Emotional Eaters

Hi!

Are there any other emotional eaters out there who would like to form a support group?

It's easier to stay away from junk food when you have found comfort in a chat with a friend.

 

oh boy, I'll join! I'm a bored eater more than an emotional eater, but they say that counts... so yeah, I'll join on!

I am also a bored eater and frustration eater so yes I will join!

Welcome Gew90 and Trinaxxl! Perhaps together we can learn when we are hungry and when we are eating becuse we are stressed and need some kind words to come out way.

I'm definately a bored eater.  Any suggestions that you guys have on how to avoid eating when you're bored?  I just try to keep busy, but sometimes its nice to sit down and relax....and then 15 minutes later all I can think of is food.

I'm one of the bored and frustrated eaters as well, unfortunately one of the first things I usually reach for is some dark chocolate.  When they say that dark chocolate is good for you I don't think they mean the entire 100g bar! :)

The other day I read a post by someone who said that when she gets that urge to nibble mindlessly she makes a cup of tea.  Just having something to drink that tasted good was enough to take her mind off of reaching for the goodies.  I plan on giving it a shot.

Wow, I was just thinking about posting something similar! Seems there are lots of us.

I guess I mostly eat to quell boredom. I've also done it in frustration, as someone else mentioned.

I also eat out of habit, which is BAD! Example...I love to relax by reading...however, I've become accustom to eating while I read. I've tried to break this habit but as most habits are...it's hard to do! I just love to munch while I read. It's comforting for some strange reason!! Mindless eating...not good. My two worst foods I eat while reading is popcorn and home made beef jerky. (Both high in sodium, too.)

I'd love some ideas on what to do about this as well.

I could drink tea, but I already drink TONS of water a day and am up usually 2-3 times a night as it is. So drinking might not be the way to go. I've tried gum, but it's just not the same. Maybe I should find a new hobbie or something, I don't know.

 alcI'll join too. I realize that I use food the way an alcoholic uses booze. I celebrate with it, I spend time with it, I mourn with it, I distract with it. I need to connect with some people who can relate to that!

I will join in, I'm new here but just looking at this thread it sounds like I have found a good spot.  I eat when I'm bored, if I can stay busy and not sit in front of the tv I can stick to eating the things I should but as soon as I sit, my mind thinks my mouth should have something in it.  When I'm really being good I just try not to buy any of my munchie favorites, chips, chocolate and gum drops.  It's amazing how quickly those empty calories add up!  If they aren't in the house I can't eat them and I guess if I want it bad enough to go and buy it, then I probably deserve it. : )

Wow, am I ever an emotional eater.  The first thing I do is look for something "forbidden" when things get stressful.  At times boredom can bring on mindless overeating too, and before you know it the whole thing is gone.  Some people lose weight when they are upset, or "forget to eat", really, who forgets to eat?  Heck, at times, I would eat for them. 

Today is the end of day two.  No great revelations, no milestones.  I have found that keeping a log of EVERYTHING that goes into my mouth, including gum is essential.  Being accountable to myself is the key, it can be a pain at times, but if you write as you go it really does work.  Fifteen years ago I lost 68 pounds on Jenny Craig and kept it off for ten, but five years of a life changing trying time  the pounds caught up with me and I'm back to where I started long ago.  So I finally decided it was time to make that commitment to myself again and get my weight if not under control, at least manageable.

Yep - that's me. 

I can eat over anything, good news, bad news, I'm bored, I'm stressed, I'm tired, or I'm reading, and lets not forget the breakfast time, lunch time, dinner time.  Right now I'm thinking I want something to eat because I haven't used my allotted calories.  I'm not particularly hungry.

I very easily could have written what leahpen wrote.  That's me exactly, except replace the beef jerky with dark chocolate (hello elsimpson).

This time of year, work keeps me pretty busy so, I'm hoping to stay distracted, but when I come home after a long hard day, it's very difficult to stay on the straight and narrow. 

I don't enjoy chewing gum, so I guess that's out, I will drink tea on occasion, so maybe I'll give that a try.

 

I took the emotional eater test...I passed with flying colors!

I feel less emotional just keeping track of my food intake...my conscience feels so much better! I love just adding it all up...the accountability is so what I needed. I tried WW so many ties but really hated the meetings and paying the $ and the points were like a secret code system...I love how they grade you. I REALLY like getting "A"s. I sort of wish they would set up premade food plans tho.

xoxoxox

blessings

mary 

 

 

Original Post by stacypenguinsfan:

 alcI'll join too. I realize that I use food the way an alcoholic uses booze. I celebrate with it, I spend time with it, I mourn with it, I distract with it. I need to connect with some people who can relate to that!

I totally understand this, today I had to resist eating when I was angy, I am trying to retrain my mind/body to not crave snacks everytime I am emotional.  I am trying to make myself wait 40 to 60 mins after something upsets me to eat so my body wont act like a dog trained to come on comand....

Mind send out pissed off chemicals.... body says OHHHH we get food now.

Something makes me cry..... Body says OHHHH we get food now.

I am not pavlovs dog, I will not let myself salivate (demand food) everytime my brain sends a strong emotional signal.

But it does mean fighting it all the time.

That sounds just like what I'm trying to do. I definitely have an emotional dependance on food, it's usually ok when I'm out and about and busy and distracted, but as soon as I'm on my own or under some sort of pressure (like revision) I'll be looking for other ways to distract myself, and that usually means a trip to the kitchen!

I've tried to deal with it in the rather to-the-point manner of just not buying sweet and sinful foods. If they aren't there, I won't eat them, and usually my brain seems happy as long as it's got something to crunch on. 99% fat free Matzos crackers with a little spread and marmite (yeast extract) on them make a great savoury snack, as does large chunks of celery with a little low fat houmous. Again, buying small packets of this (the houmous) means I'm less likely to gorge.

When I'm desperate for sugar though! That's another matter! Fruit and fat free yogurt with artificial sweetner sometimes just doesn't seem to cut it, but it can help!

And yes, drinking loads of water and cups of tea does help you feel full, at least for a little while.

I would like to join the group as well. I think I've been an emotional eater all my life.  Food for me is something secret.  I much prefer to eat by myself than with other people seeing how much I eat.  This is a big part of my problem, and one thing I really have to change. I do find that writing it down helps to make it all less "secret", but it's hard.  I appreciate hearing that others feel this way as well.

I'm in!!!  Not sure how this works as I'm a newbie here...

I'm most assuredly an emotional eater and it's an evil cycle once I start because of course then I'm pissed at myself for screwing up.  Once I've done that, then I end up gorging and giving up on my goals.  One day quickly becomes two and then on and on.

I'm working on changing that bit of thinking right there...  The thinking I'm screwing up part.  Sure I may make an error or a bad choice, but it's okay, I'll get over it (doing a little self coaching here LOL)

Oh, I am a long standing member of emotional eating.  Any emotion sends me for food.  I sometimes find mysel standing in front of the frig and don't know how I got there....Scary.  It has been  a life long battle for me.  There have been times in my almost 53 years when I was on the winning side and others (like now) when I am losing the battle.  Hopefully finding this site and forum will make me feel more in control.

 

I'm an emotional eater-and when stressed and board so I am definitely in this group!  Last year was a crap year for me personally and work wise and I put on 23 pounds in less than 3 months.  I now weigh more than I did at full term when I was pregnant, so I need to find outlets other than food to deal with it.  Right now I splurge on a massage every 2 weeks.  Works for me!

Absolutley, I have waiting for this group all my life!!!Yes, I happen to believe the there are strong correlations between emotions and food substances & the foods we ingest & the choices we make with food,whether they be by habit or concientious . These foods any foods are making you feel a certain whether it be good or bad. I can relate certain foods to different emotions & reactions, I am still analyzing this feeling. To me Power is Food ,Food is Power. I admit that outloud now, I can now understand the relation of why ,I do this with food,it really is an honest look at what I eat & why am I doing it.It desrves analysis.

Well, look at all of us! Let's try and support one another, then. I knew I wasn't alone, but it's nice to see there are others out there that think and do things the way I do and I'm not dysfuntional.

What things can we do to help each other out?

Here are a few tips on combating emotional eating:

ARE YOU PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY HUNGRY? Question your feelings before reaching for food. Maybe what you really need to pick up is the telephone, not that candy bar.

USE THE JOURNAL FEATURE HERE ON CALORIE COUNTER. Write about what you are feeling. Share your joys, your sorrows, your struggles. If you feel what you have written is too private, you can use the "LOCK" feature to keep others from seeing it.  Every week or so go back and look at what you have written. Checking your emotional levels can help you track the reasons why you eat and help you fight the urge to overeat when you get upset, lonely, or bored.

SHAKE IT UP BABY. Take a class, develop a  new hobbies, open that book you've been meaning to read! Do whatever it takes to your mind off food and eating. Even kissing and cuddling burns calories!

PLAN YOUR MEALS.Packing snacks and brown bagging your lunch allows you to avoid high calorie snacks in the vending machine! 

KEEP CALORIE COUNTER RUNNING ON YOUR COMPUTER ALL DAY LONG. Check with your boss. You may even be able to keep it running on your desktop at work.

MOVE IT!Walk, dance, or play with the kids. Burn up those calories! Many doctors now feel that the mildest forms of depression can be combated by a daily one mile walk! That means we can break out of our boredom and loneliness! Grab a friend and walk the mall, around the park, or around the high school track. No friend to walk with? Take the dog!

MAKE FRIENDS! Don't be afraid to add buddies or ask for moral support. ( PLEASEadd me! I would love to have more friends! Loneliness is one of my pitfalls.)

DRINK UP! Get into the habit of drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day. Water will flush out your system, keep your tummy filling fuller, and keep your skin looking great!

KEEP A RAINBOW IN THE KITCHEN! Keep watery fruits and healthy veggies on hand at all times. try a salad instead of a starch with dinner. 3 cups of baby greens have only 10 calories and REALLY make you feel very full.

LEARN TO LOVE YOUR BODY.  Sorry gang I am working on this one. Right now my goal is to like a new body part every few days. I'll let you know how this progresses.

May the Weight Loss Fairy visit you tonight!

MB aka koilady63 <}}}><