Confessions of a closet eater....

2

Replies

  • scorrea2
    scorrea2 Posts: 72 Member
    This list is perfect. Closet eating is one of my biggest habbits that I'm trying to break.
  • Makoce
    Makoce Posts: 938 Member
    17. Is this the last _______ I will ever see?

    This is mine. Why do I feel like I have to eat it all at once or over the course of just a few days?!

    I need this one. I get into this fricken survival instinct mode and consume it all out of fear itll be gone forever.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Wow...holy negative body image.
    Ugh yes.

    ANYTHING will make you FAT if you EAT TOO MUCH!

    Stop with the food hating. Learn to make things fit and eat what you like within moderation.

    FFS.

    For those of us who struggle with closet eating (compulsive eating, etc.), it's hard to "]earn to make things fit and eat what you like within moderation." Anyone who dismisses a person who talks about compulsive eating has NO IDEA what it's like.
    Why assume that someone who has learned to eat all foods in moderation, or advocates eating all foods in moderation, has no experience with compulsive eating or negative body image? There are lots of folks here who have struggled with this stuff, and learned a lot about how to do things differently.
    Me? I ate two huge bowls of ice cream yesterday. Felt guilt and beat myself up both times. Still, that wasn't enough after the first bowl in the afternoon to keep me from the second bowl at night. As much as I don't want to, it's truly difficult to fight the compulsion.
    Just one little tip: try working on the guilt/beating yourself up part first. That's a big part of the problem.

    OP: I commend you for trying to work on your issues; I'm not 100% sure you're going about it in completely the best way. Individual foods aren't "bad" and individual foods aren't to blame for you gaining weight. I can only speak from my own experience, but I never managed to seriously lose weight until I started loving myself and respecting my body. I wasn't able to approach having a halfway decent relationship with food until I started accepting that I like eating food, that there's nothing wrong with that and forgiving myself when I over-ate. Food isn't bad. Being hungry or having an appetite isn't bad. You're not bad for enjoying foods that are high in fat/sugar/salt. You're not bad because you have learned to use foods to cope with unpleasant emotions.

    Maybe try working on different coping strategies for the emotions you find unbearable, and changing the habits you currently have. For me, it was habit to reach for food when I felt sad/bored/anxious. It's hard to just give that up without a new habit to take its place, so I had to work on incorporating new, healthy habits instead of over-eating.

    (By the way, I think nos 16 & 17 are great questions to ask!)
  • dispatcher939
    dispatcher939 Posts: 75 Member
    Good post, sometimes you need a little humor to help your mood and the way you look at things.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    And now I want to eat a whole bag of chips.
  • MeganNicoleCee
    MeganNicoleCee Posts: 6
    I totally identify with this post! I try not admit it but with my relationship being long distance I'm not always 100% truthful about what I've had for dinner. It's so easy to just say "Oh I had a salad" while you're shoving pizza or whatever your guilty pleasure is into your mouth :embarassed:

    But I love this list- regardless of any one who's criticizing it. I think and agree that the list helps you come to a conclusion as to why it is that you're wanting whatever treat you're having and helping you refocus on what your priorities are and why you're choosing to either Have or not to have that cadbury creme egg :wink:

    Because let's be honest I didn't get fat from eating one piece of candy. And I won't gain all of the weight I have lost over the past 2 years by eating one either.

    :flowerforyou: Thank you for this post
  • chasingdreams18
    chasingdreams18 Posts: 110 Member
    Yeah, there is always a critic.... Of course i struggle with negative body image... DUH.
    I have 75lbs to show me I havent been taking care of me :drinker:
    However, I find humor helps me express myself and get it all out there.
    I love posting my feeling....even when they are achievements. :flowerforyou:


    Thank you ladies!!!!!!!!!!!! :heart:

    THANK YOU FOR SHARING :smile:
  • mi2mina
    mi2mina Posts: 24 Member
    this is great i copied and pasted it !! and printed it out. Hopefully this helps me too...not so much of a closet eater but a binger ....not super bad but i do....
  • kisstheheavens
    kisstheheavens Posts: 23 Member
    it helps me if i just dont include it on my shopping list. like if i dont bring it in my home then i wont eat it. as far as going out (dinner / six flags/ beach) i understand what you mean. it all takes self control.
    The amount of money you would spend on junk food, just put it aside and buy a new workout outfit
  • Kaye_Marie
    Kaye_Marie Posts: 15
    This is great! I actually think most of these when I'm trying to convince myself not to eat something.

    It's funny. People are taking it way to seriously!
  • IowaPrincess
    IowaPrincess Posts: 274 Member
    Yeah, some people just show up to critic or criticize, but thats ok.

    I dont post anything I dont stand behind. :flowerforyou:

    They are my experience and my opinions.

    Thank you all for the awesome responses!!! :heart: :heart: :heart:
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    Been there, and then just as I would find the will power not to eat that box of chocolates or the easter candy my daughter left out, my husband comes in with a box of cream filled donuts... by by will power. (I knew things were getting bad when I would eat 2/3 of the box and he wouldn't eat the last of his.)
  • LifeChanged2000
    LifeChanged2000 Posts: 176 Member
    Thank you so much for doing this! I too suffer from "closet eating". I also suffer from stress eating (hand in hand right?). I find you to be brave for posting this and it makes me want to write down my list. I am trying so hard to find my groove again, and it's nice to know I am not alone. Thank you!
  • JenniferIsLosingIt
    JenniferIsLosingIt Posts: 595 Member
    [

    All jokes aside, I often think like this too. People will comment things like "negative body image" like you don't already know that. I also have a negative body image - if I liked the way my body looked I wouldn't BE here.

    It's important to remember why you're here. Kudos to you.
    [/quote]

    Thank you for this! I mean of course we have a negativebody image! That is why we are HERE! LOL! SHeesh cut a fat chick some slack will ya? Rome was not built in a day!
  • happycauseIride
    happycauseIride Posts: 536 Member

    Stop with the food hating. Learn to make things fit and eat what you like within moderation.

    FFS.

    Not everyone has the self control to "eat what you like within moderation." Some of us are emotional eaters and food addicts and certain foods are triggers that once started just can not be stopped until it's gone and then creating more poor choices to follow. It's not as simple as just eat in moderation.
  • amyhoss
    amyhoss Posts: 414 Member
    Wow...holy negative body image.

    Well that's really helpful...

    Many of us do have a negative body image and that is part of our problem. She is trying to find ways to fix that.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
    20. Picture myself naked ..... TADDAAAAAAAA ... I am not hungry at all :sick:
    I got a huge giggle out of this list, thank you, OP. All SO TRUE! Especially #20 hehe. :laugh:
  • amyhoss
    amyhoss Posts: 414 Member

    Stop with the food hating. Learn to make things fit and eat what you like within moderation.

    FFS.

    Not everyone has the self control to "eat what you like within moderation." Some of us are emotional eaters and food addicts and certain foods are triggers that once started just can not be stopped until it's gone and then creating more poor choices to follow. It's not as simple as just eat in moderation.

    +1 I specifically remember the instance that threw me off track once when I had lost 20 pounds. I allowed myself to over indulge in Cheese Its and I didn't get back on track after that until I had gained 30 pounds more 2 years later.
  • trying4real
    trying4real Posts: 113 Member
    haha !! i love this, things we never say outloud
  • Lizabethafe
    Lizabethafe Posts: 6 Member
    Way to be accountable. Thanks for helping me think twice too! You go girl!!
  • janda060708
    janda060708 Posts: 23 Member
    Totally just printed this out at work! lol!!
  • SimplyAprille
    SimplyAprille Posts: 30
    Oh yes, living alone can be the worst you think no one can see you eating it so you gorge on it, been there man
  • Slashnl
    Slashnl Posts: 339 Member
    Great post! Either a closet eater, or maybe in the car eater.... drive thru eating. Not a good thing!

    Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed it!
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    I actually have a large mirror in my closet (where I hide my "emergency" candy), and when I need some "closet time," I find watching myself shove piece after piece after piece after piece into my mouth helps me realize what I'm doing, and knowing is half of MY battle. :flowerforyou:
  • IowaPrincess
    IowaPrincess Posts: 274 Member
    Thanks for the love you guys!!! Awesome feed back :heart: :heart:
  • dreamcatcher024
    dreamcatcher024 Posts: 5
    Thank you very much for this you have no idea how much this has helped me.
    I have copied and pasted your list of questions into word and just wrote in my own answers.

    It was like a light bulb moment, and gave me clarity.
    It made me think about how I feel after I over eat but without overeating first.

    I will read my answers daily and if I ever feel the urge to over eat or deviate from my diet plan.
    I think you may have just given me the last tool, the last piece of motivation I needed to succeed and become a happy healthy person again.

    Thank you.


    68227594.png
  • IowaPrincess
    IowaPrincess Posts: 274 Member
    thank you!!!
    I am glad anyone can relate and get motivation from my feelings :heart:
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    If this list is what will help you get a handle on compulsive eating, that's great. Hopefully you won't need it after a while. I understand how it feels to eat like this and have those same thoughts. I was brought up to finish what was on my plate from the time I was a toddler, so I always felt the need to eat everything. Every Pop Tart, every cookie, every bite of ice cream.

    Once I quit drinking, I became an emotional eater, and I saw someone else post the same thing I just blogged about last week. I gained back almost 40 lbs from going to Cheez Its for 6 very frustrating months last year. This post, I think, is what saved me from myself. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity I learned how to properly fill out my diary without having to give anything up, and I had to force myself to stick to it. I slowly started allowing my old trigger foods back in the house. It was a process, and just last week I realized that things have been falling apart around me since the beginning of May, but I haven't turned to food even once to make myself feel better. Good luck, OP. I hope this works for you, and you get to a place where no food is considered evil.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    I'm going to be honest with you, I don't like your list of questions. And the reason I don't like it is because it 1) places blame on the food (not high in nutrition, processed, can be bought at a gas station), and 2) incorporates shaming, either through body shaming or peer shaming.

    Bingeing and compulsive eating are behavioral issues that have little to do with food. The only question that even touches on that is "16) Am I just eating my emotions?" In order to change a behavior, you first have to identify why you engage in this behavior in the first place, then work to change it. Blaming the food for being "bad" or shaming yourself may get you to put the cookie down, but it isn't addressing the root cause, just treating the symptoms.

    Often when the root cause is not addressed, another behavior replaces the old one. It's why you see alcoholics take up smoking, or former smokers put on weight after quitting. They got used to doing one behavior in times of stress/emotions (drinking or smoking), and now that they can't do that but do not have the coping mechanisms to deal with the stress/emotions, they use the new behavior (smoking/eating).

    I think trying to identify what is going on to nip a binge in the bud is absolutely a good thing, but the way you are going about it is flawed. I feel like you are setting yourself up to feel worse about yourself when you do have a slip with all the negativity you have in your list. If bingeing or compulsive eating is truly an issue, I would recommend talking to a doctor or therapist to help get to the root of the issues, or contacting an Overeaters Anonymous group for support.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    Leaving this here for the moderation makes you mature and it's all about your emotions, not your body crowd:

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2013/06/27/study-are-cheap-carbs-really-like-drugs-to-your-brain/

    Study: Are Carbs, Sugars Really Like Drugs To Your Brain?

    As you’d expect, the high-glycemic milkshakes led to a fast rise in blood sugar, followed by a marked drop four hours later. What was interesting to the researchers was that the “crash” was accompanied both by higher self-reported ratings of hunger and greater activation in the nucleus accumbens, an area of the brain that has long been linked to addictive behaviors and sensations, including reward and craving. This was all relative to the low-glycemic milkshake group, which had lower measures of both variables.

Categories