Emotional Eating

I have the same problem. and I dont know how to control it..... hints the reason i signed up for this. but if you can find the will... go to the batting cages, if youre stressed about work that could be fun or sometimes i just turn the radio up really loud in my car and say i dont really care

I have a punching bag outside that most times does the trick, but not always. I do have to say, though, that after hitting it for about 20 minutes, usually don't want to binge eat anymore. If I had a really stressful day, it can be hard.

I AM A STRESS EATER, and I acknowledge that. Some times it gets the better of me, but when you catch yourself in the moment, the moment before you say I don't care and shove 1000 calories in your face that you know will just lead to feeling dirty. Catch yourself in that moment and put whatever is in your hands/mouth down and change the behavior. Walk out the door, go for a walk, jump on your treadmill (if you have one), take the kids to the park....whatever you have to do to move and get away from the food and something that will help you relieve the tension.

The last time I was SUPER STRESSED, my 5 yr old walked in the door with a bag of cheetos, before I knew it I had swallowed a handful and was fully prepared to hijack the whole bag from him, I caught myself with that second handful, put my shoes on and went to the gym. Burned 652 calories on the elliptical that day. Sadly I find my very stressful days, provide a better burn.

I admit I have had the stress eating, and it's usually nothing healthy. but if I can catch it before it happens, hitting something (preferably a punching bag) for about 20 min, usually helps, as does going for a walk with my wallet, or a 20-30 min medium paced bike ride. Those may not work for you. but they might be a good start to find your "de-stress button"

I'm an emotional and boredom eater! I will stand in my kitchen and just stand there thinking about what I could do...oh eat sounds good. I have to get out of the kithcen at night. When I'm upset about how I'm eating it makes me emotional and I eat more!

Hi, I can relate as well. Here are a few things to do to avoid eating when not hungry. However, I don't always do them. If I did, I would have this problem licked!!
1. since it is usually at night: Go To Bed!
2. eat sunflower seeds - its a snacktivity! and low in calories (I'm actually doing this right now!)
3. save calories for the night so I can snack
4. avoid eating with the TV on
5. journal writing
6. talk with someone
7. chew gum
8. brush your teeth
9. I just downloaded a Relaxing sounds app on my iphone with the intention of using it the next time I feel a binge coming on. I havent used it yet, but I'll let you know if it works.

I am in Overeaters Anonymous, which gives us lots of tools to deal with our emotions and not turn to the food.

Call someone and talk out the feelings. Get a buddy who understands your food issues, and call them before you binge, even if only to tell them you are going to binge... sometimes saying it out loud is enough to stop you.

Write. Instead of picking up the food, pull out a journal or notebook, write about your feelings, or about something else, write an email, write a poem or a story.

Read. Pick up a book, something that you enjoy, that inspires you, that makes you feel good.

Meditate or pray. If you believe in a Higher Power, make use of that. God wants you to be well, and God is there for you to turn to instead of the food. If you don't have a relationship with a Higher Power (which is fine) meditation can be a very powerful tool. It can help you to relax and turn within rather than turning to the food.

Help someone else. Find some way to be of service to someone, anyone. Make someone else smile. Come here and help someone else who is having trouble with food issues. You'd be amazed hoe powerful service is.

I hope some of this helps you. You've already done something fantastic by reaching out here. Sharing here on MFP is a great alternative to turning to the food for comfort.

Yup! Me as well!

I try to write about my feeling if I feel the binge coming on. I try not to eat the unheathly food in the house because I will turn to them when stressed etc. Also if you to binge don't beat your self up, I found that if I binge and feel bad I eat more and more. Find out what your Triggers and aviod them. For me it is doing one thing for two long like on my computer or watching tv. So change things up I try to not do something for more then half hour at a time because then I get to comfortable and my mind wonders.
Find what works for you stick with it and Good luck!

Just read back a couple of replies before mine... not to criticize anyone, but I would question whether the idea of "snacktivity" is a good thing.

Granted, my case is not "normal" or "typical" given that I have a specific eating disorder. I wouldn't think to impose my program of recovery on anyone else since everyone's food needs, physically, mentally, and emotionally are different. For me however, and for most people I've encountered who are in recovery from compulsive eating behaviors, one of the most important dimensions of recovery is realizing that eating is not an activity... that is, it is not "something to do." Once you start to think of food as an activity option, you are more likely to turn to it when bored. Even if the snack is healthy and low in calories, the attitude, for us, us unhealthy. Especially for those of us who have a problem with bingeing, the problem with a binge is not the type of food eaten, but the way in which it is eaten... compulsively. Automatically. Unthinkingly. And in large quantity. I mean, you can binge on anything... iceberg lettuce, celery... doesn't matter the calorie count. It's the behavior.

For me and my program, this is a large part of why I do not snack at all. I can't trust myself with snacking, because the implication of the word is activity-like, something to do, something without a set time or quantity, like a meal. Again, the implication that I read in the word is not a definition, and again, my program is not for anyone but me. I'm just sharing from my experience.

Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels. This is what I keep telling myself. I have let food control every part of my life for far too long and I always ate when I was stressed, mad, depressed or happy. It didn't matter what the reason was. I am a emotional overeater and binge eater. I started going to therapy and it has helped some but it's websites like these that offer the support that have helped me the most. I find something to do or get out of the house even if it's just for a few minutes. Behavior modification has been the key for me.