What makes you to OVEREAT?
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Hi, just joined the group.
I overeat for all the emotional reasons stated above (bored, stressed, happy, sad, angry, etc.) but never in public. I behave like an addict and I'm ashamed of it, so I never never never pig out in front of others.
Welcome! I'm guilty of this too. People don't believe that I overeat - they're like, but you eat so healthy! You always have leftovers! What they don't know is that I hide it - I'll eat later at night. I'll throw away fast food wrappers prior to getting out the car.
At my lowest times - I'll be out picking up dinner for my fiance and myself, and I'll get a tiny bit extra for me and eat it before getting home, then have the regular dinner. That is also really unhealthy.
I haven't done that in a while, but I know I have the capability and urge to do it, which is scary.
So I understand. I'm a closet overeater too.0 -
Hello. I am definitely an emotional eater. This usually happens when Im stressed. But I am also a late night snacker, unfortunately. So while I can maintain my portions during the day, once 10 pm hits, its a battle for me.0
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I over eat when I am bored, and later at night.0
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The better question for me would be, what DOESN'T make you overeat?
A couple of days ago my husband and I got into a fight. Well the first thing I did was go to the kitchen and eat to comfort myself. All that did was make me feel worse. Makes me feel like that every time, but apparently I have yet to learn my lesson.
I'm an emotional eater. The problem is, my emotional eating doesn't just cover the bad emotions. It covers ALL of them.
In my family, for as long as I can remember, food was given to me for everything. When I was sad, I got a cupcake. When I got good grades, we went out to eat wherever I wanted. As a reward, I would get Little Debbie snacks. I used to suck my thumb ALOT (until I was 12 actually) and my mom used to give me jumbo suckers instead, so that I wouldn't suck my thumb. I have been trained like a puppy to associate food being able to make everything better.
That, to me, is the hardest part of all of this. Learning to eat to survive instead of surviving to eat. I have trouble with that every day.0 -
Stress is definitely a big trigger for me! Also if I'm upset about something.0
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I agree!
I overeat for EVERYTHING. Emotions, all emotion- the biggest one is boredom.
I saw this quote- you are not a dog, do not reward yourself with food. It really hit me. I realized I use food for EVERYTHING. Celebration for passing a test- lets go out to eat, catching up with my friend- lets go grab some apps and wine, shopping- lets take a break and grab a nice lunch. NO Why can't we do other things?
I need to eat to live, and not live to eat. Personal struggle- but I am working on it.0 -
His name is JOE!!! lol...Long story....
Other things that make me overeat are : stress, work, being bored, sad...anything!0 -
When I am stressed and tired, I tend to overeat. Food helps cheer me up a bit. Therefore, to lose weight, I should lose stress first.0
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Hello all! My name is Bea and I'm an overeater and I'm probably a food addict. I eat when I'm happy, celebrating, angry, stressed, sad, and when I'm completely bored! I just joined this group and as I'm typing, I've avoiding another urge to eat! Food is a staple in my culture. Get together's with friends - sushi night. Get together's at work - lunch out. Date night - dinner out. Food is just socialization.
Sparing the boring history of why I have food issues now the bottom line is this - I never learned good food habits. So far, I have been successful in changing that. I know to watch food portions, I know to eat natural/organic foods, I know to cook it myself, and stay away from fast food joints, and don't eat out a lot. Just because it's called "food" doesn't mean it's good for you. Candy is not a meal, it's a treat. I'm also considering veganism.
I do most of my overeating at home. I stuff down food with the best of them. My highest weight was 225. ONce I learned that I need to "eat to live" and not "live to eat" my attitude is changing. But in comes that addiction critter and I can relapse. I know this will be a process. I have a reason to stop and get to a healthy weight. I have an autoimmune disease and my body has seen 3 surgeries because of it. Not weighing so much, i may have been able to avoid the surgeries. Having two new knees that need to last, this weight has got to go for the knees, and for my life. I want to live a long time. I'm 38 now, weigh 210. I've been below 200 before coming in at 195 as my lowest .
I love that this group is here, I don't feel alone in this. I hope to gain accountability to my diet and maintain good healthy eating habits. Please feel free to add me and lets share tips, recipes, and support.0 -
I overeat when I've had a hard day, because then I feel like I "deserve" it. I make it like a treat. The thing is I give myself endless excuses to overeat
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Stress, exhaustion, lack of sleep.
I tend to get totally unable to handle sugar in those cases. High school exam, law school, law exam, bar exam, right now my master studies, all were really bad for my eating habits. Plus, I tend to get so stressed out and overworked that I get sick and then I can't do sports any more. Which is my good way of coping with stress, so I tend to eat even more, if I can't do that.
Right now I have cut all all artificial sweets, but still eat fruits and protein powder. Need to stay away from protein bars though. And I just learned yesterday that having dried fruits near, while I am studying at night is such a bad idea as well. Now they sit in the kitchen and I probably won't buy them any more.
Right now I am trying to stick to tee and chewing gum while studying. And to eat well and healthy within my calorie limits before, to not be hungry. See how this goes.0 -
boredom, I'm too efficient at work, and up myself clearly, lol, but seriously I eat at work when bored. I hate it
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I agree that I love food and it is like a bad relationship! I even wrote a letter to it a couple of years ago to break up with it, but I guess secretly deep down, I didn't want out of this abusive relationship. But it is time for a change NOW!!!0
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Alot of things make me overeat. Stress, boredom, emotional eating. I now have recognized the issue and now I have to change. My turnto foods are sweets, cookies, cakes, brownies, etc. Its never just one serving either. I have sat down and went through a whole package of oreos. I WANT to Change!!! I signed up for overeaters meetings and I have to start to train my portions to be less.
That's great!! I had gone to OA mtgs back a couple of years ago for a class on substance abuse, but thought this might apply more to me - and when they read the book the first few weeks I was struck dumb - it was like they were inside my head! I cried at the first mtg I spoke during because I couldn't hold it back - unfortunately the group stopped due to minimal attendance - it seemed like all of us got too busy to attend at the same time (I was moving into my new house and making repairs, painting, etc) and when i looked into it later, it had discontinued. I am trapped at home now recovering from my stroke unable to drive to mtgs, so this group is taking it's place. Hopefully we can all support each other through this.0 -
When I am bored...I eat....when I should get up and do something that I am procrastinating on like the cleaning of the kitchen counters or declutter my kids rooms.
When I am lonely.....I eat....when I should have a conversation with God who is always with me or call a friend or family member or get online to myfitness pal community which is currently what I am doing.
When I am happy... I eat....when I should be enjoying the positive emotions and thoughts and maybe journal them so I can go back and read them on tough times.
When I am sad...I eat....when I should allow myself to feel and cry which is hard due to growing up in an alcoholic, emotionally numb family where no emotions were expressed.
When I am anxious....I eat....when I should realize that I can not control things only my heavenly Father can and need to hand whatever is troubling me over to Him and take comfort in just doing my best.
When I am mad....I eat....when I should just express my anger verbally to that person (usually family member) which is extremely difficult for a people pleaser which stems from my childhood coping mechanisms.
I am human and these emotions will always be... so it is time to stop beating myself up and shaming myself and start allowing myself to feel and process these emotions instead of stuffing them down with food, hoping they will go away. In the end I hope to be free from the bondage of food and have a better relationship with myself and my heavenly Father. Wow had to get that out!!!!
Great post - I should print that and hang it where I can see it everyday - and when I feel those ways - it will remind me what I SHOULD do instead of eat! Thanks.0 -
I overeat because I simply love the taste of food. I was considering weight loss surgery and the doctor told me that it wouldn't help me because I don't understand portion control and I just love food. It was hard to hear, but I understood. I'm an emotional eater big time. When I'm depressed and stressed especially, so that's a lot of the time. Plus, I try to stick to a strict schedule and no one in the house seems to do so. For example, I want to eat salads and lean meats, but burgers and fries seem to be on the menu. I'm out voted. LOL.
Your doctor was right - I know several people who have had the surgery and are still as focused on food as they were before it and have gained it back or are slowly inching up there again. That's a lot to go through to only gain it back again.You can find help through others to help you deal with emotional eating, and to recognize when you are just making excuses to keep eating.0 -
I used to overeat when there was a work I needed to do, I'd say "I am hungry"... it was like this ever since I was little. Also, if there's something tasty in the house, I'd not calm down until it's gone. And, I'd overeat when I'm sad or worried about something. Anything can cause a binge... Other thing, I didn't know much about portion sizes, so I kept eating more than I needed. But I'm proud I didn't overeat for 10 days now, since I joined MFP.
Congrats!!0 -
I overeat because I hate my life0
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Work makes me over eat! I work as a cook at a bar, so I am surrounded by junky foods every day! I joke that eating healthy in this environment is like quitting drugs while being a drug dealer-- If you can do it, I applaud you! I work with a bunch of guys who can just eat whatever they want and never have a problem. I'm eating dry salads and theyre snacking on chips, pizza, fries, cheese sticks, burgers, anything!!
If I let the temptation break me, I eat and eat there, and if I resist, I pig out at home because I stress myself out so much and all I can think about is the food!!0 -
What DOESNT make me overeat??
Stress is a huge one for me. When something goes wrong, i eat for comfort mostly. I dont do drugs, or drink, or over spend, or anything else, so food became my drug. it made me happier and more calm, so i eat. I try now to stop. Im doing better recognizing my emotional eating urges, but i stil fail once in awhile.
oh and PMS, i eat everthing not nailed down the week before my period. I mean EVERYTHING, even things i normally dont like. and i cant get enough. This is actually harder to deal with than emotional eating.0 -
I over eat when I hit every emotion, happy, sad, angry....there really isn't an emotion out there that doesn't make me over eat. The worse time I over eat is at the end of day when I get home from work, I'm so hungry I eat everything in sight. I have not found a snack that will satisfy my hunger and give me room for dinner. I'm trying to get better at eating a snack after work but sometimes it doesn't work out very well.0
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Always after a rotten day at work.....I go via the pub on the way home.
One small glass of wine turns into a larger glass which turns into a "it would be dangerous to let me loose in the kitchen now".
Oooooops. Going via a restaurant on the way home I then make my way indoors - with a new "food baby" and the guilt to go with it!!!!!!!!!!
Never a good idea!!!!!!0 -
I m new here, but hope sharing my thoughts with all of you will help me get this emotional eating under control.
I too eat when I am stressed, happy, sad, bored, etc. I often finish one meal and begin to think about what I will eat at the next one.
When at dinner with friends, I tend to keep my portions down and even leave food on the plate, while at the same time wanting so badly to eat that last little bit that I left.
Reminding myself that I'm not hungry doesn't seem to work. In fact I often eat privately until I am miserable. I use food as a crutch.0 -
What makes me overeat...? Food. That's the simple answer. It sits there and stares at me if I'm in the same room and if not, I hear it calling my name. Inevitably, I give in... mainly when I am stressed or depressed but also sometimes when I am bored.
I have been on MFP (off & on) since Oct 2011. The first time I got derailed was the holidays. When I came back it didn't last long because we bought a house & moved... can you say derailment #2? So, now here we are with attempt #3. Third time's a charm, right!? This time I am out of excuses why I can't do this other than emotional eating & lack of support. The last 3 weeks have been difficult for me. The lack of support is simply bc my husband, although he's wonderful, works almost all the time and our families live about 750miles away. Emotionally (recently) is bc when we moved here, I had to leave my dog (15years) with my mom til we could get settled here and sadly she had to be put to sleep before that could happen. The other part of the emotional is bc my daughter is starting kindergarten in a few days.
So, here I am once again. This time instead of just keeping track of intake & burn I am joining groups and looking for the motivation & support we all need for this process! Feel free to add me as a friend & I will be happy return the motivation & support!0 -
I overeat when :
I'm bored, stressed, feeling down, attending events where theres lots of treats, when I dont balance my meal times well.
It can be really bad sometimes and I mean really bad. Big bags of crisps, huge chocolate bars - anything that makes me feel better inside.
I joined this group as I think my emotional wellbeing has been a major contributor to my weight and I hope we can all support each other.0 -
When I'm extremely mad.0
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When I feel like I have been doing so much for everyone else and I DESERVE a lot of cakey sugary food somehow. Like it's a reward or soothant to me.0
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I tend to reach for something to eat when I'm bored; that's a habit I'm trying to break right now.
I also eat sweets when I'm depressed. I tell myself that I'm never going to look the way I want so I might as well eat. It's a terrible thing, I know :[0 -
It's cliche but when I'm lonely or depressed. :frown:0
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I know stress or the fear of the unknown makes me over eat. But sometimes I wonder if it is the lack of sleep that I get that makes me eat.0
