I eat when I'm lonely

Log everything, use a food scale, keep trigger foods that you cannot control yourself around out of your house, and practice moderation when you can. If all else fails, you can also talk to a specialist who focuses on problematic relationships with food, to see if you can get to the root of the problem.

Are you still going to the gym four days a week? Regular exercise helps me with emotional eating. Yoga helps even more.

How Yoga Can Help End Binge Eating

One breath at a time, end the suffering of binge-eating

...According to Juliano, yoga gives people the skills to stay with what they are feeling, rather than turning to food to escape. People who are obese or suffering from eating disorders have a tendency to dissociate from their bodies -- to choose not to feel what they are feeling when they are angry, anxious, or sad. Often, they turn to food to numb themselves. "There's this sense that I have to feel better right now, " Juliano says. "There is a complete intolerance of what is happening right now." This need to escape unpleasant feelings triggers a binge.

When you eat to escape what you are feeling, you lose touch with the experience of eating, as well. This is one reason binges can spiral out of control. "You have no understanding that you are full, way past full, into uncomfortable, because you're so out of it," Juliano explains. "You have no connection to what you're eating. You're eating a pint of ice cream and can't even taste it. Or you go to make yourself some toast and before you know it, half the loaf is gone."

Mindful yoga directly challenges the habit of dissociating from your body and your present-moment experience. "The whole point of yoga is to stay connected to your body. You learn it through practice, through breathing, and through breathing through the sensations."

Read more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201007/how-yoga-can-help-end-binge-eating

kshama2001 wrote: »

Are you still going to the gym four days a week? Regular exercise helps me with emotional eating. Yoga helps even more.

How Yoga Can Help End Binge Eating

One breath at a time, end the suffering of binge-eating

...According to Juliano, yoga gives people the skills to stay with what they are feeling, rather than turning to food to escape. People who are obese or suffering from eating disorders have a tendency to dissociate from their bodies -- to choose not to feel what they are feeling when they are angry, anxious, or sad. Often, they turn to food to numb themselves. "There's this sense that I have to feel better right now, " Juliano says. "There is a complete intolerance of what is happening right now." This need to escape unpleasant feelings triggers a binge.

When you eat to escape what you are feeling, you lose touch with the experience of eating, as well. This is one reason binges can spiral out of control. "You have no understanding that you are full, way past full, into uncomfortable, because you're so out of it," Juliano explains. "You have no connection to what you're eating. You're eating a pint of ice cream and can't even taste it. Or you go to make yourself some toast and before you know it, half the loaf is gone."

Mindful yoga directly challenges the habit of dissociating from your body and your present-moment experience. "The whole point of yoga is to stay connected to your body. You learn it through practice, through breathing, and through breathing through the sensations."

Read more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201007/how-yoga-can-help-end-binge-eating

I was looking for this article. Thank you, @kshama2001

shoegirll wrote: »

I have weighed exactly the same for a year all while going to the gym four times a week

Are you just doing your own thing when you go to the gym, or are you participating in some of the fitness classes? If you're not participating in classes, have a look over the class schedule and see if there are any that interest you and fit your schedule. Classes can be a good way to meet some people ... you see the same people in class each week, and get chatting, etc. etc..

Also, make list of the things you'd like to do ... a kind of a bucket list if you want to call it that. Do you want to learn archery, learn the piano, set up model trains, run a marathon ...?? Whatever it is, there could be a club in your area or classes on offer or whatever. Again, a good way to do something you enjoy, while meeting new people, while distracting yourself from eating.

If you can switch to snacking on celery, you'll be golden. I know it's not the same, I struggle with this too.

After dinner, brush your teeth. And mean it.

It really sucks to feel so alone and my heart goes out to you. If you're like me, now that you have put on weight, getting out in the world seems daunting. I felt ashamed to go out, the shocked look on people's faces when they see how much I had gained, trying on outfit after outfit, but nothing made me feel presentable. So, feeling sad and alone, I isolated myself even more. The evil thoughts in my head mounting, winning, taking over.

My dear, wonderful human being, start by trying some affirmations and quotes that inspire you. Write them on index cards. Tape a few to the fridge, three or four to mirrors. Every morning, read them out loud. I am beautiful. I am worthy. I will go out in the world, and realize those looks are not judgements, they're just unfamiliar recognition. I can succeed in this journey.

Then, get outside. Go to church (even if, like me, you're not religious, there are PEOPLE there!). Go to the park for a walk and say hello to everyone you pass, look them square in the eye. Be bold! Because you DO matter. You ARE beautiful. Join a yoga class. Go in your sweats. Fail miserably at the poses initially. Don't worry about what anyone thinks. Compliment people you see in the grocery store, at the gas station. Excuse me, but I just wanted to let you know how beautiful your hair looks today. Oh wow! That outfit is stunning, I'm positively envious.

Because, each and every day, is the oldest you've ever been, and the youngest you'll ever be. Fight the demons that haunt you! Be good to yourself, and the cravings will subside, your strength will return. Because, losing weight, is CICO, but it's also so much more! It is a journey to remembering that being good to yourself isn't a selfish act. Good luck and keep in touch.

I've been known to do a bedtime specific yoga routine to both kill time and ready me for bed. As with all mental health problems, learning new coping techniques, mostly via distraction, is massively helpful.

Logging religiously, exercising and online games have all been hugely helpful in cubing my emotional and binge eating habits. It's hardest at first so don't beat yourself up if you do succumb, just keep picking yourself up and resolving to do better tomorrow.

Also it helps a lot to try to increase the number of your meals you eat with other people. It kills the loneliness and it makes you more self aware of what you're eating if people are watching.

shoegirll wrote: »

All this is great! Except I'm not doing yoga at 10:00 at night...my kids are asleep...there's no groups to join at night things like that...ugh the struggle is so real......

I know the feeling!
Text a friend? I find that helps. Keeps my hands busy and makes me feel like I'm having human interaction :P. Add me as a friend if you like, we can chat!

Its not necessarily loneliness that triggers my emotional eating, but I have begun to deal in the following ways:
1. I'm taking an online Spanish class
2. I'm also doing an online typing program- one lesson per day, but once I start I do several.
3. I have a small selection of exercises I can do in my bedroom if I need privacy from roommates, and a large selection that I can do in our living room if I am able. Most of them have a fun aspect, like Just Dance on the wii.

Im working on going to one of these options before I think of eating for comfort. They may just be distractions from the core issue, but half my day is distracting 3yos just long enough to do what needs to be done... So maybe I need to employ the same with myself!