I eat cause I'm lonely

kittyy250 · July 2016

Hi everyone
I have a good lot of friends very close family and work colleagues and a really loving boyfriend..... I am lucky I know but I find that when I am left alone at night (as I live alone) I EAT!!!! A lot!!!! I don't know why I do this but I have come to think lately is that it is because when the day winds down and then it's just me I relax by just hanging out alone and eating.....
Does anyone else do this? How can I stop?

rainbowbow · July 2016

http://blog.pop.fitness/2016/07/09/519/

"This wonderful trainer and myself discussed ways in which we can reward and reinforce our health and happiness without using food as a crutch. Surprisingly, we had a lot in common when it came to self-soothing and positive reinforcement!

Below are just a few of the things we’ve discovered bring us joy and contentment. As each of us has different preferences our examples may not apply to all of you, but we believe that sharing these acts may inspire some to try them out instead of reach for a chocolate bar in your time of need.

Eat a sustainable calorie goal. Whether it be for weight loss, muscle gain, or maintenance of body weight we believe that eating a calorie goal which you can sustain is incredibly important. If you wish to lose weight we recommend cutting calories minimally over a long period of time as opposed to short-term “crash” dieting.
Never deprive yourself of your favorite foods. You can easily fit your favorite foods into your calorie goal and if the item is too high-calorie you can easily emulate it to fit your dietary needs.
Do not restrict certain food groups, (low fat, low carb, low sugar, etc.). This leads to food phobias and is unsustainable long-term.
Do not look at foods are wholly “good” or “bad”. This is particularly common in the “clean eating” mentality. Unfortunately, as calories are the only determining factor when it comes to overall body weight often these mentalities do far more harm than good. The truth is we should be looking at the big picture of our overall diet instead of judging individual food items. Very often you can incorporate foods such as icecream, cookies, chocolate, etc. into an otherwise nutritionally complete diet. And you can still easily over-consume your calorie needs on foods which are generally perceived as “healthy”.
Use your choice of beauty products to soothe sore muscles, cleanse/moisturize/care for your skin.
Take warm soaking baths or showers. Bonus if you take the time to light candles, dim the lights, listen to some relaxing music, and really connect with your body!
Take care of your general hygiene at all times. This can be as simple as developing routines for your teeth, hair, skin, and nails. I personally enjoy taking care of my feet (via pedicures) and getting my nails and eyebrows done professionally. Some may enjoy getting their hair cut/colored, getting faux tans, etc.
Keep your environment at work and home organized, decluttered, warm, inviting, and clean at all times. Your external environment reflects your internal environment. By keeping your external environment clean and clear you can focus on more important matters instead of wading through mental and physical junk.
Light candles, lay out comfy blankets, keep fresh flowers, and have an area outside of the bedroom in which you can relax and unwind.
Take the time out of your day to focus just on your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. A great way to do this would be journaling when you first wake up and before you go to sleep.
Listen to audiobooks, read your favorite books, watch netflix, etc. Sometimes it can be great to focus your attention on something external especially when you’re receiving rapid/worrying thoughts.
Practice good nighttime habits including: No electronics in the bedroom, no artificial (blue) light from phones/tablets/computers within an hour before bed. No laying around in bed when you’re not actively trying to sleep. And lastly, avoiding caffeine a few hours before sleep.
Performing SMR with foam rollers, a stick roller, massage balls, and hands. This along with stretching can help you connect with your body and help in recovery from exercise.
Finding and performing regular exercise which distresses you. This can be going for a walk in nature, swimming, yoga, weight lifting, dancing, and more.
Creating a vision board or clear plan for your future along with the actions needed to reach your goals. By having a clear idea of where you’re headed and being mindful of the motivations behind your daily actions you can be assured you’re on the right path. We recommend each and every day finding at least one action that brings you closer to your goal.
Finding hobbies which bring you joy or interaction with others. By keeping yourself busy and involved in hobbies you are receiving more intellectual stimulation and bonding with others. Oftentimes we can become content in the monotonous ins and outs of our lives which can lead to depression, isolation, and worst of all… boredom.
Taking the time of the day to practice mindfulness and gratitude for all of the positive aspects of our life.

We encourage you to find ways to self-soothe and practice self-love without using food as a crutch as well. An easy first step is to write a list like ours above. What would make you happier right here, right now? What brings you joy in your life? What brings you the greatest stress and what changes can you make to reduce that stress?"

kittyy250 · July 2016

Wow Thankyou for such a great reply! I think this will help me (and hopefully others too

oolou · July 2016

kittyy250 wrote: »

Hi everyone
I have a good lot of friends very close family and work colleagues and a really loving boyfriend..... I am lucky I know but I find that when I am left alone at night (as I live alone) I EAT!!!! A lot!!!! I don't know why I do this but I have come to think lately is that it is because when the day winds down and then it's just me I relax by just hanging out alone and eating.....
Does anyone else do this? How can I stop?

Find a hobby that keeps your hands busy in the evenings. I play online games, and have recently taken up sewing. This helps to distract me from thinking about food. I'm also trying to get into the mindset of 'the kitchen is closed' after 9pm. I wash up dishes and put them away so the kitchen is clear and ready for the next day. Then I actually say to myself, okay the kitchen is closed.

It hasn't been an instant success but I'm not snacking so much in the evenings now.

Machka9 · July 2016

kittyy250 wrote: »

Hi everyone
I have a good lot of friends very close family and work colleagues and a really loving boyfriend..... I am lucky I know but I find that when I am left alone at night (as I live alone) I EAT!!!! A lot!!!! I don't know why I do this but I have come to think lately is that it is because when the day winds down and then it's just me I relax by just hanging out alone and eating.....
Does anyone else do this? How can I stop?

Join a club.
Go to the gym.
Take up a hobby.
Take a night class.
Go out for a long walk or bicycle ride.

alittlelife14 · July 2016

I like this post and needed the same advice related to loneliness and eating just to pass the time or suppress an emotional bout

LivingtheLeanDream · July 2016

Keeping busy/be active and having better food choices in the house would be a good place to start.
Alot of eating is mind over matter, think of food as fuel rather than something to fill the void.

RegainFiks · July 2016

I have the same problem mostly on weekends, its bad and it affects weight loss progress alot. will try the suggestion given by @rainbowbow

leajas1 · July 2016

Could it be that you're bored as opposed to lonely? That's when I find myself wanting to eat. If you're staying within a certain calorie range per day and you're planning out your meals ahead of time, why not schedule in a late night snack so you can eat when you're at home at night without going off plan or feeling bad about it? This has really helped me.

nowine4me · July 2016

Are you able to get a dog? Having a pet for company that loves to walk and chase balls and swim gets me out of the house every evening.

kshama2001 · July 2016

kittyy250 wrote: »

Hi everyone
I have a good lot of friends very close family and work colleagues and a really loving boyfriend..... I am lucky I know but I find that when I am left alone at night (as I live alone) I EAT!!!! A lot!!!! I don't know why I do this but I have come to think lately is that it is because when the day winds down and then it's just me I relax by just hanging out alone and eating.....
Does anyone else do this? How can I stop?

For me:

1. More protein in relationship to carbs stops the physical urge to overeat: http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
2. Yoga stops the emotional urge to overeat: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201007/how-yoga-can-help-end-binge-eating
3. Ramping up activity level in general does something positive as well

leajas1 · July 2016

Noel_57 wrote: »

@leajas1 I think the two go hand in hand. Being alone, or lonely can absolutely lead to boredom overeating. I can attest to that!

Very true!

WRXymama · July 2016

I'm the same way. My husband and daughter will go to another area of our home to leave me be with my college work. I then end up attacking the fridge. It's horrible! I like the previous suggestions.

I eat cause I'm lonely

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