emotional eating

make a great big salad with tons of veggies and everything delicious in it.

Or if you are feeling something sweet make a fruit salad (without whip cream).

When ever i have big emotional days and want to eat everything in sight i make huge fresh salads with everything i love and even tofu sometimes. It fills you up but is still much less fat and calories than everything else i would have eaten!!!

As for tonight though, make some popcorn, or something that can simulate the satisfaction that the chips would. When im craving crunchy chips i make crunchy pop corn, or have some baby carrots.

sorry, this kind of rambled a bit, but i hope you'll find something helpful!

I have the same problem. When I get sad, mad, bored or whatever I'll stuff my face. It keeps me from saying the things that I want to say that I know will cause a bigger fight or make a problem or whatever. I've always been that way. It's easier to stuff my mouth with food than to create waves if I'm angry with someone or to stop from crying I can bury myself in food of some kind. It's so unhealthy but such a hard habit to break. I still suffer from it sometimes if I'm not careful but I've gotten to where now once I start feeling 'that way' I can look for the cravings to start and either try to ignore them by finding something else to do (reading, walking, playing on the computer) or by finding a more healthy substitute for the chips and such. I try to keep the stuff out that I really like so that if I have to get something to eat I'm more able to turn to the carrot sticks or the fruit, etc. It's really hard. If you have someone that you can complain to then that helps too but if not it's basically a battle of wills all the time. Recognizing the symptoms and doing something to sidetrack it is all I can suggest. Don't have the stuff around (if possible) that will really derail you if you can't stop yourself from eating. And drink water water water. I will drink a gallon of water when I'm really angry or depressed and then i can't eat anything even if I wanted to because I am just SOOO full.

make a great big salad with tons of veggies and everything delicious in it.

Or if you are feeling something sweet make a fruit salad (without whip cream).

When ever i have big emotional days and want to eat everything in sight i make huge fresh salads with everything i love and even tofu sometimes. It fills you up but is still much less fat and calories than everything else i would have eaten!!!

As for tonight though, make some popcorn, or something that can simulate the satisfaction that the chips would. When im craving crunchy chips i make crunchy pop corn, or have some baby carrots.

sorry, this kind of rambled a bit, but i hope you'll find something helpful!

I wouldn't do this at all because you are trying to stop using eating as an emotional release. Even if it was healthy food, Eating out of an emotional need is not healthy psychologically...

I agree that you should try to do some exercise, especially aerobic. It DOES release endorphines into your system, so it is bound to work... you just need to start making the connection in your head. You could also try meditating or practicing a bit of Mental control (google it), which are really helpful in situations like yours. I'm a very anxious person and all these work to calm me down.

I agree. if you just eat a ton of healthy things to fill that void you aren't fixing the problem. You need find a way to break the unhealthy habit and replace it with something positive. It's good that you reconize what's happening, that gives you the power to fight the temptation. (( trust me I know it's hard when I was going through my divorce I could kill and entire box of little debbie snack cakes in a sitting))
Don't let the stress win, you're stronger then that!

Would you consider your emotional eating binges? Or just "overeating"? If you think you're bingeing we have a really good support thread going on the Motivation & Support board. And even if not, it might be a good place to talk with some others who are also emotional eaters.