Emotional Eating

I'm one of the BIGGEST emotional eaters you'll ever find, and the only thing that will usually keep me from doing it, is to work out, even if I've already worked out for the day. You have to focus on something else completely ... enough to forget about eating. It doesn't always work, but hopefully if you keep trying it will get easier. Sorry I don't have a magic fix, maybe someone else does, but it takes a lot of will power, and putting your focus elsewhere.

I'm one. It's something that you never truly get over, I think. It just gets easier to cope with over time. You have to get in the right frame of mind not to put yourself into this situation. Find something to do. You have to keep your mind occupied. My father died last summer and it really screwed up my weight loss big time and I didn't take off the rest of the weight til this year. It's all about being in charge and not letting your emotions get the best of you. Feel free to friend me if you'd ever like to talk about it - I've been down that road and still battle with it (although I actually under eat most days now, and that's not any better).

My friend started a support group about the subject. She will be featured on an upcoming segment of Oprah.

http://www.hungry4less.com/

I'm thinking and hoping she may offer sometype of on-line program soon if more people ask her. Her name is Kim. Tell her Allan from Long Beach sent you. She also has a Facebook group.

Continued wellness and health!

Allan

What about trying to find some go-to indulgent type food that is actually good for you? For me it's sushi (but I know you don't like that) and frozen yogurt. Or I know that if I'm out running errands, a McDonald's hamburger, an ice cream coke and a diet doctor pepper is yummy AND only 400 calories.

Emotional eating is a tricky one. Always pack around healthier snacks with you. A ziploc bag of craisins, fish crackers, peanuts, crispy minis. Have them in your car, in your desk at work, in your purse, so when you feel you need to indulge, you won't be tempted to go through the drive through, because you have things to fill the gap.
When grabbing for that hot dog, try to stop and think how you will feel after you've had that. I feel like crap and wished I hadn't sabatogued myself. Not that I don't treat myself once in a while, but I try to do it on my own terms, not when my emotions are out of whack. Stop, have a glass of water and think how that snack you're grabbing for to soothe your emotions will hinder or help you in achieving your ultimate goal. Visualize how you will feel, how you'd like to look, and hopefully you'll put down the hotdog and grab some rice crackers and hummus instead : )
Hope that helps!
I realized I had started to overcome my emotional eating when I posted one day that I had a binge. Then I laughed at myself, because instead of it being a bag of chips of a batch of brownies I was bingeing on, it was rice crackers.
Hope this helps.


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Like every one else, I don't have the answer. The only thing that saves me when I am on the highway is to keep some good choices of food in my truck. I also keep a few things in my hand bag. Otherwise, I would be pulling in to a fast food place or convenient store and going nuts. Good Luck

I think that it's the way you're wired, and it's going to be tough to change it, but I think you're going to find something that works for you.

My mom's an emotional eater, but she was aware of it by the time I was little. She hated being an emotional eater and did everything in her power to make sure I didn't become one (redirecting me to think about my problems and try to solve them logically rather than eat something to soothe me). I became comfortable with the uncomfortable feelings that problems produce. I'm not an emotional eater. And there's nothing I could do to become one. I feel physically opposed to eating when I feel sadness or anger. During times of major stress the thought of food repulses me. Happiness sometimes causes me to think of food, but mostly booze . Anyway, good luck. I do hope you find something that works for you.

Ugh, I eat emotionally too.

I try to stop and think before I eat anything... Why am I eating? Is it going to work for my goals or against them? If not I try to distract myself - go to the gym, or replace the unhealthy thing with something healthy that I like. Usually I'm eating emotionally because I feel like I "deserve" the ice cream or the fast food, even though I try to remind myself that I shouldn't reward myself with food... I try to take a bubble bath when I get home from the gym, or go shopping, just reward myself some other way. Ultimately just find another way to deal with whatever emotional problem you're dealing with... if it's your boss thats bothering you maybe call a friend or your mom on your way home, or go work out with someone you can vent to? For me angry music and running is a great stress release anyways so that helps me not eat emotionally with that kind of stress. My other emotional eating time is boredom - I like munching too much. Meh.

Thought of another trick. Next time you pack a lunch enter the food in your diary. Maybe that'll keep you from eating something else since you'd have to change your diary.