Emotional Eating

LabRat529

I'm pretty new here. I've posted on a few topics, but this is the first that I've started on my own. I'm sure there's a conversation about this somewhere. I can't be the only one dealing with this... but here goes:

How do you conquer emotional eating? This is my Achilles' heel. I have successfully lost 35 lbs. I started in March, lost steadily through the end of June, and then... my life became one stressful, emotional roller coaster, and I haven't made progress since. I get back on track only to derail again with the next something-stressful comes along. It's so frustrating.

Grrr.

Yesterday was good. Today started out well. I even brought lunch so I wouldn't be tempted by something unhealthy. But then I leave work early to take my car in to get serviced... and because I'm upset about a meeting with the boss, I stop on the way home and buy a hotdog, chips, and a drink. WHY? I don't need this food.

I need to figure out something to beat this, or I'm not going anywhere. It's just so hard to get away from food. I eat when I'm stressed. I eat when I'm happy. I eat when I'm going out with friends. I eat because I'm bored.

*sigh*

Pointers? Other than 'don't eat for emotional reasons'?

MissFit0101

I'm one of the BIGGEST emotional eaters you'll ever find, and the only thing that will usually keep me from doing it, is to work out, even if I've already worked out for the day. You have to focus on something else completely ... enough to forget about eating. It doesn't always work, but hopefully if you keep trying it will get easier. Sorry I don't have a magic fix, maybe someone else does, but it takes a lot of will power, and putting your focus elsewhere.

GT_Ginger

I don't have any pointers becuase I'm the same way so I'm just hoping some people out there do have some good tips. Seems like when my day goes bad I stop caring and lose sight of my goals.

irunforfun

I'm one. It's something that you never truly get over, I think. It just gets easier to cope with over time. You have to get in the right frame of mind not to put yourself into this situation. Find something to do. You have to keep your mind occupied. My father died last summer and it really screwed up my weight loss big time and I didn't take off the rest of the weight til this year. It's all about being in charge and not letting your emotions get the best of you. Feel free to friend me if you'd ever like to talk about it - I've been down that road and still battle with it (although I actually under eat most days now, and that's not any better).

catwrangler

I am the exact same way. I wish I knew the answers.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MH00025

also books by the author Geneen Roth
http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Free-Emotional-Eating-Geneen/dp/0452284910

tadpole4192

My friend started a support group about the subject. She will be featured on an upcoming segment of Oprah.

http://www.hungry4less.com/

I'm thinking and hoping she may offer sometype of on-line program soon if more people ask her. Her name is Kim. Tell her Allan from Long Beach sent you. She also has a Facebook group.

Continued wellness and health!

Allan

katey82

Probably not going to help you much, but I have done the exact same thing! This last month has been really horrible, I have fallen off my program and strarted eatting more and more. I think we have to be able to forgive ourselves, but also realize that food has become a comfort and in a way for some an addiction. We have to be able to make lifestyle changes rather than just use will power. When things are going great I dont have a problem sticking to a program and making changes, but when *kitten* hits the fan I loose control and return to old behaivors. I think we have to find new ways to cope with stress, anger, disappointment, etc. I am trying to make sure that I apply some stress reducing activities to lower over all stress, but this is just as difficult as sticking to a plan. We have to relearn the purpose of food!!

Rae6503

What about trying to find some go-to indulgent type food that is actually good for you? For me it's sushi (but I know you don't like that) and frozen yogurt. Or I know that if I'm out running errands, a McDonald's hamburger, an ice cream coke and a diet doctor pepper is yummy AND only 400 calories.

pussycat626

I'm working on mine with a counselor. It seems to be helping. My counselor also recommended when I feel sad to journal exactly what I feel sad about even if I eat or not and if I do eat I have to put that in there also. Haven't emotionally eaten since

laursey

Emotional eating is a tricky one. Always pack around healthier snacks with you. A ziploc bag of craisins, fish crackers, peanuts, crispy minis. Have them in your car, in your desk at work, in your purse, so when you feel you need to indulge, you won't be tempted to go through the drive through, because you have things to fill the gap.
When grabbing for that hot dog, try to stop and think how you will feel after you've had that. I feel like crap and wished I hadn't sabatogued myself. Not that I don't treat myself once in a while, but I try to do it on my own terms, not when my emotions are out of whack. Stop, have a glass of water and think how that snack you're grabbing for to soothe your emotions will hinder or help you in achieving your ultimate goal. Visualize how you will feel, how you'd like to look, and hopefully you'll put down the hotdog and grab some rice crackers and hummus instead : )
Hope that helps!
I realized I had started to overcome my emotional eating when I posted one day that I had a binge. Then I laughed at myself, because instead of it being a bag of chips of a batch of brownies I was bingeing on, it was rice crackers.
Hope this helps.


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Enigmatica

Been there done that. What works for me:

Call a friend
Go for a walk or engage in some other form of exercise
Chat with people on MFP ;-)
Write, draw, make jewelry
Clean the house/yard

And I cook - BUT - I cook with the point of FREEZING the food for future meals!! I can taste test but not make a meal of it. This relaxes me because I perceive it as insurance that I'm well-prepared, won't starve, will have quick easy meals when I need them, etc. The key here is to learn to cook but not eat it all, lol. I started doing this when I realized that one of the triggers for my own "emotional eating" is basic insecurity and uncertainty about the future. I've learned to calm that feeling by prepping the food and feeling happy that I'm at least prepared on that level. And it sure pays off when I'm tired and stressed and in a hurry after a long work day. I can pull healthy low-sodium, pre-measured foods from the freezer and RELAX.

MIMITIME

Like every one else, I don't have the answer. The only thing that saves me when I am on the highway is to keep some good choices of food in my truck. I also keep a few things in my hand bag. Otherwise, I would be pulling in to a fast food place or convenient store and going nuts. Good Luck

TGomo

I have lost and gained weight a few times in my life. One thing I have learned - if hunger is not your problem - food is not your solution. Mondays are absolutely the worst for me at work. I am usually frustrated, overwhelmed, etc. by the end of the day. Yet instead of having a date night with a family size Doritos bag as I once did in my past, I signed myself up for a fitness class on Monday evenings. I feel so much better when my class is done and I no longer feel stressed out. Try to gauge how you feel emotionally and remind yourself that overeating will only compound the problem because you will feel guilty, etc. Put - in writing - why you want to lose weight. Make a few copies - keep one in the car, your purse, the fridge, somewhere accessible. I remind myself every day why I started this journey - again. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Best of luck to you - it is SO hard - but SO worth it!

sunkisses

I think that it's the way you're wired, and it's going to be tough to change it, but I think you're going to find something that works for you.

My mom's an emotional eater, but she was aware of it by the time I was little. She hated being an emotional eater and did everything in her power to make sure I didn't become one (redirecting me to think about my problems and try to solve them logically rather than eat something to soothe me). I became comfortable with the uncomfortable feelings that problems produce. I'm not an emotional eater. And there's nothing I could do to become one. I feel physically opposed to eating when I feel sadness or anger. During times of major stress the thought of food repulses me. Happiness sometimes causes me to think of food, but mostly booze . Anyway, good luck. I do hope you find something that works for you.

OutOfBreath

I have to get my mind on something else. ANYTHING else that stays away from food. I generally do something crafty, like counted cross stitch or crochet. Something that occupies my thoughts and hands enough that I can't go get food to "fix it". (I don't like having dirty hands when handling my projects, and eating would chance getting something on the project.)

I also journal, since I literally have NO ONE to talk to. I just try to stay away from temptation. Because I know that stuffing myself only fixes it for a little while. It doesn't make it go away forever and it doesn't make it hurt less. But it does cause my pants to not fit, which causes more distress.

Sorry I babbled. You just have to keep busy and try to figure out what triggers you and work through it. It takes time and it's frustrating. But there's no magical way around it as far as I can tell.

starbucksbuzz

Ugh, I eat emotionally too.

I try to stop and think before I eat anything... Why am I eating? Is it going to work for my goals or against them? If not I try to distract myself - go to the gym, or replace the unhealthy thing with something healthy that I like. Usually I'm eating emotionally because I feel like I "deserve" the ice cream or the fast food, even though I try to remind myself that I shouldn't reward myself with food... I try to take a bubble bath when I get home from the gym, or go shopping, just reward myself some other way. Ultimately just find another way to deal with whatever emotional problem you're dealing with... if it's your boss thats bothering you maybe call a friend or your mom on your way home, or go work out with someone you can vent to? For me angry music and running is a great stress release anyways so that helps me not eat emotionally with that kind of stress. My other emotional eating time is boredom - I like munching too much. Meh.

LabRat529

Wow. Look at all these awesome responses already! Thanks everyone. I appreciate the ideas and sympathy. I like the idea of having healthier food available for those moments when I feel like I need to eat... and the idea of redirecting with exercise or phone-call or whatever. I will give those a try and keep reading.

Thanks again

Rae6503

Thought of another trick. Next time you pack a lunch enter the food in your diary. Maybe that'll keep you from eating something else since you'd have to change your diary.