I'm looking for suggestions from all of you for this particular problem.

I still tend to occasionally binge eat when emotionally upset, bored, or depressed, or a combination of some/all of those things. I haven't found anything, other than eating, that seems to calm me down. And the eating isn't working so well either.

I'm definitely a non-drugs/non alcohol person so those aren't options either.

Just curious about what all of you do to avoid emotionally triggered eating?

thanks,
Dagmar

Have you tried something physical?

I know that, for me, when I get anxious, eating is my first impulse, but it doesn't work NEARLY as well at calming me down as something like yoga will. Or a walk. Or if I'm really upset, a VERY intense cardio session or REALLY heavy lifting.

I also have worked on developing hobbies. Right now, I'm beading when I get upset. Last year, I knitted. A hobby can definitely help distract the mind AND keep hands out of the fridge.

this might help, I wrote it a couple of weeks ago....

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153830

Something that can really help with this is just getting a good support network together. Whenever I'm feeling upset or depressed, I reach for the phone and try to find someone to talk to. Even better, since I've started exercising, I've found friends to get together with for long walks in the evenings -- people I wasn't even really that close with before, I now look forward to walking for an hour or two with a few times a week. It gives me time to catch up with someone so I don't feel lonely, get those endorphins going a little bit, and it gives me something to do to shake the malaise.

Also, like a few other people have said, taking up a busy-hands hobby can be great. I work evenings/weekends, so I used to have a hard time not obsessing over food when I was in the house alone during the day. Then I decided to hand-sew a dress. I'm a rotten seamstress, but it's a lot of fun and definitely gives me something else to think about.

I'm a binge eater, and so was my mother and grandmother. I finally faced my issues and got lap band. No more over eating and I've been loosing great. But what I did before that was distraction. Anything that distracted me that I liked to do to keep me from eating. That's the only thing that worked for me.

Ahhh if only I had the perfect solution! Sometimes I will defer the binge by cleaning, checking email, reading 3FC, or exercise. Usually that buys me time until the urge passes.

And sometimes I don't defer it, like today. I have learned to identify my triggers (stress is a HUGE one, and the worse my ladies' lives are, the more I have the urge to binge---abuse, divorce, cancer....why do I think that my eating will help?) I try to focus on the fact that what I eat is a choice I make and I hold myself accountable before, during, and after. And then I just get back on plan the best I can.

I know my triggers: stress and hunger. I can plan to avoid hunger, but I am still practicing how to avoid binges when stressed. I am better at it than I used to be, but it is a skill that I think I will work on until the day I die.

Hey Dag,
When the binge monster strikes me, I just want the satisfaction of crunching my troubles away whether I'm stressed, depressed or anxious. These days I binge on mini carrots, or apples, or fresh strawberries, or plain airpopped popcorn. (I pick one of these and chew away my troubles, with no worries of gaining, this really works for me most of the time!) These choices are all filling and they satisfy me and are definitely the better choice. Going this route sure beats my past binges of junk food my body doesn't need. Who would have thunk?

Keeping my hands busy is what works better for me. (It's probably why I tend to overeat if I watch TV for more than 20 minutes in a row, but never snack when studying/taking notes/writing an essay, even if I'm genuinely hungry).

I only keep non-binge foods in my house. I had this problem before, and I would just binge eat during the weekends. Now, the only food I have is the food I use for cooking my meals. I don't have anything that I can just grab and consume a whole box. I eat 3 good meals a day, and everything I buy is based on those. Instead of regular cereal for breakfast, I have cream of wheat. You can't mindlessly munch on that stuff. I've made a committment not to buy bingeable foods at the grocery store. That's the only way that works for me. If it was here, I would probably eat it all.

I live by myself, so it's too easy to have a weak moment. If I lived with others, I could probably handle having the bingeable foods around a litle easier, but hey, I don't think anyone needs the tempation! It's so much easier when the bingeing just isn't even an option.

Some terrific suggestions, a couple of which I've already tried.



Dagmar

Kelly315, I really enjoyed your post (that you put the link for above)! Some really wonderful ideas there!

Jay