How do you overcome cravings and stress eating urges?

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  • Luv2Smile55
    Luv2Smile55 Posts: 133 Member
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    There is a wonderful book called "The Hunger Fix" by Pam Peeke MD. It's goes into depth about why we feel the need to eat things when stressed and why we give in to the cravings even though we don't want to. I have just begun reading it and can recommend it already!

    Good Luck Everyone! :flowerforyou:
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    Hello All,

    As a person who struggles with cravings and stress eating, I was hoping we could talk a bit about how people overcome these urges. I thought it may be a bit inspiring to discuss it as a group. I will start with a personal example.

    Once I was really struggling at work. I was super stressed and the kitchenette was loaded with every doughnut you could imagine, including my personal favorite - a custard filled, vanilla frosted, long john. (This was before I was diagnosed with an intolerance for gluten.) I held strong for several hours, and finally I couldn't take it anymore. Just before giving in, I sent an email to a friend on another floor who was part of my support system. Before I knew it, she was behind me with two of our other dieting co-workers, and they were demanding that I go to the kitchenette with them. They marched me into the room and asked me which one was the problem. Stunned and speechless I pointed at the long john. My friend said, "this one?" as she grabbed it off the platter. Then as she forcefully destroyed the long john by squeezing it to death, she told me that I work way too hard to give into a lousy doughnut. Her seriousness left the four of us laughing to the point of tears. I quickly overcame the urge, and couldn't have loved them more for being my support system. It is great having friends to reach out to in moments of weakness.

    So, what do you do?


    Oh god I love this! :laugh: You have the greatest co-workers ever!
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
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    I strip and take a long hard look in the mirror to remind myself why I DON'T want to overeat. It's not worth it...

    plus, I know that if I do give in to stress eating urges that I will feel WORSE after. I remind myself of this.

    I also have 'go to foods' to replace the comfort foods. Stuff that isn't unhealthy. Carrots. Lettuce. Etc.

    But the absolute best thing to do to overcome cravings... is to not keep those foods in your home. :) I have almost NO FOOD in my house. It was the only way I could overcome night time cravings. Can't eat it if it's not there!!!
  • Chibea
    Chibea Posts: 363 Member
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    Heey, it is matter of defining the right CAL BUDGET for you. You do not need to suffer and starve. I lose weight enjoying myself. If I can do it you can. Feel free to look at my food diary and you will see there is not much I deprive of. You don't have to.
    Enjoy to eat a bit of your favorite chocolate and follow your Cal Budget. Stop the suffering....
    Can't see your food diary.
    I have a similar attitude about eating creatively to include the food I really like. Mostly that works, but some days its different...I go way overboard like MaraDiaz described. It is a way to handle stress that really does not work out very well in the long run, but at the moment seems to be the best solution. I recently made a commitment on the INTENTIONS website to include meditation and yoga in my daily routine in an attempt to handle the stress issue. Too soon to see the results. Will make a topic if it helps a lot.
  • Proyecto_AN
    Proyecto_AN Posts: 387
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    My first option: is exercise. My second option is checking my current progress, and calculate what I have to do to get where I want to be. My third option is logging into Youtube and search for super obese persons eating to death... it reminds me where I started. My fourth option is searching for motivational videos.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    I also do not eat any of my trigger foods. None. Not even yummy, healthy-seeming cashews.

    And I have all these jeans I found in the bottom of my closet that I used to be able to wear. I try them on ridiculously often, seeing which fit, which are too big, and which still create that dreaded muffintop like the one in my profile pic. Or worse, the busted can of cookie dough top!

    I love my jeans, they really show me what I've lost even when the scale is stubborn.
  • iwillwearshorts
    iwillwearshorts Posts: 12 Member
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    I just started this week, so I'm not in a position to give advice, but I, too, suffer cravings for a treat at night. So far, I've gotten through it by telling myself, "You can look forward to having more to eat tomorrow."

    I also like to read a good book at night, so that's a distraction and takes my mind off of food.

    Now I pray that this lasts so that I create a new habit of not eating after dinner.
  • Chibea
    Chibea Posts: 363 Member
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    I strip and take a long hard look in the mirror to remind myself why I DON'T want to overeat. It's not worth it...

    plus, I know that if I do give in to stress eating urges that I will feel WORSE after. I remind myself of this.

    I also have 'go to foods' to replace the comfort foods. Stuff that isn't unhealthy. Carrots. Lettuce. Etc.

    But the absolute best thing to do to overcome cravings... is to not keep those foods in your home. :) I have almost NO FOOD in my house. It was the only way I could overcome night time cravings. Can't eat it if it's not there!!!
    I am trying to do this right now, but my family -(teen boy and diabetic husband )-are rebelling :( Their favs are foods that I can get crazy with. Am considering a locked cabinet.
  • craigja
    craigja Posts: 17
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    I try very very hard to remember the crappy feeling I'll have when I've given into the urge. I may also quickly estimate the calories and think about the exercise I need to do to get back to even.
  • jesslintch
    jesslintch Posts: 63 Member
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    I have made the commitment to myself to log in my food diary before I eat anything. Last night I was adding a recipe into my phone with a toddler screaming on my leg so that I knew if we had to adjust it before we ate it. So far, seeing the reality of the food added to my log has done one of two things. Either I eat it and know what I need to adjust for the remainder of the day or I see how unworthy it is. Usually, I decide the instant gratification isn't worth it and I'll use my calories for something else.
  • rvicini
    rvicini Posts: 252 Member
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    Maybe try a fruit you **really** like. That will stop the binge. Think probably what food you REALLY like. If you can plan ahead is OK. To me, the best solution to a binge about a food you REALLY like is just eating it, at least a small piece of it!
    Told you, I am a foodie. But I am losing weight. No sacrifices!
    You just have to be aware you have to make it up...

    If you however, are hungry ALL the time, maybe you have to reevaluate your day to day nutrition, go slower in your diet consuming more cals, or do like me, do exercise to fill your intake cal deficit of your routine...
    I just started this week, so I'm not in a position to give advice, but I, too, suffer cravings for a treat at night. So far, I've gotten through it by telling myself, "You can look forward to having more to eat tomorrow."

    I also like to read a good book at night, so that's a distraction and takes my mind off of food.

    Now I pray that this lasts so that I create a new habit of not eating after dinner.
  • Beyond_Value
    Beyond_Value Posts: 46 Member
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    Great story.

    That's a hard task.

    Today I wanted a bag of kettle chips - went to the cafe none - went to the vending machine none - i gave up was not going outside to the CVS too cold. So for me it wasn't available.

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