Anybody else an emotional eater?

rusalka10
rusalka10 Posts: 13
edited September 19 in Motivation and Support
I've been having a really hard time lately eating clean even for one day. :cry:

I start each day with a perfectly clean and satisfying breakfast, which I really enjoy. Usually plain oatmeal with 1 TBS ground flaxseeds, 2 TBS sliced almonds, fresh fruit and either fat free yogurt or milk. Lunch is usually a salad with some sort of lean protein. After lunch I often crave desert, so I have either fruit or a Clif Nectar bar (made only of fruit and nuts).

About an hour or two after lunch is when the munchies hit me. Part of it I think is not eating enough protein and too many carbs and fats. Another part is anxiety over my life's current problems. For some reason it usually hits me in the second part of the day. I'm definitely an emotional eater. I know I have to let myself feel without trying to stuff the feelings down with food.

Can anybody relate? How do you deal with your feelings without overeating?

Thanks! :flowerforyou:

Marina

Replies

  • rusalka10
    rusalka10 Posts: 13
    I've been having a really hard time lately eating clean even for one day. :cry:

    I start each day with a perfectly clean and satisfying breakfast, which I really enjoy. Usually plain oatmeal with 1 TBS ground flaxseeds, 2 TBS sliced almonds, fresh fruit and either fat free yogurt or milk. Lunch is usually a salad with some sort of lean protein. After lunch I often crave desert, so I have either fruit or a Clif Nectar bar (made only of fruit and nuts).

    About an hour or two after lunch is when the munchies hit me. Part of it I think is not eating enough protein and too many carbs and fats. Another part is anxiety over my life's current problems. For some reason it usually hits me in the second part of the day. I'm definitely an emotional eater. I know I have to let myself feel without trying to stuff the feelings down with food.

    Can anybody relate? How do you deal with your feelings without overeating?

    Thanks! :flowerforyou:

    Marina
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Hi Marina,

    I relate - when I started this journey I really realized that I was an emotional eater. I now try and talk it out with my hubby or a friend, or think it out on the treadmill, or write about it in a journal (usually solving the "problem" or at least putting an action plan together and getting it dealt with.

    Then I rationalize that the food solves nothing - just creates more problems. That comfort is fleeting - and then if you need to eat something again, well, then just more and more calories.

    Maybe a protein snack and a litre or so of water in the afternoon would be helpful. You might also benefit from a supplement of chromium - my naturopathic doctor recommended that for me as I was tending to crave sweets around 2:00 p.m. I take one in the morning, two in the afternoon, and one with dinner. You can check it out at GNC and it's dirt cheap (and in studies has proven to lower blood sugar and reduce cravings).

    Good luck!
    :flowerforyou:
  • imawetod222
    imawetod222 Posts: 13
    I totally know what you talking about!!! it kills me lol. That is how I got outta shape in the first place! Another thing I am is a bored eater...when I get home everyday and have nothing to do I EAT! so I decided that when ever i get bored then its time for the house to get a little cleaner :laugh:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    I totally know what you talking about!!! it kills me lol. That is how I got outta shape in the first place! Another thing I am is a bored eater...when I get home everyday and have nothing to do I EAT! so I decided that when ever i get bored then its time for the house to get a little cleaner :laugh:

    Haha - I love it - clean the house. I do the same thing but I do my nails, or a facial, etc!
    :smile:
  • BrandNewLaura
    BrandNewLaura Posts: 1,650 Member
    I've realized lately that I am an angry eater. When I get mad at someone else for doing me wrong...I tend to eat...I guess in my head I'm thinking "Well I didn't deserve what they did/said, so I can treat myself..." I'm realizing now that I'm only punishing myself by overeating. I know it's not easy to do, but the best thing to do is find a distraction...One little "trick" that I play with myself is asking myself, "If reaching my weight loss and fitness goals was dependent only on not eating this snack/working out tonight/choosing something healthier to eat, etc. would I still choose to do it?" Although our fitness goals are never dependent solely on one decision and are never "ruined" by one bad choice, all of our small steps make a difference...and remembering to take it one step, one day, one smart choice at a time, I'm realizing that I can overcome my "angry eating."
  • artnoren
    artnoren Posts: 54
    I had that happen today. I was having a bad day. By mid day I got the munchies. I ate some crackers and some almonds and a peanut butter cookie and was ready for something else. I stopped, recorded in MFP what I had eaten (that's an eye opener)and then I went for a 30 min. walk and did 30 min. of resistance band exercises after my walk. It got me past it. Now it is evening and I don't have any calories left to munch on. :cry:
  • rusalka10
    rusalka10 Posts: 13
    Hi Marina,

    I relate - when I started this journey I really realized that I was an emotional eater. I now try and talk it out with my hubby or a friend, or think it out on the treadmill, or write about it in a journal (usually solving the "problem" or at least putting an action plan together and getting it dealt with.

    Then I rationalize that the food solves nothing - just creates more problems. That comfort is fleeting - and then if you need to eat something again, well, then just more and more calories.

    Maybe a protein snack and a litre or so of water in the afternoon would be helpful. You might also benefit from a supplement of chromium - my naturopathic doctor recommended that for me as I was tending to crave sweets around 2:00 p.m. I take one in the morning, two in the afternoon, and one with dinner. You can check it out at GNC and it's dirt cheap (and in studies has proven to lower blood sugar and reduce cravings).

    Good luck!


    :flowerforyou:

    Thanks! I'll try chromium. It's in my multi, but maybe not enough. I've gotten off sweets many times in the past, but the first 2-3 weeks are HARD! As to rationalizing, I do that, but my overeating voice is so experienced that it often wins. :laugh:
  • imawetod222
    imawetod222 Posts: 13
    I totally know what you talking about!!! it kills me lol. That is how I got outta shape in the first place! Another thing I am is a bored eater...when I get home everyday and have nothing to do I EAT! so I decided that when ever i get bored then its time for the house to get a little cleaner :laugh:

    Haha - I love it - clean the house. I do the same thing but I do my nails, or a facial, etc!
    :smile:



    I would do my nails and a facial also...but to be quite honest as a guy i would be embarrassed :laugh: :happy:
  • gabi_ele
    gabi_ele Posts: 460 Member
    LOL name an emotion and I can eat.:grumble: ....
    I used to eat when I was sad, happy, frustrated, angry, hurt, lonely, bored and so on, you get the picture. I have been here since the middle of may, now I eat when I am hungry, read when I am bored, clean when I am angry( sometimes I think my husband ticks me off, just so I will clean:laugh: )
    For breakfast I will eat whole grain cereal with a yogurt over it ( I don't care for milk)
    for lunch I will eat a sandwich with lean lunch meat or a grilled chicken wrap with a salad,
    for dinner I cook something light and I will have light ice cream bevore I go to bed.
    I used to eat the salads from the fast food places with light dressing but I would be hungry 2 hours later too. So now I rather eat something with whole wheat or rey and it seem to hold me over much better. I hope that helps a bit...
    Oh yea I forgot the most important advice, when I am troubled I pray, remember : don't tell God how big your storm is, tell your storm how big your God is:flowerforyou:
  • rusalka10
    rusalka10 Posts: 13
    I had that happen today. I was having a bad day. By mid day I got the munchies. I ate some crackers and some almonds and a peanut butter cookie and was ready for something else. I stopped, recorded in MFP what I had eaten (that's an eye opener)and then I went for a 30 min. walk and did 30 min. of resistance band exercises after my walk. It got me past it. Now it is evening and I don't have any calories left to munch on. :cry:

    Congrats on stopping the binge! And for getting your exercise in! :flowerforyou: If you really need a munch, maybe some veggies?

    I've done well with food so far today. I think posting here really helped! Having a whey protein and fruit shake for dinner, since I didn't get to exercise today and have less than 200 kl left for dinner. But hopefully my sore throat will be gone by tomorrow and I'll do my favorite spinning class at the gym!
  • ceedee22ed
    ceedee22ed Posts: 71
    Wow, Brandnewlaura totally hit it on the nose!!! Seriously, that is exactly what that small moment of temptation is all about!
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    Actually, I "conquered" the anger/emotional eating several years ago-- but, the damage was done. Also, the "habitual, mindless" eating still remained-- finishing the kids' bagels or waffles in the morning so they wouldn't go to waste, or their ice cream-- popping a cookie in my mouth or a handful of pretzels while I'm checking dinner, cleaning their plates. If nothing else, I'm taking every morsel into account and no longer mindlessly pop food into my always open mouth.
    176.gif
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    I totally know what you talking about!!! it kills me lol. That is how I got outta shape in the first place! Another thing I am is a bored eater...when I get home everyday and have nothing to do I EAT! so I decided that when ever i get bored then its time for the house to get a little cleaner :laugh:

    Haha - I love it - clean the house. I do the same thing but I do my nails, or a facial, etc!
    :smile:



    I would do my nails and a facial also...but to be quite honest as a guy i would be embarrassed :laugh: :happy:

    Yeah, best to stick to the cleaning...
    :wink:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Thanks! I'll try chromium. It's in my multi, but maybe not enough. I've gotten off sweets many times in the past, but the first 2-3 weeks are HARD! As to rationalizing, I do that, but my overeating voice is so experienced that it often wins. :laugh:

    I hear you girl - you're singing my song! :wink:
    I'm talking 200mcg 4 times daily - might help out.
    :flowerforyou:
  • amunet07
    amunet07 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Thanks! I'll try chromium. It's in my multi, but maybe not enough. I've gotten off sweets many times in the past, but the first 2-3 weeks are HARD! As to rationalizing, I do that, but my overeating voice is so experienced that it often wins. :laugh:

    I hear you girl - you're singing my song! :wink:
    I'm talking 200mcg 4 times daily - might help out.
    :flowerforyou:

    I take Fiber Choice-Weight Management, it is a tasty way to get your fiber and your 200mcg Cromium. (I also am an emotional eater... and a seasonal eater...and... :laugh:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    I used to be...my rewards were food, I'd crave comfort food when I was upset (mostly chocolate cake), I'd snack out of boredom (could finish 1/2 a big bag of Cheetos in like 20 min. LOL). I still sometimes get a craving for chocolate cake or ice cream if I've had a really rough day, but then I remind myself how bad I'll feel after eating junk food. I'll have a stomach ache AND feel super-guilty on top of whatever was upsetting me anyway. When you make a conscious decision about what you're going to put into your body, it's easier to make a good one.
  • sarakenna1
    sarakenna1 Posts: 261
    I eat when I'm stressed out. I get so distrought that I'll eat to distract myself from whatever it is I'm stressed out about. By the time I go to food for comfort, I'm so far gone that it seems there is no way of stopping myself. So lame!

    However, it takes a lot for me to get to that point. Day to day, I find that keeping myself busy helps. I go streight to the gym from work, and start dinner right away when I get home to keep myself from snacking. I've got a new hobby (quilting!) that keeps my hands occupied and my brain focused away from food and booze... (I love to drink but it makes me eat more!!!)
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    I absolutely relate to you, every time there is any kind of confrontation or I'm ill I eat - anything sweet - and with me being a diabetic this is not good. I'm having a particularly stressful day today so far, and its only 08:59 !!!
  • rusalka10
    rusalka10 Posts: 13
    I absolutely relate to you, every time there is any kind of confrontation or I'm ill I eat - anything sweet - and with me being a diabetic this is not good. I'm having a particularly stressful day today so far, and its only 08:59 !!!

    Hey cyberswitch, hang in there! You'll feel so much more capable of handling the stress life is throwing at you if you eat cleanly. I feel like a new person after eating cleanly yesterday. :happy:
  • lessertess
    lessertess Posts: 855 Member
    Yes, I'm a member of this club. Pretty much any emotion triggers a thought for food: happy, sad, angry, depressed, bored, stressed, tired, frustrated. I consider myself addicted to food. It's both a reward and a comfort. I see a lot of people on this site talk about how they don't think about it anymore. I wish that were true for me but I think about it all the time. Right now my defense is this site. If I'm thinking of food, I log on instead of eat. Also, I have planned times for food and snacks and, since the times are about 3 hours apart, I can generally hold out until then. I do long for the day when I'll have a healthier relationship with food.
  • JennyGetsFit
    JennyGetsFit Posts: 263 Member
    bump! :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories