Emotional Eating

getitmartinez13
getitmartinez13 Posts: 23
in Motivation and Support
What is Emotional Eating?

Emotional Eating is when you eat because you FEEL a certain way, not because you are hungary. Many people see food as a source of comfort, and eating as a way to feel better. But in reality, eating to soothe emotions is a habit that actually prevents you from learning skills that can resolve the emotional stress theyre feeling.

Experts say that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions, such as:

1.) Depression-When you feel overwhelmingly sad that its hard to function with other aspects of your life.
2.) Boredom-This can set in when you dont foucs on your creativity. Feeling like theres "nothing to do".
3.) Loneliness- The feeling that you are alone even though others may or may not be around you.
4.) Stress- Can result from being overwhelmed or feeling lack of control in a situation.
5.)Anxiety-A feeling like fear or that something bad will happen. Often your body has a physical reaction to feeling out of control.
6.) Relationship Problems-Can stem from lack of understanding and communication with any relationship such as parents, siblings, spouse, or friends.
7.) Poor Self-Esteem-Means that you dont feel great about yourself and you may even t hink you arent good enough or dont measure up.

Most of the time, people who eat to soothe these types of issues feel even worse after they eat, because in addition to their original bad feelings they also feel guilty and out-of-control about overeating or about the type of food they ate.

How do you deal with emotional eating? Any ideas or tips?

Replies

  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    I don't think there's a valid reason I've ever had for eating. I eat because I'm happy, sad, tired, bored, it's raining, it's snowing, HEY THAT GUY JUST CUT ME OFF...I can find any reason to eat the house down.

    I was using eating to fill the "emotional hole" in me rather than dealing with whatever circumstance "happened" upon me.

    I've been going to a therapist for the last nearly 2 years. He laughs now as he asks "Do you find things tick you off more now than they used to?" Absolutely. and I'm becoming more outwardly vocal about it too.

    A past co-worker of mine used to tease me because I'd get frustrated about something, and he'd start asking why whatever it was frustrated me...and it always seemed to boil down to the same thing.....what ended up happening didn't happen the way I expected it to. My expectations of what I wanted to have happen and what actually happened in reality kept clashing.

    I've heard it said that "it isn't what happens to you but how you react." I've also heard that you can't control anybody or anything else other than yourself. It sounds pessimistic, but I've sort of learned not to expect things to go the way I've planned them out in my head. It would be all nice, and wonderful, bunnies and butterflies if it did - but that's not what usually happens, so why let it frustrate me. Just try to roll with it and do what I can to "lessen the effects" or turn them in my favor if at all possible.

    Don't expect other people to have your philosophy, agree with what you decide to do, or behave with as much compassion as you would like them to. Some will, some won't, but in the end, it's all up to you. Time to be selfish is now.

    My sister's mother-in-law piped up one day when I was talking to her son (my brother-in-law's brother) about what I'd been doing and I mentioned looking into getting a lap band. She said, "You all do too much research and talk yourself out of stuff you should do in the first place." I thought, "You have NO idea what I've been going through, and I'm not letting you derail my efforts." I just smiled and said, "Okay then" paused and got up and left the room.

    My dad said one of his favorite quotes was from Lincoln: "Best keep the mouth shut and be thought a fool than open it and remove all doubt." Don't give the fools (or foolish situations) the time of day.

    For what it's worth.....
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    I think I was suffering "emotional hunger" on Saturday. Went to a relative's funeral on Monday (person died way too young of heart attack). Taught a 4 day class Tuesday through Friday (teacher's are WAY underpaid - can't think of a harder job, physically, emotionally, mentally). Saturday I was feeling sleep deprived and totally exhausted. Felt hungry, but in a "bingey", won't be satisfied" way. I made some popcorn in the microwave (essentially air popped, using a microwave popper and no oil or butter). Ate that, read a book, slept most of the day, went to a relative's housewarming party. Stayed within my allotment of 1500 calories or fairly close (ate normal meals. but potluck is hard to be accurate on :>). I guess I mostly napped the "bad" feelings away - napped a good part of Sunday also, but didn't feel abnormally "hungry".
  • Trisha_Williams
    Trisha_Williams Posts: 33 Member
    bump
  • chelley_79
    chelley_79 Posts: 102 Member
    not very well... really any emotion from happy to anger to sadness to boredom will send me over the edge... and I know what I am doing at the time and feel like I can't help myself. Then I feel guilty and it makes it worse. Oy. Just trying to remove the temptations and lean on my husband at home to help me threw those moments... but when I am alone... the food demons still win at times. Trying though... really am.
  • carolsclio
    carolsclio Posts: 4
    I can totally identify with chelley_79. It's exactly how I eat. Even though I go to the gym and work out like a maniac, I can't seem to lose it. I know it's from eating a little here and a little there and then when I realize that I have eaten over my calorie limit, I get depressed which makes it worse.

    Someone who shares my problem but has lost a great deal of weight shared this with me the other day. She said that as corny as it sounds she used to do a daily affirmation and tell herself that she was beautiful in the body that she was in. Anytime she caught herself thinking something negative, she replaced it with a positive thought. She said that it took a little while but eventually she started feeling better about herself and stopped wanting to put bad things into her body and when she did this, she started losing weight which made her feel better about herself and that made her daily affirmations more effective, meaningful and easier to do.
  • jjscholar
    jjscholar Posts: 413 Member
    Actually, I feel the opposite... What I mean is that when I feel too emotional, I wish I could purge myself of food by either going on an exercise bike, or the treadmill, or taking laxatives or throw up drugs... I hate myself when I get hungry...

    I love to be able to feel my ribs... I wish that I could never eat again... But my fat butt insists on eating and taking at least one day off from working out...

    All of you must be disgusted with how fat I am...
  • luna16belle
    luna16belle Posts: 47 Member
    Every single one of those emotional "triggers" happen to me on a fairly regular basis. It's like being stuck in a hole that I can't climb out of. Even though I so want to.
    I've tried distraction techniques. I've tried having a little of what I want (or think I want) I've tried working out instead, but in the end it all amounts to me having some sort of binge (ranging from 500cal to 2000cal in one go) and then hating myself for feeling that way to have the binge to begin with.
  • coffeejen26
    coffeejen26 Posts: 16
    I am an emotional eater and recently began having to literally talk myself through why I am eating. I fell like a lunitic sometimes, but so far it is working. Its been a life long battle for me and I know it will always be a behavior I battle.

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