How do you contol emotional eating?

carpetbagger12000 · July 2012

It sounds like you're tied down with small children and can't do your exercising until after they've been put down for their naps. Instead, when you’re feeling blue, why not put the kids in the stroller and all of you go for a walk? Go to the playground and you join them on the swings and going down the slide. It will not only lift your spirits, but it’s good exercise, too! It also helps if you don’t have anything to binge on in your pantry. Keep the snack foods in the house to a minimum, and make them healthy ones: fruit, carrot sticks, nuts. They’re better for your kids, too.

ironicusername · July 2012

Not that it always works, but I try to preoccupy myself with doing anything with my hands. I took up crocheting partly to keep myself from eating. It can be really therapeutic. I also play my instruments, paint, make things with beads, play computer games... anything to keep my hands busy. Chewing gum also helps. I like the Desert Delights by Extra.

DanielleLarsen1 · July 2012

rlcwaterboy are you an expert on men and women's eating habits? Dont call it a fact unless you have the research to back it up.

dittmarml · July 2012

Here's how I avoid it:

1) Turn off the TV. In general. If it's on, pick up hand weights.
2) Take a walk. I literally go out the door when I want to go into the kitchen. Even 10 minutes seems to help, longer is better. If it's bad weather, I start a slow stair walk with headphones on and then work up to "boogie" up and down the stairs.
3) I always have a giant (I mean, GIANT) veggie salad in the fridge. If I have to eat I eat all of that I want, with fat-free dressing. Bowls full, sometimes. Nothing but good, there.
4) Track your food.
5) Eat clean - you want to get rid of anything that lends itself to binging - fat, salt.

Keep trying.

I_love_frogs · July 2012

I try distraction....like taking a walk with music or dancing to some of my favorite soundtracks. I have found that if I can get out of the moodset I can avoid the eating.

I also take a long shower and cry...for some reason crying in the shower and letting all the negativity flow down the drain works wonders for me!

The other thing I do is if I am REALLY in the OMG NEED FOOD TO FEEL BETTER etc stage, I drink water. I will fill up my Camelbak bottle and throw something in it to flavor it and then just drink away. Somehow just the feel of the Camelbak in my mouth helps? I think its like an oral fixation thing, I also chew gum too to get away form the mindless eating.

I totally agree tho with seeing what the cause of the emo-eating is. I talk to my self in the shower and try to get all the negativity out, and it seems to me anyway just saying the words helps. Like the other day I had a really bad day at work...my boss was being a total godzilla and I was on my last thread.

I was so angry and sad...and wanted nothing more than to eat. Eat carbs...pasta!! Bread!! Cookies!! But no, I told myself no....I will not let myself sabotauge myself like this. So I came home, took off my scrubs and got in the shower and let it hit me. I started reciting my day..."This happened and this happened and I felt like this and so on and so on..." and the feel of the water as well as verbalizing the issues really helped...well, wash them away lol

mariposa224 · July 2012

Mine isn't emotional eating, as I actually tend to NOT eat when I'm stressed... But I'm a boredom eater and I appreciate the suggestions as well. I'm going to try to throw in some more walking when I can and check out those hypnosis apps.

ETA: I have dumbbells that I will also start picking up and trying to use when the boredom hits. Sometimes it is just *too hot* for me to get out there. The humidity and heat do a nice little number on my asthma.

I_love_frogs · July 2012

I tend to be a boredom eater too...so I try to keep myself busy!!

SamanthaAnnM · July 2012

When I'm seriously depressed, I don't have an appetite for days. I remember when my younger brother passed away and when I broke up with my first boyfriend, I couldn't eat for several days. When I tried, I felt like I was gonna throw up after a few bites. But when I'm only slightly sad or bored a lot of times I'll find myself wanting to drive over to the nearest fast food place and get a huge burger and fries meal. What I do mostly is ride it out. I make myself busy doing other things, I fix myself a healthy meal, and I think about how it's not worth taking the time out of my day to eat such crap. It doesn't always work, but most of the time the thoughts of big macs and sodas pass and I realize I was never all that hungry in the first place!

Kristan_Forsey · July 2012

Sometimes I use sheer willpower and other times I chug two big glasses of water really quickly. It fills your stomach to the point where it would cause you pain to put anything else in there.

lindsayforlife · July 2012

My husband is an emotional eater. Just yesterday, he had a terrible day at work. I asked him if there was anything I could do to help. He said, "not really...All I want to do is go home and eat junk." So don't generalize.

Polly758 · July 2012

You may consider journaling-- and not about food. Julia Cameron's book "The writing diet" or even her classic "The artist's way" are both useful tools for figuring out the source of your depression/binging.

The food isn't the problem, the PROBLEM is the problem...

I just quit drinking coffee and I have to go back to those books now, I didn't realize how much I was using coffee instead of life/stress management skills ... haha

puffidredz · July 2012

^^this
i've never emotionally ate from being depressed so i can't comment on what helps, altho there are plenty of enough answers here from people who have/do. but yea address and resolve the cause for depression first, and then everything else should fall in place.

boys4girls1 · July 2012

You mentioned that you have to wait until you put your children down for a nap or that it is too hot outside. Have you tried one of Leslie Sansone's walk at home dvd's? They are wonderful and can be done right in your house. Also you can try putting on some music and just dancing. It might sound crazy, but it beats the alternative of just putting food in your mouth. I do the same thing. Everytime I walk in the kitchen to get to the laundry room I always grab something. Chips..Jelly beans...So, I am making an effort to not do that. Any movement helps. Even a stationary bike if you have one. Good luck. We are all here for you.

McLifterPants · July 2012

I totally agree with this. Exercise clears my mind. If I'm feeling depressed or angry, I'll put of some fast paced music and jump on the elliptical to burn off the negative energy! I used to be an emotional eater too, but you have to remind yourself that it's just going to make you feel even worse in the long run, because you're sabotaging your healthy goals.

BuffyEat2Live · July 2012

What I need to do when I want to emotionally eat: Distract myself with HOUSEWORK!!!

i hope that I can do this, because that would solve two problems at once. ;-)

MurphysLawTD · July 2012

I know I sound like the anti-christ in saying this but SO BE IT. Sometimes when I feel like ****, I just WANT to feel like ****, and there's nothing wrong with that!!!

I wouldn't suggest making this a habit, rather, put your energy into something else preferably a physical activity. Do you belong to a gym? If so, go to a class like zumba or something with motivating music and just go nuts!

Trust me, I've been there. My classic line was "**** it, I had a bad day...I'm getting pizza." Turned out the food was only a temporary fix. It took a LOOOONG time, but I've substituted the above statement with "I'm going to the gym". And THAT is a long-term fix!

THE HARDEST PART IS GETTING THERE. And if that's the problem, go out and get some cute outfits to work out in that will make you WANT to work out. Cheesy, I know, but it worked for me. And I find even on my worst days, once I'm actually at the gym and I plan on a "light" 15 min run on the elliptical, I end up killing it and am there for an hour.

Good luck...you'll be awesome.

Theresa

ninerbuff · July 2012

See a doctor?

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Trechechus · July 2012

This, too. Don't allow depression to rule your life. Please seek help if you need it!

CalJur · July 2012

Try to get a handle on the emotional issue. Second stock your home with healthy snacks with the knowledge of what is going on with you so you will reach for them instead of the bad stuff. In general, try limiting the junk food you buy and keep healthy snacks in your home.

ladyphoebe · July 2012

I actually have. I am only 7 weeks postpardum so they are monitoring me for PPD. A big part of the problem is that my husband decided to go back to school to get his Master's degree which required me packing up my entire life and moving 2 states away from my family and what I have always known. I am now stuck in a place where I know no one with 2 small children and a husband who is too busy working and going to school to really be of any help. I know that in the long run this will be a good thing for my family but right now I am having a hard time coping. I find that eating is easier than sitting and crying because when I cry it upsets my 2 year old.

allywood90 · July 2012

I cannot have any "junk food" in my house, period. If you only buy lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and you eat small meals throughout the day, you will be much less likely to binge. If I buy something "bad" as a treat, I will take one serving, and immediately put the box or bag back into the pantry. If I notice that I cannot control myself with something, I will not buy it again. I also threw away all of the takeout menus, to avoid splurging on pizza, and my other enemies. Try practicing yoga, when you are feeling emotional. It will lift your mood entirely.

lizzybethclaire · July 2012

*bump*

Espressocycle · July 2012

I have found a solution. Vegetables. Sometimes I eat a whole head of cauliflower mashed with a tiny bit of butter and lots of herbs. Other times, I munch on marinated cabbage. A whole head of steamed broccoli. Because sometimes I want to plop in front of the tv and eat mindlessly. I just make better choices about what I eat.

flyingwrite · July 2012

Yoga. Yoga completely saved my emotional life. I used to stress eat, emotional eat, boredom eat, the whole list. Now, I just do Yoga. It doesn't have to be intense; it can be a 20 minute stress-relieving DVD. Learn how to breathe. It will help SO much.

IsleEsme · July 2012

Exercise is the cure all. Especially for depression which leads to overeating. Right there with you sister! If I get depressed I eat. If I go to the gym I don't get depressed. It's a win win

JuneyJo · July 2012

I posted on my status that I'm struggling and what I want to eat/drink and my awesome friends piled on with words of encouragement and advice. Honestly, THAT's the best solution I've had. So you took a step in the right direction by posting here. Know that you're stronger than the cravings and better than the struggles. You can beat it!!!

Melancholic · July 2012

^ Yes. My eating has been absolutely all over the place with my moods (I'm diagnosed Bipolar Type I depression).

I think that I'm finally on the right medication to stop myself from binging and regain my control (I was on something awful until recently...). I've been through a great deal of group therapy as well, which was helpful from a different angle. All of it takes time.

Trindli · July 2012

I also just moved to a place where i know nobody so I can understand how you feel.

If you can't go outside, try to do some excercise inside. I just started doing pilates to youtube videos ( i started with the poppilates ones). Maybe there is also a gym around that offers daycare, so you could take classes there. That would also be an opportunity to maybe meet new people.

Another thing I do when I feel the urge to eat, is drinking a fruit tea. It helps me better. Than water and my sweet tooth is satisfied.

atsteele · July 2012

Good for you!! re seeing a MD... That's a good start. Get out of the house. Go for a walk with the kids. Make a daily schedule for you to have balance, time with the kids and down time. If they don't nap, then at least have a down time for them. You can't exercise your way out of depression but it helps. It also helps to have a support system so, if you can, find other moms in the neighborhood that you might hook up for playdates and coffee (and maybe even trade on and off with watching kids so you can have some time to yourself). And stay out of the kitchen! Good luck with that (especially since you have kids)!! LOL Planning your meals helps but don't beat yourself up if you don't stay on track all the time or are having a particularly difficult time. Just get back on the horse. That's the key really. And good luck!

sydnisd183 · July 2012

this is probably a major contributor. Packing up an entire life and moving it has got to be stressful, let alone being majorly responsible for 2 little ones and making sure they're ok in the process. And with a husband that is buried amongst his books and not much of a help at this time (no offense against hubby LOL), may be the icing on the cake. If it were me, i'd be eating too, because at least the foods would be "comforting" me.

Is there a park nearby where all the mommies bring their kids, maybe you could meet some people there. Or if funds allow, a gym membership would get you out and among the grown ups. Surely hubby could spare 90-120 minutes to let you have SOME time to recharge.

I hope it works out for you. I just stopped an emotional eating binge that lasted almost 18 months because I was in a relationship I didn't want to be in, but I could not get myself to end it for anything. I finally took action and ended it and I feel better than I have in years. Good luck missy!!!

edit: or see if you can get one of those strollers that runners use. I see these at the park I run at all the time and some of them are built for 2 kids. Then start a walk/run program, supplement with dvd's of home workouts and voila!! :flowerforyou:

How do you contol emotional eating?

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