Question about uncovering the feelings you used to "stuff down"

  • Hi, I was reading somewhere a topic about emotional eating. People often complain that they can't identify what they are trying to solve by emotional eating or why/if they really emotionally eat. The book was saying to just take note of the feelings or discomfort that you get when you do not overeat/binge, and then you will know what it was you were trying to push away from the surface. Did any of you experience this as you lost your weight? I seemed to uncover some of this, a discomfort, but really couldn't identify it. But found that I usually would have to get up and move to alleviate the anxiety. Anxiety from what, I"m not sure.
  • I know at times I feel "out of sorts" for no particular reason & find it very disconcerting. I try to just let it work itself out & comfort myself with the knowledge that it is normal (for me at least) to have days/times like that & that nothing will solve it so it is better to just ride it out.

    I've struggled a lot with depression & for me some of the disconcertion of feeling out of sorts is the fear that it is depression rearing its unwelcome head.
  • Fran- I struggle a lot with emotional eating and heartily believe the AA acronym about triggers that we discussed before: HALT. Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. However, when I was heavy, I really don't think I was an emotional eater. Maintenance has brought much more of this to light, if only because I'm paying close attention to trying NOT to eat emotionally.

    On the other hand, if I'd spent too much time worrying and analyzing WHY I ate, instead of making behavioral changes, I'd still be fat. I know that in all my heart. I also know that some of us are analyzers, and some are more action oriented. Kind of like the difference in behavioral therapy and analytic therapy. For me, I just have to DO and stop thinking so much. Another way in which we are all so different

    Mel
  • Hi sportmom,

    I too have struggled with depression and aniety attacks. What can I say? it took me some years to figure out that it just happens and the best way for me was to exercise, to take some action to get it out of my system. After some more years i now sometimes hear the inner voices that trigger these things. Still, they often just come over you without any apparent reason, and I think it is like the weather. It happens, sometimes you like it sometimes not, and for me it works not to think about it but to cope with it.

    Just my 2 cents,

    Rabbit