Seeking Alternative Options to Emotional Eating

daisydieter

I've been struggling with few life challenges the last couple of weeks. Nothing life or death, but I waffle between anger, disappointment, anxiety and sadness as I navigate through these issues. But I'm still using my life-long distraction of those negative emotions: emotional eating. It can be anything from thoughtlessly shoving into my mouth a couple cookies that I'm packing into my kids' lunch to an actual binge where I'm left feeling sick. I'll think before the binge, I shouldn't be doing this, resist... but then I make the choice to go ahead and do it.

Some of what I'm reacting to is indeed unfair to me as result of a selfish and/or thoughtless family member, friend or colleague. And some times it is me being the one with unrealistic expectations and/or over-reacting.

This has been a self-destructive cycle in my life FOR YEARS. I would like to change it. My life is always going to have challenges... but how I meet them can change. Here's my questions:

1. Has anyone else ever struggled with emotional eating/binging and beat it?
2. What alternative behaviors do you employ when the urge to emotionally eat hits?
3. How did you make yourself choose that alternative behavior over the eating?

Thank you.

kbmnurse

Instead of eating why not go for a walk or meditate?

daisydieter

Thanks for the idea KBM... those are great options when I'm in a situation I can physically leave... or mentally.

What I'm also seeking though from other people who have my problem, is how do I make the leap from making a choice from intellectual place (like knowing walking/mediating is the better option) instead of the emotional one (but those brownies will make me feel better... and sometimes it being a decision made in a split second).

Help anyone???

purplep41n

Something I have tried recently is to clean something that really needs a good clean. If that doesn't work then do you have anything that you can while away the hours with. That really makes you get stuck in? Computer games, crafts? Anything that makes you focus.

it doesn't work everytime, I'm a shocking emotional eater and destructive with my eating.

But when I am in that frame of mind, I give something like this a go.

Suz_w8loss

Not sure If I my "2 cents" is helpful but what helps me is I carry a picture in my wallet of me at my highest weight. Every time I get tempted to go overboard with eating, I look at that picture & remind myself I have worked so hard to not look like that. Do I really need to eat this? Am I really THAT hungry?

If I still feel the need to eat, I will drink a full glass of water first & in most cases that usually prevents me from eating.

I strongly believe it is really just mind over matter. I always remind myself that if I can quit smoking 1 1/2 packs a day cold Turkey, then I surely can resist the temptation of snacking.

ArroganceInStep

1. Has anyone else ever struggled with emotional eating/binging and beat it?
2. What alternative behaviors do you employ when the urge to emotionally eat hits?
3. How did you make yourself choose that alternative behavior over the eating?

1) Everyday, I don't think you 'beat it' I think you find alternatives. For me at least it's a constant struggle.
2) YMMV, but the things that work for me, in order: sex(best alternative ever!!!), rugby, martial arts training, weight lifting, cardio, video games, shooting range, paintball, swimming, browsing the internet
3) Even if I desperately want to eat, I force myself to stop and count to 60. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but if I make it to 60 I can almost always keep myself from eating.

Kimmer2011

I'm also an emotional eater, but I find that if I can get out for a walk, it's not so bad. Even when I worked in an office, if the stress got too bad, I'd go zip around the building once (or twice!) and it would really help. I also find that if I'm walking regularly, my stress levels are generally lower and I can deal with things better.

castadiva

Bump! I haven't found the solution to this yet, but I'd like to see what is suggested. My personal experience is that if I'm fully focused on something else, or have an alternative outlet for my feelings, I'm less inclined to eat for emotional reasons or out of boredom. Going for a walk, while it releases endorphins, just gives me more time to think about the food I am emotionally craving and/or to wallow in the emotions that made me crave something in the first place!

Is there something constructive you could do to vent the emotions that are causing you to eat? A mini punch-bag in your office or at home, for example?

jademh

I deal with this as well and I hate it.
I still have my days where I just overeat for no reason. I am getting better at realizing it though. Last time I did it I was thinking to myself that I AM NOT HUNGRY and knowing I had to log the calories gave me that sense of guilt to stop it. I'm starting to realize when it's about to come on now and I try to stay away from food.

Sometimes for me, an extra workout works (and it burns more calories so it's a win-win). The hardest part is starting one at this point because I want food to feel better, but if I pop in a workout dvd or something and start it I begin to feel better by reileving stress and forget I wanted to eat in the first place.

I also love writing and whatnot. Occassionally I'll just write or type of a microsoft word document of my feelings. It makes me realize why I'm doing the things I do. Or I'll text some friends etc.

What I personally avoid when I have the urge to emotianlly eat is watching tv (makes me want to munch more), going online on my computer, and I try to go to my bedroom where there is no food stashed and stay out of the kitchen. To me, this often happens at night. Sometimes I'll just try to go to bed early so I can wake up and start a new day. It's definitely a struggle.

All of you can add me. it'd be nice to have more friends that struggle with this as well.

cmriverside

Yes, I've beaten it, and other compulsive behavior. It's a lifelong process.

The things that helped me the most, in order:

~Writing down my thoughts when a compulsive act seems unavoidable. What is causing it? What emotion is driving it?

~Exercise

~Coming on here and reading

~Distracting myself with healthier things, like a hobby

~Yoga or deep breathing

peaches2snaps

Hi, I'm fairly new here and this is my first post (yay!)
I am definitely an emotional eater, and my go to binge food was always mcdonalds french fries!! ahh!

I have given up eating fast food altogether now, but i still want to eat everything around me when im upset or stressed. what I usually do to avoid this is a few things:
1. doing buy any "snack" foods. if i have to actually cook or make a food, im less likely to eat it unless i'm actually hungry.
2. i text one of my friends and tell them about the food i want. this seems counterproductive, but me and my bff do this all the time. whenever we want really bad food, we tell each other about it and by the time we're done talking we dont want it any more, lol. i'm not sure why this works, but it does, for me at least.
3. i go do something with my hands. sometimes i just go on the computer and type things, just so my hands are busy and im distracted.
4. i drink a whole glass of water. hunger is the first sign of dehydration. if i think im "hungry", i drink the water then wait 10 minutes. if im still hungry afterwards, then i eat something (not binge, just normal eating). if not, then i dont!

hopefully some of this is helpful?

DottieNewton

First I don't believe anyone who is addicted to food ever "beats" these urges. You learn to recognize whether it is true hunger or not---and if you know there is no way you could be hungry and still want to eat anything you can get your hands on--then you must make a conscious choice to do something else. I think what works for you/me will be unique. I like the suggestion to drink a full glass of water--that is something you can do wherever you are/ whatever time it might be. Nothing about this is easy. When stressed, one tends to grasp whatever comfort there is available. I think it(OVEREATING) is part of the survival instinct gone awry.You have to do whatever it takes to re-wire that mis-circuit. You have to decide that the effort and sacrifice are worth it. It comes down to--"Are you/me worth it?" and then make right decisions in eating and exercise to achieve that goal.