What can we do to avoid emothionally eating?

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mresta
mresta Posts: 33
in Health and Weight Loss
Most of us who struggle with our weight usually have problems with emotional eating too. Had a bad day? Then that bar of Green & Blacks looks like it'll be the greatest thing ever. Car prang? Cup of tea...and a muffin.

Personally, I'm massively guilty of these sorts of responses and really need to find a way that can combat this behavior. I'm trying breathing exercises and sticking to tea with skim milk (a hot drink does wonders), but what about you? What do you do to stop yourself reaching for those pies?

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  • melsdadian
    melsdadian Posts: 9 Member
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    Distraction. Go on the computer, go for a walk, get the ipod out, anything that keeps me away from temptation.

    I also buy less tempting food now. There are no muffins in the cupboard and the biscuits are all weight watchers, only 45 kcal per biscuit
  • MmhmmStephanie
    MmhmmStephanie Posts: 58
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    Well, when I was into (for lack of a better word) binge eating, I took some cognitive therapy classes, which was Dialectal Behavioral Therapy. It taught me how to be mindful. Mindful of my surroundings, what I am eating, how to meditate, healthy distractions, etc.

    I actually have a book called "Eating Mindfully". I have yet to read it, but I want to. But this is it;

    http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Mindfully-Mindless-Balanced-Relationship/dp/1572243503/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295954299&sr=8-1

    I also have a LiveJournal, that helps a lot. Or any kind of journal would help, really.

    Sometimes drinking water to help you feel fuller (although that doesn't quite fulfill the emotional need), or going for walks. Stuff like that.

    At least that's what has helped me all these years. :)
  • ndmckeown
    ndmckeown Posts: 30 Member
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    This is something I tend to do as well, so I'm curious as to what people's responses will be.

    The only thing I've found that seems to work even a little is getting dark chocolate with a really high cocoa percentage (Lindt or something like that) and trying to just have a square of it when I need a treat.

    Unfortunately I've not yet found something healthy I can substitute for pizza when I'm really tired and stressed!
  • MomsDaily140
    MomsDaily140 Posts: 116
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    Just like the others said..... You have to immediately, when you feel that urge, find something else to do. Come up with a new way to deal with and relieve the stress/anxiety you are feeling. You need to have a go to.....
  • mresta
    mresta Posts: 33
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    Unfortunately I've not yet found something healthy I can substitute for pizza when I'm really tired and stressed!

    I've found these in the shops recently, all less than 500cal too:
    http://www.pizzaexpressathome.com/our-range/pizzas/gustosa.aspx
    http://www.pizzaexpressathome.com/our-range/pizzas/vitabella.aspx
    http://www.pizzaexpressathome.com/our-range/pizzas/contadina.aspx
  • mresta
    mresta Posts: 33
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    I actually have a book called "Eating Mindfully". I have yet to read it, but I want to. But this is it;

    http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Mindfully-Mindless-Balanced-Relationship/dp/1572243503/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295954299&sr=8-1

    I also have a LiveJournal, that helps a lot. Or any kind of journal would help, really.

    I've got a LiveJournal too, it helps, but I don't like putting too much negative stuff on there. Thanks for the book recommendation, definitely something I'll be up for reading. Knowledge is power and all that. ;)
  • keepitoff99
    keepitoff99 Posts: 117
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    Save some calories for something yummy.
    Last night I have a few calories left and I needed to eat something sweet - doesn't help when going through Tim Horton's for coffee/donuts for the kids. So I just ate what calories I had left - a Reese peanut butter cup (snack size), and a Dips granola bar. Satisfied my sugar/chocolate craving.

    Best thing to do if fill time with things other than eating. I start to clean, do homework, housework, anything to distract myself.
    I was really bad for snacking/eating for every reason. Now I try not to eat it if I don't have the calories available for it. Otherwise, fit it in and eat lots of veggies for your meal instead.
  • vickiele1
    vickiele1 Posts: 394 Member
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    Being able to process the emotions related to the eating binges is the most important part of stopping the eating when you aren't hungry. My own personal experience (and now part of what I share with my clients, friends, and family) is to identify what is really going on, process that information, and then ask yourself honestly "Is eating that muffin, candy bar, bag of chips, etc. really going to resolve whatever is going on?" So, I am upset about my workload and having to work a lot of extra hours - will coming home and binging really resolve that issue? Likely not - so then I have to focus my energy on processing what will help to resolve the issue, and then doing something (even if it is just resolving to leave work 30 minutes earlier the next day) to help resolve the issue. I also then choose to do something healthy for myself which might include exercise, reading a book, talking to a friend, taking a bath, etc. I'm not sure it is really distraction, but more like a reward to me for not resorting to the "comfort" of food. I choose health instead of eating wasted calories that my body doesn't need. I also recommend trying to figure out why/when the pattern of eating when angry, sad, frustrated, feeling alone and/or empty began. Going back to the beginning of that cycle and allowing yourself to "feel" whatever you tried to deny yourself from feeling can often help to resolve the pattern or at least begin to resolve the pattern.

    Vickie
  • mresta
    mresta Posts: 33
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    Being able to process the emotions related to the eating binges is the most important part of stopping the eating when you aren't hungry. My own personal experience (and now part of what I share with my clients, friends, and family) is to identify what is really going on, process that information, and then ask yourself honestly "Is eating that muffin, candy bar, bag of chips, etc. really going to resolve whatever is going on?" So, I am upset about my workload and having to work a lot of extra hours - will coming home and binging really resolve that issue? Likely not - so then I have to focus my energy on processing what will help to resolve the issue, and then doing something (even if it is just resolving to leave work 30 minutes earlier the next day) to help resolve the issue. I also then choose to do something healthy for myself which might include exercise, reading a book, talking to a friend, taking a bath, etc. I'm not sure it is really distraction, but more like a reward to me for not resorting to the "comfort" of food. I choose health instead of eating wasted calories that my body doesn't need. I also recommend trying to figure out why/when the pattern of eating when angry, sad, frustrated, feeling alone and/or empty began. Going back to the beginning of that cycle and allowing yourself to "feel" whatever you tried to deny yourself from feeling can often help to resolve the pattern or at least begin to resolve the pattern.

    Vickie

    Excellent advice, one of my favourite answers so far!
  • cupcake502
    cupcake502 Posts: 16
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    when i feel like i want to eat, i read a cook book. am i just odd or does anyone else do that? haha
  • 0plato0
    0plato0 Posts: 10
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    I agree with vickiele1 for the most part. Though it's kinda easier said than done.

    I was also one for removing all temptation from the house, however.. I now live with my Type 1 Diabetic boyfriend... which, odly enough, makes this harder.

    We have to have cookies and sweet things in the house incase he has an extream low blood sugar and needs something to bring it back up quickly. Essentially it emergancy sugar. By it's definition and perpose I shouldn't go anywhere near it but I know it's there is highly tempting.

    I'm currently considering putting it all in a first aid tin. Sounds odd but then I might associate it with medical supplies, which I supose it kinda is in an odd way.

    In terms of beating those emotional cravings, I found having a big fat rant help a lot, be that either on something like LiveJournal, or to a friend via email or to your poor unsuspecting and highly patient boyfriend.

    I try to stay out of the bakery section and sweet isle of supermarkets as much as possible. If I find myself craving Pizza or a burger I picture it moudly and covered in maggots and then it's not so appealing.. and when i crave dairy... I try to substitute it for a low fat alternative. I get through a lot of low fat yoghurt, low fat philidelphia and low fat cheese (I've discovered low fat cathederal city isn't as minging as you'd think)

    and for chocolate, I swap my milk chocolate for 80% dark stuff, and drink light Ovaltine.
  • mresta
    mresta Posts: 33
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    I'm currently considering putting it all in a first aid tin. Sounds odd but then I might associate it with medical supplies, which I supose it kinda is in an odd way.

    I'd probably go further and stick it in a green box with a cross on the front, the association with "medicine" for the boyf will be even stronger then! And I can always make a proper sugar variety of the muffins for him next time - they freeze well! ;)

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