Hey...I'm new!

Hey C, I'm fairly new here as well. Signed up a few weeks ago, but this week is when I've really been using the site for real. I know exactly what you mean about your group of friends. None of my friends is SUPER skinny, but they are all in great shape and slender. Lately, I have definitely felt like "the fat one," and that has been a big motivation for me as well to get things under control.

I really think logging your meals (and snacks) on the site will be a big help to you with not overeating. I know a huge problem for me has been picking things up here and there at work where there is always food and/or candy around. Logging what I'm eating has really kept me conscious of not wasting calories on those extra things that I eat because I'm bored (or any other not great reasons).

One thing I have tried when I feel like I'm headed for one of those days is planning out and logging all my meals for the day in the morning. Then I know that I have something good coming at my next meal to look forward to, and I also know that I don't want to have to go back and add that piece of candy or whatever to my log when it's already looking pretty full.

Hope this helps, and I'm happy to support! Good luck!

I too have had a tendency to eat "everything in sight" when I'm bored/sad/angry or any other strong emotion. In the past I've found myself justifying eating whatever I want by telling myself I deserve it because of whatever I'm going through emotionally. Since joining this site I've done what everyone has suggested you do by being utterly and completely honest with what I log. If it goes past my lips, it ends up on my log. But I also have found that by changing what foods I choose to eat when I'm not stressed makes a huge impact on how I deal with stress & emotional eating when I am stressed. If I am already hungry and then something stressful happens, its a really easy jump to just say "screw it" and eat those potato chips, or cookies or candy. But if I've been making appropriate choices and I'm not really hungry, then I don't feel that urge. What I do to stay full throughout the day is eat a portion of good carbs and a portion of good protein (lean poultry/cottage cheese/fish) four or five times a day, eating veggies with at least two of those. That helps me stay within my calorie goal AND I don't get the blood sugar fluctuations that leave me vulnerable to eating binges. Hope that helps. This is a wonderful site & will really help you reach your goals!