[Kataclismic]

Sigh.

I'm an emotional eater, specifically sad and happy. If I'm anxious, or excited, nope. If I'm worried, nope. But if I'm sad, throw the smarties ovah here! If I'm happy, let's celebrate with french fries!

Anyone else? How do you cope? What are your pivotal moments associated with realizing you are an emotional eater, or stopping the cycle? How do you move on after an emotional binge?

I had a day like that, today. It's best to be kind to myself, not self depreciate and move on, right now, not tommorow or next monday. I feel so sorry for myself, wishing I could go to the gym, or move or SOMETHING to counter act the food I ate today, but I can't. I dunno if I should really be upset about that or should I just relax and focus on keeping the binge at bay.

Feelings? Thoughts? Concerns?

**I am in therapy, once per week, just so you all know!

[aware210]

if i am lonely or bored.. my solution is to get comfort food.. in the form of fast food. its horrible i know. But i get to get in the car and go somewhere and eat.. and that cures my boredom, and i make my fiance take me so we are spending time together.. and cures my lonliness. That is my emotionalt eating addiction, and now that i have realized it i should probably find a better way to deal with it.

[aware210]

also once i mess up on my diet../ binge like that i feel like a failure like i have to start alll over again.. and i can only start on a monday or sunday... the beginning of the week. because other wise evrything isnt perfectly controlled and i dont know... i freak out. I have to have a schedule and a time and a chart and goals.. and if i screw up once i throw all my work out and start again. But if i mess up on a tuesday.. i will continue to binge until the next syunday.. my new starting date* so i tend do do alot more damage than my first original slip up would have.I guess this is behavior that must be remedied ..

[JessieCat]

I eat when I am bored or stressed, which unfortunately is quite a bit. I don't know how to kick the habit; I haven't done it yet. I just take it hour by hour. It is hard and I honestly wish I knew how to combat it. I do try to think of other things today before this happens so that when the mood strikes, I have a back-up plan. I picked up a hobby and if it gets bad, I get ready for bed, brush my teeth, get into bed, read, and go to sleep early. Good luck!

[wenwen]

Wow, Aware210---everything you said really hit home. That it is so me--my husband and I go out to eat all the time-as a way to spend time together. And if I screw up--I can't just start over again the next day--it just doesn't feel right-it has to be a Monday. I know I'm a little obsessive about things, but I didn't realize I was an emotional eater. I always just connected that with being down and depressed and stuffing your face, I don't do that. I've always just said I like to eat, because I like food. Maybe it goes deeper than that. What an eye opener!

[wenwen]

Also, I do exactly what you do. If i mess up on tuesday then i too will eat all week long figuring that it doesnt' matter cuz i'm gonna start over again on Monday, right? God I've been doing that for like a year straight. And I keep gaining and losing the same 10 pounds. This is the first time the light bulb just went off. Now, what to do about it?

[Kataclismic]

I *try* to start, RIGHT now. Not in 10 minutes, or an hour, or a week. I chug a couple liters of water, and start over.

[mariamherrera]

I used to do that.. If I messed up I'd have to wait until the next Sunday or monday to start over.. maybe it's an OCD thing? or maybe it's just an excuse to eat bad longer... But since i started my new lifestyle I don't do this any more! I'f Ive had something I shouldn't have for breakfast by lunch I make sure I'm back on plan.. this time no excuses I'll make it happen I have too..

But I emotional eat typically when I'm sad.. like if me and my husband just had a fight.. or I didn't lose any weight that week, I get down and want to eat... Or if I had a hard day at work.. I day dream about eating bad food while at work.. it's so sick.. I'm definitely a bored eater too If it's late at night and there's nothing to do i just want to get a bowl of ice cream hop into bed and watch american idol..lol. or what ever happens to be on. I also tend to celebrate with food- there for food equal happiness to me... and when I'm sick too... when i was a kid my mom always got me mcdonalds when I was sick from school or what ever.. .to this day.. i just want to eat fast food. it's bad.. and when it's TOM... I could binge all week if I let myself!

[aware210]

yeah i think its an ocd thing.. i have some serious contol issuses, alot to do with my weight..i have disordered eating i guess you would say.. i restrict (ALOT.. like 300 calories or less a day) i fast (water fasts or green tea).. i binge.. i rinse and repeat.. its affected me my whole adolecent life and im trying to get out of it now. My metabolism is completly shot.. if i eat over 800 calories a day i gain weight.. im not even kidding.. its really discouraging.. and alot of times after i fast for a week, i convince myself.. that i should be healthy.. and i should try to be healthy.. but then i go and eat big mac and fries for a week... so no healthy. I now have problems eating enough during the day and when it comes to my weight and eating im an emotional wreck..
I have a very supportive fiance.. when he met me i was really thin.. would go 3 days without eating and lived off of sugar free red bull and energy bars.. i used to black out from not eating. and everytime i try to lose weight i go back to that same thing.. because thats what worked.. even if it was only momentarily. And he always tries to get me to be healthy and eat right and exercise. I give him so much stress over it.. he worries about me so much, becuase i get so depressed about it sometimes. I remember several weeks ago screaming at him.. "dont you get it! i'd rathur be dead than this fat!" wich i think to some extent in my brain is true.. i dont know

anyways now im trying it his way. Eat healthy, and exercise. I hate exercising, but as bad as this sounds its even harder for me to eat.... yesterday i probably had 1200 calories and felt like it was to much. I felt guilty over it.. very guilty like even though i had gone on a half hour run/walk... and i did 20 minutes of pilates and my circuit training.. that i failed because i ate more than 800 calories. I think why im so addicted to fast food is because when i eat it, i dont count every calorie and while i feel guilty for eating it, i dont have the added guilt of knowing exactly how much i ate and how hard im going to have to work out to componsate for it. Its like the only time i dont feel guilty for not having total control.. is when i have absolutly none.

So yeah that is how messed up i am, and i know how bad emotional eating and not eating affects me.. i just hope that i can really break this cycle and become the healthy person i was meant to be.

[wenwen]

Well I guess that's why we're all here. We all have one thing in common-eating. It's good that we have eachother's support. I know for me, it really helps me to evaluate things about myself to read how other people feel. Of course i guess that's why we always see ourselves differently than other people do. Aware210, just hang in there. You are a beautiful girl. Hopefully with support, we'll all make it thru this somehow. JUST DON'T GIVE UP! (I've always been really good at giving advice that I really need to take)

[WormwoodDoll]

I eat emotionally and socially. When I'm sad/stressed/depressed, I will binge. If I'm happy and something goes good I feel like celebrating! If I'm with family or friends, I eat whatever I want then that turns into a real huge binge. But...

The best thing that has helped me was to keep my house clean of trigger foods. No more ice cream (just some WW bars that I can control myself with) or treats. My favorite snack is wheat thins and laughing cow light swiss cheese. I buy them in bulk at BJ so I have them for everyday.

I give myself 1 free meal a week (usually on weekends) so I can be social and enjoy my favorite food places.

I also have a pizza night. I buy healthy, organic pizzas (300 calories for half and yummy).

If I feel like binging, I'll get myself a cup of water, a Kashi or Luna bar, take a bath or read a book. Coming on here helps too. But if I'm not at home, I loose total control and I'm trying to work on that! I also feel like a failure and that I have to start all over again. I'll be like "I'll get back on Monday". I try not to do that anymore. I had a bad weekend that extended into the week and I got right back on the next day.

[campinbuff]

do you find therapy helping you? I am thinking about trying this route and getting to the root of my emotional eating problem. I get so far in my weight loss and then sabotage everything I did and end up starting back at square one again after only a few months. I have tried stress therapy techniques, but haven't found them useful for my emotional eating issues. They have helped with my insomnia though! LOL!

[tandifrass]

I'm totally the same way, except with me it happens moreso when I'm worried. As with Wormwood Doll I've founf cleaning out my cupboards really helps cut back on the sanck, it's hard to snack with no food!Although I will admit I've gotten pretty desperate and "snacked" on ramen noodles and tv dinners and stuff, which in turn caused me to eat even more food... it's a tough condition, I've also found putting reminder notes on my cupboards and fridge saying things like "Only six more lbs!" and "nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels" helps. I feel like I have an addiction to food, mainly the way it feels to bite into a chunk of chocolate, and forget everything else, and I'm still working on combating it. As with any addiction I feel it is always a part of you, but the thing you're addicted to just needs to be removed.. I dunno...

[Arcana]

I'm an emotional eater as well. For me it's stress. Any amount of stress and I could eat my weight in chocolate. I've stopped keeping chocolate in my dorm room, but I do keep some snacks, because otherwise I go crazy. I'm trying to keep healthy foods though, fruit, apple sauce, that sort of thing. I also eat when I'm bored, which is unfortunate, because it means that when I'm studying in my room, all I want to do is eat to occupy myself. I'm trying hard to break it, but it's a deep rooted thing for me. Food is comforting, and something to occupy me when I'm bored. In my family food = love. I don't know how to stop emotional/boredom eating, but I'm glad I'm not alone. (K, got to clarify this. I don't mean I want any of you to suffer from this either, but I know that if we're in it together we all have a better chance of getting through it).

[archychick]

<--------STRESS eater here.

Usually at night when I'm concentrating, studing, working or planning - I'm always planning. Carbs are my thing. I cook pretty healthfully - no fast food or junk in the house or out and I don't eat alot of sugar - none in my coffee or tea. However, several small bowls of whole wheat pasta or a couple of whole wheat tortillas filled with salad is enough to throw off my entire caloric intake that day since it all adds up. sigh. It is like a gnawing at my stomach and I think it has something to do with the sugar. After I eat carbs I instantly feel 'calm' for a little while, then I hit another bowl. I know its wrong and I counsel myself all the way to the kitchen until I finally tell myself to shove off. lol

The most recent way I've tried to combat this is with a strong, hot low-calorie broth. One cup of Trader Joe's liquid beef broth usually quells this (thank goodness!). I just hope it lasts.