Day one! Is anyone else out there an emotional eater?
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pamperedchefheather
Posts: 4
Hi everyone,
I just signed up today based on the recommendation of a friend. This looks like a great site and I'm excited to dig into it. I'm so tired of being over weight and ready to make changes that I've been putting off for too long.
One of my BIGGEST challenges is being an emotional eater. Send me a post back if you're an emotional eater yet have had success overcoming it. I'd love to hear what has worked for you.
Heather
I just signed up today based on the recommendation of a friend. This looks like a great site and I'm excited to dig into it. I'm so tired of being over weight and ready to make changes that I've been putting off for too long.
One of my BIGGEST challenges is being an emotional eater. Send me a post back if you're an emotional eater yet have had success overcoming it. I'd love to hear what has worked for you.
Heather
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Replies
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I had never really labeled myself as one...and I think that I'm just slightly controlled by it...but in the past few weeks, I've made a point to pause just for a few seconds before putting anything into my mouth in order to analyze the motivation! It really does help if you just start doing it. I found that a lot of times I was either bored, stressed out, or just wanted to munch on something. If I decide I am actually hungry, I think about how hungry I am...if I just need a little snack, a drink, or a bigger amount of food. Try it!0
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I am! Food is the first place I turn to when I'm mad, happy, sad, frustrated, etc... It's really bad. But, like Jamcnair stated - pausing for a few seconds to help determine the motivation for eating DOES help.0
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Welcome, by the way, and good luck on your journey!0
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Thats a great suggestion! I found myself eating emotionally as well! Its hard because most of the time you dont recognize thats why your eating! Good luck! I just started yesterday and have a goal to loose atleast 83 pounds over the next year!0
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I am a VERY big emotional eater. Anything triggors it and I have no will power!! I want to get past this hurdle....but I'm not sure how?!0
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I am definitely one, along with a see food eater, a closet food eater, a distracted eater, and food lover...Hence my work with the beck diet solution.0
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psh i the queen of emotional eating. but what ive found is you need to train yourself to find comfort in something else. finding comfort in food can never ever be an option. it will not happen over night but small changes will add up to big results.0
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I am :L I have been quite good lately as I have found that going on long walks with my iPod help me drown out any thoughts about junk food that my body doesn't need. I also read books and do work to distract me which helps.
Good luck!0 -
I'm an everything eater. Something good, bad, sad, amazing, super cool, depressing, whatever, happens and I turn to food. I FINALLY got a job yesterday, so I ate a bag of potato chips and an entire container of dip. I still feel sick, so I'm hoping I finally learned my lesson. lol. Wow.0
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I think you will find a MAJORITY of us are. I'd go so far as to say everyone is to some degree. This is a great place to go when you feel like going overboard. The friends on this site will talk you DOWN, which is great. Welcome aboard. It's a great group. You will succeed!0
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Someone told me to journal each time before I put something in my mouth the answer to the questions I'm going to list below...I'm not really big on journaling and alot of times I don't have time to write down all the answers. If you like to do that though, go for it.... but I have been asking myself the following questions each time I think I'm hungry:
1. Am I really hungry? Is my body showing any real signs of hunger? In other words, is my stomach growling, am I weak or tired or dizzy feeling (low blood sugar indicator), has it been at least 3 hours since I last ate? If the answer to these is yes, then I grab a HEALTHY snack. If not, time for the next question just to make myself more aware of my triggers....
2. Am I depressed, anxious or bored? I have found that alot of times (especially at work) it's because I've gotten into too much of a rut and am bored with what I am doing. If that's the case I try to get up and go for a quick walk around the building. If I'm anxious or depressed I try to find a friend to talk to about what's bugging me instead of going to the candy jar....the walk works for this too
So far it has really helped me out to stop and ask these questions. The other thing I really try to do now is not eat just because it's time to eat. If I'm not hungry - I don't eat, that helps prevent slipping into the bad habit of eating for emotional reasons.
So far so good - I've lost right around 30 pounds since I started my diet (3 since joining MFP 2 weeks ago) and can really see a difference in my eating habbits. Just a forewarning though.... it took time! Don't beat yourself up if you slip up at first... just pick yourself back up and keep on going! You can do it!!!0 -
Thanks everyone for your ideas on what works for you. I will definitely try pausing and thinking before I start a food fest. The problem I experience sometimes that I get in a food fog....my head is somewhere else totally preoccupied with some other thought. So, I'm almost not even present in the moment to have a clear rational thought before my binge. So here's what I'm going to do... I'll post a sign inside my fridge and the cabinet to snap me back to "reality" and remind me to re-evaluate the snack. I'll let you guys know if it worked.0
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Thanks everyone for your ideas on what works for you. I will definitely try pausing and thinking before I start a food fest. The problem I experience sometimes that I get in a food fog....my head is somewhere else totally preoccupied with some other thought. So, I'm almost not even present in the moment to have a clear rational thought before my binge. So here's what I'm going to do... I'll post a sign inside my fridge and the cabinet to snap me back to "reality" and remind me to re-evaluate the snack. I'll let you guys know if it worked.
Like your idea of a sign. I am the same way. Last night I was SO upset and I ate 4 mini snicker ice cream bars (360 calories!) without even thinking...there was NO way I was going to stop and ask myself some questions.....my mind was going a hunderd miles and hour...but the sign would help stop me (I hope)...I am not going to beat myself up about it...I had a great workout yesterday and a double planned for today so hopefully it won't counter act all the good I have been doing the past two week.s
Good luck on your journey!0 -
Oh, I am very much an emotional eater. What is so sad is I eat whether happy or sad emotions. Can't stand it! I wish I weren't and not sure how to conquer it exactly. Maybe counseling? But, that takes money and time that I can't take off work. If anyone has the secret formula for conquering it, please tell me.0
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I am so like you Gypsyrose! I do the same thing. I had suffered years ago with bulemia. I went to counseling and when she told me to start keeping a food log and also logging my emotions, I quit counseling. I think I just didn't want to have to face what caused me to do this harmful thing.0
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Major emotional eater here. I eat because I'm depressed, need comfort, and can't care enough about taking care of myself. I eat because I'm bored. I eat because I'm happy and figure I might as well enjoy myself. And, wow, do I eat when I'm angry! I've been known to down a dozen glazed donuts in ten minutes! Awareness is the most important thing. I often found myself eating without even realizing I had started. Now, I KNOW when I'm putting something into my mouth. Definitely take a moment to think about why you're eating. If it's because you're tired, bored, depressed, or angry, take a walk and drink a glass of water instead. If it's because you're happy and want to celebrate, celebrate with something healthy instead, and you'll have even more to celebrate. Just learn to pay attention to what you're eating, why you're eating it, and how it makes you feel. It's a lot easier to put down the fork when you know why you picked it up in the first place. Good luck!0
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Oh, I am very much an emotional eater. What is so sad is I eat whether happy or sad emotions. Can't stand it! I wish I weren't and not sure how to conquer it exactly. Maybe counseling? But, that takes money and time that I can't take off work. If anyone has the secret formula for conquering it, please tell me.
The secret, if you don't have time and money to go to counseling, is to learn to counsel yourself. The most effective way to do that is to a) learn what your triggers are b) make a plan of something specific you can do to help change your behavior (small steps work best) c) positive self-talk--make a list of things you like about yourself, include encouragers like "Food does not control me." "Eating is a choice." etc. Make this about one page long, and post it somewhere where you will see it every day. Read it out loud at least once per day. Three times is best. (I'm a counselor in training, and these are some of the tips they give us to keep OURSELVES healthy enough to help others.)0 -
Welcome! I am some kind of eater, I know I eat when I am bored! I am a stay at home Mom of 3 and I also run a little home daycare. So spending a lot of time at home, in the kitchen, I find I graze, ALOT! If I'm bored, I start to wonder and then I end up in the kitchen. If the day has been hectic, I pace and end up in the kitchen. I make great meals for the kids, but even if I make extra the kids tend to gooble it up! So then once it is over, the dust clears and the kids are off playing again..... I usually reach for something quick, easy and far less healthy than apple slices!
I need a "good" grazing food that has no calories, tastes fabulous, and what the heck.....burns fat as I chew!!0 -
Im new here too, I just started yesterday! I am such an emotional eater and I hate it! But this website is awesome and im really hopeing to stick with it for a long time.0
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I am relatively new here too.
I am less of an emotional eater, and more of just an eater eater. I like food, I hate to "diet" because I need to feel satisfied, or I start craving more food.
I think it's all physiological - my brain craves food when I being to count calories, or attempt to limit myself.
I am just trying to eat better, whatever I want, but healthier whole foods.0
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