Emotional Eaters, how do you cope?

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ZekeandKyliesMom
ZekeandKyliesMom Posts: 71 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am wondering how you guys cope, what do you do instead of eating when emotional or depressed?

I really would like some input here because I am HORRIBLE about this.

I am having a really bad day and I find myself craving Johnnie Corinoes like a drug addict. :(
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Replies

  • demery12371
    demery12371 Posts: 253 Member
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    Chewing gum and cleaning or keeping my hands busy so I can't put food in them to shove in my mouth...
    Writing about what I am feeling..... (a journal)
    or walking....
  • barbarajean3
    barbarajean3 Posts: 132 Member
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    I eat but only good stuff. Lots of good stuff till I'm soo full I dont want any more:smokin:
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
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    my problem is I don't.... When I get really stressed or depressed, I have tendency to forget to eat. I make myself busy, instead, i.e. reading, writing, working out, work, etc...
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
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    Keep busy! Boredom plays a role in emotional eating, as it allots for idle hands AND crazy @ss emotions! LOL.
  • LokiFae
    LokiFae Posts: 774 Member
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    Exercise, watch makeup videos on YouTube (SUCH a guilty pleasure for me), brush my teeth, online window shop. The online window shopping is particularly successful for me because I look at all the things I would love to be able to wear but I'm not comfortable in right now. Makes me want to stick to my plan.
  • KatyE213
    KatyE213 Posts: 446 Member
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    I just don't keep the "bad stuff" in the house, then theres a limit to how much damage I can do!
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
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    Go for a walk. pound the pavement until you feel better. Take up kick boxing??

    Good luck! I color when I get stressed out.
  • PJFaber
    PJFaber Posts: 47
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    A hobby helps. I knit and crochet when things get really crazy. Tried reading but do you know how many times that they mention food in a good book? Way too many.
  • pstaceyca
    pstaceyca Posts: 306 Member
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    Oh it's very hard but the more I just told myself I am not doing that anymore, the easier it got. I am not perfect and do still give in to my emotions, but I am working on it and have improved 80%!! It is a mind game, that I am trying to win!! And exercise keeps my stress levels down and makes me feel better about myself!
  • becky_turcotte
    becky_turcotte Posts: 152
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    If I'm having an emotional day, I usually take a walk. It helps me think and brings me back to my ownself
  • A_Brunner
    A_Brunner Posts: 9
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    I see a nutritionist and a psychologist weekly. They are the ones who hold me accountable. I try to cope by swimming. Lately it's been helping.
  • jenlob
    jenlob Posts: 21 Member
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    I try to distract my self with something else and drink water. That way if the distraction isn't completely working I feel full so I don't end up eating. Walking is good too!
  • nmades
    nmades Posts: 10
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    I can completely relate. If the only time I ever ate was when I was actually hungry, I wouldn't have a weight problem. What I try to do which sometimes works (and sometimes doesn't as the empty boxes of Cheez-it can show) is just feel what I'm feeling instead of trying to distract myself with food. If I'm sad, I cry. If I'm pissed off, I yell and swear (where people can't hear me). Just know that you are very much not alone with this struggle. Food is a natural panacea and it's very hard to resist when we're feeling low. When you do eat from emotion rather than hunger, it's important to forgive yourself wholeheartedly and move on. Overeating is NOT illegal, immoral, unethical or make you a bad person. It's just a mistake we sometimes make when we don't take the time to take real care of ourselves.
  • tinac1016
    tinac1016 Posts: 1
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    Thank goodness for my dogs - when I feel like "emotional eating" I'll bring them outside and play in the yard or take them for a walk. This does 2 things for me: 1) helps me burn a few calories so I can eat without feeling too guilty, and 2) often quells my urge to eat completely! Big glass of lemonwater when I get back inside, and I'm good to go for a couple more hours....
  • chelscc
    chelscc Posts: 29
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    I stay busy and have a cup of coffee.
  • jumcadam
    jumcadam Posts: 95 Member
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    I either....

    Do exercise (gym or a country walk) as a form of distraction. Especially good for getting myself away from the fridge and I ALWAYS feel better after. As becky_turcotte said, going for a walk definitely helps gather my thoughts.
    And it burns cals!

    Grab a big glass of water to sip, put one of your fave films on and paint your nails! You're keeping your hands busy that way and once that polish is on there's no chance of grabbing any food. Plus you have pretty fingers after!
  • mlaufit
    mlaufit Posts: 4
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    I have to practice this ALL the time with myself and my family...

    You are, no doubt, a good person - trust yourself.

    Be your ideal mom to yourself [the Ideal Mom is not a chocolate bar - it's someone/you who takes time to listen to you and to provide positive support mentally and physically]

    1. Halt and step aside to acknowledge you need an intermission.
    2. Consider what the issue is (frazzled, angry, shocked, lost...?)
    3. Take a deep breath and drink some water [like when the kid can't sleep an night, he comes out to the kitchen, has a glass of water, and then goes back to bed happy]
    4. Let yourself know it's ok to slow down...and breath!

    Emotions (depression, anger, love) and Work are mindless sometimes. It's good to bring yourself back into the mindful and aware condition (using your Ideal Mom) - then you will eat the things that are going to help you rather than the things that will thwart you (carrot sticks, berries, triscuits, bananas, apples, etc. whole foods that you could eat lots of!]
  • JDRBT
    JDRBT Posts: 264 Member
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    The first step to curing this is to be AWARE OF IT! For example, I found out My Sailor is deploying. ALL NIGHT LONG I WAS OBSESSED WITH CANDY. But I know myself so I - #1 DON'T KEEP "Comfort" FOODS AROUND! Food is FUEL, not 'comfort'.
    #2 - RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. I recognized why I so badly wanted the junk, and talked about it. It helped a bit.
    #3 - DISTRACT YOURSELF. If you can't resolve a situation that is causing you to feel stressed/depressed, then distract yourself with something else. Read a book. Surf the web. Go for a walk. Whatever. DO SOMETHING ELSE. It might not take your mind off food completely, but it'll keep you from caving.
    #4 - RESOLVE THE STRESS. if you're depressed and it's "normal" (such as suffering from loss, grief, a bad day at work), understand that you can ride it out and tomorrow is a new day. Understand that eating will only bring you down lower as it will pack on the pounds. You'll be "stuffing" your emotions instead of dealing with them (and I don't think anyone would choose the coward's way of hiding from a challenge, like feeling your own emotions). Understand that if emotions overwhelm you, you CAN get help, from friends, family, therapists, etc. You're not alone. If you're suffering from more difficult issues, GET HELP. Eating cures NOTHING but starvation. It does NOT fill emotional holes!

    So how did I cope w/ the deployment news? (Did I mention it's his first deployment and my first year living away from home - I'm from California, we're in Washington? Well, there ya have it). I decided how many calories I could afford to use and asked My Sailor to enjoy some ice cream with me. We picked one that fell pretty close to my calorie range and made the following rules: 1) We're eating this all tonight, or throwing it away. Either way, it's NOT sitting around the house. 2) We're going to do something enriching for us as a couple tonight as well.

    It turned into some great couple time and a board game (Zombies!!!). It turned a tough situation into a great night.

    Now, I can't "cure" the stress, but I can talk about it with others. And I do - daily. I try to make it positive and think of spending the holidays with my family in California, and how much we'll have saved while he's gone, etc. It doesn't make it easy. It'll never be easy. But it doesn't mean that I have to make the situation WORSE by pigging out 24/7. Because, let's face it, after he leaves I'll still have to look at my body in the mirror and be proud of the woman I am and the decisions I've made. Going backwards will only make it worse. Besides! HE DESERVES A WOMAN AT HER BEST while he's giving his all!
  • ZekeandKyliesMom
    ZekeandKyliesMom Posts: 71 Member
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    Thanks everyone!!!

    I think part of my problem is that I missed my walk today because I couldn't get out of the office, I have been stressed out this week anyway and tomorrow is going to be total chaos. Meetings and reports, ack! Its making me crazy just thinking about it.

    I would love to do kickboxing but I have no balance lol and no money for it. So wii rythm boxing it is. :) My mom and I are going out friday night so I am using that to help motivate, I have to be a good girl this week so I don't demolish my efforts friday.
  • JenCM
    JenCM Posts: 195
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    Emotional eating got me where I've been, so it's a big issue for me. =/
    I just try throw myself into something else to do...crafts, exercise, getting on the computer. ANYTHING. I've tried to phase out doing it, but I also found getting some good, soft crushed ice that wasn't total h*ll on my teeth and munching on it, helped me a LOT. It was the activity of "eating" something and swallowing, that made the difference.

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