Emotional Eating... What do you do to stop it?

I'm having a food moment. i want a big fat chocolate bar because im sad. LOL but instead I made myself a big ole plate of fruit (figure i want sugar might as well go with a healthy alternative) to pick at and mindlessly eat while i stare out into space at work.

What do you do to stop yourself from emotional eating? or make it healthier at least

Replies

  • Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door
    Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door Posts: 735 Member
    I reccomend joining the group food not feelings here on mfp it helps me a lot

    I also journal and write down what emotion I am feeling that makes me want to eat. I keep writing until I get it all off my chest. then when I am done writing I move on without eating for emotional comfort.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    I'm less of an emotional eater than I am a tired eater. If I am overly tired I will graze all day long on all the wrong things. Sometimes I just let it happen; it's one day and won't derail everything for me. If I am trying to stay away from the junk I drink water or iced tea or coffee and have fruits and veggies readily available to snack on.
  • erickita89
    erickita89 Posts: 422 Member
    i have to say in the 2 months i've been here i havnt really had any emotional breakdowns like i am today. its my first time since being a member. i'm looking for any advice
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    I started emotional exercising. And not I can't stop ;) Haha.
  • Exercising has been helping me a lot. I'd rather sweat out my feelings than eat them, plus it gives me an instant mood boost.
  • BlairCottier
    BlairCottier Posts: 171 Member
    Exercising has been helping me a lot. I'd rather sweat out my feelings than eat them, plus it gives me an instant mood boost.

    This!! I usually exercise at night. Partly because that's the only time I have to do it, but also partly because if I don't, I would probably just eat instead. Also, someone else said writing down your feelings instead. That helps me too. I don't necessarily write them down, but I just say to myself, WHY am I craving this right now... and I usually identify that I am not hungry at all and I find something more productive to do. Inner dialogue has so much to do with it...tell that voice to calm down and shutup!! lol
  • Try taking up a hobby, knitting or painting or something that makes you feel fulfilled in some way to occupy you when you have those feelings.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    This is gonna sound ridiculous but when I need a kick in the *kitten* to get to the gym or when I really want that food that will put me over my calories by a ton I look at my Pinterest closet of clothing (all the outfits I have pinned but will never own, lol). My real closet will never look like my Pinterest closet if I don't change my habits. So I look at that for a few minutes and then I'm reminded why I'm doing what I'm doing.

    Dumb, I know, but it helps me!
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    I love it when my man eats his emotions.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    I love it when my man eats his emotions.

    :cry:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Honestly I think recognizing and admiting to emotional eating is the first step. You know you will just feel worse, not better, if you give in. You know that resisting will improve your mood. Now all you have to do is decide whether you want to pig out and wallow in your emotions. Or take charge and do something to change them.
  • Desterknee
    Desterknee Posts: 1,056 Member
    I take a walk, or I exercise, or I write, or I do something I love.
  • Last night I was feeling stressed so instead of turning to food like I would normally do, I decided to do 10 minutes of Burpees and ended up doing 112... I certainly didn't care about food anymore. I just wanted water, air, and to no longer do Burpees :laugh:
  • erickita89
    erickita89 Posts: 422 Member
    Last night I was feeling stressed so instead of turning to food like I would normally do, I decided to do 10 minutes of Burpees and ended up doing 112... I certainly didn't care about food anymore. I just wanted water, air, and to no longer do Burpees :laugh:

    ugh i hate burpees lol
  • tiffsting
    tiffsting Posts: 23 Member
    I took some "for my eyes only" before pics (sans clothes).... everytime my feelings are out of control and I feel like I'm going to binge, I just take a look at those pics and that usually snaps me out of it! Just reminds me of my goals and what I'm working towards, and suddenly that big fat cheeseburger that I was craving doesn't sound so good anymore. :)