5 Tools to Stop Emotional Eating!
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How comforting to know that I am not alone. Just reading the above comments has given me new incite into why I do what I do and how to deal with it. I have managed to lose 40lbs. since June of '15, but have hit a plateau. The post holiday blues and my "loving partner"s (we hate the term "significant other") cancer diagnosis have triggered a lot of stress. I need to stay healthy to be able to care for him. I think this forum will really help. Prayers gratefully accepted.
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I greatly appreciate the ideas. I also cope with food. Trying to substitute exercise and a healthy lifestyle for the comfort that I was getting from food.3
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I just joined this group and this post is exactly what I needed.. Especially the point my about don't forget to find pleasure... I always put myself last and then end up resentful and over eat...2
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Thank you so very much... my whole problem is emotional eating... this has given me some tools to use. thank you again.2
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Thanks for the tips! I do a good job controlling myself during the day and in public but I find that when I come home at night I tend to eat too much when I'm stressed, tired, lonely, or even bored. I try to tell myself I won't do it the next day but I still do. I'm trying to be more mindful and not let food control me.6
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Hopefully i can use this on my Friday nights when i just want to cover myself in chocolate after a day of working with idiots and moronic customers.2
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Have been struggling the last couple of weeks and this was just what I needed to read. Thank you for the motivation.1
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I know I eat emotionally and compulsively. Sometimes, I make preparations for it by having things on hand that it is okay to nibble on such as carrots, celery, apple slices, popcorn and/or a tomato and cucumber salad. These don't do much damage in the calorie count. They have nutrients. If I do over indulge it is not damage like over indulging in pizza or cookies.6
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Right on Sylvia, same here. Those small yogurts, low or nonfat work pretty well too.3
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This is great. I've been working on emotional eating for a while, but #4 is something I'm only just realising (slowly)
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does anyone know good foods for a picky eater, I eat out of stress , and am trying to stop, but I dont know where to look for various foods, and not the same stuff every day0
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I do good alllll day.. after dinner I'm constantly eating... ugh
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For years I was convinced breakfast just got in my way. When I introduced breakfast I found my evening eating became controlable. I do have a small bedtime snack. I have found it easier to keep to my calorie plan eating three balanced meals and a snack. Of course I don't know your daily routine, but if this helps you I would be glad.3
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Thank you for sharing this. I have been thinking a lot about my over eating issues. I have read some articles on food addiction and emotional eating. I think I lean more into the emotional eating but I can't tell you why. Food doesn't limit or change my social life, there were a few other signs that I didn't have that was listed. I am in a much better place than I was 8 years ago but I still over indulge in the sweets. I now have a 3 year old and that seems to make it even harder to not over eat. I am working on changing the food choices that I make to healthy snacking vs carb snacks at for bedtime snack. My favorite food is chocolate of most any kind, nothing fancy, just chocolate. I also love most fruit so I hope to change my late night craving to a healthy one. I like the idea of meditation and writing my feelings down. I think I will also try adding that into my routine.2
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I am a binge eater, but I'm in the middle of a transformation. Since I found Fitness Pal my life is changing dramatically. My daughter showed it to me and I am learning so much on here about things I need to change and how to change them. I have started the diary of my food from day one, 5 weeks ago. I'm finding out how to eat right, counting my calories and holding myself accountable with my scale once a week. I make good use of many of the social outlets on My Fitness Pal and that has really helped me. I love the articles I read on here and I learn from many of them. The Friends section is very nice and I have met a few ladies on there and can discuss different things with them on occasion. So I think the one big factor I am learning is "Who I Am". Very eye opening everyone. Blessings to all of you and many good wishes for success on your journey.7
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So true. I actually see success incorporating little life pleasures and using them as a distractions from emotional or mindless eating. My favorite one - sheet masks. In the evening, when I get anxious and restless and thing about stuffing my face (even though I am not hungry), I put a sheet mask on my face - they last about 30-45 minutes, wich is enough for me to cam down, feel feminine and pretty and proud of myself for taking care of my body as well as inspired to continue to take care of my body by not putting unnecessary crap in it. Also, sheet mask prevents you from eating, because it is too uncomfortable, but you are free to do anything you need around house... I think that everyone can find these very simple things that WORK for THEM - maybe by trial and error, maybe by accident:)3
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So true. I actually see success incorporating little life pleasures and using them as a distractions from emotional or mindless eating. My favorite one - sheet masks. In the evening, when I get anxious and restless and thing about stuffing my face (even though I am not hungry), I put a sheet mask on my face - they last about 30-45 minutes, wich is enough for me to cam down, feel feminine and pretty and proud of myself for taking care of my body as well as inspired to continue to take care of my body by not putting unnecessary crap in it. Also, sheet mask prevents you from eating, because it is too uncomfortable, but you are free to do anything you need around house... I think that everyone can find these very simple things that WORK for THEM - maybe by trial and error, maybe by accident:)
This is totally INSPIRED! Thanks so much - I'm going to try this after dinner tonight (my witching hour).
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Great article. I have eaten food emotionally all my life. Hope to learn some tools and change that. I am glad to see people posting on this site again. Such a huge problem, I was surprised there were mostly older posts and people rarely checked back. I love to see what works for people!2
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Agree! Great to hear from others with similiarities and ideas! Keep posting!1
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I journal my thoughts when I have issues or talk them out for my emotional eating. I own my own business so stress is different than when I was employed. It was worse when I worked for a company. I do ok most days as I'm busy during the day. I have more issues with mindless munching in evening.0
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Hi Beverly! I journal about what triggers my mindless eating and I keep my little notebook on the table. There are a few things I can usually tell will be hard to avoid, they are stressers surrounding meals, noises and unavoidable things. It seems that all I have to do is be aware of how those things cause me to start eating faster or feel deprived, worried, angry and this ( just observing how I'm affected ) in itself can sometimes bring back a calmness so that I can pause and breathe or just stop eating until I get calmed down. I was surprised at how this awareness set me in a more stable place mentally and is helped a lot.
I'm also happy to see more people writing posts in the EE group.
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Mindful. Will be my word of the day.2
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Emotional eating is a behavior that we have the power to change. The key to getting past destructive eating habits is learning how to nourish your body, mind and soul.
It doesn’t matter if you eat emotionally once a month, just on the weekends, or every single day. These tools will make it less likely that you fall susceptible to emotional eating and it‘s aftereffects.
Food should nourish, comfort, and delight us. Eating a meal can be a joyous and celebratory experience when these five steps are implemented.
1. KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS, Know Yourself - Know your triggers and your “stress times”. It is important that we separate ourselves from triggers and stressful situations before we sit down to eat. This tool is listed as number one for a reason: without this tool, all the others listed will be very difficult to implement with success.
Try to come up with a delightful way to separate the stress that you may have experienced throughout the day and your eating time. This is especially important prior to dinner, when overeating is most common.
Some great examples are: short walks, deep breathing, dancing to your favorite tunes, a hot bath with essential oils, yoga, or jumping on a mini trampoline. It could also be reading your favorite poetry, walking your dog, or cuddling with a pet, partner or child.
The fifteen to thirty minutes it takes to relax before eating will be well worth it.
If you have triggers, honor them. If you cannot watch a movie while eating without eating mindlessly, then don’t do it. If taking phone calls while preparing dinner puts you in a frantic state of mind, don’t take calls while you’re making dinner.
Remember that your behaviors are trying to tell you something, and that you must listen closely and honor them in order to heal and live the life of your dreams.
2. Don’t Compromise - Make sure that you love your food. Do not eat nori in your salad if you hate it simply because you need B12 and sea minerals. You can get those things from a supplement if you are deficient in B12 or certain minerals.
Many of us have completely lost touch with what we truly desire and enjoy in our meals. It’s time to get back to what delights us!
If you want chocolate chip pancakes for dinner, then you should eat them. There are high quality, whole grain options for everything, so there is no need to settle for a salad if what you are really desiring is something warm and fluffy with pure maple syrup drizzled on top. Always honor your desires, while also honoring your body and health.
3. Eat Whole, Organic Foods - Much of emotional eating is due to undernourishment from eating foods that are processed and lack nutrition. When we eat a whole foods diet rich in produce, our body will desire more of these healthy foods, not the junk! Even when we overindulge in whole foods, the negative effects are not nearly as devastating as they are when we settle for their processed counterparts.
4. Personal Pleasure as Priority - Sometimes we emotionally eat not because of stress, sadness, or food addiction, but because we have forgotten to fit pleasure into our day! The result of this is only having food to look forward to. My friends, this is unacceptable!
If you feel unsure of what brings you pleasure , think back to what brought you joy as a child. Incorporate that into your life as often as possible. This is a priority for your health. Never forget it.
5. Connect - It is very important to take time to connect with yourself every day. Meditation is a wonderful way to do this. Try it out and see how it changes your outlook. Another option would be to stretch to your favorite music, or utilize any of the other options given in tool number one.
When healthy eating, personal needs, pleasure, and connection are attended to, the need to eat emotionally begins to vanish. When we understand our body to be the temple that it is, we nourish it with nutritious foods and nourishing lifestyle practices that empower us. This transforms us into the amazing people that deep down we already know we are.
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Thanks vivian! good to reread this again. 0
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I really like this. I need to work on meditating more. I get too anxious and mind starts going all over the place.0
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Vivian, Love this... thanks.0
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My problem lately has been that a whole lot of stuff is happening in my life over which I have no control. So I slip onto overeating instead of accepting the situations as being out of my hands. Today I have begun to work on the acceptance and realized I don't need control, I need inner peace. If I'm ok with everybody and everything around me, I don't need to escape into overeating. A small start but I'm grateful for the consciousness of this, its a beginning.4
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Thank you for the list, it's very helpful. Triggers are definitely hardest to overcome.0
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Peppermint candy helps me when I'm wanting something sweet after I finish my meal.1
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I've used peppermint oil to help fend of seeet cravings during the day. Try it and it doesn't use up your carbs2
