Emotions...How i Eat Thee

IowaPrincess

The one thing in my life that has the quickest effect on my diet is dating.
Whether its a positive or negative experience I still manage to translate it into 1000 calories :drinker:
If its a good experience involving a lot of positive energy and compliments... i tend to celebrate with carbs and sweets. :happy:
If its a negative experience that leaves me with doubt or feeling like maybe my ex is the best I will ever do... I just throw on a pizza band aid to sooth the hurt. :frown:

Why is it that my emotions are tied directly to the fridge????
I remember when we were kids... very chubby kids mind you. My mother would
reward us with food. Obviously this is not a good idea. I love my mom, but part of me (the chubby part) sort of resents her for this.

To this day whenever I experience any strong emotions of success or failure my first thought is food. :huh:

I have developed a lot of coping mechanism to help me stop myself and analyze what I am doing and also help me identify what triggers me, but sometimes I just dont catch it in time.
Its like I see a cookie after a rough day and I black out :sick: Only to awaken with shame and icing on my breath.

One day I would love if I celebrate or sooth with a run.
Or by buying myself a cute new outfit like I used to.

I love this quote... I always feel like it was wrote for me....
"Do not reward yourself with food...you are not a dog." :flowerforyou:

Anyway, just my thought for the day.

Crystal

_HeartsOnFire_

I completely agree with you. My love/hate with food and emotions started when I was 9 after my dad died...I went to food to fill the hole, my mom kept a ton of little debbie's in the house, and it wasn't until I was 11 or 12 and was incredibly overweight for that age, that I talked to my older sister to help lose the weight.

It happens to the best of us, it's one more thing to make us stronger. We're all here for you...The important thing is to not beat yourself up if you have a moment of "weakness". I've had whole days of weakness...We just have to dust ourselves off...Each meal is a fresh start.

IowaPrincess

I completely agree with you. My love/hate with food and emotions started when I was 9 after my dad died...I went to food to fill the hole, my mom kept a ton of little debbie's in the house, and it wasn't until I was 11 or 12 and was incredibly overweight for that age, that I talked to my older sister to help lose the weight.

It happens to the best of us, it's one more thing to make us stronger. We're all here for you...The important thing is to not beat yourself up if you have a moment of "weakness". I've had whole days of weakness...We just have to dust ourselves off...Each meal is a fresh start.

Agreed Grace!!!!!
i definitely ate enough cookies to
kill a therapist yesterday

ChantiC

I hear you there. My Grandma pretty much raised me and like most Grandma's always baked and cooked etc. She would reward me with food and she would let me eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted too. And then try to put us on a "diet" because she noticed me gaining weight around age 9. Of course I love her, but like you I sometimes think, maybe I wouldnt have these struggles if she just fed me healthier foods and didnt make such a big deal about my weight.

Its one of the hardest habits to break, because finding a different way to cope is so difficult. But you are on the right path and you are making so many positive changes. We will slip up, but the fact that you get back to it, is what is important I love your quote btw. Ver blunt, but true lol. Keep up the great work! :flowerforyou:

_HeartsOnFire_

I just had chocolate pie...and may not be able to kickbox tonight due to a horrible painful blister...stupid girly shoes...haha

IowaPrincess

I hear you there. My Grandma pretty much raised me and like most Grandma's always baked and cooked etc. She would reward me with food and she would let me eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted too. And then try to put us on a "diet" because she noticed me gaining weight around age 9. Of course I love her, but like you I sometimes think, maybe I wouldnt have these struggles if she just fed me healthier foods and didnt make such a big deal about my weight.

Its one of the hardest habits to break, because finding a different way to cope is so difficult. But you are on the right path and you are making so many positive changes. We will slip up, but the fact that you get back to it, is what is important I love your quote btw. Ver blunt, but true lol. Keep up the great work! :flowerforyou:

I am glad I am not alone in this!!!
Thanks for the support girl

carolmsb

I sure can relate!

IowaPrincess

I just had chocolate pie...and may not be able to kickbox tonight due to a horrible painful blister...stupid girly shoes...haha

Amen to that!!!!! :bigsmile:

jellybeanmusic

I'm glad I saw this, totally the same!

barb_32

Don't worry your not a lone, I think most of us turn to food even as children. I used to use cigarrettes for the ups and the downs, but now that I've quit, I've turned back to food. Hopeing to take the weight off that stress eating has put on, but it didn't go on over night so I guess it wont come off that way either.

IowaPrincess

Thanks ladies!!!! It is a constant struggle to break an old habit

Wwonderful

I completely agree with you. My love/hate with food and emotions started when I was 9 after my dad died...I went to food to fill the hole, my mom kept a ton of little debbie's in the house, and it wasn't until I was 11 or 12 and was incredibly overweight for that age, that I talked to my older sister to help lose the weight.

It happens to the best of us, it's one more thing to make us stronger. We're all here for you...The important thing is to not beat yourself up if you have a moment of "weakness". I've had whole days of weakness...We just have to dust ourselves off...Each meal is a fresh start.

Agreed Grace!!!!!
i definitely ate enough cookies to
kill a therapist yesterday

Wwonderful

I completely agree with you. My love/hate with food and emotions started when I was 9 after my dad died...I went to food to fill the hole, my mom kept a ton of little debbie's in the house, and it wasn't until I was 11 or 12 and was incredibly overweight for that age, that I talked to my older sister to help lose the weight.

It happens to the best of us, it's one more thing to make us stronger. We're all here for you...The important thing is to not beat yourself up if you have a moment of "weakness". I've had whole days of weakness...We just have to dust ourselves off...Each meal is a fresh start.

:
Agreed Grace!!!!!
i definitely ate enough cookies to
kill a therapist yesterday :)how many cookies did you eat? I had to stop myself today, and Saturday, I almost bought a package of double stuffed Oreo cookies, and believe me, I would have step the entire package 2240 calories

bowbee

I too have tried to fill the emotions with food.

Dauntlessness

We eat when we celebrate, we eat when we are depressed, we eat if we are happy, we eat at holidays, we eat if we socialize...we eat...
I totally get it. I'm a stress eater though. I can handle most daily ups and downs but when the real stress gets piled on, so does the pounds. haha.

ObtainingBalance

I think a lot of people can relate to you, you're not alone. Many people came to this site to lose weight, and probably struggle with emotional eating... (not saying everyone does)

My parents also used food as a reward, they did their best...didn't know. All we can do is learn from their mistakes now and find other ways. Raise our future kids different, change our relationship with food, etc.

“...the reward centers of the brain--where the pleasure of those high-calorie foods registers--also respond to other substances that bring about pleasure....But those reward centers also respond to other gratifying things, like watching a sunset or experiencing a loving touch...So while you may not be able to change the wiring in your brain, you can "feed" those reward centers other pleasures...Biology isn't destiny when you have effective strategies...” ― Bob Greene, The Life You Want: Get Motivated, Lose Weight, and Be Happy

^ Found the quote and it reminded me of how I can form new habits any day.

If anyone feels like overeating to feel good today, know that there are many alternatives that can make you feel good - and they're guilt free!
- long walk
- bath
- hugs , sex
- video games. (research shows that the pleasure center is stimulated and dopamine levels in the brain increase during video games)
- music ( increases levels of dopamine, as well as increases activity in the pleasure centers when listening to music)
- drawing/writing
- going out with a friend/family member
- watching a movie
- working out - (become an endorphinaholic )
Etc....

I know food sounds good and you might want it the most at the time, but just make a list of activities that make you happy.... turn to that list.... aim to try one of those before binge eating. Usually, it helps...because after 30 minutes the cravings will be gone...

REMEMBER: When YOU build new habits, you literally build new grooves and neural pathways in your brain. The more you perform a habit, the stronger the pathway. This works for both bad habits and good, so you need to practice and encourage only the habits that you want to strengthen.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/IceyRain/view/how-to-have-a-healthy-relationship-with-food-448220

naturallyrandom

I definitely eat my emotions and I also at times don't notice until the deed is done. Now that I realize I'm an emotional eater...I try to watch out for situations that will trigger overheating. For instance, I was upset about something last night & had the urge to jump in the car & hit up McDonald's for a fix. I even went so far as putting my shoes on & grabbing my keys! But i resisted! my solution still involved eating, I opted to eat on some CeLery sticks & ranch. This will have to work for now.

sgv0918

I used food to "fill" a void. OFTEN!!! Still find myself doing/wanting to do it. Bad marriage...eat. Can't pay that bill....eat. Special needs kid w/ a meltdown or emergency....eat. Tired...eat. Bored....eat. Such a hard cycle to break (and i don't think it really every does.) We just get more conscious of it. You are not alone!!!!

goddessofsewing

I use food to give me patience. One Kirkland brand salted caramel macadamia nut cluster adds 20 minutes of sanity to my mind. It keeps me from locking my children in the basement when they're having a rotten day.

IowaPrincess

Awesome posts you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bigsmile:
It is sort of sad that there are soo many of us soothing our stress/pains with food...but its nice
to know I am not alone!!!!

IowaPrincess

I didnt have a cookie attack last night so..... PROGRESS :bigsmile: