Activity One: Awareness
roojyrooroo
Posts: 25 Member
AWARENESS
We will start with being aware of emotional eating.
The first activity this week comes from a free ebook by a doctor that works on emotional eating (available at skrinkyourself.com). Throughout the week we will journal on the questions he proposes. Next week - after we have more awareness - we will move only playing with solutions and strategies.
Please post answers to the bellow questions to the group (or you can keep them private if you prefer).
Questions
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
Physical vs emotional hunger
First, emotional hunger normally comes on like lightening, while physical hunger develops slowly. Emotional hunger is like a rocket going off: it happens suddenly. Physical hunger develops little by little: first there’s the tummy rumble, then the grumble and then it really starts complaining with hunger pangs. But, the slow stages of physical hunger are very different from the quick onset of emotional hunger.
Second, emotional hunger demands food immediately, whereas physical hunger is a bit more patient. Much like its quick onset, emotional hunger demands immediate satisfaction. On the other hand, even if you are ravenously hungry, your physical hunger will wait for food.
The third difference between the two involves mindfulness. Satisfying physical hunger involves a deliberate choice and awareness of what’s being eaten. How much of what’s being eaten is noticed, meaning you can stop when full. However, emotional hunger on the other hand usually doesn’t notice how, why or what’s being eaten. Emotional hunger will even demand more food even after the person is stuffed.
Fourth, physical hunger is open to different types of foods, but emotional hunger often demands very particular foods in order to be fulfilled. If you’re physically hungry, even carrots will look delicious. If you’re emotionally hungry, however, only cake or ice cream might seem appealing.
Fifth, satisfying emotional hunger often results in guilt, or promises to do better next time. This is in sharp contrast with physical hunger, which is viewed as necessary to survival and therefore has no guilt attached to it.
And sixth, emotional hunger, of course, results from something emotionally upsetting, while physical hunger results from a physical need.
Whenever you feel compelled to eat in a way that doesn’t match the patience or speed of physical hunger you are struggling with emotional eating and hunger.
We will start with being aware of emotional eating.
The first activity this week comes from a free ebook by a doctor that works on emotional eating (available at skrinkyourself.com). Throughout the week we will journal on the questions he proposes. Next week - after we have more awareness - we will move only playing with solutions and strategies.
Please post answers to the bellow questions to the group (or you can keep them private if you prefer).
Questions
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
Physical vs emotional hunger
First, emotional hunger normally comes on like lightening, while physical hunger develops slowly. Emotional hunger is like a rocket going off: it happens suddenly. Physical hunger develops little by little: first there’s the tummy rumble, then the grumble and then it really starts complaining with hunger pangs. But, the slow stages of physical hunger are very different from the quick onset of emotional hunger.
Second, emotional hunger demands food immediately, whereas physical hunger is a bit more patient. Much like its quick onset, emotional hunger demands immediate satisfaction. On the other hand, even if you are ravenously hungry, your physical hunger will wait for food.
The third difference between the two involves mindfulness. Satisfying physical hunger involves a deliberate choice and awareness of what’s being eaten. How much of what’s being eaten is noticed, meaning you can stop when full. However, emotional hunger on the other hand usually doesn’t notice how, why or what’s being eaten. Emotional hunger will even demand more food even after the person is stuffed.
Fourth, physical hunger is open to different types of foods, but emotional hunger often demands very particular foods in order to be fulfilled. If you’re physically hungry, even carrots will look delicious. If you’re emotionally hungry, however, only cake or ice cream might seem appealing.
Fifth, satisfying emotional hunger often results in guilt, or promises to do better next time. This is in sharp contrast with physical hunger, which is viewed as necessary to survival and therefore has no guilt attached to it.
And sixth, emotional hunger, of course, results from something emotionally upsetting, while physical hunger results from a physical need.
Whenever you feel compelled to eat in a way that doesn’t match the patience or speed of physical hunger you are struggling with emotional eating and hunger.
1
Replies
-
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
It can be confusing at times to identify actual hunger and emotional eating. It's not a matter of exercise, because I can get the exercise in with more ease than you'd think. I deal with a digestive disorder called gastroparesis and sometimes I'll end up on a starving diet (diet as in what I eat on a daily basis, under 900 calories) a day for long periods of time because my body simply can't handle more. There will be times in between where my body can handle the food and wants to devour everything in sight. Major symptoms of this illness are chronic vomiting and nausea, so when my body is exhausted from vomiting on a daily basis, I feel it's hard to know when I'm truly hungry.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
Like I said above, yes. Last night, for instance, I thought I might've been hungry. Our neighbor works at a pizza shop and he brought over a giant pizza (he does this a few times a week, I'm able to always resist). For some reason, I took out a slice and swallowed it down within 5 minutes. I NEVER eat pizza and my body can't handle pizza, which was a mystery as to why I ate it in the first place. It ended causing massive pain and vomiting, but I realized later on that I really wasn't THAT hungry. I'm dealing with a lot of stress right now involving my physical health, my mental health, school, trying to get a job.. It's taking a toll on me mentally, and I also deal with anxiety, major depressive disorder, and other mental problems. I can't exactly attack all of these problems at once right now, so I'm trying to find other ways to cope, I suppose.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
It's likely that I always am more emotionally hungry than hungry. Sometimes I give into emotional hunger, but the consequences of eating have conditioned me to avoid a lot of food in general. People think of it as a blessing that I have such adverse feelings towards food, but it's a mental war with myself constantly. Do I eat this and risk vomiting and pain, or do I suffer through the hunger pains? I hate it. I have always dealt with eating problems, and I've been struggling with an eating disorder for nearly 6 years. It's very mentally straining. For instance, I haven't eaten in 10 1/2 hours at this point, and while my body is yelling at me, telling me it's hungry, I can't give into the hunger pains because I'm experiencing too much anxiety, nausea, and physical pain at the moment.0 -
This is my first week and this was very helpful. I definitely eat out of emotion more than physical hunger and I am going to try to exercise and pray instead of eat when I feel that way.0
-
I have struggled with emotional eating my whole life. Recently I connected my craving for sweets to the fact that my very nurturing grandmother who lived with us always soothed our crying with a piece of candy and a hug. After she passed away, I have always reached for the sweets to sooth myself.
The one question in my mind is when are cravings driven by low blood sugar and when are they emotional? When I eat a low carb diet, I have way less cravings because my blood sugar is stable. Low blood sugar gives me the same symptoms as emotional eating--need it now, and it has to be sweet.
30 years ago I did some sessions of NLP (neurolinquistic programing). After a couple of sessions of finding all the emotional reasons I ate, and in a light hypnotic state asking my mind/body what healthy non-food alternatives could satisfy that need, I began dropping 5 lbs. a month until I reached my ideal weight without dieting or even being aware. What I noticed was that I was eating only when I was truly hungry and stopping as soon as I was satisfied. The weight stayed off for 2 years until my life became an emotional wreck, then it started piling back on 5 lbs. a month. So I know emotional eating is the key for me. If I stopped emotional eating, I would be slim. I practically never experience physical hunger because I eat so often for other reasons.
In December I purchased the book "The Healing Codes" and after working with that technique discovered that I have always had an intense fear of hunger based on being fed according to Dr. Spock as an infant (X amount Y times a day--didn't take into account that I was a big baby and so I was always hungry). I was able to release it doing the codes and I believe that has allowed me to be successful so far releasing 14 lbs. since Jan. 1. I am still eating for other emotional reasons, but for me, that was the dealbreaker in letting go of the excess weight. I have recently been able to experience actual physical hunger as a result.0 -
I'm addicted to sweets, it's a gene thing. I'm a emotional eater and have known this most of my 67 years. I'm very rarely hungry and eat by the clock. If my husband is not home for a meal I eat junk. I'm very aware of this but have not found a way to stop.0
-
Questions
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
I eat most when I am sad or stressed. When I am sad, there are a few sure things to make me happy and my husband knows them all...Doritos, hot fudge malt are the two biggest and sometimes I try to avoid those. But when I am stressed, it seems like I don't even notice the quantity of food I am consuming and the insanity behind it (when I am already depressed about being "obese.")
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
I very rarely even feel physical hunger, my body is always stuffed with something but since I joined my fitness pal, I actually woke up physically hungry and I think that's a good step. When I feel "emotionally hungry" it is usually in the time of a difficult situation that I feel powerless to change revolving around other's actions. I need to learn to accept the things I cannot change, just like in the Serenity Prayer and give it to God.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
The only other thing that helps satisfy emotional hunger is spending time with my husband and/or sleeping. Nothing seems quite as bad after some rest. Unfortunately, I cannot always rest since I have 3 kids and my husband works a lot of overtime.0 -
Well I know I eat out of emotions, bordem, stress, and happy. I certainlly can use help on how to control it.0
-
I've never heard Dr Spock's theory about that but I sure am glad I'm not the only one to admit that I was filling myself up so often that I rarely experienced true hunger pangs!
0 -
I'll give this a go every weekend.... one activity a week, one day at a time. Thanks for setting this up.
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
Emotional eating is blatantly obvious in my life. I know I eat when I am bored (another word for lonely), anxious (about exams, studying, meeting with people I haven't seen in a while), lazy (another word for hopeless) and sleepy. Before a binge, I find that I tell myself to just give in and give up, one binge wont make a difference... it certainly does though. I can't see what triggers the feelings that triggers the eating though. If everybody feels stressed, lonely, anxious, bored, lazy..... then why do I have the urge to eat when others don't do anything about it at all?
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
I haven't felt real hunger in a very long time. I can almost satisfy real hunger with a glass of water and a few almonds... I don't know how to deal with emotional hunger besides eating really... my emotions seem so vague.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
Yes more emotional than physical for sure. I can sometimes distract myself for a day or two... but ultimately i can never find a real way to avoid eating more than i should.0 -
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
It’s only clear when I stop and think about it. When I am not conscious of it I eat 3-4 time more than my recommended calorie intake. The main reason I put on weight is because of my emotional eating, which usually happens late at night. It has become a bad habit now. I have this feeling unstable biochemistry inside of myself that I medicate with food. But often it does not solve the feeling so I have to get eating and eating, and before the end of the night I have consumed a very large quantity of food. I wake up the next morning feeling quite low in energy because of all the sugar that effected my sleeping.
The feeling of having a full stomach feels safe to me. It is a sort of numbing. Feeling hungry feels like being emotionally open. I feel vulnerable.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
Yes. I am still not sure about how to tell the difference between the two unless the physical hunger is very extreme. I am going to play around with this my letting the feeling get quite extreme before eating, so that I can be better attuned to it.
I would say that most nights I mistake emotional hunger for physical hunger. Now when that happens late at night I will ask the hunger what it is really about. I want to break this habit over the next 6 weeks.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
I did this activity today. I started thinking about eating and I asked myself if it was real hunger. I was not sure so I waited. Five min later my stomach made a noise so I ate. The food tasted a lot better for it.
When I see pictures of food I think I am hungry but now I know that that is a salivation response, not hunger. I need to unlearn associating that response with hunger.0 -
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
I normally binge when i'm just annoyed or pissed at myself. I also over-eat when i'm in a very stressed-out environment. i always binge after i fight with someone or when i have to take sides in a fight between close friends or family members. it is very visible. i know i should stop but i never. i feel guilty even before i put the food in my mouth because i know i'm gonna over-eat.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
I don't have a lot of trouble differentiating. When i'm emotionally hungry, i'm also sad/depressed/stressed/bored so i reason that food will make me happy/full/calm/ready. i have tried other methods to distract me but even them, food is in the back of my mind and after half-an-hour, i usually end up in the kitchen.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
I ALWAYS give into emotional hunger. I am mostly emotionally hungry. Some days, I curb my unhealthy habit but it only lasts for a few days. Then, when something bad happens, I am back to my old ways. But I do know what real hunger feels like. The worst part is that I KNOW and aware so I end up feeling very, very guilty.0 -
wow i never realised how bad my emotional eating was - all the above is me!!!
my hunger is an instant hunger - i thought this was because i was blooming fat! but now i know that distraction and hopefully exercise can help get rid of this.
i feel almost guilty all the time after eating as i know i am not truly hungry and then comes the feeling of guilt and bloatedness which makes me feel terrible
time to start recognising the difference
x0 -
Questions
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
It's very obvious to me. It wasn't at first, but once I started logging in on MFP, I started to be more aware. Stress is a major trigger for me. After a stressful day at work all I want is chocolate. When I'm sad/depressed, I want chocolate. There are times when I can walk it off instead of turning to food but usually I can't. When I'm driving home from work, it's easier to go through the drive thru to get a chocolate donut to dull the "pain".
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
Again it's usually after work, i'llget a pang in stomach, thinking it's hunger when it's really stress. It's easier to eat than confront a co-worker/boss.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
Now that I'm more aware of my emotional eating, I do try to walk it off, I take a different route home so that I don't drive by the tempting drive thru. Then when I get home, my kids are there to take my mind off whatever was troubling me.
0 -
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
It isn't very difficult at all, and it's definitely very visible. Most often, when in the midst of an emotional eating crisis, I can be seen pacing the kitchen, grabbing handfuls of this and that. You can always tell when I'm upset or uncomfortable. This is probably the biggest obstacle in my weight loss, because it causes me to binge and overeat.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
Sometimes I have trouble differentiating. I've been depressed all day, and have been fighting the urge to pig out. It's been difficult today to figure out whether I'm actually hungry or not. I gave in (even though I wasn't hungry) and had a sandwich, handfuls of snacks, etc. I never really learned to deal with my emotions in a healthy way (it's always been destructive), so it's very hard for me to put the food down, because I *know* that, at least temporarily, I'll feel better.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
I think I feel emotionally hungry more than physically hungry. I try not to give into the emotional hunger (and a lot of times I'm successful!), but there are times when I just say, "Screw it!", and give in. I guess I struggle to find a good alternative that gives me as much temporary relief as eating.0 -
I have struggled with emotional eating my whole life. Recently I connected my craving for sweets to the fact that my very nurturing grandmother who lived with us always soothed our crying with a piece of candy and a hug. After she passed away, I have always reached for the sweets to sooth myself.
The one question in my mind is when are cravings driven by low blood sugar and when are they emotional? When I eat a low carb diet, I have way less cravings because my blood sugar is stable. Low blood sugar gives me the same symptoms as emotional eating--need it now, and it has to be sweet.
30 years ago I did some sessions of NLP (neurolinquistic programing). After a couple of sessions of finding all the emotional reasons I ate, and in a light hypnotic state asking my mind/body what healthy non-food alternatives could satisfy that need, I began dropping 5 lbs. a month until I reached my ideal weight without dieting or even being aware. What I noticed was that I was eating only when I was truly hungry and stopping as soon as I was satisfied. The weight stayed off for 2 years until my life became an emotional wreck, then it started piling back on 5 lbs. a month. So I know emotional eating is the key for me. If I stopped emotional eating, I would be slim. I practically never experience physical hunger because I eat so often for other reasons.
In December I purchased the book "The Healing Codes" and after working with that technique discovered that I have always had an intense fear of hunger based on being fed according to Dr. Spock as an infant (X amount Y times a day--didn't take into account that I was a big baby and so I was always hungry). I was able to release it doing the codes and I believe that has allowed me to be successful so far releasing 14 lbs. since Jan. 1. I am still eating for other emotional reasons, but for me, that was the dealbreaker in letting go of the excess weight. I have recently been able to experience actual physical hunger as a result.
Thanks for sharing. it always amazes me how much we can change when we learn something new about ourselves. Emotions and eating go together. When we celebrate something, there is usually food involved. Birthdays, anniv., graduation, promotions, etc. Food is also consolation. Think about how many times eating icecream is shown on a show when a relationship breaks up. :brokenheart: :sad:
I think this challenge will be a chance to learn more about myself and start looking at some of the reasons emotional eating is holding me back.0 -
The one question in my mind is when are cravings driven by low blood sugar and when are they emotional? When I eat a low carb diet, I have way less cravings because my blood sugar is stable. Low blood sugar gives me the same symptoms as emotional eating--need it now, and it has to be sweet.
There are two good articles on this here.
http://mensweightlossguide.com.au/could-emotional-eating-be-cause-by-unstable-blood-sugar/
http://www.healthiertalk.com/surprising-blood-sugar-connection-emotional-eating-3882
Basically one should eat low GI food to help stabilize blood sugar and feel more grounded, as well as snacking often (on low GI food).
So in summary there are four types of hunger
1. Real physical hunger
2. Emotional hunger
3. Low blood sugar hunger
4. Sensory hunger (brought on by seeing or smelling food)0 -
Aha! So my instinct about low blood sugar mimicking emotional eating was correct! I realize that when I first started my eating plan the first of January, I was aiming for 40/40/20, so I was eating a lot of beans, oatmeal and other complex low glycemic carbs. That first month I felt totally in control of my eating and rarely had cravings. But over the past month I have been much less careful of my macro ratios, and have been eating more sweets, although my calories are on target. I've also been experiencing much more difficulty with "emotional eating". When I was working with the 40/40/20, I would only allow myself a 1/2 cup serving of ice cream or sweet about 8 pm. Lately I've been spreading sweets throughout the day, probably destabilizing my blood sugar and creating insulin spikes. Guess I need to go back to paying closer attention to my macro ratios and see if it resolves or lessens my cravings. Maybe my problem is biochemical more than emotional. Will continue to track and report in. Thanks, roojyrooroo!0
-
I agree with the emotional vs physical hunger ~ thinking back on my eating habits through the years I definately see the like lightning striking when I was upset or just over an upset I would eat out of a craving mindset instead of a physical hunger need .0
-
Thank you so much for posting this! Really helps.0
-
I'm a little late posting, but I wanted to try this challenge. I'm very interested in learning why I overeat and I've been trying to notice my patterns this past week.
I almost never feel physical hunger, but I'm not sure what comes under the heading of "emotional" hunger.
I found this last week that I eat because:
1. It's time to eat (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
2. I'm bored
3. I'm uncomfortable about something and want to put it out of my mind - for instance I am at a stressful point in a project and I am not sure how to move forward.
Obviously not eating because I need to, usually not even eating because I want food.0 -
Please post answers to the bellow questions to the group (or you can keep them private if you prefer).
Questions
So I'm really late posting, but just found this group after a bad emotional eating day yesterday.
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
I can see emotional eating easily, and usually even before I do it. It's an old childhood message that if I "have a cookie, you'll feel better." Except that it is usually chocolate that I'm convinced will be the only thing that will help me feel better, I do think that these emotional eating episodes are one of the primary reasons I gained weight and have kept it on.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
I don't do well dealing with negative emotions, and when I'm emotionally eating, I really focus on the food, as a way to block out thinking about or feeling anything else. Usually the feeling has decreased after the eating is over, or maybe I'm just really bad at figuring it out, because I can't always even identify the feeling. I know it was emotional, though because it's always simple carbs and it's always an urgency to have it right away.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
I'll work on this question for a few days... I don't really have the experience of trying to resist it or think about it before doing it.
Susie0 -
Questions
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
Its not hard for me to see it-I can see it but I hide it from others. Its visible by the amount of dishes in my sink☺ and my photos. I see myself eating more when I am upset about something and haven’t been able to, or cant express myself or discuss problems with whom it concerns, Its more visible when I am anxious too.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
I have some trouble telling them apart. For the most part my physical hunger manifests by stomach growls and a gnawing feeling there as well. My physical hunger seems like it can be satisfied but the other not as easy. Usually I don’t deal directly because it would hurt and alienate some of these people. I’d like to get it over with but often have to weight (ha), wait for better time. In some cases I could even lose my job.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
I feel emotionally hungry more often.I don’t always give in to the emotional hunger, but do so a lot, Reading books, crocheting, sighing/deep breathing, and praying helps if I catch myself.0 -
Please post answers to the bellow questions to the group (or you can keep them private if you prefer).
Questions
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
Now most times, I do know that I'm not hungry and just "need/want" to eat anything and everything. Today I've been battling just turning off my mind and fully engage in a pig-out binge. I've Not caved, mostly because I'm in a 6-week challenge and have an obligation to my team members.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
Earlier today, I really thought I was physically hungry. Later I realized it was tired. I didn't sleep well last night and I'm exhausted. Also experiencing a bit of sabotage from my daughter for the first time. :-(
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
Most the time (now) I'm more physically hungry than emotionally. Triggers for me are eating out, feeling like I'm upsetting my daughter, tired, not feeling well, bored.0 -
I Know when it's emotional eating. Almost every night when I feel lonely, or sad, or hopeless... I use food to comfort me, to help me go to sleep, to not think, to escape reality, and this is the reason why I've gained so much weight and is so hard to lose it. I know when is physical hunger but the problem is that I continue eating even if the hunger is gone. And though I know it's emotional hunger, I don't know how to deal with it. The only way is learning to deal wit the emptiness, the pain, the loneliness, but it's just so much easier to reach out to food and mute all those other feelings. Even if it is temporarily.0
-
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind. Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight? If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
I think my emotional eating is very visible. I use sweets to calm me down or dull me so much I can just fall asleep. After a particularly stressful day at work, while I am driving home, I will dream about what junk food I can stop and get to eat. I know it is just to sedate myself. I can't always figure out what emotion or feeling I am trying to bury. I also do this after a party. I do great at resisting over-eating during the party, then as soon as I get home I eat crap and rehash all the dumb things I said or did.
Yes, this is definitely my main obstacle to lose weight. I work out a lot and enjoy it. I just can't get my eating under control.
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
I didn't realize it until I read the distinctions but I don't ever experience physical hunger. I mistake emotional hunger for physical all the time at work. I get stressed, feel inadequate, worried and then realize I need to go eat. Why don't I deal with it directly? I don't know. Maybe eating is an excuse to walk away from work and do something else. In essence, take a break, maybe like a smoker going out for a cigarette.
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
I am going to try and wait until I am physical hungry tomorrow at work. See if I can tell the difference. 0 -
This is my first week! starting this with question 1. Will get to 2 and 3 later on.
1. How hard is it for you to see emotional eating in your life? Is it very visible? If so, describe the instances you’ve got in mind.
- It is visible to me. I know when it happens or is going to happen. I get this feeling. I am specifically seeking comfort. Usually it is something that throws me off balance that will start it. It is typically someone visiting who eats at all kinds of random times, i get annoyed with them being around, and they somehow trigger me because I feel a lack of control over the situation. I know I need to get more comfortable with not always being control. This is an issue I've had all my life. I've established all these times I do things (sort of an OCD thing I do) and then when visitors come and wake up at 9, eat breakfast at 11, they are not hungry at 12 which is my "scheduled" time and I'm usually starving by then. i've been up since 7 with my child, ate breakfast and i'm starving by the time it's 12. it throws me off, i get annoyed/emotional, sometimes that leads to an extra meal when they get hungry again at 3pm, which makes me say "oh forget it" and then i give into all kinds of stuff i shouldn't have. I dont' even try to get back on track at that point. i say "well, i'll try tomorrow" and so it goes.
Do you think instances like this are the main obstacle to you losing weight?
-Yes. I keep saying I"ll try again tomorrow, when everyone is gone and I have more control over what I'm doing. but sure enough i make it just a few days and then something else happens that throws me into chaos. Or I will see somethign we got at the store and think "i need to at least try that right now" when really i don't. it will continue to be there. i just can't not eat it. i know that I can not eat it, but something is powerful about new food.
If it’s not so visible, why do you think you have trouble eating less and exercising more?
-The eating less I have trouble with because I am so hungry all the time when my schedule is thrown off and i'm not comfortable with the feeling of hunger.0 -
Part 2:
2. Do you have trouble differentiating between emotional hunger and physical hunger? Describe a time when you may have mistaken emotional hunger for physical hunger. What was happening at the time to make you emotionally hungry? Why didn’t you deal with it directly, instead of using food?
Yes I think I do. sometimes i am so hungry in the evening that i think i'm having physical hunger. and maybe i am. but i don't stop eating and wait an hour. this is what i need to start doing. i get so physically hungry that i just eat more because i think i still feel hungry. but i'm not hungry. why dont' i deal with it directly, because i'm lazy is the short answer. i don't want to deal with it. i want to push it out of my mind. and i figure if i eat more then i'll be worrying about that and not the actual problem. the thing is that food never solved anything and never will solve anything. physical hunger means i can just eat a normal sized portion and move on. but if it's emotional hunger it will never be quenched with food. i will just feel worse for doing that (overeating) and nothing will really get resolved.
oh i skipped whas was happening at the time - usually somethign i dont' want to deal with. i want to escape. even if there isn't an actual problem it's more about the feeling of escaping... the thought "well wouldnt' this taste good" but of course it woudl but soon that will be over and the escape is over. so the escape needs to actually be something else. you can't escape forever, just as you can't eat forever. you couldn't physically handle that.0 -
Final part (3):
3. Examine your hunger whenever it arises. Try to use the six distinctions (below). Do you feel emotionally hungry more often than physically hungry? Do you always give into the emotional hunger or do you sometimes find another way to satisfy it without food?
Physical hunger is slow building, can wait, you can stop eating, open to all food, don't feel guilty, physical need.
Emotional comes on slow, demands immediately, hard time stopping, specific foods (cravings), guilt, triggered by some emotional event.
- My task is to do this tonight. I do try to come up with other ways to satisfy emotional eating but I know I do need to try harder. Some days I feel like I'm just physically hunger, other days emotions get the best of me and some days it's a combination of both. I do need to ask myself the six distinctions more often. That would definitely help!0
This discussion has been closed.