HELP! Emotional Eater!

Skinny_Kitty

I am trying so hard but I am the worst emotional eater!!!

For example, this morning I got in a little argument with my husband before work... I left the house in a rotten mood and what do I do? I pull into Burger King and get a sausage croissant meal! First... I HATE fast food! Second... I'm trying so hard and having a huge struggle with my weight loss as is.... so this is just making it 20 times worse!

How do you help deal with emotional eating???

jbella99

I am an emotional eater as well. Sugar is my weakness, When something goes wrong I reach for a jumbo size bag of skittles.. scraf the whole thing and feel sick after.

The only thing i found works is pushing my dependance on food to something more productive like exercise. I haven't been able to workout so I do slip and eat the m&ms or skittles. But recognizing your are an emotional eater is a huge step. Find someone you can call and vent to when you have an episode.

CharlieBarleyMom

Emotional eating is my biggest problem too. I have to talk OUT LOUD to myself. I have to tell myself that reacting to someone or something else by eating - even if I'm eating healthy - is detrimental to myself. I tell myself how I don't hate me, I'm angry at a situation or hurt by a situation and if I try to fill the hole inside me with food I will be angry AT ME which may cause me to feel self-hatred and start an ugly Catch-22 situation that I don't have the time or strength for.

I'm not saying that this works all the time... but pull over, look at yourself in the mirror and have a serious talk with yourself. Breathe and then relax.

Try it. It might work the next time.

Mehagon

It's a hard thing to combat! First off, it's great that you recognize that you're an emotional eater. . . so the next step is trying to slow down between the incident and the mindless ingestion. A lot of the time if you can slow down before you put something in your mouth and think about what you're about to do and why, you can hold off for long enough that the desire passes. I am an emotional eater too, and I have to find another outlet for my frustration other than food because I also gain weight very easily. Do you ever journal or blog? Writing down your private thoughts of anger and frustration are usually a good outlet and make you feel better.

It's a hard thing to overcome, but it can be done! And don't give up if you have a day where you give in. . . just get right back on track and release the guilt. . . because we all know that guilt just adds to more emotional eating!

NYCDutchess

I hear you! I get like that too!!!

BUT TRY TO REMEMBER YOU'RE ONLY HURTING YOURSELF!!!

The best revenge is taking care of yourself!!!

LOVE yourself!!! Girl you can do this!!!

I've been there!! And go there sometimes! I wish someone would be there to tell me these things!!

theLadidah

Alternatively, irrespective of skill, you could try music/singing!

Singing out loud is supposed to be really good for your spirits and is a great way to keep your mouth and mind occupied on something else.

So what I suggest is that you put together a playlist of proper feel-good anthems that you can sing/shout/scream along to in the car or whilst walking around the house. Then when you're feeling a bit ****ty, just crank it up and SING!

Hopefully it'll make you feel great, and if you can, you could even have a cheeky little dance which would be burning calories too.

Give it a go, you never know, it might even make you less susceptible emotional irregularities.

On top of that, when you feel like going to fast food/junk, just pop the money you would spend on it in a jar somewhere (or in your car) and just watch as it piles up, you could start saving for a new iPod or something to keep up with the singing

Good luck

Skinny_Kitty

Thanks everyone! You all have such great ideas and suggestions! I feel better already just having this great support system here on MFP!!