Food Triggers?

tiffanyheth

I'm an emotionally eater, historically. I've been "recovering" for a while, but I still have certain triggers.

For example, husband sent me angry texts first thing this morning, and it makes me want to stuff my face. Whenever I feel like crying, I also feel like eating.

Anyone else?

Reza151

My parents. My father is very over protective and we clash since were both very headstrong. My binges were much worse and more frequent when I was unemployed and living at home. I hope I get a permanent job soon since temp ones are always so uncertain. Because one of my biggest fears is having to move back in with them and then spiral downward again. Thankfully, I've only been 2-3 weeks unemployed between temp jobs.

ANother trigger is procrastination. I'm moving this weekend so Im trying to pack little by little each night after work. But it's overwhelming and boring so I sit in front of the fridge and eat. It always starts with "One bite cant hurt" but Ive fallen into the nasty habit of eating directly out of containers rather than portioning it out. So the next thing you know, I've finished off all 7 or 8 servings of pumpkin cream cheese that I bought that night...in one sitting.

nxd10

I'm not an emotional eater, but I come from a foody family.

Put Poirot on TV and I want a martini, some crackers, and a bit of brie. You have to save up for that one!

Or an old evening Star Wars/Star Trek marathon and it's hot nachos with salsa and a cheese. Or chips and shrimp dip.

Looking over my diary for the last few months, the two times I was way over were the solstice and New Years Eve. Both family tv times with good food for celebrating.

---

Eating in anger though - that's something you want to learn to substitute out for. Go for a walk. Punch the wall. Jump rope. Call him on the phone and yell at him.

tiffanyheth

...and there's my trigger. We're fighting right now and I just want to eat something! Thankfully there's very little junk in the house. Waiting for him to leave so maybe I can pound it out on the treadmill instead of eating something I'll regret!

Reza151

you can do this! resist now and it will be a bit easier the next time you resist! If you MUST put something in your mouth, grab sugarless chewing gum, or tea!

crobl

Stay strong and stay positive

meemo88

i am the same exact way.......anything happens and I forget all about my diet!

jacque1129

when my girlfriends being a brat to me the first thing i want is junk food. ill throw my phone on my bed and think about eating a half gallon of icecream, lately i've been trying to stop and think "hey you only want ice cream because you're in a bad mood not because you're hungry." it's helped a lot, but sometimes it's too late and i have sticky fingers and a belly full of ice cream. :ohwell:

Erin_goBrahScience

Triggers:

soda
alcohol
TOM
stress
excessive absence of workout (more than 3 days)

Pretty much if I can make it though the above, I'm okay.

skyline2055

Pizza


i'm addicted to it

Erin_goBrahScience

...and there's my trigger. We're fighting right now and I just want to eat something! Thankfully there's very little junk in the house. Waiting for him to leave so maybe I can pound it out on the treadmill instead of eating something I'll regret!

Cleaning for some reason always seems to channel my anger.

RobinvdM

OP Definitely an emotional eater here. Been a work in progress for the last year. Ive come to vent my feelings on walks, and crunchy apples. It's kind of twisted how satisfying crunching into one is when youre seething mad at someone :blushing:

My first piece of advice, get yourself healthy stuff to "fall back on" when your trigger snaps. You'll regret it a lot less when you calm down. Next,s tart keeping tabs on your triggers and figure out how to defeat them, or avoid them, and if you can do neither - cope with them in a more healthy way.

My most recent test of my emotional eating occurred recently, the world just turned upside down- inside out, and I just clung to my self preservation and asked for help from a good, good friend. Sometimes having one of those to reach out to helps the most. I have passed most of the tests of willpower, and Id love to say it gets easier - and it DOES you just have to make the decision to find alternative ways to express your feelings.

If I figure out how to make it as simple as it sounds I will let you know :flowerforyou: