EmOtiOnAl EaTiNg!

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fitgal122
fitgal122 Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
Hellooooo MFPers :) So, I have problems (like pretty much everyone else) with emotional eating/overeating/mindless eating. I will do great for a few days and the scale will go down a few lbs, then I start having so many negative thoughts about myself that I basically binge like all afternoon then cry and regret it that night and sometimes even the next day. My weight has literally has just been bouncing everywhere the last few weeks because of it. Today I made a promise to myself that I would get serious about this and realize that I cant keep riding this emotional rollarcoaster. How have you guys been able to overcome this and get a grip on yourselves?
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Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Did it take you a long time to type that title?
    I got emotional just looking at it.

    :laugh: no kidding
  • Factory_Reset
    Factory_Reset Posts: 1,651 Member
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    Did it take you a long time to type that title?
    I got emotional just looking at it.

    QFT

    And OP, you're in charge of you, but I will tell you the same thing I told the person who is quitting smoking,

    Sex and candy work wonders

    :flowerforyou:
  • ThinLizzie0802
    ThinLizzie0802 Posts: 863 Member
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    First tip to stop emotional eating: Stay out of the MFP forums.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
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    First tip to stop emotional eating: Stay out of the MFP forums.

    So...how's that working out for you?
  • lua_
    lua_ Posts: 258 Member
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    First tip to stop emotional eating: Stay out of the MFP forums.

    I disagree. The positive and kind words from so many people can be great motivation, most people are here want to help, they're just sick of threads like "I EATED 700 CALORIES A DAY FOR 2 DAYS WHY AREN'T I LOSING" when there are PAGES of the same type of question being answered. The only tip to stop overeating is to have self-discipline. No matter what the mean MFP commenters say, in the end, it's your body and your decision to overeat. No blame to place on anyone or anything but on yourself. I say this as a binge eater.

    OP:

    Have you considered counselling? I find that exercise in the morning helps with overeating throughout the day :) There are also several groups you can join on here.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    HaVe yoU tHOugHt aBOUt tHerAPy ?
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    CoUnTiNg CaLoRiEs WoRkS wHeThEr YoU'rE sAd Or NoT. JuSt KeEp TrUdGiNg AlOnG!
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
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    Turn around and walk out of the kitchen as soon as you realize what you're about to do. Leave the house and go for a walk if you can. With trigger foods at work, I put a sticky note with my name in a red circle with a line through it, so when I'm starting to get overwhelmed and go to the kitchen for Cheez Its, it snaps me back into reality.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
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    Something that helped me from not over eating was the saying, "One cookie will not make you fat just like one salad will not make you skinny".

    It really struck me and it kind of became my mantra till I realized that finding balance was my real goal here even more so then weight loss.

    Sometimes when I'm having a roller coaster moment I'll just make myself of really sugary hot tea and blog about what ever it is that's bothering me (weight loss, co-workers, family, ect) and I reccomend blog instead of posting in the forums because the forums can be a "tad bit" critical.

    Most of the time this stops me from wanting to jump off the ledge and drive to the store and buy a whole blueberry pie but sometimes it doesn't, so I settle for 400 calories of blueberry poptarts... and a kick *kitten* cardio burn at the gym the next day :)

    Good luck!
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    bingeeating-300x230.jpg

    How can you look at this wonderful greasy fried mass and not be emotional

    tumblr_m5kbblDea41rxxyh1o1_500.jpg

    And this^^^ Makes me want to cry.
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
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    Did it take you a long time to type that title?
    I got emotional just looking at it.

    reminds me of how i used to sign my name when i was in middle school.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
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    CoUnTiNg CaLoRiEs WoRkS wHeThEr YoU'rE sAd Or NoT. JuSt KeEp TrUdGiNg AlOnG!

    WhAt He SaId. I lOvE wHeN pEoPlE tAkE tHe TiMe To TyPe LiKe ThIs! It'S lIkE tHrOwBaCk ThUrSdAy, BuT oN fRiDaY!
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
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    i NeVeR hAd A pRoBlEm WiTh EmOtIoNaL eAtInG, jUsT oVeR-eAtInG.

    Man, typing that gave me a headache. Time for ice cream.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
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    ThIs ToOk ExTrA eFfOrT oN a TaBlEt, JuSt SaYiN'
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    Something that helped me from not over eating was the saying, "One cookie will not make you fat just like one salad will not make you skinny".

    It really struck me and it kind of became my mantra till I realized that finding balance was my real goal here even more so then weight loss.

    That's good advice. You just need to find balance in a way that clicks for you. Once I started thinking about food in terms of fuel and what my body actually needed in the form of calories and macro/micro-nutrients, my relationship with food changed. I probably enjoy eating now more than I did before, except I don't have any weird feelings of guilt to go along with it.

    And as others have mentioned, make sure you keep counting all of your calories. Having that accountability to yourself and to your food diary sometimes acts as a deterrent from eating something you're indifferent about or aren't actually hungry for.
  • fitgal122
    fitgal122 Posts: 21
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    Thank You everyone who was nice when commenting! I just wrote the title like that for fun, so stop being so mean and harsh about it. Wow.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
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    Thank You everyone who was nice when commenting! I just wrote the title like that for fun, so stop being so mean and harsh about it. Wow.

    I see your mean and harsh and counter with: We were just having fun, lighten up.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Make sure you're eating enough calories so that it won't trigger a binge... ie saying you want to lose 2 lbs/a week because OMG MFP will let me set it to that even though I'm 5'11 and weigh 135 lbs. So, what I'm REALLY trying to say is, set up some realistic goals and you won't feel the need to binge. And also, have some self control.
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
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    Thank You everyone who was nice when commenting! I just wrote the title like that for fun, so stop being so mean and harsh about it. Wow.

    I see your mean and harsh and counter with: We were just having fun, lighten up.


    Sensitive. IsN't ShE? I can do this. I am a SpeSHul SnoflEHk
  • jilly1130
    jilly1130 Posts: 52 Member
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    I completely understand what you mean about emotional eating and this is nothing to make fun of or laugh about and I was so surprised at the people who took the time to make fun of or laugh about your topic title. There should be a little more compassion for someone who is struggling with this issue.

    I am finally gaining control over my emotional eating by doing a few things. Like a person posted above, it is very helpful to log everything you eat when you binge or go way over your calorie goal. It really scared me to realize the amount of calories I was eating when I was feeling down or bored or frustrated. It is also important to have a realistic calorie goal that will allow you to feel satisfied with the amount of food you are eating. The other two things that help me are to make myself really busy when I am feeling like binging as this takes my mind off eating and I also find it helpful to have a cup of coffee -- this keeps my cravings for sweets under control. I do this alot after dinner.

    Willpower is what it takes and it is not easy. I wish you all the best in overcoming this issue.

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