emotional eating

sunshinegirl2012

we've all done it at some point or another-giving in to food/cravings just because emotions are running a lil crazy. are you an emotional eater? were you one before? how did you change? just wondering (:

SlowlyFighting

I really am! I eat when I'm sad, I eat when I'm happy! I just like eating far too much, and the only thing I can do that works at least for a couple of days is just ignore the cravings and work out! But eventually I go back to overeating. I hate it! It's unhealthy and unattractive

This doesn't really answer your question about beating the cravings - sorry! Any advice you've been given will be appreciated

ConsciousGirl

There are two types of people: one who overeats when emotional and the other is undereating when emotional. I'm the type who stops eating.
Nonetheless, eating chewing gum or putting a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it whenever you have a craving might work.

lolollama

Unfortunately I am an emotional eater too.

When I am stressed out I go straight to the naughty food to comfort me! It's horrible and I try so hard to stay away from it.

I found not having any temptations in the house the only way I could deal with it. Or trying to talk about whatever is stressing me out with someone.

blondishandbookish

i wouldn't say I've cracked it (yesterday being an example - TOM) but I do find that when I exercise regularly (as do something every day), then my need to emotionally eat is drastically reduced.

Also, weirdly, eating socially (as in meeting up with friends) makes a difference - I might indulge but I don't sit there and automatically put stuff into my mouth without really chewing or tasting it.

BeautyFromPain

bump

Fit_Forever25

Well .. I was a very bad example of emotional eater.. about a year back I was like that, whenever I feel :sad: or :sick: it was only crisps or some fried or fattening food that made me :bigsmile: but that was the worst thing I did to my body (obv) and usually in college times and early 20s you find yourself more unstable emotionally.
But I have overcome that habit with:
1. Try hard not to lose control over emotions .. control your eating habits with ur mind not your heart!
2. Have found few other things to make myself feel good rather then eating crap
3. Indulge yourself in any of your hobbies/passion when you are feeling low
4. Like I dance for an hour or so when I feel low or listen to music very loud music or sing along :bigsmile:
5. Go out for shopping and look at those skinny and sexy dresses which will give you motivation to lose weight not to eat crisps or fattening food to make urself happy
6. Watch TV or movies
7. Keep all the snacks and 'Bad for health' food away from your sight. keep it hidden in your kitchen
All the best! :drinker:

billmac

Tired, emotional, whatever = EAT....I just try to have nothing bad around the house!

Chargaile

Far too many of us suffer from emotional eating. We know for the most part what we should do but saying and doing is too things from different ends of the spectrum. MIND OVER MATTER is what it all boils down to. Our minds have to take control of our body (matter) and stop the impulsive or emotional cravings. Cravings pass after a couple of minutes, we just have to withhold those bad foods for a short period and that craving will stop.

SachaMichel

The only thing that stops me from eating is the physical constraint of my stomach. Usually I will try to stuff myself full of high-fibre foods like broccoli and apples, so that there would be no room for higher-calorie binge food like chocolate and cookies.

I get full fairly easily and have bad stomach pain if I eat too much (partially caused by all the fibre), so this has been effective for me :ohwell:

Hambone23

I eat when I'm bored, which is awful. I will also eat when I'm extremely stressed out and unhappy. Say I forgot to pay a bill, the tire on our car went flat, and we don't really have the money to cover both. In my mind, I go, "Screw it. I'm done." Then it's: Where's the ice cream? I want Now and Laters. Can you get me cheese? I want a diet drink (ha!) and some candy from the 7-11 (local convenience store chain for non-U.S. folks).

And my boyfriend can be a bit of an enabler. I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and was watching my sugar like a hawk until I got a feel for what I could eat in terms of carbs and sugars (surprisingly, with meds, quite a bit), but he'd bring home a candy bar or chocolate, and I'd want to throttle him. So, of course, I'd eat it. Big surprise. He hasn't done that to me yet on my diet. I get more of a suspicious, disapproving look if he thinks I'm eating something I shouldn't now.

But last night I went over my calories, and I'm beating myself up about it this morning, so my emotional eating this morning is a cup of coffee with 3 tbsp of fat-free milk, and a packet of Swiss Miss Indulgent Dark Chocolate Sensation for a homemade coffee mocha. Only 173 calories. I can fit that into my log and still feel less deprived. But I've only been doing this for 20 days, and I'm going to have to find low-calorie alternatives for emotional eating. I'm also trying to drink water to make myself feel full. Or I go escape by reading a book, watching a movie, or playing a computer game. I'm trying to redirect it.

The best redirection would be exercise, I know, but I screwed up my knee and am on crutches. I have a doctor's appointment next Tuesday. I want to wait to see if she gives me the okay to exercise because I don't want to screw up my knee even more. If she does, my boyfriend says I can join Curves. I know there's some controversy over that, but for someone with 100+ lbs. to lose, I think it's a good start. Until then, I'll trundle along. And empathize with every one of you who fights emotional eating.

If you'd like support and someone who understands, feel free to friend me.

NyxDominique

I would definitely say I fall into this cateory. My parents used food a sort of praise for doing good. So it became a sort of reward.

So every good grade I get I say "Let me treat myself to..."
Everytime I study instead of playing a video game I think "I should reward myself with..."

It has become my reward system. Which is horrible. For me it had alot to do with finding realizing that it couldn't be my reward system anymore. It was alot to do with behavior modification. Honestly, before using this website. I had no idea the number of calories I was putting into my mouth.

I would say "I deserve a shake" I would get myself a shake... there is 700 calories right there more then half a day.

After I joined the site I started to see where my mistake where. What foods were really causing me to go over my limits. It was hard, but if you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it work for you. For me it was smaller portion sizes.

So as result, I never truly got over the habit. Just learned a way to curb it a little and control the amount I let it control my life.

Good luck ^.^

cupkate_

i mostly tend to snack when im bored, it doesnt help if theres chocolate/crisps/cakes about the house.

if its not there then i dont eat it!! my new years resolution is to stop having junk food in the house haha x

crazy4youz

I eat when I'm bored and stop eating when I'm upset. They're both really bad habits, but both breakable. Some tips that work for emotional and bored eaters are to-

1. Stop and ask yourself why you're eating. If it's for any reason besides being hungry, STEP AWAY FROM THE FOOD

2. If you can't control the cravings, pick something healthy. Yogurt instead of cookies, crackers instead of chips.

3. Try to eat something other than your usual cravings, switch it up. Eating too much of what you body craves allows it to become inbalanced, so try eating foods to balance your body type (see my blog for body type info)

4. Eat filling foods. No matter how emotional you are, your body will stop you when it feels full.

5. Meditate. Control your emotions and you control your cravings.

Remember that it's your body and you control it- emotions and all. :happy:

ashleynicoleb

double post

ashleynicoleb

I personally think I'm a textbook emotional eater. I still have a really hard time trying to repress these habits, but I just really try to distract myself by doing something else. Or I try to listen to music that motivates me! I also try to think to myself, "Will I really feel any better after eating this?", and then I remind myself of how awful I feel after I go ahead and eat away my emotions

dreamtoned10

complete binge eater/emotional eater.... Only thing Ive found to work is to cut out processed food and sugar. I ate what I wanted on Christmas DAy and following day, and those two days "off" completely undid my strong mentality that I had built up for the past 6 weeks without sugar.

Definitely "no sugar" works for me, as the taste of even one piece of chocolate sets off a binge.

kenzietea

Yes, I used to have severe issues with it. A few things that worked for me were:

1. Becoming more active. Not just working out- for example, I joined my college softball team, made a bunch of new friends, took up a second job (I have issues sleeping so I started working the 345am shift at starbucks!).
2. Distraction. Some of examples in number one work for this, but I found that the busier I am, the less I think about food and the less I emotionally eat. I try to spend as much time around others as I can, because most emotional eaters don't usually binge in front of anyone.
3. Stocking the house with healthy foods. Before I lived with my fiance, this one was much harder. My family would keep crap in the house so controlling my binges was much more difficult. Now that I live with him, we only keep healthy food around. So if I do binge, it is usually on foods like celery. No one has ever gotten fat on celery binges.
4. Therapy. I don't know how bad your issues were, but mine were severe. I also suffered from bulimia and EDONS, But even if it is as simple as just pigging out when you have had a bad day, therapy can teach you other coping mechanisms such as writing in a journal or starting a blog, or giving you other outlets to direct your emotions.

Of course I still mess up and have my moments. But so long as you don't dwell on the slip ups and also realize that small mistakes do not have to become big ones, you can lose weight and overcome the control food has over you. It takes patience and time but you CAN do it. I really hope that helps, and remember to look at the big picture.

AlmstHvn

... but I do find that when I exercise regularly (as do something every day), then my need to emotionally eat is drastically reduced.

This poster make a really good point here. I've always been a pretty sedentary person (school, then a desk job, etc.) for the first 40+ years of my life. I'm new to exercising but I find I have a lot less cravings since I started. At the very least - knowing what that 300 calorie snack will "cost me" makes me rethink it a lot!

I think the holidays are a struggle for a lot of people. Gray darker weather is settling in, there is a lot of emphasis on family, and so on. If "family" isn't a source of comfort or support, that can add to the stress. In addition to the really good tips about creating distractions, healthier snack choices, or exercising (all help tremendously!) I hope you are able to take care of your mental health, too... have a friend or confidant to turn to... type your thoughts out on a blog, some kind of outlet and support network - just like you did here! Hang tight!

sylvuz323

This is so me, stress/emotional eater. This past November was 2 yrs since my mom had passed away and I was worried what it would mean for my weight loss efforts. Distraction definitely helped, I was part of a biggest loser challenger that was due to end before Thanksgiving...so I got passed my mom's anniversary date Nov 8th. I had to be accountable to a co-worker so that also kept me in check or else I might have fallen off the wagon.

I definitely haven't mastered my emotions but still a work in progress. Lots of great advice from others, to keep in mind for the future.

mznisaelaine

I use to be an emotional eater. But now I've learned to not eat when I'm feeling emotional or bored... I simply just go workout or do something productive so that I won't go on a binge.