I just want to eat!

cdpollreis

I am such an emotional eater. I hate it. When I'm stressed, sad, angry, and worst of all, BORED, I want to just eat. I have done really well over the last week. I have been busy outside with my son or working (I'm a respiratory therapist and work 12 hour shifts). Today is going to be way too hot to have the baby outside, so we are stuck inside playing and reading. I'm fine with that, but when nap time comes for him, I literally have to stop myself from grabbing any and every thing in sight. I have been trying to find distractions to keep me from wandering into the kitchen. I love to read and will start a book as soon as I log off of the computer, but I can't guarantee that I won't end up having to fight with myself over eating or not eating.

It gets old fighting with myself. I know that I'm not hungry. I know I don't really want the food. Yet, I will still go and browse through the refrigerator or cabinets. Most everything we have is healthy, but that doesn't mean that I can eat what I see. Ugh!

Old habits are hard to break, right? I'm doing my best to stay strong.

abbyholm

I'm exactly the same way. I go to watch tv and my brain seems to automatically think that I absolutely must have food with it. I took up knitting which helps alot, it occupies my hands (which I think is the need eating was filling) while I do something sedentary like watching tv and helps prevent me from eating. It's not a perfect method though, I've still found myself bingeing on popcorn or gingersnaps, thinking in my head about how this or that I did must've burned SOME calories so it's really not THAT bad. It's like I can't be honest with myself and exercise the self-control. I'm getting there and doing better with the knitting and drinking tea or water instead of snacking, but you're exactly right, old habits are hard to break.

Rklane

Go in a part of your house where you can't see the kitchen. I find for me, if I'm out of the kitchen I have way more control.

sbwood888

Unless I am sleeping, I want to eat. :sad:

katie_rn

Boredom deffinately gets me too! And its not that I'm hungry either, its a flavor I'm looking for, or a texture of someting chewy or salty. I have to work on finding guilt-free snacks and especially portion control. Staying busy helps a lot, and you clearly aren't the only one fighting to stay out of the cabinets!! Good luck!!

fridaysgal

The only thing that has really worked for me is to not keep any of my "trigger" foods in the house. Your post sounded like something I would write-I am very much an emotional eater. Weekends are SO hard for me, especially if the weather keeps me indoors. Since joining MFP, I've actually started talking to myself when I'm in the kitchen looking for something to snack on. For example, "Are you really hungry or just bored?", "Are you going to let a bad day sabotage all your hard work?". I'm not sure if it will help you, but it sure has helped me.

Best of luck to you! Stay strong!!

beckbop

i used to be like this literally just a week ago! i just ate because i was bored and thats one of the reasons why ive put on a lot of weight. but just since ive been logging my food and actually taking notice of my calories ive started to be a lot better, not picking or snacking throughout the day, and if i felt like snacking i would have some fruit or jelly!
if you feel like eating cause your bored maybe try and do something? some housework or go for a walk, just to try and take your mind off it

its only my first week on here but since i have cut out all my snacking ive already lost 5 pounds! which just goes to show how much i actually was snacking throughout the day.

good luck x

suzitkd

Just a thought, but next nap time could you pop little one into their buggy (with a sunshade!) and go for a nice walk while they sleep - I always found mine slept really well in their buggies and it's certainly going to eat up the calories! Make it into a habit rather than wandering straight to the kitchen from the nursery! It is all about finding alternatives to those bad habits - you've made the first big step in working out where you were going wrong - now you need to fill that gap!

jujubean1992

boredom gets me too but! i need to go grocery shopping so the fridge is like empty and i dont want anything in there... the bad thing is, like last night after work, when its too late to cook anything and i'm hungry i hit the drive thru... SMH

CherryPie0420

I thought I had my emotional eating under control but lately its like no matter what I eat I'm still hungry. I've tried guzzling water or trying to get my mind off of food but its always there and it seems like the cravings are really strong too. I wish I had some advice for you...all we can do it take it one obstacle at a time.

PMWiggi

OMG! I can totally relate! I used to blame my binges on the stress related to studying for a PhD! I finished the degree on Friday and it's been an eating fest ever since so I guess stress from studying wasn't really the problem. I think I just eat because I can!

I seem to be okay when I'm away from home. Sure I think about food all the time but when I'm away I can find other things to distract myself. At home, however, it's ON! I eat all the time. I eat when I'm happy! I eat when I'm sad! I eat when I'm busy! I eat when I'm bored! I don't even care what I eat. Sometimes it's healthy and sometimes it's junk! It doesn't really matter!

Now, before you get all "get rid of the junk" on me, let me say, that doesn't work! If it's not in the house, I will put on clothes on top of PJs to run to a 24 hour store to load up on junk if junk is what I want! I think I'm addicted to sugar! I've tried to go a day without cookies, cake, candy and I haven't made it yet!

I feel so out of control! I want to do this right but I just don't seem to have the ability to do anything different. It's so bad that I'm actually considering seeing a doctor about an impulse control issue. I don't know what else to do!

Anyway, I just needed to say, I can totally relate! I don't have any answers but if anyone else comes up with one, let me know!