emotional eating

saralind21

I stuff my face when i get very angry, sad or bored....How do i stop this terrible habit??

Any suggestions?

saralind21

I stuff my face when i get very angry, sad or bored....How do i stop this terrible habit??

Any suggestions?

natashav

most people dont take my advise but you can excercise your anger away i find that if i go punch on a punching bag or something it gets rid of my anger or run your anger off or any kind of excercise.

Furpaws

An easy and "safe" way to vent your emotions is through journaling. While writing how you feel, take a few minutes to explore why you're angry, sad or bored. Then next time you find yourself going for the bag of Doritos, think about how and why you feel the way you do. Something else I find helpful is to stop and understand that "eating the emotion " is only a short-term fix that comes with long-term consequences (weight gain). We need to acknowledge and deal with whatever it is that makes us angry, sad or bored. I believe that emotional eating has roots in our infancy or childhood. Ever see parents hand their child a cookie to distract them from something else or get them to calm down? Or promise a "treat" to reward good behavior?

Razboo

Exercise can help. I've attacked the weights during a very angry day recently and by the time I was done, I felt much better. Not to mention the work out was very intense!

The journaling sounds like a good idea. Like getting stuff off your mind by talking about it to someone.

This one may sound stupid, but I have found it's really true. Smile! It's very difficult to be angry when you are smiling. Just do a little experiment right now: Smile. Not just with your lips, but with your face, your eye brows, try to let a smile into your eyes. See? I bet you feel more 'light hearted' even if you weren't angry or sad to begin with.

I read that somewhere a long time ago and thought it was just stupid until I tried it. I suppose where our facial expresions are so closely tied to our emotions, it only makes sense that there could be some effect in reverse.

But you really have to get your face behind the idea to work. Good luck!

banks1850

I try to confront the reasons behind this stuff. Ask youself why food is tied with negative
emotions. In my personal experience, once you confront the underlying components
of emotional eating, it becomes an enemy you can fight sucessfully.

Best of luck.

lotusfromthemud

It's very hard to recognize emotional eating. I am a (former...I pray) binge eater who was eating to suppress my emotions. Food is a very powerful drug, and one that we can't quit "cold turkey". What you have to do to move on from this problem is start feeling your emotions. I've spent many a night during my weight loss crying instead of eating. I'm totally with furpaws that this goes way, way back to childhood. Journaling is a great idea, but so is giving yourself some time to feel or express your emotions. Next time you find yourself angry and tearing into the chips, or sad and opening the ice cream (these were mine) ask yourself this very powerful question "what am I really eating?".

And, smiling isn't a bad idea either. I sometimes (angry or frustrated) will remind myself as my yoga teacher does to "soften my face"...I might not be smiling, but my tension isn't there.

:flowerforyou:

yenn2

I'm with Razboo for sure on the smiling thing. It REALLY WORKS !! And also, think about your goal, not the journey. When you're blue, fight back by picturing yourself at your goal weight, and think of how great it feels when you have good results on the scale or getting into those pants you wish would fit you. Think about your will, and how it's stronger than whatever emotion is floating through you at the moment. And those hunger pangs ?? I heard someone on Oprah one time say to think of those as little fat eating monsters in your belly, chewing away at your gut !!

nopogal

I have to go out and do something active or at least something where I'm not around food. I usually clean when I'm angry. It's a little weird, but at least I don't eat and I feel good that my house (or car, or desk...) is clean when I'm done. Usually helps me put things in perspective. Eating just makes me feel even more depressed. it's hard to remember that when you're down though.

tdroseler

i started doing this book...sos help for emotioins.
it is pretty good, i helps me to recognise my different emotions and deal with them in better ways. it takes work and determination...but then again, if we are here on this site, we already have those character traits, right? Bonus part is, when i notice i am going through "withdrawls" from food, i don't take it out on hubby either :happy: he likes that.

katiechakos

Razboo, I totally just cracked up. I was reading your entry and when you said to try it, I did and then I laughed out loud! You're the best. Thanks.

cmriverside

Great posts, everyone! You are all so smart and funny!

LOL on the :happy: razbo.

sam456456

I agree that you do need to confront the problems that make you an emotional eater. I've been struggling with depression so I would eat any time I was bored, sad, angry, stressed out, and even tired. I would binge horribly. But for 2 weeks I've been a vegetarian and in those 2 weeks I haven't binged not once when usually I would binge every 3 days--no joke. So for me it was becoming a vegetarian (almost vegan), so the cheese burgers and the pints of ice cream are off limits (I do have an occasional skinny cow treat or soy ice cream). Also writing in a journal can help but for me when I want to eat because I'm sad, tired, angry, bored, or stressed out the last thing I want to do is exercise. So you can chew some gum, drink some tea (I drink a cup of coffee with a splenda flavored pack-less than 5 calories!! or a Nestle sugar free hot cocoa for only 25 calories), or read a book, take a shower, listen to your favorite music or watch a tv show or movie you like, and so on...
Good luck

greatape

I agree with what the others are saying, but I also know it is easier said than done. I would get rid of all the really bad junk food in your house, buy a bag of hard candy and some gum in a flavor you like. When emotional times come, grab a piece of candy or gum. It is a sweet sensation, keeps your mouth busy, but you aren't eating things that are adding lots of calories to your diet. I would also suggest call a friend and 'vent'. Nothing helps more than being able to get it out, and if journaling doesn't work for you, then pick up the phone and call someone. Friends are there for the good and the bad!

saralind21

Thanks for the posts everyone...you all have great ideas!