Single mom with emotional eating

Yes, I struggle with the same thing. I'm a stay at home mom with three under four and I'm pregnant. Between being exhausted from my baby not sleeping well and feeling like I don't ever get to take a break when I need one, eating becomes my "break" and shoving something into my mouth has become what I associate with "recharging." Sugar gives me energy; there have been many afternoons where I look around and feel like I can't keep going and then I start eating some candy and I've got the energy to continue ( as long as I keep popping candy over the next few hours). I didn't used to be this way!

I don't really have any advice. I know I've got to retrain myself. This has been a habit I've developed since having babies and I guess I'm just going to have to train myself out of it. When I'm in that weak and exhausted place and all I want is food (even though I don't need it), it doesn't seem to be helping to have a "mantra." I guess I have hijacked your post but I would appreciate others advice as well.

Wow how do you all keep it together!! I have one 16month old daughter and struggle to find the time to do anything. I spend my life cleaning which I do enjoy sometimes but can get ontop of you. Does your 3 year old go to childcare or still have naps during the day? That's the only time I have in the day when my daughter has a 2 hour nap that's when I clean and try to do any exercise I can. Could you ask your 13year old to help a little with cleaning or looking after the younger one? Xx

I recently heard on the radio a way to help do away with emotional eating is by distracting yourself by playing a game on your phone. They said that it takes about 10 min for the feeling to pass and keeping your mind engaged in another activity helps that time pass. Can't say it is true, just heard it and have not tried it.

This is me!!! Finances, weight, tired, guilt, house work, cooking, work 30 hrs a week, exhausted, anxious, irritated, angry at the world and i just couldnt be bothered! Except my girls are 13 and 16. But one day i just decided to get off my *kitten*. I had to do it for myself and to teach my girls not to live like me. No more excuses, no more guilts, no more feeling sorry for myself, no more "ill do it tomorrow". It was hard, it still is, i still have lazy days. I just got to a point of being fed up with being fed up. I started mfp, and counted calories. Ive lost 14.5kg so far, it can be done, if i can do it so can you. I picked one goal a week and tried so hard to accomplish them, like drink 2 litres of water a day, walk for 10 minutes a day. Just small things that i cld build on. As for the house work, i picked one room and cleaned it from top to bottom. Every day i did a little bit more, i organised and named things for places to go. It took me two weeks. I made a chore chart for my girls and the internet is off until its done. Have you got accsess to child care/day care/play group/friends and family, for yr little one a few hrs a week? You can do it. Single parents are strong and resilient amazing!!!