Emotional Shopping Rather Than Emotional Eating

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CoffeeLush
CoffeeLush Posts: 46 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am terrible when it comes to emotional eating. That's when I tend to eat the bad stuff--- it's like I can't help but rummage the cabinets.

Yesterday was a bad day and rather than go dive into some of the amazing stuff we had here at work, I started window shopping online. I hate shopping for clothes or shoes, but I really need a new pair of black heels for work. After about 15 minutes of browsing and reading reviews, my urge to eat had subsided. I also found a great pair of black wedges on sale... which I purchased this morning.

Anyone else have some great tactics for staving off emotional eating?
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Replies

  • jacklis
    jacklis Posts: 280 Member
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    Oh man- that's so funny- I have traded my emotional eating for window shopping as well- but had not really identified it till I read your post. I sometimes purchase, I sometimes don't. Even though I might spend a couple of bucks every month (have set myself a budget), I am not eating the dollars, and needed to buy some items to replace clothes that were too big any way.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    I'm an admitted stress shopper, and yes, it did replace much of my stress eating. Fortunately, I'm able to gain satisfaction from shopping without actually purchasing anything - most of the time, at least. Cooking did not have the same effect with stress eating - I had to eat it, but I don't have to buy it!
  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
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    SAVE ME FROM EMOTIONAL SHOPPING!!! be careful girls, it's a bank account killer if you cannot stick to a budget!
  • WilmaDennis91
    WilmaDennis91 Posts: 433 Member
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    I was a stress shopper when I was in high school. I had a job and was able to buy whatever. But now as a college student, I enjoy my time walking around the mall alone, getting my head cleared, and checking out any store I go in for HOURS. When I'm done, I feel better.
  • Lalasharni
    Lalasharni Posts: 353 Member
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    I am terrible when it comes to emotional eating. That's when I tend to eat the bad stuff--- it's like I can't help but rummage the cabinets.

    Yesterday was a bad day and rather than go dive into some of the amazing stuff we had here at work, I started window shopping online. I hate shopping for clothes or shoes, but I really need a new pair of black heels for work. After about 15 minutes of browsing and reading reviews, my urge to eat had subsided. I also found a great pair of black wedges on sale... which I purchased this morning.

    Anyone else have some great tactics for staving off emotional eating?

    Exactly that. Yippee!!
  • CoffeeLush
    CoffeeLush Posts: 46 Member
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    Like some of the posters above, I'm fortunate that I don't feel the compulsion to *have* to buy stuff. Just browsing and reading reviews tends to satisfy.

    I think the most important thing is that it gives me something other than eating to think about-- by the time I spend 20 minutes internet window shopping, the emotional need to eat has subsided (as stress has diffused).
  • m3ganknowl3s
    m3ganknowl3s Posts: 3
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    I am new to this getting healthy thing and was told i had to revamp my whole diet (which i've wanted to do for a long time anyway) but my biggest hurdle is my emotional eating.....it seems i do that more than i eat out of hunger. I've noticed you all have substituted shopping but i hate shopping. It just reminds me of how much i hate my weight. any other ideas on how i can start to stop eating my feelings?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Anyone else have some great tactics for staving off emotional eating?

    Yeah...emotional dead-lifting and emotional squatting....emotional running...emotional cycling...emotional swimming, etc. Why not put those emotions to some good use?
  • HobbitSithLord
    HobbitSithLord Posts: 34 Member
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    Yeah, cwolfman's reply is probably the best in general, especially for people like me who aren't satisfied with window shopping. To actually get the 'benefit' (if you can call it that) of emotional shopping and feel better, I have to actually buy. So, I've stopped using that as a way to deal with emotional stuff. Exercise is a better mood lifter.
  • adioschubs
    adioschubs Posts: 384 Member
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    Ugh I went through a lot of money this year because of my emotional eating and shopping. Living back home has certainly kicked those habits in the butt! (was away at school)
  • pinkledoodledoo
    pinkledoodledoo Posts: 290 Member
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    I don't call it "emotional shopping", I call it Retail Therapy! :laugh:

    My habit is making a beeline for the Nordstrom's handbag department and trying to keep my purchase under $500. I've also been known to do this with designer sunglasses at Solstice. It's a bad habit, which is why I tend to turn to food instead of my credit card... I've always figured that I can afford an extra 500 calories but not necessarily the stress of having to pay off $500 in debt and the emotional eating that comes with THAT stress. :laugh:

    I also find that getting drunk stops me from feeling hungry, as does playing puzzle games like Bejeweled Blitz and Angry Birds on my iPod. None of that is terribly healthy but certainly not as bad as the alternative, which for me is binge eating.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Anyone else have some great tactics for staving off emotional eating?

    Yeah...emotional dead-lifting and emotional squatting....emotional running...emotional cycling...emotional swimming, etc. Why not put those emotions to some good use?

    This is me. Usually after a stressful day at work, I am actually looking foward to a good hard workout. The only time I shop (other than the normal grocery shopping) is because I have to buy smaller sized clothes.
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
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    I've struggled with overeating due to emotional problems too. What helped me conquer it is listening to music and reading. When I read I can escape. Same thing for music. A good song or a good book can distract you from your own feelings and make you feel like you're somewhere else. The songs that really helped me begin to conquer my emotional eating are from The Airborne Toxic Event and also christian worship music. Also, Nora Roberts and Sherryl Woods are both really good romance novelists.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    Anyone else have some great tactics for staving off emotional eating?

    Yeah...emotional dead-lifting and emotional squatting....emotional running...emotional cycling...emotional swimming, etc. Why not put those emotions to some good use?

    I emotional exercise because I tried emotional shopping and let's just say that made me more depressed because I am not to where I wanna be clothes wise and eventually i had to make the decision to start facing the issues (also it was before we had our son. I wouldn't even dare think about it now because its a choice of either kiddo having clothes or mommy and kiddo wins). And being able to emotionally exercise until i am fatigued is a win in my case because it certainly beats my depression and sends it back into the corner where it belongs.
  • blondageh
    blondageh Posts: 923 Member
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    I have noticed I want to shop when I am dieting. I think it is I want to get out of the house on the weekends. When I am at home on the weekends, I want to eat. If I have someplace to go or something to go get, I don't get hungry. Problem is, I am broke as a joke. So I can turn a grocery store trip into an uh oh.
  • CoffeeLush
    CoffeeLush Posts: 46 Member
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    I am new to this getting healthy thing and was told i had to revamp my whole diet (which i've wanted to do for a long time anyway) but my biggest hurdle is my emotional eating.....it seems i do that more than i eat out of hunger. I've noticed you all have substituted shopping but i hate shopping. It just reminds me of how much i hate my weight. any other ideas on how i can start to stop eating my feelings?

    Frankly, I hate clothes shopping. I always end up crying. However, browsing online at shoes, accessories and skincare doesn't harbor the same feelings.
  • CoffeeLush
    CoffeeLush Posts: 46 Member
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    I don't call it "emotional shopping", I call it Retail Therapy! :laugh:

    My habit is making a beeline for the Nordstrom's handbag department and trying to keep my purchase under $500. I've also been known to do this with designer sunglasses at Solstice. It's a bad habit, which is why I tend to turn to food instead of my credit card... I've always figured that I can afford an extra 500 calories but not necessarily the stress of having to pay off $500 in debt and the emotional eating that comes with THAT stress. :laugh:

    I also find that getting drunk stops me from feeling hungry, as does playing puzzle games like Bejeweled Blitz and Angry Birds on my iPod. None of that is terribly healthy but certainly not as bad as the alternative, which for me is binge eating.

    This comment made me chuckle at my desk pretty hard!!! I tend to give myself $25-$50 limits rather than $500!
  • pinkledoodledoo
    pinkledoodledoo Posts: 290 Member
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    You don't get much in Nordstrom's handbag department on $50 unfortunately and I have an obsession with handbags. I'll sometimes opt for something from TJ Maxx for $100 or less if I'm already paying off other debts. Most of the time though I am debt free so the occasional splurge is my way of pampering myself. This also happens at spas. :laugh:
  • m3ganknowl3s
    m3ganknowl3s Posts: 3
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    ok thanx
  • m3ganknowl3s
    m3ganknowl3s Posts: 3
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    that's an awesome idea! I'll try it :)

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