My biggest struggles are stress and depression. I also have a really strong cravings overeat urge. Craving a scoop of ice cream and I'm stressed from work? There goes a pint or more! So, my challenge is to reign those in. I also tend to "mindlessly" snack at work. There's always cookies or crackers out.

I overeat for too many reasons to count. It’s my drug of choice I always say. Food never judges me. Food makes me feel good. It helps when I’m stressed, sad, overwhelmed, bored, when I feel unheard and my best friend when I’m happy. I love sweets and I crave them. Sweets and salty. I can’t keep anything in the house because if I do I’ll eat it until it’s gone. I kid myself by saying my grandkids would love those brownies just so I feel good about me purchasing them and I eat them latter. Ohh they may get some. But I do too. That’s the problem. I need to be honest with myself. I need to make changes that fuel my body. Food I need to realize isn’t my friend.

Stress makes me over eat. I especially go for anything sweet. Doesn’t really take the stress away

What makes me overeat is any type of meats . I am a proud food addiction survivor. To why I say that is I’ve worked so hard to beat the addiction I battled since I was 12 years old . The only foods I’m down to is vegetables is a certain type. I will eat out of emotion absolutely. Currently I have gained 15 pounds due to medical reason . The cardiologist is investigating. It has been mentally damaging to me we’re I have been eating more because I’m so depressed of how fat I am.

I live alone so it's easy for me to just graze. I eat out of boredom.

Hi I am new to this group but I have a problem with overeating as well.. It is hard to not eat especially at night lately I have been doing a little better but it is still a struggle. I also get very depressed in the winter and gain most of the weight I have lost back it is just a vicious cycle and so tiring!!

I overeat because

I’m stressed
I’m in company
I’m bored

When I'm stressed
Procrastinating doing something I really don't want to do
When my dh who has anxiety is being an out of control drama queen
On the weekends - only keep healthy stuff at home as I will eat what ever is there. But will eat alot more than on week days.
It calls to me - my mind will come up with eat this or that
It seems like whenever my weight has gone down, I will sabotage myself with too much

rupashreega wrote: »

I tend to overeat during my cramps. Feel like when I stuff food, the pain is relieved. any suggestions to overcome this. Seems my entire cycle of diet will break in this period every month.

I understand about the cramping. Before my hysterectomy, mine were debilitating. I lived on a heating pad and seemed to crave sugar. Sugar is as addictive as some drugs. It gives a feeling that we enjoy, and the more we eat, the more we want. I am trying to transition to naturally sweet treats (fruit) and less concentrated sweets (cakes/pies). The fiber in a whole fruit slows down the metabolism of the sugar to prevent an insulin dump compared to juice and sugary drinks.
To help with your cramps, some exercises help. It releases endorphins that make us feel better. Try taking a walk for 30 minutes while tightening your abdomen. Laying down on your back to do crunches and knee raises help tighten muscles in the pelvic area.
This seemed to help me even if it was just a distraction. Some months were harder than other. I hope you find a regimen that works good for you.

I overeat when stressed or anxious and when alone. I realized I gained so much weight raising children, not going anywhere and I had very little support from my husband. This caused me to feel and be alone. While he was at the bar I was stuck. It caused a vicious cycle.

donnam40 wrote: »

I overeat when......
Im sad
Im angry
Im happy
Im lonely
Im bored
Im stressed
Im at a party
Im at a family get together
I want to make myself feel better
Ive accomplished something, overeating is like a "treat"

So yeah....I think thats pretty much it!

I couldn't havve said it better. Any reason really. I need to create a new habit when I feel that trigger - make a cup of tea, anything else but eating!

I have found drinking tea helpful recently. I ordered a new teapot as a birthday present for myself in June.

I overeat when I am overwhelmed and stressed also sad. It’s a way of disassociating for me. I am now at the highest weight I have ever been at. The last time I was this heavy I was pregnant. I am definitely not pregnant currently.

Overeating is my default coping mechanism. Has been as long as I can remember. So any time I'm stressed, sad, lonely, frustrated, anxious, tired, overwhelmed, disappointed, hurt, grieving, etc, etc. I overeat. And sometimes its just habit. "Everything in moderation - except popcorn" - Skinny Pop ad that I absolutely love.
I realize that over the years, due to my yo-yo dieting, I've lost the ability to really know when I'm physically hungry or emotionally hungry. They often coincide too. One solution is to eat according to a "program" or "plan", especially if it's fewer calories that you need to maintain your weight. Problem is, though, that following the plan becomes the focus and not physical hunger. Then you get caught up in whether or not you can have a specific food or not.
It was enlightening to me to FINALLY look up how many calories are in one Krispy Kreme donut. Guess what - it's less than 200 calories. And it's luscious and filling. So I don't need to let one Krispy Kreme donut throw me out into the "another failure" zone.
So WHY DO I OVEREAT is exactly where I need to be right now - restarting MFP once again.
Hope you all have a wonderful, happy day today.

I think my issue is eating out of boredom. I work from home and it seems like I’m always snacking

I think that eating has become my coping mechanism for any type of stress. But mostly for situations where I’m hurt by someone - family, friends, coworkers etc. this is left over from my childhood where I was led to feel like it was my fault. But I was also led to believe that of I was not thinking I was “disqualified”. Eating is safe, it eases tension, it’s almost always available, and it relieves my distress. For the short term. But then I have to deal with the consequences -I.e. if I’m fat, I’ll never get married, get a good job, be acceptable in “society” etc.

So I went from being slightly overweight in high school and yo-yo dieting with limited success got me up into the morbid obesity range.