Stress eating.

megz4987

I don't eat WHILE I'm stressed, I actually have no appetite when I'm stressed but after whatever it is, isresolved... that's when I pig out. It doesn't matter if I'm stressed for 5 minutes or 5 hours, after the stress is over... I go crazy. My brain shuts down, fruit, veggies and wholgrains don't enter my mind. Anything and everything is in my mouth.

I don't know what to do about it!

SlowlyLosingLolita

Try writing your feelings in a journal.
It sounds like you do what I do and that's that you try and get over the nervousness and anxiety that comes with uncomfortable situations by eating things that make you feel better and comfortable.
When I was like 18 I started writing poems to calm my nerves so I wouldn't try and eat.

dxing

You can try meal replacement shakes, if it's easier to drink than to eat. Not recommended for long term obviously, but it's always better to eat than to not.

bluedee77

I know it is easy to reach for the wrong foods when life upsets you..maybe you can try keeeping healthy foods around you @ all times.that way no matter the situation the right foods will always be around you. Don't get discouraged.you can bounce back.just stay focused on what's important.good luck:)

Mtsidad

Where are you when this happens? It sounds like you end up in a place where the food you really like is available, along with the foods you think you "should" be eating. (I'm not saying you shouldn't be eating the good foods, but sometimes we set up this mind game where we eat healthy knowing it's good for us but hoping to get back to the food we like.)

Maybe you could try to figure out how you end up in the location where the food is available, and find ways to _do_ other things when the stress is over. I'm no doctor, so I'm not pretending to understand all the motives. But it sounds like you crave a reward for being free of a problem, and the reward is conveniently food. And let's be honest - food is cheap, and given the miracles of science, it keeps getting better and better tasting. (They pay scientists lots of money to make food attractive. They're pretty smart, and we fall for it because they know what we like and they know how to sculpt the food into something we desire.)

I'm not free of that food-reward-craving either. It's very hard to untangle myself from the pleasure that eating brings. I'm just trying to get away from the location (the kitchen and pantry) so I can _do_ something else when the stress is lifted.

And it helps to stay away from purchases of food items that I know I will crave in uncontrollable portions.

Hope this helps. You're just human. Don't beat yourself up because you fail. But you're also human enough to look at yourself and say "I can do better next time." That's the essence of being alive: you can choose.

Melinda1987

I'm an emotional eater myself and so what I'm going to suggest are things that I've HEARD b4 but am still learning to put into practice myself...

Just like with any good battle (and if you've been on more than 2 diets you know weight loss IS a battle) - it's all about preparation. For starters, if at all possible (and I realize those with kids might not find this feasible) simply do not allow truly "bad" foods in your house. Now I realize that no food is actually bad, that everything is fine in moderation. And this means when you are at the gas station you can buy a Snickers if that's what you're hungry for. It does NOT mean that you buy a 6-pack of Snickers to have around the house. Because you & I know that all the good intentions of only having ONE go out the window when emotions rage.

Another tip I've heard is to force yourself to wait 30 mins between snacks. So ok, you're emotional and you grab a donut. There's more donuts in the box... calling your name. Tell yourself "Ok - I can have another donut in 30 mins. Yep - I am TOTALLY gonna have another one. Just gotta wait 30 mins." Now... hopefully in 30 mins you've calmed down and can make a better choice.

And finally - the best suggestion is to forgive yourself if u slip up and pig out. One hour's worth of binging is not going to ruin the progress you made all week. It doesn't even have to ruin the whole day.
Good luck!! We can do it!

dragonbug300

Basic biology: stress releases cortisol, which triggers ghrelin to make you feel hungry.
Evolutionarily, times of stress were related to times of famine or lacking, so humans had to eat everything they could get their hands on.
When you're stressed, your body is telling you "famine! Don't get hungry, there's nothing here!" And when you relax, it's saying that the food is back "Okay, all clear, fill 'er up in case another famine happens".

That doesn't mean that you have to eat, because the body's reaction will remain the same pretty much. What you can do is find ways to de-stress that take you away from food. Go on a walk, do yoga, call a friend and vent, go clubbing, just get yourself out and in a new environment, having fun.

megz4987

I'm usually always home when I'm stressed and unfortuately it's not so easy to pick up and remove myself as it once was (I have a 2 month old to drag along).

I like the 30minute idea. Now, as long as I remember to do it, I think that should work for me