tough times with "stress" / emotional eating

afk1

Hi...I have been on this journey for what seems to be my entire life...I have lost 80 lbs so far and lately am fighting once again with my issues of stress eating. I have watched the scale start creeping up and I know I haven't worked this hard to see that again.....please if anyone has ideas let me know......I welcome the chats and the new friends........Thank you

All4Me2014xx

Hello,

Same here. Lose it, gain it, get frustrated, lose it, gain it.

So...this last time, I lost it. My tickler doesn't show it, but I am still at the lost it stage. Still trying to lose more. But I get bored after 2-3 months of doing the same things.

I did lots of cardio, then lots of weights with little cardio, now doing Insanity. I think for me, what works best is if I plan to change up my routine every couple of months.

If your stress has to do with your weight, then use that to motivate you into doing something. Find something you really like to do. Whether it's walking, jogging, classes, weights (if you haven't tried them), whatever. I'm a Type A personality, so I plan lots of things. Mostly a workout plan, but also a weekly eating plan. I pre-package meats into 3 or 4 ounces in ziploc bags so I can grab and go. I have apples or pears - I pick smaller ones at the store - ready to just grab as well.

My dinner meals are planned so I know what to take out of the freezer in the morning before heading to work (my brain operates just enough to get me to work fully dressed first thing in the morning).

I tried different times for exercise, but found my best time is right after work. Then, when I get cleaned up from that, I don't have anywhere else to go for the evening and can just relax.

You've done it before, but really the hardest part for me was actually putting the plan back into place. Seemed it took me forever to just get off my butt and do it. But now I'm doing it and I'm focused again. It's still hard sometimes to pick up the dvd remote and start the Insanity workout, but I also know that by the end of that session, I will feel great.

Remember that feeling? Go get it.

Good luck!

Brolympus

You need to recognize that you have a food addiction and treat it appropriately. You need to treat food as a basic necessity and not a comfort mechanism. Make exercise, or reading, or video games, or literally anything else but food be your coping mechanism, whatever works for you. Get the junk food out of the house, don't buy it.

There is a FANTASTIC documentary called "Hungry for Change" that does an amazing job showing how the food industry has addled society with an addiction to high-carb & high sugar foods, and how food addiction is on par with addiction potential of nicotine and alcohol. Watch it, it will change your outlook on food forever.

focusedonfitness2015

I am a serious stress eater. When I'm upset, I just want to binge on everything that is bad for me..Almost an "I dont give a F#^k attitude" about everything. So, I am trying to find ways to put that negative energy into something positive and take out my frustration on the elliptical machine. This may sound stupid but during these stressful times (while I'm killing it at the gym) it helps for me to listen to music with a lot of angst in it. Music is passionate and has a ton of emotion and I feel like I can get some of the frustration out of my head by listening to screaming instead of doing the screaming. By the time I finish my cardio and weights, I hit the sauna much more relaxed than I was before arriving.

I realize that is not always a feasible solution to stress eating. Not everyone can run off to the gym but its my own personal way of facing the stress eating head on...and winning.

Feel free to add me. I'm always on MFP and looking for supportive friends with common interests and goals.

Happy Hump Day!! :flowerforyou:

afk1

Thank you :happy: I am so glad I posted and have gotten the best results ever....I agree that I have to put the plan into action.....and the idea of packaging my meals and getting into the freezer....pre plan is the way to go for me with 2 jobs and kids that are on the go......please feel free to keep in contact I know I will always be grateful for the support ......I look forward to speaking with you soon....:flowerforyou:

afk1

Thanks, I will look for the movie tonight.........