Emotional Eater Over Here!

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  • Cre8veLifeR
    Cre8veLifeR Posts: 1,062 Member
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    Hello - I used to be an emotional eater as well, and I still find myself wanting to eat when I am around my ex husband!!! I am sure you have done your own research about the psychological aspects of it, but there are scientific reasons for it as well! There is a relatively "new" field called neurogastroenterology - the digestive tract contains neurons, almost as many as the brain, and feeding can and does cause a sense of "well being" - at least temporarily!

    Eating is pleasurable, and heck, none of us would be on MFP if we didn't think so :wink:

    For me personally, I don't like to overcomplicate things and I used cognitive behavior therapy and practicing awareness on myself. I changed the pleasure center of emotion, which changed my eating. I began to journal my feelings because I used to NOT EVEN KNOW how I felt at first - I would just eat cookies when something felt uncomfortable.So I journaled and meditated and started listening to Dharma lectures and began to ask myself if it was food I wanted or something else? I acknowledged that the food would taste good and satisfy my urge - but also that it would leave me feeling angry and ashamed and fat soon after. Was it worth it? Or do i want to do something that will really make me feel better? I also gave myself permission to eat all the cookies I wanted, so long as I didn't punish myself after. I also gave myself permission to cry if that's what I really wanted to do.

    Honestly I didn't even decide to lose the extra weight until I conquered my eating disorder. Once I gave myself permission to eat all I wanted (this tricked my brain lol) and practiced being very present in the moments and feeling how I feel the emotional eating just stopped! One day I noticed that I hadn't been obsessing about food. It just stopped.

    I don't know what religion you are, and I am not pushing one, but I can honestly say that listening to Tara Brach changed my life. She is a Buddhist Psychologist who runs the insight meditation center of Washington. Her Dharma lectures are about emotion and psychology and well-being. If you are into that sort of thing I really recommend her lectures. http://imcw.org/Talks.aspx

    (((hugs))) and you can do it because awareness is really all it takes! You're in the military so you have the discipline already :smile:
  • Pema91
    Pema91 Posts: 44
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    I am TERRIBLE at drinking water. I just hate the taste. That is another thing I am trying to get myself to do! Fill up on water when I am hungry.

    Glad we can all support each other on this journey!

    Apparently it's good for you but it just makes me pee a lot.... XD

    Now don't substitute food for water but if you are having pangs outside your normal eating, drink a couple pints of water and *then* see how you feel. If you are still hungry ten minutes later, you are actually hungry!

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