Controlling Impulsive Eating

dakotababy

I have worked very hard to identify and practice my emotional eating, which in the last 2 years - huge progress. Though today, I noticed something slightly different, but may relate. Impulsive Eating.

Ever notice at work, there is a group of co-workers sitting around a table, suddenly someone brings out a huge bag of chips. At first, no one dare goes for it. Then...in less than 5 mins, one decides "sure ill have some" then follows the remainder of the co-workers. Before you even notice - everyone at the table is now eating the chips - including yourself.

No real emotional tie to it...the food is just there. Everyone else is eating...it is like social drinking.

I am now sitting at home...with a Fibre One Oats and Chocolate Chewy Bar sitting in front of me...and like a dog in training - I am not to touch it. However...there are many things running through my mind. Suddenly...

- Excuses.
- Figuring out my calories for the day to see if I can have the fibre one bar.
- Deciding if I really want the bar, or I just want it because it is in front of me.
- Wondering..."Why the hell do I want the bar??"

I am not emotionally feeling anything...I am very relaxed, content...and just finished working out (which means I really am not in the mood to eat).

Just wondering if anyone has noticed this difference...if it really is a difference and what you do to conquer this?

ETA - As I sit and try to figure this out on a psychological level...I am realizing that there is a huge difference to the impulse when there is 1 other person eating, to an entire table of people eating. I can quite simply refuse food when there is 1 person eating...but as soon as there is 3 or more people eating popcorn/chips/whatever...it becomes increasingly different. I am also starting to think, perhaps it is not WHAT they are eating...but just the idea of eating. Sit at a table full of people eating...and you are the only one that is not - it almost turns into an awkward moment.

siratlas

yep! i can relate and my thought processes are similar around it. If it's something I *want* and it fits in, I have no problem eating it... and if I'm eating out of boredom/sadness etc I can control the urge but it's a different thing altogether when there's no emotional or physical desire to snack and yet there I am having two cookies that I didn't actually enjoy . I guess I've adjusted to logging and planning out my meals more than I realized? I have the hardest time when I'm with a group of people and it wasn't planned to go grab something to eat or for someone to bring snacks to a meeting.

I'm figuring this out as I go, I don't have many solutions except to just listen to what my body really needs and wants and to ignore the influence from other people when it comes to those kinds of impulse situations.

PrincessTinyheart

it's the same way when I go to a restaurant with others. I don't want to be "that girl" who eats salad while everyone else is enjoying something decadent.

I have worked very hard to identify and practice my emotional eating, which in the last 2 years - huge progress. Though today, I noticed something slightly different, but may relate. Impulsive Eating.

Ever notice at work, there is a group of co-workers sitting around a table, suddenly someone brings out a huge bag of chips. At first, no one dare goes for it. Then...in less than 5 mins, one decides "sure ill have some" then follows the remainder of the co-workers. Before you even notice - everyone at the table is now eating the chips - including yourself.

No real emotional tie to it...the food is just there. Everyone else is eating...it is like social drinking.

I am now sitting at home...with a Fibre One Oats and Chocolate Chewy Bar sitting in front of me...and like a dog in training - I am:embarassed: not to touch it. However...there are many things running through my mind. Suddenly...

- Excuses.
- Figuring out my calories for the day to see if I can have the fibre one bar.
- Deciding if I really want the bar, or I just want it because it is in front of me.
- Wondering..."Why the hell do I want the bar??"

I am not emotionally feeling anything...I am very relaxed, content...and just finished working out (which means I really am not in the mood to eat).

Just wondering if anyone has noticed this difference...if it really is a difference and what you do to conquer this?

ETA - As I sit and try to figure this out on a psychological level...I am realizing that there is a huge difference to the impulse when there is 1 other person eating, to an entire table of people eating. I can quite simply refuse food when there is 1 person eating...but as soon as there is 3 or more people eating popcorn/chips/whatever...it becomes increasingly different. I am also starting to think, perhaps it is not WHAT they are eating...but just the idea of eating. Sit at a table full of people eating...and you are the only one that is not - it almost turns into an awkward moment.

I am exactly the same way. I don't bring sweets into the house. However if there is sweets at work I will eat more than my fair share. Why? Because everyone else is eating it and I don't want to miss out also I don't want people to think I'm weird for not eating it :grumble:

karmac0matic

Same whenever I'm around family. It's like, "hey there's a bag of chocolate kisses on the table, and since they're eating from it I can grab a few every once in a while" but it's not really even a conscious thing? I've noticed I'm fine to eat limited amounts alone but around my family, that just seems like it goes out the window and I'm like "Lol it's fine to eat whatever!"

Maybe it's because I'm the most fit of my family so comparatively (subconsciously) I'm thinking it's not a big deal for me to eat something since they're eating it, too? Even if I don't want anything, I'll just put it right in my mouth, no real thought process!

I wish I didn't just get like that around them, I wish I could control the impulse to just pound down food. But for some reason, when I'm around them everything is happy-go-lucky and calories don't exist!

CrusaderSam

I had the same problem too. Well still have it, it was worse before. Sometimes you just are hungry, and there is nothing else to it. Other times you just don't want to feel left out. It can be hard to tell.

dt3312

A book that is helping me immensely with emotional/compulsive eating is Breaking Free from Emotiional Eating by Geneen Roth. It has helped me get in touch with when I'm hungry and when I'm not, and take the "emotional charge" out of food. Also to eat because I'm hungry and to nourish my body, not because I'm tired, stressed, depressed, etc.

dakotababy

A book that is helping me immensely with emotional/compulsive eating is Breaking Free from Emotiional Eating by Geneen Roth. It has helped me get in touch with when I'm hungry and when I'm not, and take the "emotional charge" out of food. Also to eat because I'm hungry and to nourish my body, not because I'm tired, stressed, depressed, etc.

I have actually read this book, and I believe it has some excellent ideas in it. I also find it more focused on the emotional side of eating, while I am wondering more about the random act of eating with no emotional reasoning and no feelings physical hunger.