emotional eating

BossyGirl
BossyGirl Posts: 173 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Im trying very very very hard to stop my emotional eating. I know that if i can stop this i will not have weight problems. I find that after im on a diet for a while i start to eat because i dont feel "satisfied" with my healthy foods. I do snack a little ( a healthy amount). The only time I honestly feel satisfied is after iv eatin a lot of junk! a little just wont do! but i want it to do!
If anyone has issues like this or have had...tell me what i can say to my self. i mean self talk.

Also I found a way to avoid going through my cubbards and staying motivated. I buy the womens fitness magizines and lay it on my counter! it works when i see the hot mama on the cover!

Replies

  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
    First off, don't keep any junk in the house (I know that may be tough if you don't live alone).

    I also am an emotional eater. While having a rough night at work, I think "Ugh, I can't wait to get home and eat a pint of ice cream!" :explode: But once that rough night ends, I re-evaluate and ask myself if I still need it. I usually say no. :laugh:

    If I'm bored or lonely (which is usually why I eat) I try to pinpoint it to see if I actually am hungry, or if I'm just bored or lonely. If I'm hungry, I'll eat a snack. If I'm lonely, I'll come here or go for a walk or go window shopping at the mall and try on clothes that now fit (it's a great motivator!).
  • daybyday815
    daybyday815 Posts: 32
    preaching to the choir! if you find the answer, do share! The thing that works best for me is just to not keep anything around. if i'm craving something bad i'll drive and get it. Sometimes i feel guilty that i can't keep a package of oreos in my cupboard, but i just figure i'm kinda like a recovering alcoholic in that way....hopefully one day i'll beat those beastly panicky moments!
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    i am a big emotional eater. and i just think back to the times I was like that its a never ending cycle of feeling bad, eating becuz of it, and then feeling worse about what u've eaten. it's all about breaking the cycle. if u feel u have a craving coming on, drink a glass of water, come on MFP (i log on every minute!)
    and just think about if what u are about to eat is truly worth the disappointment u will feel after.

    hope that helps.

    also chew gum! sometimes u just need to keep ur mouth busy lol
  • wattsam1
    wattsam1 Posts: 95
    Everytime I walk over to my pantry or fridge I stop and ask myself if I am really hungry or if something else is making me want food.

    If it's because of a sad or stressful situation I try to remind myself that eating really isn't going to solve my problem and when I really feel like I can't control myself I keep myself away from the kitchen.

    Most of the time distracting myself with cleaning, sorting, reading will do the trick, and sometimes I have to give in, but at least I gave myself a breather and I'm not going for the chips anymore!
  • Tasha1476
    Tasha1476 Posts: 220
    Emotional eating is a HUGE problem for me as well. Lonliness is what gets me, since I just moved up to New York a year ago, I have no family here, no boyfriend and I have tons of friends but none of them are super close friends. So whenever I have time to spend alone I end up with a pint of icecream or little debbies.

    I read this really great book 'Shrink Yourself' and its all about how to control emotional eating. Im still having my issues but getting better day by day. Like someone said earlier, getting over emotional eating is really a lot like being a recovering alcoholic, and is especially hard because a majority of people in your life don't recognise it as a real problem or something that you actually have real trouble controlling.
  • sissy56
    sissy56 Posts: 108 Member
    I am totally and emotional eater. At work now, but I'll write later.
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    now that u mention that tasha, just yesterday I read in a book that eating is an addiction just like alcohol or drugs. everyone uses a different outlet for their feelings, and yes food is definately one for me. But I agree with another comment here that eating will not solve any problems nor will it make u feel better. I ended up hating myself more after over eating or eating something I knew was unhealthy.
    (I hate that feeling)
  • Sparksfly
    Sparksfly Posts: 470 Member
    I actually went on Wellbutrin to control my emotional eating.

    They use the same drug to satiate (sp?) smokers who are trying to quit. It's definately a very real addiction. I lost 12 lbs because it really clears my mind and helps me to stop eating when I am full.

    I still have a lot of work to do with losing more the healthy way, but it definately has helped me to make better choices overall.

    I would say I am about 15-20lbs overweight because of my emotional eating problems.
  • takern
    takern Posts: 2
    I have the same problem with junk food, mostly sweets. I find myself diving into the chocolate or cookies whenever I get a little stressed. It's like instant gratification... until after I fill up with junk. Then I am terribly disappointed with myself and I have pretty much trashed my day. Now instead of going for the candy bowl, I pour a BIG glass of water. It helps cut down the temptaion.
  • daybyday815
    daybyday815 Posts: 32
    My doctor put me on that, but it just made my skin itchy.
  • BossyGirl
    BossyGirl Posts: 173 Member
    Thanks for everything... I just got home from work, scarfed down a piece of pizza( which put me just at my calories) and then I put in chicken strips in the oven. After reading this Im going to put the chicken strips back in the fridge. Why??? B/C IM NOT HUNGRY!!!
    Coming from a family of alcohol and drug abuses, addiction does run in my family. Mine I guess is food.I have been obsessed with my weight sense my preteen years. Im now 21.
    I battled bulimia for a couple of years and hid it from my husband.
    I just wish I could stop the emotional eating.
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    great job bossy girl!

    i read that u shud ask urself these questions b4 u put something in ur mouth
    1. are u really hungry?
    2. is this healthy and will this help me meet my nutritional goals
    3. if the answer to the previous questions are no, then ask urself is it worth it?
  • Yerika
    Yerika Posts: 5
    This thread helped me a lot. I'm an emotional eater myself...and that's why I am 30 lbs overweight. :angry:
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