[Dan2112]

Hey gang.
The weekly LAWL e-mail tip this week talks about eating as a comfort..

I know a bunch of us fell off the wagon this past weekend and that several of us are dealing with stress right now.. So I thought I'd pass this along.. Take from it what you will...

Tips to Avoid Eating for "Comfort"

Do you ever feel like eating when you're sad, angry, hopeless, bored or lonely? You're not alone! Eating in response to emotions, particularly if you are not hungry, is known as comfort eating, and while every person indulges from time to time, here are a few ways to manage your emotional eating and steer clear of comfort weight gain:

Be aware of what makes you eat - Are you likely to eat more when you are feeling "blue"? Does stress trigger your eating?

Explore other ways for managing feelings - Rather than using food to cope with your feelings take a walk around the block instead of around your kitchen pantry or refrigerator.

Plan for dealing with boredom - One of the most common ways of dealing with boredom is by eating. Have a plan of what other great things you can do while you are bored instead of eating (call a friend, go for a walk, read a book).

Eat healthy foods - Instead of picking up that favorite candy bar why not try your favorite sugarless gum? What fruits are on your plan that you can snack on?

Talk to someone - Discuss comfort eating with your LA Weight Loss counselor or friend to find out why you may be indulging and how you can manage it.

I think that last one can also lend credibility to this site.. I know I feel better when I read y'all's posts...

[Kimphin]

Thanks for the info, Dan. It's very true. Earlier I was annoyed at something(a bunch of someone's actually) and I was looking to eat. Then I stopped myself and thought, OK you have OP food - what do you want. After thinking about it, I realized I didn't even want a lite - I sat down and had an apple as my AM snack.

[Joni135]

These are good tips Dan - and I can relate to every one of them. A while back someone said next time you are hungry say to yourself..okay, if you are hungry, go eat an apple to deal with the hunger. Nine times out of ten, you aren't really hungry and you'll pass on the apple and hopefully anything junkie you almost had.

[KrispieD]

but never EVER pass on the salt!!!!!!!!!!!

[smjezzy]

Oh boy - are you in trouble now!

[momerath]

Good to know. This past weekend, I found out that my grandfather, who is in Palm Springs on vacation, has been hospitalized with meningitis. He's had kidney failure and has been on dialysis for the past three years, plus he's had multiple heart attacks, so I would be astounded if I had the chance to see him again. And of course, the timing of all of this was just perfect, what with Easter and the mountains of readily available chocolate and all. I consumed so much sugar Sunday night that I'm actually still feeling sick from it. Funny how a binge after 3 (nearly) chocolateless months can hit you so hard. Luckily my weight hardly fluctuated, and I'm back on the wagon now. I'll have to print these tips off and keep them in my purse in the future.

[Dan2112]

Originally Posted by KrispieD

but never EVER pass on the salt!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok.. now y'all need to stop..

[marzbe]

Actually salt cravings are usually go with dehydration. So drink the big bottle of water first, but have the salt with it to keep the electrolytes in check.

Salt is part of the body, thus salt is good for you. At least it's food found in nature. Who's ever seen an oreo tree?

[Dan2112]

Mmmmm...
Oreo treeeeeeee....