For me, de-stressing from work includes finding a friend to vent to, listening to some loud angry rock music, going for a swift walk (even if only to the bathroom/loo or car!), adult coloring books (swear words are fun!), meditation music (meditation is HARD if you can't calm), crafting, dancing around, etc...

Also, taking a deep breath and bringing to mind all the things to be thankful for about your young children BEFORE you pick them up...

Focusing more on reducing stress and anticipation of things BETWEEN places, between work and when you pick up the kids, between when you pick up the kids and home, between home and work, etc.

A friend shared these links with me a while back...

http://toomuchonherplate.com/time-to-do-something-else-transitions-and-emotional-eating/

http://toomuchonherplate.com/punctuation-overeating/

http://www.overeatingrecovery.com/embracing-emotions/do-you-turn-to-food-when-youre-in-a-transition-2/


That being said, the body does not REQUIRE carbs of any kind...but it can use them and they're often readily available. I find that there is no healthy bread unless you make it a home yourself from organic grains. Any bread that sits in a store or market has chemicals in it to prevent molding or it going stale, etc. It's those chemicals, plus the fact that most manufacturers add sugars to make their product preferred over others, that fry our systems. Salty, sweet, and fatty is the body's perfect attraction. These additions are made to products beyond reason.

For me, healthy carbs are vegetables, some lower sugar fruits (berries, stone fruits, etc.), etc.

The body has zero biological need or requirement for SUGAR in any form. Our body is incredible that it can convert and use anything we do give it...

Our ancestors did not have ready access to sugar, and it was an isolated special treat. Now in this day and age, we have access to it every day, all day, and it's added to foods that have no need of it to make us crave and buy it more, etc. Additionally, fruits have been manipulated over time to have less seeds and more sugar in them, so even so-called "healthy fruits" aren't as healthy as they used to be.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/heres-what-fruits-and-vegetables-looked-like-before-we-domesticated-them


I had to cut back on all grains, sugars, and starches for a time - and combine that with a therapy using amino acids to start breaking the chain on this cycle...for ME... I don't know if it has helped anyone else... I'm not claiming to be a doctor. I'm just sharing my own experiences.

I'm more of a compulsive eater first, and binge eater second. I will have foods just call to me, softly at first, then raging screams in my head until I consume that food - or every other food available to try to ignore that original food. And then if I get that food, it often isn't as satisfying as I expected to be, so I either eat MORE of it, or I switch to a different food compulsion.

Many times this is our dopamine reaction - a biological function - screaming at us what we need. Which is why we can't always escape the biological imperative. It's also why amino acid therapies can help...

This was the first article I read on the subject that helped me, though I took a different direction after this:

http://carbsyndrome.com/is-your-brain-two-quarts-low/


I still have binge cycles (tracking tightly, even like the check in thread here, is another large trigger of mine for more disordered thinking and eating cycles to increase), and food compulsions, but they're far less intense than they used to be. Sometimes I can even ignore them and move on...


Good luck!!!

P.S. Remember that some people do great with huge changes, whereas others get the best results from making small changes, but consistently... Remember, too, that absolutely NONE of this above may apply to you...or some of it, or all of it... There's nothing that works for everyone... Any number of changes might help you, but you'll have to find that for yourself...

P.P.S. Remember, too, that yes, everyone has to work hard to make a living - BUT no one has to stay miserable in a job. You can change jobs or your way of thinking about your job, etc. There are jobs that are less stressful and bad...and there are some jobs that are really hard work, but they're rewarding, and even loved...


Oh, and by the way, I'm a 41 year old female, with all kinds of health mess, and a job I dread going to many times, though the work itself isn't bad, it can be stressful. I don't have little ones at home with me anymore, but I'm perpetually exhausted by the adult child (boyfriend/fiance) in my home... Among other things... So please remember, in any dark and desperate moments, that you're not completely alone in the struggle.

(HUGS)

wibblewobblejellyontheplate wrote: »

Wow thank you for sharing.

Loved your stress response tactics, especially the colouring in. For a split second I thought colouring, that’s so calm then you suggested swear words... now I’m with you!

Thank you for the links, I haven’t read them yet as would like devote time to reading. You’re so right about preparing for stress and working the mind down prior to kid’s pick up.

It’s odd as I’m ill and lost my appetite. It’s almost liberating.

I noticed years ago I was working away and would buy meals out and would generally eat less. I think some is habit too. I am nervous about eliminating foods however, when I have freely allowed access to all my favourites bread, cake etc I don’t really have a stop button and the only result for allowing free access was that I binged every day for weeks.

Do you find yourself still craving food and looking forward to each meal, or have you managed to control that compulsion?

It really is amazing you controlling the bingeing.

The restrictions are somewhat temporary. I never imagined I could do it, but once I did, something clicked in my brain and it was so freeing and amazing...

I developed some health issues, and I've been off that plan, eating whatever, for a while now... I miss a lot of the free feelings I had eating that way.

I know for me, a lot of my issues were in my gut. Once we eat a lot of sugar or chemicals, we damage the lining in our gut. Once we do that, the neurotransmitters that control mood can't convert and absorb properly, and we need more to do the same job.

I rarely, if ever, lose my appetite. I used to joke about temporarily wanting a disease that would stop my appetite, etc., and then I realized I already had a disease, and to minimize what others suffer, even in response to my own suffering, was wrong...and unfair. But if I had a way to figure out how to consistently eat less or eat all the right foods for me, etc., I'd probably give up a lot to do it...

I don't restrict the foods completely, even when I started. I tell myself I can have them if I desperately desire, but they're not on my current plan, so they are treat items, not every day items. I NEVER restrict anything completely. That mindset is destructive for me. But I wanted to see how far I could tie things back and still manage it... And I did for a time.

I still binge, to a point, periodically. I still find eating compulsions, again, to a point. Sometimes, I can figure out if it is a psychological trigger (like I'm dying for candy/soft drink (fizzy cola?), I know either I'm tired or hungry or stressed)...if I'm tired, a quick walk or something might help. Some sunshine. Vitamin D3/K2, caffeine - without sugar, or an l-glutamine capsule... If I'm hungry, I have some almonds or other reasonable snack EVEN IF I'M PREPARING DINNER, as it will set me up not to be SO overwhelmingly hungry by the time I eat that I can't control myself, etc. I might drink some water, etc. If I'm stressed, again - l-glutamine tablet, walk, etc.

If my brain is just flipping me off with the giant middle finger and saying F U body, then I have to decide if something else will realistically satisfy my PMSing tantrum throwing inner child... I try to buy things in smaller servings, or FORCE myself to buy only one, etc. That way I can say, Okay, you can have one, but only one, because that's all I have... I find that the majority of super specific cravings are due to one of 2 things for me...nutrient deficiency ... or my wacky messed-up addict brain. The neurotransmitters really help with the addict-brain part...and vitamins/supplements really help with the nutrient part... Addressing both gives me a reasonable chance of success...

I do still crave food, but I can generally tell why I'm craving something... Lately it's been hamburgers. I'm sure that means my iron is low AGAIN. I actually DROPPED my iron levels AFTER supplementing by Rx, so I've been switching things up again. Sometimes it will be what we call french fries...I think they're chips to you... Fried potatoes. Usually that tells me I'm craving salt, which for me generally means I'm super low on water was sodium, maybe magnesium, too...depending. Having thyroid issues among the rest, somethings just eating some salt does the trick (not too much, just a bit)...or drinking some broth, etc. So it really depends on what I'm craving, and whether I can determine why. Chocolate usually means I missed a dose of magnesium, or I'm super stressed (this again is a place for the l-glutamine, etc.)...

Here's a few more article links to add to your list. Any time it say something else (alcohol, *kitten*/cigs, etc.), use the word sugar or whatever bothers you most... Look at it as if they just used the wrong word and it is written just for you...

http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-beat-sugar-cravings-glutamine/

https://www.afpafitness.com/research-articles/alcoholism-need-vitamins-become-well-2

http://flowingfree.org/diet-and-supplements-that-help-you-quit-smoking/

These go along with that first one about "is your brain two quarts low?"

I will tell you, successes - or rather recognizing successes, is a HUGE trigger for me.

I can't say, Yay, I made it a week! Yay, there's hope. Yay, something is clicking. Yay, I didn't each chocolate today!
Yay, I lost 5 pounds or 1 kg! Yay, I went down a pants size... Yay - ANYTHING...

Instant binge trigger.

I think it goes back to self esteem, not really daring to believe that success is possible, or that we truly deserve it, and something... So I don't. I don't set goals, I don't consciously celebrate ANYTHING. I step back as much as I can and try to logically view it as ONLY DATA.

I feel better, I've reduce inflammation as far as facial swelling and reduced joint pain... But I don't go, YAY, I DID THIS! because it undermines my successes.

I can't track days here, I do it loosely in my head, like, "it's been a while since I binged... Oh, really? That's nice, let's see if we can keep going..."

I don't have hard and fast goals... Sure, I want to get somewhere under 200 pounds again, but I haven't been there in nearly 20 years, really, so I don't know what that will like on me. I know I liked the way I looked at 19, 140 pounds, but that would be way too thin now, since I have had a child and all that... So I know that's unrealistic.... So somewhere in there, likely on the higher end, because I will never give up muscle for pounds lost, you know??

I have to keep it very fluid, and very ... unexciting. That's nice...keep going, you're not there yet, etc.

It can cause motivation to wear out, but we have to get determined, not motivated, because motivation will ALWAYS FAIL at some point, usually when it's least helpful. Determination with rise and fall, but it doesn't go away if you nourish it.

Even being off plan for MONTHS ON END, regaining 40 pounds, I'm still as determined as EVER to never let this beat me. My partner deserves better, my daughter deserves better, and most importantly, I DESERVE BETTER...

But this has taken me YEARS to get here, and it's still a daily struggle... So yeah...don't get discouraged. If you keep doing healthier things and making better choices any time you can, eventually good health MUST follow.

Dance with your kids during a commercial or while the water boils for dinner! While the stove is baking a weekend lunch! Find NEW ways to make life, exercise, relaxing, and such FUN or at least tolerable... We're FAR more likely to use techniques when we don't dread them.

P.S. I'm not on much on weekends, so feel free to shoot me a message if you have a question or anything. My notifications are better for those. (I hate checking groups from my App, it never works well!) Have a good one...

wibblewobblejellyontheplate wrote: »

I could actually tick off each one of those too. Thank you for articulating.

I think my triggers are:

1. Stress, and depression. Food gives me a little lift sometimes a massive lift in mood instantly and like you guys have said, it provides a happy little different world. I don’t let anyone into that I. E it has to be done alone.

2. Waking up from sleep oddly. If I had a daytime nap or when I wake in the morning. I’m not sure if that’s due to my dazed state....

3. Tiredness
4. Boredom
5. Depression


I don’t always recognise the above and only after having eaten am able to identify the cause.

I do worry food has drug like properties, with out sounding like I’m not taking responsibility but I had been avoiding bingeing and had low mood but today raised the children’s stash of chocolate rolls and can honestly say I felt euphoric following - and covered in hives.

It actually triggers a dopamine response, which is the same type of feeling that drug addicts get/feel when high. And it changes our brain chemistry, which is why we have to have more volume/quantity as time goes on ... and have it more often...

And when it is a brain chemical response, it is a biological imperative, even if it is WRONG, and becomes nigh on impossible to defeat...

It's why I like the articles I posted before... They repair or mitigate the damage we've done to ourselves....at least some of it...