Emotional eater - how do you combat the urge to eat?

A lot of it for me is mental. I love the feeling of wanting food but knowing my body doesn't need food, recognizing that I want to eat because I'm (fill in the emotion here), and overcoming that.

One thing I do, though, is when I'm sad - that's when I REALLY want to eat - I exercise. Not only am I getting out of the kitchen, I'm burning calories I'll always be an emotional eater - feel free to add me if you want support

BIG BUMP!!! man.....the fact that I am an emotional eater is the only reason that I have 25 pounds to lose. I workout....HARD....and very consistently. I also eat very well during the day.......and then I go home. that is when/where all the bad stuff happens. I really want to see what suggestions that people have.

When I get the urge to eat from any emotion - I will stop myself, back up, and try to pinpoint exactly what the emotion is. If I can resolve the issue to change the way I feel, then I do it. Right then. And then I reward myself with something non-food. For me, a lot of the times my saddness or frustration comes from not working out or not watching what I eat. I feel like I failed because I went over my calories, so I pack more in. (just as an example)... so when I recognize that my problem lies with my fitness, I just force myself to get up and do whatever I have to do. When the emotions are coming from something not related to my fitness, or something I can't immediately change, I find something to keep my mind AND hands busy. Lately it's been painting my fingernails or giving myself a pedicure. I can't eat in the tub, and I can't eat with all of those fresh chemicals on my hands. By the time I've taken some "me" time and thought over my feelings, the urge to eat has passed.

Of course this doesn't work every time, but the more times I can make the change, the closer I get to changing my habits.

I try several different strategies to deal with urges to eat. Basically, I'm trying to distract myself.

I try to talk through what I'm dealing with at the moment. Am I bored? Stressed? Tired?
If I still have cravings, I drink a glass of water.
Can I go somewhere or do something to distract myself? Jumping in the car and driving to the library is generally pretty safe. Gardening also works, cleaning out a drawer, take a shower, reading posts on MFP. :-)
Can I take a nap? That's pretty effective for me. Works well if you're feeling crabby too. Meditating is another option.
Call someone or post to MFP that I need help.

If I still think I want something, do I have food that I've planned to eat later that I can eat now? I don't consider it 'cheating' if I eat something early that I planned to eat anyway. Maybe I really am hungry.

Am I still in a pinch? What are my 'safe' snacks? I'm not a big fan of carrot sticks, but six unsalted almonds (roasted or raw) and a mozzarella cheese stick is a quick fix, about 150 calories, and won't give me a glucose spike. A pickle? Half an apple and some peanut butter? If I really think I'm starving, adding 150 or so calories to my day isn't something I'll beat myself up over later.

I hope that sparks some ideas for you.

When I get the urge to eat from any emotion - I will stop myself, back up, and try to pinpoint exactly what the emotion is.

This a good point, whether it's food, crack or sex if you have mentally conditioned yourself to respond to emotions or situations in this way than you aren't fixing the problem you're hiding from it.

No judgement here in terms of whatever strategy people use to get past this but my suggestion is that you accept the fact that you're feeling the way you are and begin to reprogram the way you respond. Recognize that emotions cause you to crave food and be ok with that. It's alright to feel this way, understand that emotions are triggers for all sorts of anti healthy behaviors.

"Wow I'm super sad right now and I'm hungry, ok I can deal, this will pass and so will the hunger"... remember you're not really hungry, you're just responding, change the way you respond.


EDIT: Cheers from 5280 BTW

One thing that really helps me is tracking on mfp

The other, as everyone's saying, is acknowledging the true source of the urge. One day my parents called to say they were taking my son to hospital because he'd had an accident (he was, in fact, fine). My first reaction? "I need cake!" Then I stopped and thought "No I don't, I just want my lovely boy to be ok."

Somehow just telling myself that was enough to keep me from the cake!

I let myself cry. I cry my little eyes out and tell my boyfriend why I'm crying and that I want cookies. He's learned that I don't actually want cookies, I just want someone to listen.