What foods do you choose when you're feeling depressed or anxious? Or happy and optimistic?

Kipenzi7
Kipenzi7 Posts: 24 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey folks- I'm working on a project for nutrition class and I realized this community could be a real asset. If you're willing, would you point me to a day in your food diary that is reasonably accurate and is a day where you feel like negative emotions guided your food choices? Comfort food, binges, etc. And then another day where you were feeling positive, had high self-esteem etc and feel you can see that reflected in your food choices? If your diary isn't public and you just want to copy and paste, that would be great too.

I love how MFP allows us to reflect on our patterns of behavior, and I think this will be really enlightening.
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Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I don't let emotions guide my food choices beyond picking what I like and want to eat. I plan my meals in some detail, in advance, and stick to a flexible routine. I feel everything I eat is "comfort food" (but I'm sure it will look boring to many).

    I don't binge anymore after I found MFP. Demanding pleasure from what I eat, and feeling in control instead of virtuous, has made a hell of a difference to my relationship with food, and in turn to my weight, general health, energy and wellbeing.

    I'd be happy if I can contribute anyway. I posted a month's worth of meals a year ago: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10386508/my-meals-w-pics
  • Rosemary7391
    Rosemary7391 Posts: 232 Member
    This is what I had yesterday:
    Breakfast
    Sainsburys - Scotch Porridge Oats - Correct, 30 g 109 18 2 3 3 6
    Yeo Valley - Semi Skimmed Milk, 90 ml 42 4 2 3 0 0
    Dried Fruit - Sultanas, 30 gram 95 20 0 1 2 14
    Wholesome Sweetener - Organic Blue Agave, 3 milliliter 12 3 0 0 0 0
    Whole Earth - Crunchy Organic Peanut Butter*, 22 g 131 3 11 6 2 85

    Lunch
    Yeo Valley Organic - Strawberry Yoghurt, 100 g 106 13 4 5 0 180
    Humzingers - 100% Fruit Sticks Per 13g Stick, 1 stck (13g) 33 7 0 0 1 20
    Babybel - Light, 1 piece 50 0 3 6 0 160


    Dinner
    Simply Spaghetti - (Lidl, SFV), 143 gram 509 102 3 17 4 14
    Chef Select - Cocktail Sausages, 400 gram 908 31 60 56 9 1,808
    Heinz - Tomato Ketchup Uk, 186 gram 190 43 0 2 3 3,348

    Snacks
    Sainsbury's - Butter, 46 g 340 0 37 0 0 1
    Tate & Lyle - Caster Sugar, 52 g 208 52 0 0 0 0
    Sainsbury's - Wholegrain Bran Flakes., 36 g 132 25 1 4 5 0

    I wasn't particularly happy; my day came to 600kcal over maintenance. However I have been eating at between 500kcal and 1000kcal defecit for awhile; my goal is to average 500kcal/day and I'm still on track with that so no worries :) which is what I think is the nice thing about this calorie tracking lark - I can put myself in a place where I have the spare calories to eat like that if I feel like it, and not feel guilty about it, which tends to turn it into a week long thing. I'll be back to normal today!

    Here's a good day for comparison:
    Breakfast
    Whole Earth - Crunchy Organic Peanut Butter*, 20 g 119 3 10 5 1 78
    Sainsburys - Scotch Porridge Oats - Correct, 30 g 109 18 2 3 3 6
    Yeo Valley - Semi Skimmed Milk, 90 ml 42 4 2 3 0 0
    Dried Fruit - Sultanas, 30 gram 95 20 0 1 2 14

    Lunch
    Gragnano - Fusilli, 100 gr 353 70 1 14 0 0
    Meatballs, mushrooms, tomato sauce 649 40 40 30 9 623

    Dinner
    Scrambled egg, 1 serving(s) 188 2 13 14 0 187
    Tesco - Frozen Leaf Spinach, 80 g 22 0 1 2 2 0
    Tesco Value - Frozen Prawns, 70 g 44 0 0 9 0 392



    Numbers are calories, carbs, fat, protein, fiber and sodium if you're interested :)
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    Wish I could help but I eat the same regardless of my emotions. When I have too many emotions I usually just eat less because I am not hungry and preoccupied with other stuff but my choices are the same. I have never understood comfort eating or eating to make yourself feel better. I always hear about how others mention it, so I am very interested to see responses to this post.
  • Burton_Bmc
    Burton_Bmc Posts: 35 Member
    I am not an emotional foodie, though I have a craving for chocolate, any day, time or whatever emotion.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    Yes, this.

    Well, I sometimes do fall into a bad pattern of stress eating, but I tend not to log it and it's more about eating what's around (snacking more), not going out and getting something different.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Wine... for both ends of the spectrum. ;)
  • kmsoucy457
    kmsoucy457 Posts: 237 Member
    edited November 2017
    I figured out the following by using MFP to self-audit my eating habits about 2 years ago:
    Typically it's sweets or a glass of wine, but i am pretty conscious of the decisions and do not tend to overindulge; worst-case i'll be at maintenance for the day.
    I tend to overeat most when i'm happy, especially in social situations where it seems silly to sacrifice my good mood to evaluate the calories of every-little-thing i put in my mouth. I've found decent workarounds, but this definitely takes more effort and willpower for me than if i am in a bad mood.

    ETA: i didn't answer your question regarding my 'happy eating'. The answer is anything delicious: salty, fatty, carby, spicy, sweet or any combination thereof.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I don't get depressed or anxious often and tend not to eat much at all when I do. Comfort foods, my #1 is beans and cornbread with chopped fresh onion. That was my favorite meal as a child. Back then it was pinto beans with bacon, now I usually go for a mix of beans and skip the bacon, but it still takes me back.

    I'm a generally happy person so I don't really have specific foods I eat when happy. I eat and like most foods. For me, happy meals are more about who they are shared with than what is served.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I'm eating less based on emotion these days. However, I do find comfort in meal preparation practices. If I can meal prep and have certainty in my diet, then I feel less stressed about eating. I like to have a food plan.

    I don't turn to food when I am having the feels any more. In fact, I can only recall one specific time in the last year when I intentionally went out to a restaurant to eat my feelings. I had to deliver some very heartbreaking news to my daughter and it broke my heart to have to tell her no (to a really great college overseas that we couldn't afford). I had one enormous restaurant meal with appetizers, french fries, something greasy on a bun, and dessert.

    Funny thing is, within a few weeks, my daughter had found her resolve about that issue, applied to a different school and got in--and it has created much better opportunities for her than the overseas school.

    I enjoyed that meal very much, but now I understand where my threshold of emotional eating is.

    Now--there are other occasions in the last year or so where I have "overeaten," but it is simply because I chose to have more food that day. Things like holidays, birthdays, and very special occasions fall into that bucket. I don't eat a lot out of emotion though--mostly because I am hungry and want to fully enjoy the social occasion.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    edited November 2017
    When I'm stressed out, I crave high-fat, high-salt foods. Do I always give in and buy them? Nope. But sometimes I do.

    My high-stress craving foods are usually things like: Doritos/chips, fast food (KFC chicken, french fries, hamburgers), grilled cheese, mac n' cheese, pizza.

    When I'm not stressed out, I find it easier to stick to my plan of home-cooked meals and eating more fresh fruit and veggies.

    I'll dig around in my diary to see what I can find. I don't log really consistently though.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
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    As you can see, I don't usually log the "bad days" very accurately haha.
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    I am an emotional eater, when I'm stressed or depressed I can eat 4 or 5,000 calories in a day. I can make my diary open to the public if you like and give you specific days. And I do log all of those calories. Monday, Nov 13th was a stressful day - I visited my mom who has alzheimers. Saturday the 11th was an in control day. I usually make notes for why I overate. I do better when I have meals already cooked vs eating on the fly. I've almost always been a binger, except when I kept an 85lb loss off for a few years in my late 40's. My bio has a bit more info on that. Feel free to pm me with questions.
  • curiousgp
    curiousgp Posts: 122 Member
    I wouldn't say emotional per se - but I know without a doubt that when I want comfort food it will be a buttered bowl of macaroni smothered in cheap crappy parm cheese. Every time.

    Happy - celebratory - steak. Protein. Wine. Gin.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    For me, happy or sad, I tend to gravitate towards things with sugar/fat, like cake, tiramisu, cream, chocolate,cookies ... the usual. I am not one to turn to the savoury side of things.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    a bowl of cold cereal and skim milk.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    Kipenzi7 wrote: »
    Hey folks- I'm working on a project for nutrition class and I realized this community could be a real asset. If you're willing, would you point me to a day in your food diary that is reasonably accurate and is a day where you feel like negative emotions guided your food choices? Comfort food, binges, etc. And then another day where you were feeling positive, had high self-esteem etc and feel you can see that reflected in your food choices? If your diary isn't public and you just want to copy and paste, that would be great too.

    I love how MFP allows us to reflect on our patterns of behavior, and I think this will be really enlightening.

    Here's Tuesday, a happy day:

    Your Food Diary For:
    Tuesday, November 14, 2017
    7 Am To 11 Am
    Avocado - Avocado, 57 g 133 7 12 2 6 404
    Potatoes - Potato, 219 g 177 38 1 4 4 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 310 45 13 6 10 404
    11 Am To 2 Pm
    Sandwich Thins - Whole Wheat - Sandwich Thins - Whole Wheat, 1 Roll (43g) 100 21 1 5 6 0
    Boca - Original Vegan, 1 burger (71g) 70 6 1 13 4 370
    Ketchup - Condiment, 1 Tbsp 20 5 0 0 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 190 32 2 18 10 370
    2 Pm To 5 Pm
    Gardein - Mandarin Orange Chicken, 108 grams 195 18 7 15 2 0
    Peppers, sweet, green, raw, 80 g 16 4 0 1 1 140
    Generic - Bell Pepper - Orange, 73 g 20 3 0 1 1 256
    Rice, 1 cup cooked 200 47 0 4 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 431 72 7 21 4 396
    5 Pm To 7 Pm
    Apples, raw, with skin, 97 g 50 13 0 0 2 104
    Add Food Quick Tools 50 13 0 0 2 104
    7 Pm To 11 Pm
    Vegetarian Split Pea Soup, 1 serving(s) 405 78 3 25 40 1,307
    Squash, winter, butternut, raw, 2 cup, cubes 126 33 0 3 6 986
    Oil - Vegetable, canola, 1 tbsp 124 0 14 0 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 655 111 17 28 46 2,293
    11 Pm To 7 Am
    Silk - Vanilla Soy Milk, 1 cup 100 10 4 6 1 300
    Add Food Quick Tools 100 10 4 6 1 300


    Here's Monday, a stressful day (check engine light came on!):

    7 Am To 11 Am
    Add Food Quick Tools
    11 Am To 2 Pm
    Add Food Quick Tools
    2 Pm To 5 Pm
    Apples, raw, with skin, 117 g 61 16 0 0 3 125
    Taco Bell - Fresco Bean Burrito, 213 g 350 57 9 11 9 0
    Taco Bell - Spicy Potato Soft Taco - Fresco, 1 Taco 180 27 6 4 2 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 591 100 15 15 14 125
    5 Pm To 7 Pm
    Carrots, raw, 4 oz(s) 46 11 0 1 3 363
    Avocado - Avocado, 2 oz(s) 133 7 12 2 6 401
    Whole Wheat Pasta Cooked - Pasta, 2 cup 420 82 2 14 2 25
    Hyvee - Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables, 3.75 cup 175 30 0 5 10 30
    Kikkoman Soy Sauce - Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp (15 mL) 10 1 0 2 0 70
    Trader Joe's - Sriracha Sauce, 2 tsp 10 2 0 0 0 0
    Add Food Quick Tools 794 133 14 24 21 889
    7 Pm To 11 Pm
    Chickpeas - Canned, 1 cup 268 45 4 15 13 447
    Hampton Creek - Just Mayo, 22 g 141 0 16 0 0 0
    ketchup - Ketchup :), 10 g


    And this is pretty reflective of how I've been reacting to stress since I found a working depression medication. Basically it saps my energy. I forget to eat and when I remember I don't want to bother cooking anything, where normally I enjoy cooking and trying recipes and I LOVE food. Too many carbs, not enough protein, nothing that's too much bother.

    I normally have all my meals planned, but under stress/anxiety I'm inclined to throw out the plan if it involves preparing food. What I DON'T do is snap order and eat a whole pizza, which at one point would have been my response to stress and self-hatred.

    So having accepted this about myself, I keep bags of frozen veggies and cans of beans in the house that in a pinch I can open and have for dinner. I always have pasta and a jar of sauce, ,even though my pasta/pizza sauce is better.
  • neenaexp
    neenaexp Posts: 38 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    I've since learnt to cope with stress/negative emotions without food, and not need food as a "reward".

    When I did eat due to emotions (negative or positive), most of the foods I would pick would be delicious combos of sugar and fat. Mostly dessert/sweets.
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    I've since learnt to cope with stress/negative emotions without food, and not need food as a "reward".

    When I did eat due to emotions (negative or positive), most of the foods I would pick would be delicious combos of sugar and fat. Mostly dessert/sweets.
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    I've since learnt to cope with stress/negative emotions without food, and not need food as a "reward".

    When I did eat due to emotions (negative or positive), most of the foods I would pick would be delicious combos of sugar and fat. Mostly dessert/sweets.
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    I've since learnt to cope with stress/negative emotions without food, and not need food as a "reward".

    When I did eat due to emotions (negative or positive), most of the foods I would pick would be delicious combos of sugar and fat. Mostly dessert/sweets.
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    I've since learnt to cope with stress/negative emotions without food, and not need food as a "reward".

    When I did eat due to emotions (negative or positive), most of the foods I would pick would be delicious combos of sugar and fat. Mostly dessert/sweets.
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    I don't eat due to emotions.... That's partly how I ended up needing to be here in the first place.

    I've since learnt to cope with stress/negative emotions without food, and not need food as a "reward".

    When I did eat due to emotions (negative or positive), most of the foods I would pick would be delicious combos of sugar and fat. Mostly dessert/sweets.

  • neenaexp
    neenaexp Posts: 38 Member
    I️ also don’t let emotion control my food intake anymore. Yay! Yesterday I️ made a choice to eat sugary foods, excess calories and didn’t particularly like it. It was nice to know I️ don’t judge myself anymore.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    I get it. livingleanlivingclean gave the optimal response. But I'm not optimal yet. Being on myfitnesspal doesn't automatically make us 100% rational human beings all the time. It means, for me, that I'm a work in progress, but at least I'm actively working on it.

    I'm not sure what quoting it over and over added to the thread.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    I've been in maintenance for almost four years, but still have occasional struggles with emotional or stressful eating. I'm still able to maintain because I don't let my occasional bursts of happy/sad/worried eating lead me into a defeatist mode, like it would have done before. Yeah, I admit it, to myself and others I still have days when I eat my emotions, I'm not perfect, I just don't ever let that slide into an everyday thing. My diary is open if you want to look. Its got several years of entries on there. High calorie days (2500 plus) are either my weekends, as I balance out my calories or a stressful day.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    nickssweetheart wrote: »
    I get it. livingleanlivingclean gave the optimal response. But I'm not optimal yet. Being on myfitnesspal doesn't automatically make us 100% rational human beings all the time. It means, for me, that I'm a work in progress, but at least I'm actively working on it.

    I'm not sure what quoting it over and over added to the thread.

    I was confused by the multiple quotes too!

    And I'm definitely not a rational human being, and always a work in progress - I react to stress in different ways and it took me a long time to find away to cope without food. I still have days where I am in stressful situations and think "I need X, Y, Z and the rest of the alphabet because that'll make me feel good"... I just know how to tell myself no.
  • neenaexp
    neenaexp Posts: 38 Member
    nickssweetheart wrote: »
    I get it. livingleanlivingclean gave the optimal response. But I'm not optimal yet. Being on myfitnesspal doesn't automatically make us 100% rational human beings all the time. It means, for me, that I'm a work in progress, but at least I'm actively working on it.

    I'm not sure what quoting it over and over added to the thread.
    nickssweetheart wrote: »
    I get it. livingleanlivingclean gave the optimal response. But I'm not optimal yet. Being on myfitnesspal doesn't automatically make us 100% rational human beings all the time. It means, for me, that I'm a work in progress, but at least I'm actively working on it.

    I'm not sure what quoting it over and over added to the thread.

  • neenaexp
    neenaexp Posts: 38 Member
    I️ didn’t mean to repost that quote repeatedly! But yea, her responses make sense to me.
  • neenaexp
    neenaexp Posts: 38 Member
    Yea I️ can’t do these forums properly. Just wasted over an hour reading Nick Cave’s entire discography.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    edited November 2017
    There's a learning curve. With 31 posts you're not expected to be perfect yet. ;)
  • neenaexp
    neenaexp Posts: 38 Member
    Beautiful lyrics too! Someone needs to start a lyrics thread...
  • rchelen
    rchelen Posts: 46 Member
    Stress eater here! Especially around pms I crave everything carb and sugar! When I'm happy? I don't care for them. I eat mostly vegetables!
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
    edited November 2017
    Stress = chocolate and wine. I did not read the other responses in fear of messing up the integrity of your study
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    I don't tend to eat my emotion. There was one time in past few years that I was highly stressed (had a gun pointed at me) and I intentionally overate in hopes of it putting me in a food coma so I could sleep. I had mongolian beef chow fun, fried rice and some dumplings.

    Overeating on the positive side usually is events with family or going out to dinner with my husband. My food choices are pretty variable. I will say that I tend to prefer spicy food.

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