[chickyboo]

Every time I get upset - a bleb in my relationship, fight with family, or stress about work I undo all the good work I did - sometimes two weeks worth or more in a few days.

I want to learn a new way to "cope" with stress, I tried exercise but I just can not make myself go out and run or think how big I am at the gym while all I want to do is cry and eat more banana nut bread. I feel like I lack willpower. I started devloping this when I was 12 I believe (I am 24 now) and every time I had a problem at school - friends (or lack of!), grades, parents, family in general I would have some bread or cake and stay in my room and draw. Looks like I gave up the latter and am just left with the eating.

Now my wt is 163.0 and I find it hard to get back on track, because I know I can go back to my ticker wt from dec of 158 but whats the use - next month something else will upset me and then up up and away. I feel like sobbing when I realize how futile this cycle is!!

[GinaXOXO]

I am new and learning. I am reading a book called Shrink Yourself and feel that almost everyone who is overweight has an problem, to some degree, with emotional eating.

What I didn't realize is that it isn't the events that trigger emotional eating but how we react to the event. That is, how we intrepret the event. I have learned that most emotional eating steps from feeling helpless or out of control.

I haven't gotten to the section of the book that tells me how to make changes and I almost don't think I need to. Just knowing what is sending me to the kitchen is enough. I cannot tell you how many times I have thought of food and then reminded myself that I am not hungry--not physically anyway.

I have started to exercise twice a day. My morning exercise is my "real" exercise and in the evening I just do something easy. I think, but don't know, that increasing my exercise has helped me with perceived stress. If that isn't what is helping me get control then maybe the exercise is helping me with bordom--exercise is a lot more fun than watching TV.

I realize now that what stresses me the most is when I am not organized. I feel about 3 inches high when I forget an appointment or when my house is in shatters. I didn't realize though that was one of my main stressers. I am working pretty hard at keeping the house tidy, the laundry done, and using a daily planner. I feel like I am walking on air. There are times when I want to let it go and be lazy but I know now that I can't. The price I pay, in so many ways, is too high.

My suggestion is to find a good book or counselor to help you figure out what is going on in your head. I have tried and tried to lose weight without addressing emotional eating and I really believe that it is the missing component for so many.

Gina

[Reddalice]

This is what I am practicing as soon as I feel the stress from these situations: "I have no control over what is happening with (insert situation), but I am going to regain control over myself by doing (insert action like jogging or drinking more water or doing 10 pushups and situps) right now." Then I do the action, without hesitation, ignoring my own excuses.