[neon_zephyr]

Hello, Fellow Chicks. I've been on 3FC before -- though not very actively and actually only briefly before my fitness plan imploded upon impact with an overly-demanding, sedentary schedule -- but I'm back now and more committed than before. My work is very sedentary and at this stage in the project, it's really stressful. That's normal for most people, I guess, but my relationship with the stressful project seems to have gotten to a point that impacts my weight. I'm pretty sure that stress-eating isn't healthy management of the self.

I'm currently the heaviest I've ever been (and also the oldest I've ever been, which means the body works slower now that I'm in my 30s than it did just a couple of years ago in my 20s) and really struggling to reduce fat and become healthy. Because I can't just watch what I eat for a week, workout a lot, and see an immediate result, I'm trying to be more responsible by seeking out communities of people in similar situations so that I feel less like a freakish failure and more inclined to keep motivated! In an effort to do so, I'm trying to re-evaluate my patterns and tendencies when it comes to eating.

So, I'm not really sure if emotional eating is a type of binge-eating, but it seems to me like combination of over-eating and displacing value when it comes to what gives a person comfort. I've been thinking about this a lot today and wondered what other people thought and if similar strategies to controlling eating very large portions might work when eating for the wrong reasons.

I didn't think I was a an emotional eater because both sadness and happiness had a tendency to dampen my appetite, not stimulate it; I wasn't eating to dull intense feelings. I realized today, though, that I do tend to overeat when I am feeling very stressed out, frustrated, overwhelmed, unfocused/bored with the moment and unable to change it, spiteful about criticism regarding my physical body, or when I feel like I'm being pushed around and not in control. When I dive into my work and focus, I forget to eat for a couple of days at a time and most of the time, I don't even notice that I'm hungry or will drink tea, coffee, or water instead of taking the time to eat real food. You see, my time-saving strategies spawned the poor eating habits that are wrecking my physique -- convenience = processed food, usually, eaten infrequently and in big bursts. Pack-rat mode. Clutter mode. In fact, these habits have begun to ooze out of the kitchen and into life, now, too and my once organized, fit self is overwhelmed by physical, mental, and body-fat clutter! I'm starting to think that these things are all related for me.

So, perhaps eating for the wrong reasons is actually a kind of bingeing? I'm in a tough place with my project, now, and stressed out a lot and procrastinating, too much, by eating more than I should of things that I know are bad for me. It's almost like subconsciously, I think that the indulgence will push me past that feeling of floating away in a big gust of wind, like I'm trying to increase my connection to the ground and grounded-ness, overall.

How many of you have found some connection between feeling in control of your lives in general and in control of your nutrition and fitness? Do any of you overeat or binge eat when you're feeling out of control in life? I've also noticed that my weight loss plans usually tend to fall apart when other well-meaning family members try to take over my dieting or exercise regimens by guilting me into following their advice or guilting me for choosing something that is my own, so that I feel like it isn't my own ambition anymore. In some ways, this battle for control is both about my body and about my feelings of independence.

Have any of you felt similarly? What do you do to combat stress-eating, spite-eating, or convenience-bingeing?

[LastTrain2Para]

I've always associated the two together... whenever i have big changes in my life i find it difficult to stick to a plan. its something i think we all have to work on; coping strategies i think its called.

I know lots of people want to add the two cents in where its not wanted or asked for. so i ignore the advice of "tell everyone" b/c not everyone is ready for that wt loss or changes.

I'm working on how to wake up out of the mindless eating and i putting restrictions on where and when I can eat.. only at a table and away from the tv/comp/distraction.

stay strong and continue working towards you goal; also know that you are not alone; just about everything you stated is something ive done or had to deal with and i know there are many others who can relate.

[WebWoman]

Thanks for your very honest posting. I have the same issues - when I once was very organized and in control of every area of my life (it seemed), lately I've felt overwhelmed by the combination of work stresses, my twin seniors' many sports events, college tours, senior pictures, keeping up the house, and all while a single mom. After work sometimes I just sit in a rocking chair, have a glass of wine and just...eat with the weather channel on. Not a good plan, I know. I do feel that if I clean my house and get that part organized, I feel a little better, and if I get one more piece of the puzzle in control, even better yet. I'm trying to get the weight back in line, but I still have to somehow find the time to exercise, which will make me feel better about how I look and more in control. Good luck to you!

[My BEST Self]

Like WebWoman, I appreciate your honesty. I'm not sure if stress/emotional eating is a type of bingeing, but I feel the same after both - out of control, failed, fat and worthless.

Being more mindful of what, when and where I eat helped me to lose 20 lbs earlier this year but when life got stressful, I fell into some old habits. I've since gained back those 20 lbs, plus 30 more for good measure.

Now, I'm refocused on improving my health. I also have reversed my thinking from "I CAN NOT reach 240 lbs" to "I will reach and maintain a healthy weight of 160lbs." I'll let you know if these work for me and look forward to seeing your progress. Good luck and all the best for the new year!

[Jalsa]

Hi and Happy New Year to everyone.

I was recently diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder. My main binge creator is stress and lack of control over what is happening. I stuff anxiety with food. I seem to be fine on the whole, when I don't have any intense work projects to do - during this period I eat healthily and regularly as well as exercise. As soon as the stress starts with the work - then I am very much in danger of entering into unhealthy eating strategies. I do two things during this period - I binge because somewhere along the line, I feel that I can have all this junk food as a reward for dealing with all these things and people that I really do not want to deal with and that this reward will make me feel better ...... then there is the grazing - eating anything and everything to quell the anxiety. I don't see the grazing as strictly bingeing as such but it is still connected to the eating disorder. Like My Best Self, I feel fat and out of control after both, but for me it is the grazing that I fear will be the most difficult to stop. I appear to have a kind of unconscious reaction to reach for food when I am stressed and anxious - ie I am not even aware half the time that I am doing it.

[ksellix]

Jaisa, I am alot like you.

I too have binge eating disorder and i also suffer from anxiety and depression. i have a lot of stressors in my life, and rather than face them, i turn to food as my only source of comfort. i feel just like you do, and have SUCH similar behaviors.

[Jalsa]

Originally Posted by ksellix

Jaisa, I am alot like you.

I too have binge eating disorder and i also suffer from anxiety and depression. i have a lot of stressors in my life, and rather than face them, i turn to food as my only source of comfort. i feel just like you do, and have SUCH similar behaviors.

Turning to food sometimes appears the easy option - it appears to be a good remedy when I am tired and stressed -just to get me through the last leg and then when I get on the scale I feel sooo depressed. The therapy I am doing is making me realise when and why I overeat but it isn't shifting the weight -so four days ago I went into abstinence from white sugar and flour- maybe the therapy has helped me to do that but this is a long journey

[roxy4173]

It is amazing how food something you put in your mouth can become your bestfriend and something you lookforword to more than anything else.I need help with my emotional eating I would like to STOP,but not sure how to!