An old enemy tries to return

You're not alone, this is my biggest problem

Lack of willpower. Just dont do it.

says someone who's obviously never dealt with the issue. very helpful advice........ :grumble:

It's difficult .... but ask yourself "what am I feeling? why am I wanting to do this?"

It could be that there's an emotional trigger and if you can identify that, you can learn to avoid those triggers.

Is it boredom? I find evenings are particularly difficult especially if I've had dinner early. Sitting watching TV makes me want to go to the fridge / cupboard and dig out some crap to eat. When I feel like this, I go to bed early.

Drink a large glass of water; that helps immediate pangs. And perhaps look at what you're eating overall. Eating Carbs will satiate you immediately but then you'll feel you want to eat more carbs practically an hour later. Perhaps up the Protein and Fat content in your meals which will keep you feeling fuller for longer ....

Sorry--it seems like you are going to get the MIGHTY WILL POWER PEOPLE pooping word poo and lifting up their lofty noses at you -- remember that what comforts some people is finding a person to feel "better than," and their snideness and their trope of JUST DO BETTER LIKE ME I AM BETTER is their secret shame. They have to push someone down to make themselves feel up....

If a person needs comfort, they WILL get it from somewhere. We seek it til we get it. Twinkies are easy. Finding a person to feel superior to and then pushing them down is also easy, but mean to others instead of mean to self. And sneak eatign is being mean to self, if you think about it.

I think we all have to find other things that comfort us, and when you find yourself going to get the secret snack or about to post JUST SUCK IT UP DUMMY on the internet *cough*, consider willfully replacing it with something that is both comforting and non-toxic to self or others.

I am absolutely an emotional eater. When I begins sneaking comfort food, I have to replace it. I can't just not do it. If I am sad or hurt or lonely or stressed, I can't just say "OH WELL, you will not be comforted, suck it sad self!"

Things that work for me, most of the time: Yoga/prayer/meditation. Declaring family movie night and falling in a pile on the sofa with husband and kids and watching a silly movie. Spending time with my uncomplicated adoring STUPID dogs. Reading an old familiar favorite book. Calling or emailing my best friend who always has my back. The sound of running water --- this works for a LOT of people. Reading by a fountain can work if you do not live near a stream or ocean

Sometimes nothing works, and I just want the cookie. SO I try to walk to this bakery that is 1.5 miles away and get one small french macaroon that costs the earth and tastes like the living incarnation of sugar-love. The walk burns up the calories in a macaroon and then some. Between the walk and the cookie I can usually get back on track.

Good luck!

If your trigger is anger maybe you could try doing something active instead of eating? I know for me, when I'm really peeved about something a good hard workout makes me feel better AND keeps me from eating my feelings. And if your busy beating on a heavy bag, or going for a run, or throwing around some weights you won't have time to stop at Wendy's to get that baconator and biggie sized fries with a frosty... and if you do have time, you may find that after your workout you don't want it anymore.

Find an activity that you enjoy and when you start to feel the binge come on go and do it, and tell yourself that if you still feel like this when you're done then you can have the treat (and just portion out whatever the treat is that you're craving). Usually you'll find that after getting out your frustrations and having time to really contemplate it, it won't seem so appealing anymore.

Hope this helps

The fact that you are able to acknowledged that the feelings are coming back is great thing. Now that you know that it's trying to come back, you can calm it down. Before you act, think about why this is happening and deal with the situation in another way. Because you and so many others know that if you eat your comfort food it's only going to make you feel awful after. Do you feel angry or sad? do a workout. You will feel so good afterwards and then you'll be able to replenish your body with a healthy meal instead of a quick bar of chocolate.

Talk to someone, play a game, read, go on the internet or go out for a walk. When you get triggers, think before you act

It's a hard thing to overcome. I'm still trying. As hard as it is for me to look myself in the mirror and say this, it's all about realizing that you're letting your emotions drive. It's something that I've found is VERY easy for me to do, and quite hard to keep in check.

Just keep reminding yourself why you're doing this....this too shall pass.

You need strategies to deal with whatever feelings/emotions/situations that cause you to feel discomfort .

I don't think it's any different to anyone else who uses anything to alleviate emotional discomfort.

IMO: Counselling, or if you are able self discovery around root cause issues and determination of resolution or coping strategies to curb tendency to turn to food....

When you do reach for food, in those instances stop and at least ask yourself why you are doing this and what emotion, situation you are attempting to alleviate/comfort

That was probably not helpful....

Lack of willpower. Just dont do it.

says someone who's obviously never dealt with the issue. very helpful advice........ :grumble:

Obviously? What else do you know about me then?

The OP is no different to anybody else who wants to lose weight. Everyone else has to cut down in the same way and that involves a dose of willpower...

Someone that wants / needs to lose weight is not the same as the issue OP is dealing with. People that have eating disorders (whether it be emotional or physical is irrelevant). I want to lose weight however I do not have emotional ties to food. I want to lose weight because for years I was lazy and ate the wrong food. I do not eat because I am bored or upset unlike a lot of people that have emotional ties to food.
It is not as simple as..just don't do it. Their urges are a lot stronger than ours and takes more than will power to over come it. Fighting those urges usually lead into making the matter worse. They have to break the emotional tie before they can tap into the will power.

For you and me..yes maybe will power is enough. For them NO - they need emotional support (which is why he posted this) and need to change their relationship with food in general..which will power can not fix!

I need tips from you. You said you'd gone years without comfort eating, I don't think I've ever gone more than a few months.

But for anger, hard workouts, preferably involving punching something (non living, of course!) might do the trick. And if the neighbors won't complain, bellowing at the top of your lungs. Hey, it's been known to help me, along with a few most unladylike words.