Honesty

onmyway1101

Honesty... I am trying to be honest with myself. I have a food addiction problem. Its hard to admit that. Last night, My husband and I got into a heated discussion after talking it through I was still upset. I craved food, I wanted food to heal my pain. There was nothing to eat, so I made an excuse to leave. I went to the store and got something sweet. But it didnt stop there, I ran through a drive-through. I am an emotional eater. I hate even to admit this because I don't like to admit my weaknesses. There are serious questions I need to ask myself..... Why do I turn to food to heal my pain? Why is food the answer to all my problems? After I "emotionally eat" I feel terrible, I feel like I blew my diet, I feel like I am unable to handle my emotions. But I want to change, I want to be able to deal with my emotions and not turn to food. I want to look at food in a different way. I want to eat to live not live to eat. That is my honesty!

missouri_rain

I don't know the answer to this, but It sounds like your on the right path :flowerforyou:

Hopeful4757

As corny as it sounds - that's the first step. You should be proud of yourself that you recognize that. This is a great site to really open your eyes and see what it is you are eating and how much. You can do this. Take it a step at a time and if you make a bad decision or have a bad day, don't let it turn into a bad week or month. You are on the start of a great journey.

DeserveVictory

I do the same thing. And it is hard to admit. I have found that a mug of tea helps. Especailly plain green tea. The green tea usually deceases my cravings and the tea itself is very soothing. It helps me to mellow out my feelings. Have you tried something like this?

Keep up the good work!

onmyway1101

I have tried anything like that, Sometimes I am just so frustrated with myself that I binge. At this point, I will try anything because I am ready for change. Thank you for the encouragement and advice

sbased

First, you have great courage to even admit out loud that helps stop the shame and gets you started on the right path. With shame comes this need to keep a secret. You don't have to keep a secret it happens to so many of us me included. I am a binge eater and bulimic. I have not actively purged in over 4 months which is a miracle for me. I have binged from time to time but this has decreased too here's what I've done and it might help you.
1) Got therapeutic help. For me there wasnt a diet big enough to help my need for acceptance, love and healing of pain. No diet will work if you do not get to the root of why you eat the way you do.
2) Started going to support group. This brought me face to face with this disease. I get encouragement from others that have the same disorder and they hold me accountable for my binges which is something I wouldnt ask my partner or daughter to do. It is my disease and its up to me to solve it.
3) Read lots of encouraging books, tapes, music, anything! When you first want to eat (and I eat whatever I want I no longer am on a diet) but when I first want to binge I make a phone call or text people in my group. This is key and huge even if you do it while you are doing it. If you'd like feel free to email me or anyone else just to let them know. While I'm on the car on my way to the fast food place I make a promise and stop and use the phone. Then if I still want to binge then I allow myself too. Good luck and there is help and support for you. sherrylmeister@gmail.com

sarahliftsUP

I try and think before I eat. I ask myself, "How is this going to make me feel after I eat it?" I think of the feeling of disgust and guilt and then go for water or a healthier alternative. I need to learn to stop buying junk so I'm not tempted by it.. I find that really hard.

trisha329

Hi Nicole!

First off, know that you're not alone in this! We all have reasons that we eat, most of them not because we're hungry. I eat when I'm bored. So I try to keep busy. Or I hop on the computer onto this site! If you can do that, you'll find a lot of support here reading posts and chatting with your new friends.

It's a hard habit to break -- emotional eating -- but you've got to try to find some kind of an alternative. Grab a bottle of water and go for a walk. Call a friend. Anything that will distract you from wanting to shove something in your mouth!

Hey, you came on here for a reason -- we're here to help you!

You CAN do it! :happy:

Trisha

PEGSTEPHENS

I do the same exact thing... I eat no matter what. I eat for sadness, happiness, anger and just plain boredom. You aren't alone, hang in there and maybe we will all figure this out.

onmyway1101

Thanks everybody. I feel very encouraged. I like to know that I am not in this alone

vineas

Definitely sounds like you're on the right path now - what is it they say, admitting it to yourself.

Might sound odd - but I think you'll find that as you lose weight and get further along, your emotions won't have as much affect on you. One of the problems of being overweight is that it throws your body all out of wack, including your hormones. That means that you get upset over things that you shouldn't be, or blow things completely out of proportion. You'll also start channeling your emotions into something other than eating, like working out. I know I find that when I get upset now, I'll go out for a run or head downstairs to the elliptical machine. I get to blow off all that energy and while I'm doing that I'm also thinking about what made me mad, and see how petty it was in the scheme of things, or see it from a different perspective.

This may not be true for all people, but is for me and a few others I know on the same path.

Luckymam

You're definitely not alone. I'm the same. The difference between food addictions and drug or alcohol addictions is that the latter are easier to control. That is, you can completely eliminate drugs and alcohol from your life - you can't do that with food and that's why it's harder.

Alcoholics say that one drink is too many, fifty is not enough. This is how I used to think about food, and still do to an extent. I know that once I start eating, I have to be very careful about the amount I eat.

A book I've found helpful is "I Can Make You Thin" by Paul McKenna. I feel more in control of my food now, rather than it being in control of me.

onmyway1101

Thanks for the encouragement. I definetly want to read that book.

HealthyChanges2010

journaling.....gets the strong emotions out and the feelings down on paper...when we eat the emotions instead, they come out later to haunt us again. I find when I write, it settles me down and I can see better what's going on, it's most definitely a process. But no food in the world will take away the pain, it may numb it, but we want to feel our emotions not continue to numb them.

I'm a work in progress..just like we all our.
For you to be at this point and thinking it through like this is incredible, it's like a break through because now you've shared and can reread what you wrote and go from there.

I think it's a trigger reaction we all learned somewhere along the line in our lives, numbing the pain and not knowing how to deal with it directly.

:flowerforyou:

HealthyChanges2010

You're definitely not alone. I'm the same. The difference between food addictions and drug or alcohol addictions is that the latter are easier to control. That is, you can completely eliminate drugs and alcohol from your life - you can't do that with food and that's why it's harder.

Alcoholics say that one drink is too many, fifty is not enough. This is how I used to think about food, and still do to an extent. I know that once I start eating, I have to be very careful about the amount I eat.

A book I've found helpful is "I Can Make You Thin" by Paul McKenna. I feel more in control of my food now, rather than it being in control of me.

What a helpful post!! Thank you:flowerforyou: Can't wait to check the library at lunch and see if this book is there. :drinker:

onmyway1101

Thanks for the tips! They are extremely helpful. I really appreciate it.

HealthyChanges2010

You're definitely not alone. I'm the same. The difference between food addictions and drug or alcohol addictions is that the latter are easier to control. That is, you can completely eliminate drugs and alcohol from your life - you can't do that with food and that's why it's harder.

Alcoholics say that one drink is too many, fifty is not enough. This is how I used to think about food, and still do to an extent. I know that once I start eating, I have to be very careful about the amount I eat.

A book I've found helpful is "I Can Make You Thin" by Paul McKenna. I feel more in control of my food now, rather than it being in control of me.

Found the book/CD at the library looking forward to looking it over. Thanks for the heads up

July24Lioness

The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure by Julia Ross.

These books are about overcoming where you are at today.

HealthyChanges2010

The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure by Julia Ross.

These books are about overcoming where you are at today.

Thanks Hon! Definitely will look them up, I'm all about reading for enlightenment and learning more about healthy and emotional wellbeing that comes along with it!

How are you doing on your Food changes, they working well for you? I do hope so! It's hard to feel stuck, so hopefully things are looking up for you Lioness:flowerforyou:

kerrymh

you are taking the right steps..you are being honest and open and now you'll find out that you aren't alone and that people can help because they have similar issues. Being honest and admitting you need help is the important thing. I know what its like and I"m stronger because I reached out to people just like me. I don't feel weak I know my brain looks at food different than normal eaters and I know I can stop that by working on me..and becoming a better person and getting rid of the garbage in my life emotionally and physically. You can do it!

FabulousFifty

:flowerforyou: Hi,

I understand where you are coming from.....I am coming through this. I feel on the tail end of it. A book that really helped me this summer is Women, God and Food by Geneen Roth. It helped this emotional eater understand why I react to stress in this way. It helped me understand what I am really hungry for. I have had to incorporate new habits when faced with life's storms. I am not a finished product, but I am better than yesterday! We had a book club and studied this book together this summer. Look under Motivation and Support to read some of the discussion posts. Just know Ms. Roth's idea of God may not be yours. But, she has alot of good things to say. As a Christian I could get past that and use her good thoughts and guidance to peel away some emotional layers in me. I highly recommend this book!

Fab

ellencandoit

I suffer as you do. I fight with food all the times. Grab life and happiness when you start to grab food. Grave happiness not food.
I am an addicted to food but it is my fears and anxiety. I can do this....I can do this. Make sure you log your food and eat your meals and hunger will go away. the emotional hunger is the hardest.....I KNOW. Ellen

Vanessa1977

Many of us struggle as emotional eaters, no one eats that much food just cause they are hungry.

I discovered yesterday through 'journaling' on here that when I reach for food when I am emotional it is because I am seeking pleasure and comfort, currently food is the vice that does that for me.

Part of MY goal is to find ways to enjoy pleasure and receive comfort in other ways so that I don't always reach for food.

So many people have vices, addictions that they use to hide their emotions, numb their emotions, stuff their emotions, find comfort, solace, pleasure.

Eating just happens to be ours, we deserve the same journey of discover and healing as any other addict does.

I can completely relate to the feeling of shame that sets in once I have slowed down from the binge. Learn to treat yourself with the same respect you treat loved ones, be nice, caring and supportive to yourself the same way you would someone you love.

It doesn;t happen overnight but it does start with that moment of realization and honesty that you displayed in your post.

Good luck

July24Lioness

The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure by Julia Ross.

These books are about overcoming where you are at today.

Thanks Hon! Definitely will look them up, I'm all about reading for enlightenment and learning more about healthy and emotional wellbeing that comes along with it!

How are you doing on your Food changes, they working well for you? I do hope so! It's hard to feel stuck, so hopefully things are looking up for you Lioness:flowerforyou:

Thanks for asking!!!

Things are looking up for me, my doctor and I had to get extreme in the short term, but its working and I am feeling better.