I'm an emotional eater

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cheezema
cheezema Posts: 14
in Introduce Yourself
Anyone have that same problem? How do you get past it?

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  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
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    Oh yeah - same here - haven't figured it out yet though!
  • ChaneyJo
    ChaneyJo Posts: 7
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    Oh I am the same way!! I dont think that I really got past it, instead I try and keep healthier snacks handy so that way when I do need to eat it wont totally kill my calorie intake. I normally have yogurt, special k bars, fruit, stuff like that. BUT if I do fall off the wagon and grab that chocolate I normally "punish" myself by having an extra workout that day LOL

    Good luck with whatever you do!
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
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    I used to be---but now I just don't desire that kind of stuff anymore. I have become so much more healthier with this awesome program I am on.
  • Jackie218
    Jackie218 Posts: 116 Member
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    whenever i get stressed or upset i wanna eat something :( for the first time yesterday i didnt do it, instead i worked out when i was upset, and it turned out to be great i even lost a pound this morning :o) thats going to be my trick from now on... give it a try!! and goodluck on ur journey!!
  • jacque1109
    jacque1109 Posts: 129
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    Same. Child of divorced parents... my grammy would always get my McDonald's or chocolate cake when I was feeling down...

    Today, I weighed myself, 2lbs gained---- so discouraged :(
    All I could think of, was going to the fridge and finding something to eat... talk about a vicious cycle :(
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
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    I think I would be considered an emotional eater. I eat when I'm in a really good mood or when I'm super busy/stressed. Anger and depression makes me lose my appetite.
    I keep healthy snacks around me all the time....and LOTS of water.
  • sunnygirlray1
    sunnygirlray1 Posts: 33
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    Hi There,
    I too am an emotional eater. I joined a website called "Shrink yourself" it is for the emotional eater it cost 39.95 a month and there are 12 sessions. They bill monthly for 3 payments. The doctor is really good and they also have a book out called Shrink yourself. I am learning to address what I am feeling, so when I am not hungry, I ask myself what is going on? I do think a lot of it is just habit. I trained myself to comfort myself rather than deal with my emotions. Now I have to learn to break the habit. It starts with awareness. I have started to write in a journal almost daily which is really starting to help me identify emotions that I have stuffed. I also exercise and I avoid the triggers that I know will lead me into mindless eating, like sitting in front of the televison and eating while watching a movie.
  • treekins
    treekins Posts: 73 Member
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    Oh I am the same way!! I dont think that I really got past it, instead I try and keep healthier snacks handy so that way when I do need to eat it wont totally kill my calorie intake. I normally have yogurt, special k bars, fruit, stuff like that. BUT if I do fall off the wagon and grab that chocolate I normally "punish" myself by having an extra workout that day LOL

    Good luck with whatever you do!

    Lol I could have written this! :) Eating is so comforting...but the trick for me has been to realize that it doesn't really matter what I'm eating...so I crab a banana or some rice cakes with peanut butter, and drink some tea. I simply don't keep junk food in my house anymore; that helps a lot! Good luck; you're not alone!
  • FaeFae
    FaeFae Posts: 243 Member
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    Im a HUGE emotional eater!!! like its really bad however lately ive been so good. I guess im feeling less depressed lately and i dont really have any reason to overeat. I think what you have to do is look at what is making you upset and try and figure out how you can change the outcome of that situation. If you look at things differently that can help. Lately I look at things differently and things that use to make me upset dont make me as upset anymore. I was not happy for a very long time and i took it out on food. So I had to address why I wasnt happy!! good luck!!
  • 80lbslost
    80lbslost Posts: 93 Member
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    Dr. Oz had a recent show on emotional eating and gave tips on how to stop it. Check out this link to the show:

    http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tips-stop-emotional-eating
  • dgraet
    dgraet Posts: 1
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    I'm an emotional eater myself...I'm 44 yrs old and I think I've used food as a coping mechanism for most of my life....I've really tried to work on it over the past couple years especially....I have my good days and my bad days, but I'll say I'm much more self-aware now than I was before and this helps me deal with those times when I have food cravings. In addition to "what" we eat, I think its just as important to focus on "why" we eat........to relieve anxiety, to celebrate, because we're bored, etc. Start out by keeping a journal of what you eat and how you feel when you eat(stressed, tired, etc.)....and also make a note about your level of hunger when you eat(is your body really wanting the food?, or is it just an emotional craving)......For me, my big non-hungry reasons for eating were anxiety and fatigue.......Now, I try to find other ways to relax myself and if I'm tired, I try to go take a nap(and not feel guilty about it). Also, know that this is HARD work- -way harder than cutting calories and working out- but if you keep trying, you will make progress. You'll have good days and bad days, but don't give up.
    I've read a couple books that have really given me some things to think about - they are by an author named Geneen Roth- "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating", and "Women, Food, and God"-
    Blessings,
    dgraet
  • jlsironen
    jlsironen Posts: 39 Member
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    I honestly didn't realize I was an emotional eater until I started with this website a month ago! 31 and I didn't know that! Weird.
    I realized it after getting upset with my husband about a week ago and I immediately went to the pantry looking for pastry (which I no longer buy thank goodness) or something sweet and naughty. I realized it while rummaging around that holy cow, I'm only wanting this because I'm upset!!!!

    That was the best realization of all. I stopped what I was doing, put on my sneakers and went outside to walk around and reflected on my snacking habits. I think knowing that you're eating due to emotions is a really good thing. Know your mealtime habits and regulate your snacks from there. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, maybe a snack.

    The main thing that's helped me is that I've stopped buying junk (not counting the Kit Kat yesterday, but it was within calorie budget and preplanned lol). If it's not in the house then it can't hurt you right? :) Be aware of what you're eating. If you binge, binge on some fruit, go for a walk, make some coffee or honey sweetened tea. Just make sure you log EVERYTHING on here, no cheating on that part ;) It'll help you figure out your patterns, use the comment box at the bottom of your food journal to help keep track of what caused the extra eating :)
  • quishajuice
    quishajuice Posts: 106 Member
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    I definitely am as well, and the bad thing is I do it when I'm really upset AND when I'm really happy. In all honesty I tend to go shopping instead of eat these days, which is another vice in itself but currently it's easier for my to put money in the bank then to take inches off my waist so shopping it is lol.
  • Wnthreets
    Wnthreets Posts: 4 Member
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    i have the same problem and i hate dieting cause i feel like im starving. Now i eat every 3 hours something small my goal is to never get full and never get hungry. from eating smaller meals more often i dont think about eating that much its like clockwork now :)
  • lizvanb
    lizvanb Posts: 66 Member
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    Emotional eater, meaning regardless of what emotion I am feeling, I have the urge to eat, lol. But I'm with ChaneyJo, when I'm snacking I don't normally go for cookies or ice cream, but rather cereal or other healthier snacks. I just have more of a craving for it than junk food but also it helps me feel less guilty the next day.

    However, I also agree with the advice that if you're feeling a craving coming along, go to the gym! Keep yourself moving! The days when I'm just sitting around I have more desire to snack than the days when I've worked out. Good luck!

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