Stupid Emotions!!!!

misty5976

Seriously, I need some help. HOW do you conquer the need to eat when you are hurt/upset/stressed?

The holidays are a difficult time for me (my dad died on New Years Day 2006)... but im also under a LOT of stress right now (home, work, parenting, other family members, health issues with my little boy).

Im feeling very down... very stressed and overwhelmed. and ALL I wanna do is EAT. everything in sight. HOW do i make food STOP seeming like such a comfort I dont wanna jeopardize my progress. and its a cycle. I CRY so I EAT because its a comforting habit. Then i CRY again out of guilt for the food I just consumed.

please tell me im not fighting this battle alone? HATING myself today.

jrmc83

This is the first time I've ever posted anything but I feel for you! I have a problem with emotional eating too and just went through a super-stressful period. I don't have the answer but what "helps" me is to eat as much as I want/can of healthy stuff. Starting with a lot of salad or several pieces of fruit or some chicken or something. Then I can eat a lot but not feel as bad about it. I hope that things get better for you and focus on what you can do right now, not what you "should" do. Sometimes it's all we can do to maintain. It's not a bad thing.

Elizabeth_C34

I think it might be good for you to get into counseling to see if you can't talk through some of the underlying issues going on in your life. There's no shame in asking for help with this stuff, and it can be a huge relief just to open up to someone else.

As for the eating, I find that planning out my meals really helps me keep it under control. You can plan out your menu on your food diary and that way you don't end up saying, "I have no idea what to have for lunch/dinner/etc." anymore.

ladykate7

I stretch before I have unplanned snacks. Taking 5 minutes to do a few easy stretches seems to reset my mind and calms me down a bit. Its easy enough to go into the bathroom and do it without drawing people's attention. I feel emotionally better even if I do decide to have that snack, at least I gave myself a little down time to actually make the decision before jumping into the ice cream.

Also, a friend got me started on frozen peas. When I want to sit and mindlessly pop stuf in my mouth I'll grab 1/4 cup of frozen peas. They thraw as you're eating them and its 70 cals and good for you. Besides, after a 1/4 cup of peas I'm ready to stop eating them!