Emotional Eater needs HELP!!! SOS

katznkt
katznkt Posts: 320 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I tend to eat when I am stressed, angry or upset. Most of the time my hold on my strict diet is pretty strong, but when I get upset I start to crave comfort food- any fast food, anything fried, cheesy, sweet and or/chocolaty.... and ooohhh the Dr. Pepper calls to me...

Well my one year old fractured her pinky and today we were in and out of Dr.s offices to care for her. Then my husband (when he finally called me back) started in on me wasting money on a doctor visit when "she is a baby and will heal fine". Only he picked the fight while I was in the office talking to the doctor and when I told him I would talk later he just hung up and called 5 minutes later (still in the office) to pick the fight again.

Add that to the fact that my one year old has been fussy and in pain, and my 3 year old is acting out because I have been giving attention to her baby sister (and found and spilled matches all over the living room before emptying a folded laundry basket all over her room. And add that to the fact that the one year old (with fractured pinky) had a poopy diaper explosion during nap time all over the clean sheets that I changed yesterday and I am SUPER STRESSED.

I want nothing more than something super unhealthy for me. I am trying to remind myself not to punish my body. If I am angry at my husband and generally stressed to find another way of letting off some steam. (and to not go to a bar for a cocktail tonight which would ruin my diet....)

Encouragement? Healthier coping mechanism suggestions???

P.S. Fractured daughter is okay, but will spend the next couple of weeks in a splint to immobilize the injured finger.

Replies

  • jsoaper01
    jsoaper01 Posts: 99 Member
    You can take a deep breathe. As mothers we tend to know best. Dont overeat. Its not worth it.
  • jamiek89
    jamiek89 Posts: 105
    Sounds like you have had one hell if a day!! I hope it gets alot better for you however ihave no solutions for the binge eating side of things, will be interesting to see what other mfpers have to say
  • kcrojas630
    kcrojas630 Posts: 145 Member
    Punch him in the face... lol.... that would make me feel better! Maybe go for a walk if you have a double stroller it would be good for all of you to take a nice walk and talk about what you see with your 3 year old, maybe she will calm down, too. Sorry you are having issues!
  • jojopel
    jojopel Posts: 348 Member
    Do you have time to workout? Nothing relieves my stress more than a vigorous workout when you are focusing on your body, not your stress.
  • Mrs_TrimWaistFatWallet
    Mrs_TrimWaistFatWallet Posts: 486
    Put a picture that represents your goal where you would splurge (i.e. if you would be buying it, put a picture in your wallet) or your cupboard.. I find that makes me guilty, so have a note on it too 'try loud music! or pick up the boxing gloves at the gym!'
  • wkschuster
    wkschuster Posts: 144
    Take a deep breath. You are right don't punish your body, you will only feel worse afterwards and it will add to your stress. Its a vicious cycle. Hang in there tomorrow is a brand new day :):flowerforyou:
  • msjersey73
    msjersey73 Posts: 182 Member
    Hello,
    what a rotten day you had! but, it will get better, always does. whenever I get like that, i go to the gym and blow off steam and stress. but, what really helps me, is that i force myself to see the good in everything. that is tough sometimes, and i have to stop and say a prayer, but i also have to breath deeply and be the one in control.
    i recently discovered exactly why i over eat, by looking back at my childhood, and how i was raised and forced to eat when not hungry, and just "knowing" why mom did it, helped me so much in taking back control of my life. my mom made me so stressed, and when i finally gave in and stuffed my face, to please her, the stress went away, (she stopped screaming at me)...... so i did that emotional eating for a long long time. this website is helping me take back control, and i hope it helps you too!
    good luck, to you and cheer up :-) see the good things,
    take care,
    mary.
  • chilipeppers
    chilipeppers Posts: 119
    I know this doesn't help but... your husband is a jerk!
  • twooliver
    twooliver Posts: 450 Member
    Dang...that's a lot of stress!!! That husband of yours needs to grow up! Where's the support from him??? I would give him a time out and a serious talking to!!!

    Rather than emotionally eating...how about a night out??? Do something to nurture you before you burn out! Breathing is good too!
  • chilipeppers
    chilipeppers Posts: 119
    also, I could use some advice myself, I tend to eat when I feel emotional as well, but i have a hell of a time fighting off the urges to stuff myself with cookies.
  • 2monkeys
    2monkeys Posts: 17 Member
    Sounds like we have a simillar life, my daughter fell down the stairs today- she was fine but I was totally stresses out, we have health care so if I had to take her to the docs it wouldn't cost anything. However my husband and I fought over the cost of checking out a cars history before we bought (cost close to $100), my son has been crazy wild recently destroying things, hitting etc.

    Just all around stressful, I ended up consuming a Big Mac and fries, but am not over calories (just can't eat much more today and it's 3:45.

    Another MFPer suggested going for a walk, reading a book, basically something for yourself to distract from doing something bad. Maybe put your daughter in her crib, your son in his bedroom and go sit outside on the porch for 15 mins with a hot cup of coffee. (something I should have done).

    Good luck (btw- I would have been totally with you on the doctor thing even if we didn't have health care, if her finger didn't set right it could cause worse problems and more costly in the long run, praying you guys get healthcre in the future).
  • ilikeher
    ilikeher Posts: 78
    I'm sorry to hear about your day! I am not a mother but was a nanny for a very long time and the diaper explosion by itself is enough to make someone go crazy. Try to hang in there!

    The only thing that I can recommend is instead of going for a snack, when you have 15-20 mins to yourself, put on your sneakers, BLAST some really good "fire you up music" on your ipod and hit the street for a run. After arguing with my boyfriend, or something happens that really pisses me off, doing this makes me feel so STRONG. I'm ready to go back inside and conquer the world.

    If you must eat something sweet, I keep grapes in the freezer. They are a delicious and it cools you off (wether you're heated up because of an argument or because of the temperature.) My sister turned me on to it and it totally works for me.

    Good luck to you!!!
  • msjersey73
    msjersey73 Posts: 182 Member
    :happy:
  • crystalslight
    crystalslight Posts: 322 Member
    I would work out. Do a work out video if you can't go on a walk or get to the gym. (if you have the slim in 6 series or the 30 day shred they both have some punching in them that should get out some frustration).
    Hope your night is better. :)
  • ilikeher
    ilikeher Posts: 78
    Also, if you don't have the time for the workout go outside and sit in your car for a minute and blast some music. Feel free to scream or cry or tell your husband how you really feel even though he isn't here :) getting it out will make you feel better and you dont have to worry about him or your children hearing you curse
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    Vent! I also emotional eat...BAD. Its sloooowly improving after having been on MFP. Just getting what is bothering me off my chest, asking for help, seeing the motivating and uplifting comments from friends on MFP helps me. I still have slip ups, but I don't think something like this goes away over night either (though I wish it would!)

    Getting away from the stress factor also helps me (when possible...I also have a kid, so I know you can't just leave them and run off to the store whenever lol). If something, someone is making me upset I try to do something else, get away for a minute. Even hiring a sitter for like an hour if you need to can help ( and can totally be worth the $10 ).
  • katznkt
    katznkt Posts: 320 Member
    Thanks for all the suggestions and well wishes. I have calmed down a bit. Still tense so I will definitely hit the gym tomorrow. I can hardly wait to drop the kids off and hit the treadmill until I am out of negative thoughts.

    Thanks for talking me off the cookie jar!
  • emfoley2
    emfoley2 Posts: 30 Member
    Lot's of good advice here - I have a slightly different take.

    I'm also a long time stress eater, so I have designated "cheats" on hand that satisfy the cravings on bad days without totally blowing my calories for the day: a juicy tangerine or a small cookie or one Dove chocolate when I'm Jonesing for sweets, a few salted nuts or a small piece of cheese when craving something salty. I build a snack or two into my daily calorie plan - say 40-80 calories per day of something really tasty and maybe a little bit decadent.

    Another thing that made a big difference for me was getting myself on a schedule of smaller meals with some snacks throughout the day keeps me from getting so hungry that I binge when the snack cravings hit.
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