Comfort Eating....

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emmamcc1981
emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I need a few tips and tricks to avoid comfort eating. between a moody husband who likes to make everyone as miserable as he is and kids that just plain refuse to sleep, this week has seen a monumental increase in comfort eating (not that i've been brave enough to enter it into my diary). i'm usually a pretty positive person and can shake off negativity, but when it's unavoidable.... *sigh*

since i can't avoid my low mood triggers (aka my family, lols) that send me heading for the cupboards i need some other stress busters that really work in the intrim periods between the issues getting resolved between us. like while he is at work or we can reset the kids sleeping patterns with a few early mornings.

i know i could google this but i'm looking for real suggestions from seasoned emotional eaters that really REALLY work. yes i know i could exercise, meditate and go and see friends but realistically those are longer term things that i would need someone to watch the kids for. i need tricks that work INSTANTLY in that second i'm standing at the cupboards ready to tear into any packet within reach. keeping healthy snacks on standby doesn't solve the issue either - i will literally eat until bursting, no matter what it is, healthy or otherwise.

PLEASE HELP.

Replies

  • josephine_x
    josephine_x Posts: 90 Member
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    You could try putting pics of someone who's body inspires you on the cupboard door along with one of you at your heaviest, maybe a caption too saying do I want this body or do I want junk food/biscuits etc, you get the general idea!!
  • nibbynoo
    nibbynoo Posts: 250 Member
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    this will make me sound like a wierdo lol

    i used to have massive comfort binges after my mum died and would literally eat a whole cheesecake or a tub of ice cream if i was feeling down (which was a lot!)

    now i just look at it and say 'this is why you are fat nikki, buck up and bin it' and i just put it straight in the bin.
    i live alone now though so can have no treats in the house but its a nightmare living with family that can have treats when you can't as they are always on display!

    if its sweets your craving i have a couple squares of dark chocolate or an ice lolly, never been much of a crisp eater but i've seem oven baked vegetable chips that are nicer than regular crisps if you ask me!

    its all in your head- and you are the master of it as its yours!!
  • cba4994
    cba4994 Posts: 147 Member
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    Journaling: This is something I preach but am guilty of not doing as often as I should, but it does help a lot. Try putting a small pad and pen in the pantry and start getting in the habit of grabbing that and writing out your frustration quickly instead of popping the food in your mouth. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    1) GET RID OF THE CRAP FOOD. Just get rid of it. If the rest of the family complains, tough noogies. It's not good for them either.

    2) WRITE IT DOWN. Even if it's not in your diary on this web site, WRITE IT DOWN. Keep a pad of paper on the counter, near the cabinet, and WRITE DOWN every morsel you eat. You will feel like an idiot writing down "1 box oreo cookes" (lol), so hopefully that will keep you from eating it.

    GUM. CHEW GUM. I chew gum all the time..... Keep your mouth busy.
  • nperumal
    nperumal Posts: 2
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    I know its hard when your buying food for your family but I simply do not have it in the house. If its not there i can't eat it. And when I'm tempted to pop to the shop (which I usually can't be bothered to do) I ask myself "is your desire to eat (insert food choice here) more than your desire to become slimer and healthier?" The answer is always no!
  • Thamantha
    Thamantha Posts: 102 Member
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    When you find you want to comfort eat there are a few things you can try:
    - Call a friend. chatting on the phone will keep you occupied until the cravings subside.
    - Go for a walk (with kids). Removing yourself from the vicinity of food can help.
    - Craft something. I find keeping my hands occupied with crochet, knitting or cross stitch stops me reaching for snacks.
    - Drink water, or tea.
    - Don't buy 'comfort' foods. If it isn't there then you can't eat it.
    - Put it in your food diary before you eat it. Figure out how much it would set you back if you ate everything you want to, and then make a judgement on what you want more, weight loss or chocolate.
  • missmuertos
    missmuertos Posts: 15 Member
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    Speaking from personal experience, comfort eating is rarely about the actual food. As you say, even having healthy snacks to hand isn't a deterrent because you can comfort eat pretty much anything. Normally a distraction from dealing with a bigger issue, be that depression, anxiety, anger.. and so I think the only way you can stop yourself from eating the emotion is to release it some other way. It's really hard, particularly if like me you tend to keep your emotions to yourself. The only thing I can suggest is to vent some other way, either pick up the phone to a friend or a family member who you can talk to about your day and your feelings openly or if it's sadness, put on a weepy and have a good cry/put on a comedy and have a good laugh, whatever feels right. If it's anger, exercise is very cathartic as you can thrash out all that angry energy and you feel good about yourself afterwards, so you're less likely to reach for the snacks. Because emotional eating is often a deep-seated habit, you will find it very difficult to break out of it and there are no 'instant' fixes that I'm aware of.

    The most important thing is, please do not to beat yourself up over it when it happens, people have bad days (or sometimes weeks) and have a bit of a wobble. Accept that it has happened, dust yourself off and think "I'll do better next time".

    Feel free to add me if you need to vent/want to chat x
  • GalaxyDuck
    GalaxyDuck Posts: 406 Member
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    Journaling: This is something I preach but am guilty of not doing as often as I should, but it does help a lot. Try putting a small pad and pen in the pantry and start getting in the habit of grabbing that and writing out your frustration quickly instead of popping the food in your mouth. Good luck :flowerforyou:

    Journalling is a great tool that I use all the time. Not only can it help you vent some frustrations and avoid snack binges, but it gives you something to look back on in the future. In re-reading my older entries, I find I learn a LOT about myself, how my brain works, what things trigger certain moods. Also helps you realize that you are NOT your emotions. You feel them, certainly, but they're just feelings that come and go through you. How you act on them is what matters.

    I use my journal for tracking my goals, my moods, my days. I don't write in it every day necessarily, but I try to make it a habit to write whenever I catch myself "talking in my head" a lot.

    Another trick I've found to help me from snacking when stressed, is to just drink water. I know I know, doesn't sound like much. But most of the time if I have a full glass or bottle of water and just wait 15-20 minutes, I find I'm not really hungry or the craving has been filled.

    Good luck!
  • yager8725
    yager8725 Posts: 267 Member
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    ok this is what works for me....

    1. Home is my safty zone. I try NOT to buy any Junk food I like. I have chips for husbands lunch but make sure I buy one I dont like.
    2. Coffee always saves me. Add flavored creamer. It adds calories but its better then a binge eat!! I also found some Hot teas I like. HOT DRINKS HELP SOOTH THE NERVES!!
    3. oranges are my best friend right now. the sent of the peel unwinds me and the fruit gives me a good mood boost. no oranges..orange juice will do just make sure you take a nice LONG smell of it while drinking!!!
    4. log it BEFORE you eat it. don't worry about people seening you went over! the log is so you can keep track. Look back in a ccouple of months and see if there in a cycle to it.



    I LOVE TO CHEW AND SWALLOW food so I completly understand what you are talking about!
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
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    There was a saying in my house when I was growing up, " If Mom is on a diet, everyone is on a diet." People that come to my house to visit eat the food that I keep in the house. That means no junk food in the house.

    As far as the emotional side of it. I know what it is to eat a 2lb bag of carrots because I had no junk food in the house.....What happens the next day is bad....but I know about eating even healthy food until it is gone. What I do now is log in to MFP and read or stand in front of a full length mirror naked until I am okay. Slowly that has become the replacement for food. Doesn't happen overnight, but it will become the habit that replaces the food.



    edited spelling
  • nibbynoo
    nibbynoo Posts: 250 Member
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    I've just created this group as there appear to be none for comfort eating on here;
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4129-comfort-eaters-anonymous

    if we can get enough people to join then there will be a constant stream of support when anyone feels like having a binge :)

    we can also all post good tips in one place :)
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
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    As others have said, writing it down just before you eat it might help. You will see just how many calories is in that candy bar or bag of chips. I am an emotional eater and sometimes I don't realize I am doing it. I have to remain aware of why I am eating this or that and if I really need to be eating this or that. It takes a lot of work and it isn't easy. There are a ton of books out there that help as well that you might want to look into getting.

    The good thing is that you recognize that you are eating for comfort and not hunger. Emotional eating is something most people don't realize is the culprit to their binging. If you have ever watched the Biggest Loser, most of the people on there eat to deal with their emotions. People think that if they just eat healthy and exercise, that is it. It isn't. You have to change the way you approach food and view it. Like I said, it takes time and sadly, isn't easy, but it can be done.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    I was an emotional eater, too. It sounds like you have a life with a lot of stress and you need some kind of escape.
    Remember the mantra: "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" - It's the truth. I had a post-it note on my fridge that said this, and I wrote it at the top of my shopping lists too.

    Coffee helps me too. Caffeine is an appetite suppressant and it helps your mood. I'm not saying this is the best displacement of behavior, but it works for me.

    As a last resort, please remember to tell yourself that the act of repeatedly avoiding temptation is the simple solution to taking control back.
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
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    1) GET RID OF THE CRAP FOOD. Just get rid of it. If the rest of the family complains, tough noogies. It's not good for them either.

    2) WRITE IT DOWN. Even if it's not in your diary on this web site, WRITE IT DOWN. Keep a pad of paper on the counter, near the cabinet, and WRITE DOWN every morsel you eat. You will feel like an idiot writing down "1 box oreo cookes" (lol), so hopefully that will keep you from eating it.

    GUM. CHEW GUM. I chew gum all the time..... Keep your mouth busy.

    I did number 1 my kids understand the only junk that is in the house is for their lunches !!! This whole week has been Spring Break they have not had any of their snack chips with out having something healthy or asking me first. I have a small pantry so i have a bakers' rack in the garage where i have my hurricane supplies and junk. Out of sight out of mind.
    I will also write down or log everything no matter what even if i don't push complete last week i went to a bad place and was binge eating like no other. Looking over my logs now it's no wonder i'm not losing weight i know what i have to do. I have to be accountable to myself.
    and when i get stressed or hungry i go for the gum unless like yesterday i worked out hard as was under calories.

    Most of all your not alone. Get on MFP and talk to someone i feel better and my hands are busy and i'm not eating. i hope it gets better for you.
  • emmamcc1981
    emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
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    we don't have 'bad' foods in the house - the kids have things like mini yogurts, mini cheese, and mini biscuits and fruit for snacking - but those are the kid's food and completely off limits. they aren't unhealthy but i just plain don't eat them because they belong to the kids and not me. Hubby knows to eat chocolate and sweets outside of the house while at work and not to bring things home like that. so it isn't about the content of the foods being bad, it's more about the inability to stop once i've started. when i am in comfort eating mode i could eat a whole bowl of apples and not be phased by it!

    i am strict with what i eat and the amounts, constantly weighing, calculating, planning foods for the days and weeks etc, for example we eat completely vegetarian or vegan twice a week, only have one dinner with cheese once a week, have two fish meals a week, pudding only once a week, that kind of thing. so i guess it's a release to just stuff and stuff and stuff until i feel sick or in pain from feeling full (rarely gets to that, but it has been known).

    i doubt i could keep a journal though - i don't think hubby would be impressed if he found a pad with 'HE'S A PRICK!!!' on it page after page...

    the other thing of it is as well i'm only 4lbs away from my goal of 112lbs. it's only the comfort eating that is stopping me from achieving my goal. normally i'd run and yoga the excess calories off, but my mood has been so low this week i haven't had the energy to excercise (ironic, with all the extra calories, right?) but i don't know, it's not even like it happens all the time - i think this week has just been a particularly bad one.

    i just need to listen to myself when i say 'STOP!' instead of just laughing at myself and saying 'yeah, yeah. whatever. in a minute.'
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    i am strict with what i eat and the amounts, constantly weighing, calculating, planning foods for the days and weeks etc, for example we eat completely vegetarian or vegan twice a week, only have one dinner with cheese once a week, have two fish meals a week, pudding only once a week, that kind of thing. so i guess it's a release to just stuff and stuff and stuff until i feel sick or in pain from feeling full (rarely gets to that, but it has been known).

    Now that you've given more info, this could be the culprit. Often, when people restrict themselves so much, it ends with them wanting to "release" (as you put it). Is there a reason for being so strict with your meal planning?
  • emmamcc1981
    emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
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    Now that you've given more info, this could be the culprit. Often, when people restrict themselves so much, it ends with them wanting to "release" (as you put it). Is there a reason for being so strict with your meal planning?

    haha! yeah - i used to be really fat! LMAO. what i consider now to be comfort eating was the way i would eat as a matter of course. i worked through alot of issues, plus had 2 kids worth of babyweight to shift. so i got tough and kicked my *kitten* into shape :D

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