emotional eating!

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mgodby86
mgodby86 Posts: 27 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all
I'm sure this comes up pretty frequently, but I'm wondering what your tips are for avoiding emotional eating. I am not sure why I am suddenly wanting to eat so much, but I think it's more stress related than anything else. When I say emotional eating, I don't mean I'm pigging out with a gallon of ice cream or a row of oreos (although I've certainly been there!). I pretty much just want to EAT... anything. Fruit, vegetables, junk food, chocolate, etc.

I'm not really trying to lose any weight (maybe a few lbs), and I'm definitely eating A LOT better than I used to, but I just feel really down on myself. I've tried drinking water, doing something else, chewing gum, etc., but I just keep wanting food.

Any advice?

Replies

  • MelissaBthin
    MelissaBthin Posts: 2
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    Hello,

    I am a massage therapist with training in craniosacral therapy and somatoemotional release. I would suggest that you ask yourself what it is you are feeling when you need to eat to satisfy emotions each time you experience that. Then ask what you could give to yourself to fill that need. It could be that you take comfort in the physical chewing of food due to compression of certain small, uncommonly known cranial bones. If you still aren't finding the answers, perhaps a session of craniosacral therapy could help you uncover them. You can find a therapist in your area at http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php. Good luck!
  • kristinlough
    kristinlough Posts: 828 Member
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    I get up and move! It's really really hard to feel down when you're dancing like a goof to fun music (or walking, pretending you're dancing like a goof to fun music if in public ...) And who wants to eat while you're getting sweaty? Not me! So I end up feeling better and not eating when all is said and done. Maybe it'll work for you!
  • StarryEyedGirl
    StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
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    I fight this often too! I personally still have not figured out why. Yesterday was a great day, had calories left over too and was satisfied. Today on the other hand I want to eat just for the fun of it. Luckily I am eating well making good choices today but I am worried about later when I have no calories left... will I fall off the wagon?

    Do you deal with this everyday or once in a while?
  • StarryEyedGirl
    StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
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    I think you (kristin) have the right idea about moving around and keeping busy.... Now I just have to do it and not think about it.
  • Syreeta6
    Syreeta6 Posts: 377 Member
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    Are you in a regular exercise routine? It is a great stress reliever and maybe the less stressed you are the less you'll have emotional eating due to stress.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    slapping my husband helps...........but I don't suggest it to others :laugh:
  • Relaeh
    Relaeh Posts: 102 Member
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    I've been fighting that feeling for the last hour....surfing the net and this site has helped a lot and kept my paws off the junk food....sometimes distraction is the best tool...
  • mgodby86
    mgodby86 Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks guys.. this will hopefully just be a temporary stage.. I ended up going to the gym tonight (Friday's normally not a gym day), so I feel a bit better. I just had a salad and am about to have a baked sweet potato. :)
  • vanzeem
    vanzeem Posts: 107
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    I might be a little late on this post, but i'm dealing with emotional eating also. I got a book called "break free from emotional eating" yesterday and started reading it. i can't put it down!! i'm only a few chapters into it and i've already started applying some of the principles to my daily life to see if it helps. The author gets you to think about when you want to eat if you're hungry and if you're not then why do you want to eat? It's really interesting to me so I figure it's worth a try!!!
  • Marie45
    Marie45 Posts: 21 Member
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    Emotional eating is one of my biggest pitfalls. I sometimes find myself standing in the supermarket aisle for ages, looking at all the different cakes and biscuits, and not understanding why none of them seem just 'right' and it's because my craving isn't for them, it's for comfort, and a desire to feel better.

    Crisps and biscuits are my biggest weakness, chocolate less so. I understand on one level that I'm not making myself feel better when eating them - in fact, the lack of self control is making me feel worse - but it's hard when you're used to filling up emotional holes with sugar.
  • jurgitafit
    jurgitafit Posts: 112
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    Emotional eating is one of my biggest pitfalls. I sometimes find myself standing in the supermarket aisle for ages, looking at all the different cakes and biscuits, and not understanding why none of them seem just 'right' and it's because my craving isn't for them, it's for comfort, and a desire to feel better.

    Crisps and biscuits are my biggest weakness, chocolate less so. I understand on one level that I'm not making myself feel better when eating them - in fact, the lack of self control is making me feel worse - but it's hard when you're used to filling up emotional holes with sugar.

    That's true. So, at first it's about breaking the bad habit and making a good one instead. I am too having some issues with emotional eating sometimes.

    But what I have noticed (and maybe this insight will help others here too) is that it's not always about the actual controlling of the urge to eat something for comfort (as in resistance). I've gotten many times to the point where it seems something else is controlling you and the willpower goes out the window. You want to eat something at the same second and nothing helps.

    So...

    I've been analyzing this and reading a ton about the topic and realized that the emotional cravings can be also the consequence of the foods we have eaten in earlier hours (or throughout the years if there is no healthy eating in one's diet at all). I noticed that if I eat a clean and balanced meal (protein, vegetables, some whole grains), then I don't feel so prone to emotional eating later.

    It is extremely important to balance the nutrient ratios in the meals and AVOID added SUGAR and WHITE FLOUR like poison, and eat protein when cravings come. It really helps to stabilize the mood and I feel much better. :smile:
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
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    as a person still recovering from binge eating disorder and still binges (haven't in 5 days straight though! been a while for that long of a stretch), I would recommend therapy if you feel like you cannot actually stop eating. If you believe it's stress related, figure out a way to deal with the stress. A therapist may help you in that direction.
  • Marie45
    Marie45 Posts: 21 Member
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    I've been analyzing this and reading a ton about the topic and realized that the emotional cravings can be also the consequence of the foods we have eaten in earlier hours (or throughout the years if there is no healthy eating in one's diet at all). I noticed that if I eat a clean and balanced meal (protein, vegetables, some whole grains), then I don't feel so prone to emotional eating later.

    It is extremely important to balance the nutrient ratios in the meals and AVOID added SUGAR and WHITE FLOUR like poison, and eat protein when cravings come. It really helps to stabilize the mood and I feel much better. :smile:

    That's a really good point. I find that if I start the day by eating well, I'm less likely to reach for food to comfort me later on. Part of it must be nutritional, but part of it is probably that I feel good about myself for eating well. Whereas if I start the day by eating badly, I tend to think of the day as a bit of a write off and my willpower isn't as strong.

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