Feeling Overwhelmed...

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SeeNicholeShrink
SeeNicholeShrink Posts: 29 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi guys,

I've been on my weight loss journey about a year and a half now. Last year I lost 56lbs. In the past six months I've been gaining and losing the same 3lbs over and over again. I have not gained since my loss last year, I am still the 56lbs down but I have not made any progress either.

I am very much an emotional eater. I started my bad eating habits from a place of hurt, and since then I have used it as a crutch. Well, its ruining my life. I am depressed. I avoid meeting new people, and being in new situations. I try so hard every day to make it through that day, and take steps toward losing this weight. Emotions end up taking over, and then I begin the cycle over again.

I guess I am looking for some help in dealing with the emotional eating. Maybe someone has tips? I'm really open to anything right now. Its like this cycle of depression and obesity that I am lost in. I'm having a hard time coming up for air.

Thanks for any help <3

Replies

  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    You need to find a replacement for food in dealing with your feelings. For me the replacement was martial arts (aikido) and making some changes to the people I associated with and the environment I lived in. Essentially I got rid of the things that were the biggest sources of stress and anxiety in my life and added things/people that helped me to improve my sense of security and well being.

    Aikido is a slightly different take on martial arts. O'Sensei who created the art wanted to create something that would make the world a less violent place. So the goal of aikido is not to destroy the person attacking you but to harmonize with their energy and resolve the conflict with the least possible damage to either party. Learning to deal with physical attacks helps a person to find ways to keep calm and keep thinking in stressful situations. And it gives you some tools to use in case you actually do need to protect yourself. And the ability to act out aggression and violence in a safe and controlled setting is an excellent way to get rid of old stored up anger and negative emotions.

    I highly recommend it as a way to replace foods role in your emotional life as well as a fun way to get some good exercise. :)

    I also find meditation and horseback riding to be excellent and very healthy ways to relieve stress and anxiety. This is just what works for me in my life.

    Choose the things that seem best to you. But, until you get a firm handle on the things that drive you to eat and find healthier ways to cope, you are not going to be ready for serious weight loss.
  • SeeNicholeShrink
    SeeNicholeShrink Posts: 29 Member
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    Thank you for the feedback Shadow. I need to learn to recognize my triggers and deal with them in better ways. I'll give some thought as to outlets for me to do so. I appreciate the perspective.
  • williamwj2014
    williamwj2014 Posts: 750 Member
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    Suck up your feelings and take care of yourself. Enough with the feeling sorry for yourself..seriously. Do what your picture says. Wake up. Kick *kitten*. Repeat. Don't get caught up in your feels.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I would suggest reading Intuitive Eating - not necessarily to follow the book, but it has great concepts in distinguishing between REAL hunger and EMOTIONAL hunger and how to tell the difference. It gives some suggestions on how to start using a hunger scale, so you can begin to identify if you are eating out of true hunger or if you are just being emotional.

    From there, you need to be very careful on how you manage feelings of hurt (if that is your trigger feeling). Make sure you do not pick up food. My trigger feeling is anxiety. If I feel anxious - my go to response used to be to pick up food. I practiced for months and now when I am anxious...I dont even think of eating!

    Once you get this down though, you will be so much more likely to succeed in your weight loss long-term and permanently. It is not just about your weight - but what is going on in your head that makes the big difference.
  • plaffo786
    plaffo786 Posts: 71 Member
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    Emotional eating is something those who do it struggle with managing, we have feelings and if things are going bad a learned behaviour no matter how self distructive is a go to safe place.
    You recognise the pattern now look at ways of redirecting the negative feelings, CBT is really effective in this area I'm sure you have heard of it.
    Try mini goals and write them down how did you feel when you achieved it remind yourself of the positive we are all too quick to beat ourselves up, while I don't agree with the above comment focusing on the negative makes everything negative.
    You can do it mini goals lead to great achievements medication can play a role but remember you have controle of your happiness, figure out the little things that make u happy and keep doing them.
    You can do it, make you a priority you will get there baby steps
  • SeeNicholeShrink
    SeeNicholeShrink Posts: 29 Member
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    williamwj2014 wrote: »
    Suck up your feelings and take care of yourself. Enough with the feeling sorry for yourself..seriously. Do what your picture says. Wake up. Kick *kitten*. Repeat. Don't get caught up in your feels.

    You're right. Working on this.
    dakotababy wrote: »
    I would suggest reading Intuitive Eating - not necessarily to follow the book, but it has great concepts in distinguishing between REAL hunger and EMOTIONAL hunger and how to tell the difference. It gives some suggestions on how to start using a hunger scale, so you can begin to identify if you are eating out of true hunger or if you are just being emotional.

    From there, you need to be very careful on how you manage feelings of hurt (if that is your trigger feeling). Make sure you do not pick up food. My trigger feeling is anxiety. If I feel anxious - my go to response used to be to pick up food. I practiced for months and now when I am anxious...I dont even think of eating!

    Once you get this down though, you will be so much more likely to succeed in your weight loss long-term and permanently. It is not just about your weight - but what is going on in your head that makes the big difference.

    Thanks, if I can figure out what exactly is triggering me, maybe I can effectively channel that some other way.
  • SeeNicholeShrink
    SeeNicholeShrink Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    plaffo786 wrote: »
    Emotional eating is something those who do it struggle with managing, we have feelings and if things are going bad a learned behaviour no matter how self distructive is a go to safe place.
    You recognise the pattern now look at ways of redirecting the negative feelings, CBT is really effective in this area I'm sure you have heard of it.
    Try mini goals and write them down how did you feel when you achieved it remind yourself of the positive we are all too quick to beat ourselves up, while I don't agree with the above comment focusing on the negative makes everything negative.
    You can do it mini goals lead to great achievements medication can play a role but remember you have controle of your happiness, figure out the little things that make u happy and keep doing them.
    You can do it, make you a priority you will get there baby steps

    Thanks, I like the thought of mini goals. :)

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