Emotional Eating

I kept saying to myself, "If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the solution."


Whatever problems I do have I try to find solutions to them. We live in a time where solutions are at our fingertips with the internet! It's truly a great tool.

With that said, I also journal whenever I'm having a big stressor in my life. It helps to get the thoughts out of my head. It takes time to work through things, but there is always a way to deal with whatever is going on. Talk to a friend, get some therapy, practice mindful meditation, get some exercise. Learn to let go.

There is a solution, and it isn't food.

Planning ahead has been my biggest tool to avoid emotion/boredom eating. I write up what I am going to eat on a Wednesday for the week ahead and only buy in what I need for the week. If it's not in the house I can't eat it. I also try and spend less time sitting on the sofa because that's when I start thinking about mindlessly eating, so I only watch TV if I am ironing or exercising now during the week.

Are you dealing with whatever is overwhelming you in anyway? Because if you have something specific that is nagging at you, it'll keep nagging at you unless you do something about it. If it's just general stress, try out some different things to relax - a long soak in the tub, some yoga, taking up a hobby, etc.

emjustem87 wrote: »

What tools, distractions, etc. do you use to avoid emotional eating?

It’s a habit that’s so deep-set in me and I hate the struggle.

My life is overwhelming right now and I want to turn to food. I’ve been trying to occupy myself otherwise with boxing, work, my kiddo.. but it's a constant nagging in my head. Almost painfully so.

Thanks guys.

Some things I do are...

1. Drinking a cup of coffee or herbal tea. Both unsweetened and without cream because I don't like to drink my calories. LOL.
2. Reading a book while sucking on a small mint or a handful of Tic Tacs.
3. Painting rocks. The Kindness Rocks Project is awesome and a great creative outlet for people of any skill.
4. Going for a walk. If the weather outside is not conducive for that, I get up and walk laps around the inside of my house.
5. Drinking some flavored water or plain water.
6. Find some messy area of the house to organize or clean. That is not difficult LOL..
7. Go to bed early. That usually is not difficult for me either LOL.

emjustem87 wrote: »

What tools, distractions, etc. do you use to avoid emotional eating?

It’s a habit that’s so deep-set in me and I hate the struggle.

My life is overwhelming right now and I want to turn to food. I’ve been trying to occupy myself otherwise with boxing, work, my kiddo.. but it's a constant nagging in my head. Almost painfully so.

Thanks guys.

This isn't going to be a popular suggestion, but stay with me.

Short term (for right now): reading, going for a walk, playing with my dog, going to the gym, meditating, call a friend or my mom.

Long term (to combat emotional eating): deal with your emotions; it's ugly, so ugly but deal with them. I haven't found any other single to way to combat emotional eating than that. I live with BED (binge eating disorder) and it's all emotional eating. Deal with what's triggering you: talk to someone, journal, make an appointment with a counsellor. I have been seeing both a registered dietitian AND a therapist - both specialize in dealing with EDs - for over 2 years. I am NOT saying you have an ED but binge eating and emotional overeating have a few common threads and the best way to really, truly move past it is to deal with the emotions; learn to accept them, deal with them, move past them and move on without triggering the want to eat. This isn't just a distraction - that's a short term solution - this is dealing with the emotions without wanting to consume everything you can see.

I am always here if you want to reach out to a stranger; sometimes it helps to talk to someone who knows nothing about you.

Best of luck, and hugs to you I know what you're going through.

emjustem87 wrote: »

acorsaut89 wrote: »

emjustem87 wrote: »

What tools, distractions, etc. do you use to avoid emotional eating?

It’s a habit that’s so deep-set in me and I hate the struggle.

My life is overwhelming right now and I want to turn to food. I’ve been trying to occupy myself otherwise with boxing, work, my kiddo.. but it's a constant nagging in my head. Almost painfully so.

Thanks guys.

This isn't going to be a popular suggestion, but stay with me.

Short term (for right now): reading, going for a walk, playing with my dog, going to the gym, meditating, call a friend or my mom.

Long term (to combat emotional eating): deal with your emotions; it's ugly, so ugly but deal with them. I haven't found any other single to way to combat emotional eating than that. I live with BED (binge eating disorder) and it's all emotional eating. Deal with what's triggering you: talk to someone, journal, make an appointment with a counsellor. I have been seeing both a registered dietitian AND a therapist - both specialize in dealing with EDs - for over 2 years. I am NOT saying you have an ED but binge eating and emotional overeating have a few common threads and the best way to really, truly move past it is to deal with the emotions; learn to accept them, deal with them, move past them and move on without triggering the want to eat. This isn't just a distraction - that's a short term solution - this is dealing with the emotions without wanting to consume everything you can see.

I am always here if you want to reach out to a stranger; sometimes it helps to talk to someone who knows nothing about you.

Best of luck, and hugs to you I know what you're going through.

Love this.. thank you so much!

Any time!

You may also find - over time - that as you get better and more used to dealing with certain emotions they will become fleeting and you only need short term distractions to help out.

For example: there are still times where I am triggered to binge but I cannot identify why I want to; I don't know the emotion I'm dealing with. However, there are other times where I will feel like one of my friends is throwing it in my face that I'm still single and alone. I go to the gym - I don't talk to her for a couple days - I take some time and most times I realize she wasn't throwing it in my face but since I am the only single friend in my group of friends I feel like I am really behind and left out. Old me: that would have triggered a trip to McDonalds. Now that I'm dealing with it: the feeling is fleeting. It's a silly example - without getting too dark lol - but just an example. When I can't identify what I'm feeling - or why I feel triggered - that's when it's most important for me to take a walk, or hit the gym. Typically that will help; although meditating at that time has helped me recognize why I feel how I feel and allowed me to think on it. Sounds hippy-ish, but I am a big fan of meditating.