Emotional Eater/Complusive Eater

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I am having a terrible time sticking to a healthy eating plan. Since my ex and I broke up four years ago, after being together for seven years, I started eating more and more. Then when I quit smoking three years ago I really start turning to food.

Now I go through spurts when I feel in control and then I lose control. Sometimes I am good for a couple weeks and sometimes I can't go a day with out eating myself sick. I don't know what to do, if anyone has any stories to share I think it might help.

Replies

  • Melimonkey
    Melimonkey Posts: 34
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    your most deffinetley not alone that is for sure I am the same way. sometime in control, some I am not.
  • missmmonroe
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    I'm in the same boat! I think there's a quote from a movie that my roommate used to always say (i think it's from the austin powers movies)... "I eat because I'm unhappy and I'm unhappy because I eat". That's pretty much how I feel. haha. I think I basically have to learn to exercise my "no" muscle. Right now, it's the one that's the most out of shape. I'm trying to learn to take out my unhappiness or my frustrations at the gym. It works sometimes. Or I just try and keep myself busy doing something, anything so that I won't be tempted to give into my eating. It's really like breaking a drug habit! haha.
  • RDH0513
    RDH0513 Posts: 245 Member
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    I know what you are going through, except I am the exact opposite. I have a horrible diet when I am HAPPY. When I would break up with someone I drop weight like crazy. I have been with my now fiance of two years, and have adopted some awful eating habits! I finally realized that asking myself to eat 100% clean at all times is not realistic for me, I am not aiming to be a fitness model, but just a healthier version of myself. I allow the things that I know are bad for me in moderation. I always eat a healthy meal before I eat a bad one- even if it makes me go over on calories a little because if I dont, I will binge terribly and be like 1000 calories over. I always try to have fun while cooking, trying to make my favorite meals more healthy. I know how you feel- it is very frustrating because you never really want to eat those foods, it just seems to happen. I just try to work towards eating healthy MAJORITY of the time, but not all the time. good luck!!
  • Emmalicious69
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    I am the same. Once I quit smoking I turned to food... things are just sometimes so hard to deal with without some help. I also have trouble sticking to a diet!
  • suzukigurl
    suzukigurl Posts: 90
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    I am a compulsive eater, but I know my weaknesses and I don't bring that food into the house. If and when I do, I make sure it is small portions, enough for one sitting and that's it. It's a mental thing, you have to find what works for you to "fix" the problem. To be honest I seem to be a compulsive eater on a sunday for some reason. I try to carry a healthy snack of some sort with me or drink lots of water to feel full instead of giving in. I am reading a book about other's weight loss stories. The one story is a woman who wants to eat all the time but isn't actually hungry, she uses what she calls the apple test......when she wants food, if she wouldn't eat an apple then she's not truely hungry. It sounds silly but it works for her. Good luck!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you like :flowerforyou:
  • oyvonnee
    oyvonnee Posts: 116 Member
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    You are not alone. I think a lot of us struggle with emotioanal eating. We turn to food for comfort when we shouldn't. The comfort is temporary as we get upset when we realize how much we've eaten. I gained my weight back by not remining myself how important I am and how important my health is. If you can get all the junky food out of the house, it will be a big help. If I get a craving and there is nothing bad to eat in the house, it will give me the time to fight that craving.

    Don't give up - keep trying. One day does not define who you are.

    Friend request on the way!
    Yvonne
  • ceschwartz
    ceschwartz Posts: 240 Member
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    Try journaling before you eat. Explain to yourself how you are feeling, why are you are feeling that way, what you want to eat, how much you are going to eat, how will that make you feel when you are done, and then how it did make you feel when you were finished. Sounds like a lot, but it might give you perspective on your eating and emotions. Cheaper then a therapist.
  • amandapark83
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    I like that, "One day does not define who you are."
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Plan for it. Think of 5 things you can do when stressed. Plan every little detail. if you need to type them out and put them on the fridge. Otherwise you'll continue to fall into the same trap over and over again. So find a few reasonable things you can do instead of eating. Don't kick yourself if you don't do it the first few times but each time you do remind yourself that you could do X,Y Z. Eventually you'll start to do those things instead. I used to emotional eat and get suck in the vicious cycle of pigging out and then eating still more because I was calling myself a failure. Believe it or not I started cleaning and doing minor DIY projects around the house. My kitchen looks really cute and I rarely get stuck in the emotional eating cycle.
  • amandapark83
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    That's great advice. Thanks