I need help...lots of it!

I have always been overweight growing up, and to this day have gone up and down with my weight. 5 years ago I was 188 lbs and then moved out of my parents house and lost 7 lbs in the first month and was able to keep that off for a bit, then 2 years ago I started getting stressed and gained 15 lbs in 2 ms and was just under 200lbs. I then realized that I needed to get my tail in gear and bought a dress for my cousins wedding a size smaller, so I joined WW and ended up losing 15 lbs, then gradually gained some back and then after two years I noticed I was only down 7 lbs (not that WW didn't work, it did...I just wasn't following it - dont know why not?) So I decided to quit WW and do this on my own and save money....BAD IDEA..gained 15 lbs since Feb and yesterday I have 30 and I know it doesn't get easier. I need to get this weight off. When I weighed in today I was 196 - the heaviest I have ever been! I WANT to do this....I really do, but have a hard time saying no and making the right choices even though I know that I am wrong!

I am a stress eater, and right now I am under A LOT of stress as my profession is a really hard one to get into and so I have accepted a job that is only 40 mins a day just to get my foot in the door, but that doesn' t pay and so money, work, life are all stressing me out and I am home most days and eat...I don' keep crap in my house, but I still find that I eat and eat and eat!

PLEASE HELP ME!!

Replies

  • specialkyc
    specialkyc Posts: 384 Member
    Bump for later....I have the same problem.
  • CarynCharB
    CarynCharB Posts: 215 Member
    I too am a stress eater! I struggle with it constantly!
  • daniellie23
    daniellie23 Posts: 30 Member
    Take small steps at at time, you have joined the right site, now just log everything you eat, everything that goes to your mouth, make the right choices and also start working out, you can start by walking and gradually building up to running, circuit training and strenght training. Have patience and be realistic,changes are not going to happen over night. If you start today start small, cut out soda and increase your water intake, load up your plate with vegetables, eat breakfast, eat whole grains. Also set a caloric intake goal for the day, you can find out your caloric intake at fat2fit.com. Its not easy but its certainly attainable. Good luck.
  • you're on the right track, asking for help and adding cals.
    hectic! i know hectic, stress, busy or not busy life at all....
    i drive 2 hours daily to a full time job, along with 4 kids(ages 12-11months) and husband who works afternoon shift. i know how hard it is sometimes to log in your food, and you take a bit here and another bite there and it adds up without you realizing it....and then exercising..after a long day, just the thought of putting my gym clothes on is a *****! ..:) but IF YOU really WANT IT you are the only one that can do it...here's how i started, and you can bend it anyway you like to fit you...
    i would do 3 reps of 20, squats, jumping jacks, sit ups as soon as i got out of bed in the morning.
    during the day i wouldnt eat it if i first didnt log it into to MFP
    and the evening, at first i would eat lean cuisines, smartones , but now while i make my kids dinners i make mine as well...
    right after dinner, i change into my gym clothes while i still have energy, so when my husband gets home at 9, i feed him and am out the door by 930, i run nearby at a high school track for about 25 minutes..

    now i do mostly everything the same but more time at the track, more squats, jumping jacks, situps, and now i can even do pushups...

    ask yourself this, do babies come out jumping??
    no they do it with time.. so thats us, we learn to sit, then crawl, then walk, then run, and finally jump!

    you can do it... friend request me!!
  • Eleisabelle
    Eleisabelle Posts: 365
    It's not easy to get stress eating under control, but it IS possible. First, you need to find better ways to control your stress.

    The first part is to snap yourself out of it--literally. Put a rubber band around your wrist (not tight), and when you find yourself craving or reaching for food, snap the rubber band to remind you to take a moment to think before you eat. It sounds silly, but for some people, including me, it's possible to remind yourself to take a moment to think before acting.

    So then the rest becomes mental: you take that moment--and ask yourself two questions:
    1) Am I really hungry, or am I stressed out?
    2) Is this food going to help me feel better right now?

    The first question takes a lot of self-assessment. You have to know the difference between hunger pangs and butterflies in your belly, between real hunger and just an emotional hunger for something soothing. It takes a while to get this down, but you have to practice it.

    So, if the answer to 1 is hungry, yes eat, but be conscious of what you eat. Make sure it's nutrient rich and tasty, and make yourself take the time to eat slowly and focus on it. Stress takes a lot out of your body, and to help control your stress response, you need to make sure you're getting the nutrients that keep your adrenal glands healthy--vitamins A, B complex, and C, calcium, magnesium, lean protein, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids are most beneficial for your adrenals, the glands that manage the stress response.

    Back to the questions: If the answer to 1 is stressed, then the answer to 2 is important. Do you know why?

    Because it's ALWAYS no. Food cannot fill an emotional need, and it never will. It will just leave you feeling just as stressed and, if you're like most of us, very guilty and depressed.

    Food is fuel, not an emotional life jacket.

    So now what? Put down the food and do something that WILL help. Call a friend to talk. Meditate. Go out for a walk. Or do something with your hands--write, knit, shadow box, play a game, do a crossword. Particularly helpful for me have been meditation and writing in a journal. They help me find other ways to control my stress response. Them, and exercise, exercise, exercise. When my stress and depression make me feel unmotivated about exercise, I remind myself that I always feel better after a good run or walk.

    That's a start. It's hard but you have to make yourself take control--you're the only one who can. And you can do it! It takes some time and effort, but it's absolutely possible! I did it, and I'm sure you can, too. It takes that mental shift, if necessary stimulated by the physical reminder, and you can overcome the stress monster!
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
    One of the best tools for weight loss is proper planning. Try to plan your meals and snacks for the day in advance. If that's a bit too restrictive, start making a list of meals and snacks of which you know the nutritional value that you can interchange as needed. I have about a dozen different snacks that I can use to fulfill my macros depending on what I need. (Some examples: apple and peanut butter; half a cup of cottage cheese and some tomatoes or carrots; yogurt with fresh fruit; protein bar; an ounce of nuts; an ounce of cheese and a piece of fruit.)

    As for the stress, try to stop and think if you are actually hungry before you eat. If you think you are, have a glass of water and wait 10 or 15 minutes. If you're still hungry, have a reasonable snack. Choose something you'll enjoy, but limit it to a single serving.

    I also recommend daily exercise to help manage stress. Even just walking can really help. You body will release endorphin and you'll feel more relaxed. Also, consider taking up a hobby that keeps your hands busy so that you'll have something to occupy you that doesn't involve food. It could be a physical activity, or something like knitting. (I don't suggest watching movies or even reading just because that still leaves your hands free to eat.)

    You probably already know these things, but hopefully you find something useful. Best wishes for future success.
  • BohemianPrep
    BohemianPrep Posts: 15 Member
    well i have to say that i have done my fair share of yo-yoing in the past 7 years or so, but you've made a effort to at least change this no?

    i find that just evaluating what you eat over a couple of days is incredibly eye opening. you realize all these things that were once good for you no longer are. also if you are a stress eater, then you need to gear that stress another way. i'm a incredibly stressed out person. i work 3 jobs and i just graduated college. last summer i discovered yoga and i'm so thankful for that.

    i can't believe that wonderful things that it does for me. see if you have a studio around or even better, see if a local library or community center hosts a teacher.
  • ReneeJ814
    ReneeJ814 Posts: 72 Member
    I'm an emotional eater as well. I wish I could tell you that this problem goes away after awhile, but the truth is it doesn't. This will always be a problem, but you can take control. It will take some time, but you can win this battle. I was stressed last week and my eating was out of control. I went back to my old ways, and I felt like crap afterwards. Whenever you get the urge to overindulge, just remind yourself of how good you feel when you eat properly. Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

    As far as some strategies for managing stress, there are several that I like. Exercise definitely helps me manage my stress. When I feel unmotivated, I remind myself of how good I will feel afterward. The important thing is finding something that you enjoy. I really enjoy Zumba because it's fun and I get to let loose and laugh at myself, because I'm pretty sure I look ridiculous!

    You said that you don't keep junk food at home, so you must be eating out or at work. My advice here is to keep healthy snacks handy. If there comes a time where you can't fight the urge to eat when you're emotional, grab one of your healthy snacks. At least you won't feel guilty for eating if it's good for you.

    Finally, some stress management techniques. Most importantly make sure you get the right amount of sleep each night. It is key for weight loss, plus you feel better and can manage the stresses of the day easier. Do something that relaxes you every day. Set out some time to spend on yourself doing something that you like to do. When I'm really stressed, I like to take a bubble bath. Keeping a journal definitely helps, or find a trusted friend to talk to. Good luck wth your weight loss journey. I know you can do it!
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    I'm a stress eater too. I wish I could tell you it's a completely defeatable but I don't really think it is, except for the very strongest among us.

    For us normal folks, the trick is not to try to stop stress eating altogether but to learn to forgive ourselves and get right back on track as soon as possible after the binge. The idea is to keep your long term weight loss trending downwards but not get too upset over the upward spikes that will inevitably appear in that graph line. Don't turn slip-ups into give-ups.

    It sometimes helps me to look at my body coldly and scientifically. It's a machine requiring fuel. When it's being stressed out - physically or mentally - it needs even better fuel than usual or else I'll feel even more like crap. It's sound logic, it doesn't always work but sometimes it does. If you're stressed and reaching for that highly processed, additive filled, piece of junk food, then sometimes you might be able to pause and remind yourself that it's the very last thing your mind needs right now.

    I suggest getting a journal and trying to identify your stress triggers in detail. You might be surprised what you learn about yourself. Not all of the triggers will be avoidable but I'd bet my bottom dollar some will be.
  • carwen62
    carwen62 Posts: 7
    I can really identify with the stress eating and the ups and downs of the scale. All of this advise on this thread is excellent, folks. Let me add that you need to start by setting a smaller more attainable goal. Work toward getting 10 pounds off and maintaining that for a bit. Then set another goal to work toward (this is where I'm at now). Looking at the big picture of 50+ pounds will stress you out even more. You also need a little acceptance and understanding of yourself. WW was great for me, too but we need what works for the lifetime. Don't give up what ever you do.