone's post prior to mine, and just realized that they basically already stated some of the same thing. Sorry for repeat! I just saw OP's question and it hit close to home with me.

juliasulay

Thank you all for your kind words and condolences:( And Thank you for your tips/advice. I am going to begin using this app to track down what I eat. I've gained 8 pounds already and I am concerned. I don't want to keep gaining pounds. I'll try to open my feelings more to my family and friends! ToniLeeAnn82, I am so sorry for you loss as well!

RastaLousGirl

Thank you.

chelllsea124

So sorry for your loss. I am an emotional eater as well, but of course I don't have any advice. Good luck.