Emotional Eater Over Here!

RachaelStJ
RachaelStJ Posts: 152 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I have dealt with weight and body image issues most of my life. I am short and thick, so any weight that is added to me is instantly noticeable! I'm an emotional eater, and the past three years of my life have been very stressful and I have destroyed my body with hours of stuffing my face in private and holing up in bed to hide from my problems. I'm in the military and worry that I will soon be unable to continue to do the job I love because of my weight. Three months ago, I began to hit the gym 5 days a week and was confident that I would be able to lose the 40 pounds I wanted to lose. Since then, I have GAINED 13 pounds! What did I do when I saw the scale go up every week? I ate! Now I weigh 173 pounds, the largest I have ever been. My height says I should be 125, and I now have 50 pounds to lose. I joined MFP hoping to find some support and inspiration, something to look at whenever I reach for a bag of chips or a box of cookies...

Any other emotional eaters on here? Any ideas for how to stop the snacking?

Replies

  • boriluvlumps
    boriluvlumps Posts: 19 Member
    I'm an emotional eater too. And the past few years of my life have been insane. So i understand where you're coming from. I normally try and do other things when i want to eat. Listen to music go on a walk. Going on a walk also clears your head. But if i do give into eating, I'll try and eat something healthier. Try grapes or cut up apples with peanut butter. Something small but fooling. Oatmeal is really filling too.
  • RachaelStJ
    RachaelStJ Posts: 152 Member
    I like the idea of taking a walk when I'm upset. Gets me active, which is something I have to push myself to do!

    Thank you. :D
  • mdorsett221
    mdorsett221 Posts: 29 Member
    I'm right there with you. I'm a stress eater. I moved to a different state about a year ago and have not had much of a support network. It always helps to have someone to talk to. I love reading the success stories on here. It usually helps me feel better.
  • Pema91
    Pema91 Posts: 44
    Oh me too! I drink a lot of water when I get stressed so I a) don't eat too much b) don't smoke a cigarette!! x
  • RachaelStJ
    RachaelStJ Posts: 152 Member
    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!
  • lhalket
    lhalket Posts: 75 Member
    I used to be (and sometimes still am) and emotional eater. Just a few ideas for you that have worked for me.

    1. Have you tried Crystal Light or Mio for flavored water - they are low in calories and you're still getting your water intake
    2. I log everything I plan to eat for the entire day first thing in the morning - that way I know how much I can "splurge" or not in order to stay within my daily limits. And when you "splurge" make it healthy like someone in an earlier post said.
    3. Exercise - walking is great. I just started a C25K workout and love it.

    Perhaps you gained weight from going to the gym because you were building muscle? Did you take your measurements when you started this journey? If not, I would recommend doing that, measurements are a great tracking tool especially on the weeks there isn't any movement on the scale!
  • Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door
    Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door Posts: 735 Member
    that would be me:)
    first this group here on mfp is helping me food and feelings.

    I journal and write down what my feelings are when I am tempted to eat out of emotion. that helps me a lot.
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    I am 56 years old this month. I've been an emotional eater and sugar addict my entire life. I only learned when I was turning 50 that if I truly did eliminate all sugar, white flour, and refined grain products from my daily diet that I could once and for all stop my cravings. That is the only thing that allowed me to get some sanity in my life. Emotional eating is so easy to do. I've spent my life standing in front of cupboards just shoving the closest box of whatever into my mouth. It wasn't a happy food life and is horrible for self esteem. Honestly if you can try to eliminate those things from your daily diet you may find that there is more to life than food. You will be able to live in harmony with food, like "normal" people do. That was my goal to find the secret and this really works for me. I got up to 205 pounds and a size 16. Currently I am 138 and a size 4. First time ever. Never below a size 12 in my adult life. It is possible. You must do the hard work. If it were easy, everyone would be thin. Best of luck to you.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    I'm having hypnotherapy to fix my emotional eating (and some other things). Sometimes you need to actually re-train your brain and deal with the root causes of problems not just the symptoms.
  • Tabytha13
    Tabytha13 Posts: 23 Member
    Hi,

    I seem to eat for every reason other than that I'm hungry ... and I've come to realise in the last couple of weeks that I eat without concentrating on what I'm doing. I can go through a packet of biscuits, crisps or even my dinner look down and suddenly it's all gone!

    Looks like we're not alone.

    A friend of mine bought me the Paul McKenna book "I can make you slim" and I'm hoping it will help me to break some of my old eating habits and create some new healthy ones....

    x
  • 124E24
    124E24 Posts: 1
    I have the same issue. I have recently lost 22 pounds in the last 2 months. My goal is to lose another 70 to 100 pounds.
    Emotional overeating is like a disease and you have to treat as such. If I had to guess once you start eating sugar/carbs you can't stop. If yes the only soultion is to stop eating those foods all together.....yes sounds extreme but it really works. If you can eliminatge sugar and anything that turns into sugar from your diet you will see a dramatic difference.
    Try it for 30 days no form of sugar at all and you will see an increase in engery and the weight drop.
    Hope this helps.
    Best of Luck!
  • mutedwhisper
    mutedwhisper Posts: 3
    I think there's probably lots of us on here and I also think that it's good you're being honest about the weight you've put on etc. For a while now I've been telling (white) lies about what I've actually been eating and my weight, and actually think I've convinced myself until now when I've finally had enough!! So being honest with yourself is one good step...without sounding cheesy!

    I've just started this attempt at being healthy, have started back at the gym, started buying fruit and veg again. I also know that I won't only be eating fruit and veg and will have my off days but as long as I draw a line under that then 5 days out of 7 at least I might have done a good job at sticking to the calories! I don't particularly love water but I usually have it really chilled and find that I crave more of it and that fills me up, especially with ice in it. Add a little diluting juice if you don't like it.

    Other than that, replace the things that you have to snack on if you end up wanting a splurge, weight watchers chocolate mini rolls or jaffa rolls will sort out a sweet or chocolate craving and aren't as bad as having a snickers..if you know what I mean! Also if you feel yourself getting to that point, try fruits like clementines which are really sweet and if you get in there with a couple of those early, sometimes it takes away any thoughts about eating a lot of rubbish - I find anyway! My major downfall is crisps but I've found if I have a pack of velvet crunch crisps or low calorie ones it's actually the same and not as bad, but the main thing is how motivated and how much will power you have!

    I've basically just written a book there and probably isn't much help but like I said, I've just started and found that those wee things sort me out so far. If you fancy a friend on here, feel free to add me! I'll leave you a comment when you're not completing that food diary and all that :)
  • tasson
    tasson Posts: 37
    2. I log everything I plan to eat for the entire day first thing in the morning - that way I know how much I can "splurge" or not in order to stay within my daily limits.

    This is what I do too. I eat 5 times a day: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. I have a boring sit down job that allows me sit and eat all day if I choose, so I have to be very careful.

    I also keep a bowl of fruit on my desk. When I feel strees or start thinking about the snack machine, I grab a piece of fruit.
  • Buhbee
    Buhbee Posts: 108 Member
    I am an emotional eater as well, like today for example. I have had a bad day and the first thing I want to do is run and get a Reeses blizzard from Dairy Queen, but I had to push through it and I made myself guiltless banana "ice cream" with frozen berries. I do have a new system now since I have such a sweet tooth and that is that I allow myself 1 or 2 hersheys kisses ONLY so I can have my chocolate fix and its only an every other day sort of thing if it is needed.
  • mdorsett221
    mdorsett221 Posts: 29 Member
    I am 56 years old this month. I've been an emotional eater and sugar addict my entire life. I only learned when I was turning 50 that if I truly did eliminate all sugar, white flour, and refined grain products from my daily diet that I could once and for all stop my cravings. That is the only thing that allowed me to get some sanity in my life. Emotional eating is so easy to do. I've spent my life standing in front of cupboards just shoving the closest box of whatever into my mouth. It wasn't a happy food life and is horrible for self esteem. Honestly if you can try to eliminate those things from your daily diet you may find that there is more to life than food. You will be able to live in harmony with food, like "normal" people do. That was my goal to find the secret and this really works for me. I got up to 205 pounds and a size 16. Currently I am 138 and a size 4. First time ever. Never below a size 12 in my adult life. It is possible. You must do the hard work. If it were easy, everyone would be thin. Best of luck to you.

    Wow. I just eliminated the same things from my diet 2 weeks ago. I feel wonderful, but I still get horrible cravings at night. Do you have any suggestions for that? How long did it take you to lose that much weight?
  • mb0215
    mb0215 Posts: 20
    I have been counting calories and exercising for a year and 4 months and while it has worked so far, emotional eating is still something I struggle with. The only thing I can recommend is not have bad food in the house. That is easier for me, a single person, than someone with a husband/wife or kids. I know that if there is bad stuff in the house and I get sad, I will eat it. I try really hard to take a few minutes every time I feel hungry and ask myself why I am feeling that way. If the answer has to do with something emotional, I try to do something other than eat. Being aware of it is one step towards being in control of it.

    I have to remember that if I am so down about something that I want to stuff my face, not eating might solve the symptoms but not the root cause. I think it's important to try to do things to make yourself happy that aren't eating...reading, walking, taking a bath, watching a favorite show, writing, calling a friend, taking a nap!, working out, daydreaming, etc etc. I am trying to retrain my brain and remind myself that food should not be a comfort.

    Long long post, my point is, I feel you. I still slip up. I just slip up less than I used to and I really enjoy working out now, after conditioning myself to like it. We can overcome this!
  • htw422
    htw422 Posts: 8
    I am an emotional eater. A few months ago me and a boyfriend broke up and I went on a massive food hunt. I instantly noticed a weight gain. We can do this! I'm here for you!
  • rebecca8787
    rebecca8787 Posts: 35
    hey there,

    I am right with you on the emotional eating. it can go either way for me, either I lose my need for food all together and go days without hardly anything (and therefore have no energy to DO anything either, body goes into starvation mode = stores fat ect) OR. I will 'binge' eat.

    the last time i was feeling low, I ate a pizza, a portion of chips, half a chocolate bar and a bottle of fizzy wine all to myself, in like, one sitting. That is pretty bad for me.

    I'm with everyone else on saying walking helps. if you feel bad, put some music on your player that inspires you or takes you back to a happy time in your life, or a time when you felt strong, and go for a nice walk.

    you could have a soapy bubble bath, or do a hobby that you enjoy, I like art and I like writing so I'm trying to do those on my bad days, instead of the binge thing, which obviously makes me feel 100 times worse afterwards!!!.

    good luck on your journey. feel free to add me for support. x
  • jennydoesketo
    jennydoesketo Posts: 16 Member
    Same here! I agree with the above posters and I would like to add if no one has already (sorry, didn't read all the way through) is when I feel like eating when I'm sad, anxious, etc. I try to work through the emotions that are making me want to eat. Also, I have a long commute to school. So if my cravings are getting to out of hand and I can't really do anything to keep myself entertained, I will turn music on and sing at the top of my lungs! Good luck! :)
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    I am 56 years old this month. I've been an emotional eater and sugar addict my entire life. I only learned when I was turning 50 that if I truly did eliminate all sugar, white flour, and refined grain products from my daily diet that I could once and for all stop my cravings. That is the only thing that allowed me to get some sanity in my life. Emotional eating is so easy to do. I've spent my life standing in front of cupboards just shoving the closest box of whatever into my mouth. It wasn't a happy food life and is horrible for self esteem. Honestly if you can try to eliminate those things from your daily diet you may find that there is more to life than food. You will be able to live in harmony with food, like "normal" people do. That was my goal to find the secret and this really works for me. I got up to 205 pounds and a size 16. Currently I am 138 and a size 4. First time ever. Never below a size 12 in my adult life. It is possible. You must do the hard work. If it were easy, everyone would be thin. Best of luck to you.

    Wow. I just eliminated the same things from my diet 2 weeks ago. I feel wonderful, but I still get horrible cravings at night. Do you have any suggestions for that? How long did it take you to lose that much weight?
    You start by telling yourself "no". Or figure out your food so you have something saved for night time that is healthy and you like. Mine is a latte or "milkshake". I think it took me 8- 9 months to lose the first 53. I am a slow loser and over time it averaged about 1.1 pound a week. I took a break and gained 20 back, etc. It is more of a mind game now. I kind of outlined my recent sugar struggles in a blog today: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/susanswan Check it out if you like. I've been at it for 6 years trying to learn to live in harmony with food. I still have work to do.
  • Cre8veLifeR
    Cre8veLifeR Posts: 1,062 Member
    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
    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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