How to overcome emotional eating/bingeing?

Justpeachy78
Justpeachy78 Posts: 45
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
So yesterday was great up until 9-10pm. The kids were asleep, my DH was at work, and i was alone in the living room. NOT GOOD. Suddenly those thoughts start popping in my head...'there's cheese hotdogs in there..you like cheese hotdogs" ~ "the kids have cheeto's" ~ "cookie dough's in there, just one bite won't hurt" " you have a 80 calorie egg roll in there, that won't hurt" SO, i cook the egg roll (wasn't even hungry i should add) and sit down. And OF COURSE it doesn't stop there :frown: i go back to the kitchen about three more times before i get that sick feeling:sad: what the hell is wrong with me? What am i trying to avoid feeling here?

I've lost 103lbs and have managed to keep it off now for several years...i love to workout so I'm sure thats one of the reasons why i've kept it off. I don't binge all the time but DANG:sad: If anything happens in my life..i want to run to food,arg!

I don't remember having these sudden urges to eat before my healthy lifestyle? 99% of the time i don't feel deprived so what gives?

If you have over come this...please tell me what works for you? Im sick of this up and down feeling. I won't give up until i reach my goal:smile:

Replies

  • MrsBattousai
    MrsBattousai Posts: 171
    I'm in the same boat as you, I'm great when hubby and kids are around but when I'm alone it is like look out! I'm trying to look at at food a whole different way like fuel and I'm trying not to eat unless I'm hungry. And when I do get those urges I have told myself that I will find something else or excerise even if it is just a few mins. A change of mind and doing something different might help! And I'm not putting myself on a diet per say. Just eating really good and still treating myself but only a little. Because I find I binge because I keep telling myself you can't have this or that. I hope that helps and Good luck to you!
  • Rynatat
    Rynatat Posts: 807 Member
    We all get "those moments": the trick is to find the trick that works to get past them without falling off the wagon. Everyone needs to binge a little here & there, so if you make yourself a goal, like "I will only eat this" then log it in your food diary BEFORE you eat it, you'll see where you are for the day & I've found that I can trick my brain into the "What the H is wrong with me" after eating 1 item rather than over-binging and then really feeling yucky. I also do a drink mix, Crystal Light has some great flavours and different types (like Energy, Hunger control) and they are 5-30 cals each, so they give you a taste without high cal: that also means you can have 1 serving of Cheatos (weigh it out, seriously, it works!) or that 1 egg roll.
    Don't give up, but do give in sometimes so your body doesn't feel deprived: but everything in moderation. You've come so far which is AWESOME!!! All the support you need when the hubby and kids aren't around is right here at MFP :flowerforyou:
  • PattyTheUndefeated
    PattyTheUndefeated Posts: 302 Member
    Been there, done that. Actually, still there, doing that. I've lost all of the weight but I haven't yet shaken the urge to binge uncontrollably. I've been able to not binge for long periods of time but when the urge hits, I can eat through two or three days worth of food in under an hour. I find that it's always a response to anxiety or something that stresses me out. It always starts off with me being home alone, bored. And when I'm home alone I get stuck in my own head, and by that I mean that I start to think about all the things that worry me and that have been nagging at me all week. I get depressed, and I hate that feeling and my mind automatically focuses it's attention on food. I don't know how the switch happens, but before I know it I'm eating through a whole tub of icecream at break-neck speeds. I'll eat to the point that I feel like I might vomit.

    I struggle everyday. As I've told many people before, binge-eating isn't just having an extra piece of cake but eating the WHOLE cake.

    :-)
  • shanpgh
    shanpgh Posts: 10 Member
    Here is what works for me. I find that my binges happen when I want at least something to be good or make me feel good if I've had a rough patch. If the kids are driving me crazy or I have any other issues it seems like nothing is going right and at least those pretzel m&ms will make me happy because they taste good.

    Just grab a small bowl, you have kids so I'm sure that you have little bowls (even the toy ones will work) and have at it. Fill it up
    and limit yourself to just that bowl. Be sure to log it too.

    Then drink a whole glass of room temperature water with your binge. (sounds kind of gross :sick: but it will make you feel fuller and get the binge taste out of your mouth.)

    Next, go brush your teeth. That minty flavor will stick with you and will make you realize that anything you eat will taste horrible.

    If this doesn't work then just close the kitchen. Block all entrances to the kitchen with something like a dining room chair. It will serve as a visible blockade that tells that little "cheese hot dog" voice that the kitchen is off limits.

    Good luck and know that you aren't alone. We all have those binges since we won't get caught, but we are only fooling ourselves. Tomorrow is a new day! :flowerforyou:
  • Justpeachy78
    Justpeachy78 Posts: 45
    Thank you to everyone who replied! It means so much to hear your voice in this!

    shanpgh- I will try those suggestions, you know its funny..i use to do the tooth brush trick and it did work, Thanks for the reminder.

    Patty-exactly...i could easily go through a whole pie, or a whole bag of chips at my lowest! (When i was heavier i did do that and didn't think anything of it *ahem* DENIAL!!! ) I can honestly say that i haven't ate my way through a 'whole anything' since starting this journey but i do enough damage to stall my weight loss:grumble: ...Thanks for your reply!!!

    Rynatat-I love crystal light, as a matter of fact i was drinking the raspberry limeade last night before the "thoughts" came. I will have to try the energy one..sounds interesting. I told myself i was going to stop at the egg roll last night...i know i have it in me to stop so i will try harder next time. Thanks for your reply!

    MrsBattousai- Your reply did help...thank you so much!!!

    Great suggestions guys...i need to write them down and put them on the refrigerator as a reminder.
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