Sick of using food to cope

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sagemarie45
sagemarie45 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A tale as old as time. I get sad or lonely and I eat sugar and fat. I've been a little down this week in the evenings and start dipping into that holiday candy. WHY GOD WHY?! Ugggggh, I got to through that crap out.

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  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    I hear you. I've been working on improving my mood/outlook on life and I feel like I've really made some headway. Keeping treats out of the house is still important for me though. So throwing it all out (or at least getting it out of sight, maybe in the freezer) sounds like a good idea.
  • jayjay_90
    jayjay_90 Posts: 83 Member
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    I find taking time to write in my journal when I'm feeling sad/stressed BEFORE reaching for comforting foods has helped a lot - it forces me to address the "why" I'm feeling upset and usually by the time I've finished writing, I am less inclined to go through with my initial reaction of gorging on some cookies. Maybe give it a try?
  • beerfoamy
    beerfoamy Posts: 1,520 Member
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    not even just to 'cope'. I spent years going to food whenever I felt anything. Happy - reward self, down - eat self happy. sad, eat, tired, eat, bored, eat. List goes on.
    Definitely advocate throwing it out. Helps you to not buy it again as you won't want to waste the money or the food.
    Or alternatively give it away.
    Or as goldthistime says, freezer is a good one. I have a tonne of fudge in the bottom drawer, I know it's there in my subconcious type of thing but if I don't see it every time I open a cupboard I forget regularly.

    I have started dragging myself out even for a 5minute walk rather than enter the kitchen. Progressed to realising that when I went to a cupboard I probably wasn't hungry.
    Also, if you have 'spare' calories from exercise, there are little/big treats that can be had.
    Can be done! promise.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    I hear ya - I have had similar issues. I dont keep many baking supplies in the house now, as my favourite things to make all include chocolate and I would end up eating the chocolate chips with a spoon!! Peanut butter is a big one for me too - most of the time I can take it or leave it. Sometimes, its taketaketake!! I think I get a feeling of being deprived, and as soon as I feel that way, its as if I have to "undeprive" myself, which is really self destructive behaviour, and I know that, but its difficult to keep a lid on it after so many years of self defeating habits. Its something I have to be very vigilant about and be mindful of every day.

    It starts in the grocery store - if I am not sure if I have a grip on things, or I am feeling a little too tightly wrapped at the time, I keep my grocery shopping to real bare bones stuff and dont even buy what I would consider treats, even if I know that I can indulge a little, because I know I wont. I will indulge a LOT.

    For what its worth, it can be very empowering to trash that stuff. Or give it away. I prefer trash, because its immediate and I wont be tempted to go back and get it!!! Some may consider that wasteful, but I would rather waste the money than eat it and beat myself up as a result.
  • jelly_potato
    jelly_potato Posts: 77 Member
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    Been there down that slope so many times...I would eat sweets and snacks until I feel sick and the moment I am not so sick anymore I would start again. I would eat to feel happy, when hungry, or just out of habit, which is just sad.

    I agree with the posts above that you should just throw it out. Don't feel bad about the remains, you'll feel bad later about yourself.

    I find it easy to keep food as far away from my desk as possible and in form that would require work to turn it into a delicious meal/snack. I know myself all too well, I don't want to work on it, I want to stuff those calories here and now. Keeping fruit and raw nuts/fried fruit in easy to reach places could potentially decrease the effect of a slip if it were to happen.

    Having a big teapot/thermos full of tea conveniently ready could be quite helpful when you want to reach out for something unhealthy - you end up reaching for something and that something happens to fill your stomach temporarily and distract you.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    jayjay_90 wrote: »
    I find taking time to write in my journal when I'm feeling sad/stressed BEFORE reaching for comforting foods has helped a lot - it forces me to address the "why" I'm feeling upset and usually by the time I've finished writing, I am less inclined to go through with my initial reaction of gorging on some cookies. Maybe give it a try?

    I used to use a journal to vent and/or explore why I was down. I probably will use it again in the future at some point. Especially in terms of thinking through what actions I should take to address it. I try to think "If I were feeling strong and confident right now, how would I handle this situation?".

    But I've spent more time just recording the good things that have been happening in my life, instead of exploring the bad stuff, and I've really liked the results.

  • MangoPhysique
    MangoPhysique Posts: 8 Member
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    Story of my life. It starts in childhood if you think about it. I remember everytime I was upset I was offered a snack as a kid. Now I'm struggling with this issue as an adult. We're here to support each other!
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
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    I go to food (mostly chocolate!) when I'm stressed, which unfortunately is often. I definitely need to find a different way to cope!

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