Emotional eating

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what are some tips for dealing with emotional eating? I eat no matter what the emotion is but when I'm sad or stressed I eat even more and it's mostly unhealthy. So what are some tips for dealing with this?

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  • erinrune
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    Thinking about why you are eating before you eat, are you really hungry? Do you really want that, or is this just what you are used to doing? Is there something else you could do to soothe yourself, something other than eating? Can you wait 20 minutes and see if you still want it? Geneen Roth has written some good books that cover this topic (one is called When Food is Love). I'm working on this too, right now, making progress... little by little.
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
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    By no means take me as an expert, there's a reason the lounge at work is full of sweets- as a group nurses tend to eat their stress. But I started journaling. Not everyday, but at times when I start to notice I am emotional or grumpy. Sometimes it helps to just get it out on paper and acknowledge it and sometimes I can figure out what's actually triggering the emotional state. I feel better when I journal and I notice that I am better able to handle the stress of my job and my family.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Deep breathing techniques to increase body awareness and decrease anxiety:


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd94Gh4lKOA&list=PLhiNtEBsgk1SKo-3NnmoWMeu_BkRS_kgw&index=1
  • Just115Pounds
    Just115Pounds Posts: 81 Member
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    Drink water instead of eating! Not only does it give you something to do, but it also satisfies your stomach and keeps you hydrated!
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,365 Member
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    Look for alternative behaviours and have back up plans ready to go...feeling stressed go for a walk, call a friend, do a stretch class, have a soak in the bath...feeling angry do a boxing class or pound it out somewhere...feeling sad call a friend, look through some happy photos...etc etc
  • kunalsingh9
    kunalsingh9 Posts: 69 Member
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    This might sound very very weird. But, I usually go and brush my teeth when I am feeling like that. Kills my appetite completely. Give it a try.
  • amyweiser47
    amyweiser47 Posts: 2 Member
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    If I'm not hungry but I want to eat, I chew gum instead.
  • maymie04
    maymie04 Posts: 5 Member
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    maymie04 wrote: »
    what are some tips for dealing with emotional eating? I eat no matter what the emotion is but when I'm sad or stressed I eat even more and it's mostly unhealthy. So what are some tips for dealing with this?

  • maymie04
    maymie04 Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks everyone. Those tips were helpful. I have discovered drinking water helps me a lot. I think I've lost some weight too.