Often I find that I eat out of boredom or emotions. Although I can recognize I am emotionally eating I often do not know why I am emotional or what is causing me to do so. In addition, even with the recognition that, that is what I am doing I can not stop. I exercise almost daily, but can't seem to stop the useless eating. Has anyone had any sucess getting to the root of not obvious emotional eating? Or practical ways to deal with it when in an office setting. I would appreciate any ones take on this and how to get it in check, I have had this issues since I was in grade school.

I know what you mean. I also find myself just eating-when I did WW I
was keeping track of my points. I was telling my husband what I ate for the
day and he said " don't forget the bacon you had for breakfast". I did not
remember eating any bacon, but he swore as I was cleaning up that I ate
2 pieces of bacon.
Do you think journalling would help? I tried, but most of my bad eating is
of the stuff it in your mouth and forget it type. I am also at a loss for a answer.I started eating some of my sons raviolis-after i had just finished
a sandwich. Help!!!

I agree journaling can be quite effective, but I can't journal my food for the rest of my life. Generally I will start to journal and have good results, lose some weight feel like I have everything in check and then stop, and go back to my old habits. I supose maybe the best compromise would be when I feel that I am emotional eating or for no reason journal then. Any other suggestions?

Perhaps therapy can help. For me it has absolutely helped me recognize that I emotional eat and what is behind it when I didnt even know I comfort ate. You could try delving into your past and pulling out whatever hurt you, chances are because they hurt your blocking them now but still feeling the after affects.

I think if you try to be busy with some work or any other activities then you can get rid from this problem.

I don't know if my solution of stopping cold turkey (emotional eating) and feeling like crap for days will help... but I do know that after I did stop, I had all kinds of feelings coming up at random times and I wouldn't know why. Someone would mention something like an old job and I'd get tearful... it was really odd. still happens a little, but I feel so much calmer in general now, though I still get mad cravings when I'm upset about something new.

I really did have to tell myself "you're not eating ANYTHING until 3 hours from the last time you ate". Then I clamped my lips and kept away from the kitchen or hid the food at my desk in the breakroom, and I planned out healthy meals and snacks at 3 hour intervals... and I just told myself again and again- you're going to feel like crap. It's ok. You'll get through it and feel better on the other side.

It took a good seven or eight days to stop thinking about food constantly and when my next 3 hour interval would be up... and I still think about it sometimes. Habits and Addictions are hard work to kick. I'm on day 14 now.

Hope that helped a little... good luck to you!

Geneen Roth's books really helped me to connect with my reasons for emotional eating. I'm still tempted to eat emotionally, and sometimes I do give in, but I'm better at knowing what's behind the desire.

I've spent several years eating at work - just constant nibble, nibble...junk food mostly. I realized I was eating to ESCAPE my job. (I'm a high school teacher). I do hate it. I have to go back next week, and I dread it. I did manage to stop it when I realized what I was doing. I began bringing only what I needed and wanted to eat from home and staying physically away from the vending / snack machines.

I also physically moved to another place when I wanted to eat at inappropriate times - even just walking across the room or standing outside my door for a few minutes helped. Teaching is extremely confining. I defined the feeling as an urge to physically ESCAPE. LET ME OUT OF HERE!

I cannot quit. I'm eligible for early retirement and will the moment some property I have for sale closes. In this market, it may be a while, and I've accepted that. I've requested transfers two years in a row - not even the courtesy of a reply from our administrators.

For those of you who are horrified: Don't worry. I still enjoy my students and work hard to do a good job with them - it's the grown-ups who make me want to flee the scene.

Moving physically works - the urge subsides and goes away in a few minutes. Really. If it comes back, move again. I like the idea of just clamping my mouth shut...that will work too. I need to do that at night. I'm also a night eater. Thank you for your concern and support.

Something like this happend to me today! My boyfriend and I had gone to lunch, and after I completed a pretty big meal we went back to his house. I should have been full with food far from my mind, but after about thirty minutes I found myself eating chips and drinking sweet tea. I had one of those "snap out of it" moments and said "I'm not even hungry!". I've had this problem for years now, but I found that when I was counting calories I did it the least. I never really journaled my eating but was always tallying up calories and I think that held be very accountable.