How to deal with emotional eating?

[coffeeloverx]

I was wondering if anybody could help me with this. I realized something, over the course of the 2 years I was with my ex, I gained a massive amount of weight (30 or so pounds.) When we started dating, I had only weighed around 115lbs. I'm a short girl (5ft) so when I do gain weight, it all goes straight tomy midsection and legs. However, I noticed I eat when I'm emotional. If something bad happens, I want to eat. If I'm happy, I want ot eat. If I'm bored, I want to eat. etc.

 

I've been trying to eat healthier, I eat whole grains for bread and pasta, I eat a fruit or veggie with every meal, lean proteins, I drink green tea/tea in general and drink my coffee black versus how I used to drink it with loads of cream and sugar. I'm drinking about 6 cups of water everyday and I don't drink a lot of soda, I might have a diet one once a week or so.

 

Like I said though, my problem is the emotional eating. I'll eat a cup of ramen just because I want to or am upset, etc. Thus breaking my good eating for the day. I'lll devour half a bag of chips, eat half a pizza, etc. Most of this happens at night/before bed.

 

So, I was just wondering, any tips on how to control this? I've gotten better by saying to myself "You can't eat after 8:00 p.m." and if I am hungry after drinking some water, I'll have some fruit or something. I've also started drinking tea at night, a few hours before bed, so I don't feel the urge to snack as much since I'll be "full" any other advice?

[lookinxforxchange]

well i can relate i eat like a horse because i love food but if you really are trying to cut down what i would do is make a chart on what to eat for monday and so on and keep the pattern goin until you are comfortable and id stick to a schedule with what you got goin eat from certain times

[Titanwolf]

Intermittent Fasting. You have an eating window of (preferably) 6-8 hours to stuff yourself stupid, once you hit your time, you fast for another 16 hours (It's not hard because 8-10 of those are taken from sleep). If you start your 8hr window from 2pm for example, you can eat until 10 (still count your calories though). This is a God-send for hunger control and you'll often feel happier at the end of each session because you just stuffed your face and still took in the same amount of calories as when you spread your meals thinly throughout the day. It's EVEN better when you IF with foods like oatmeal, because it's tasty, low in calories and keeps you feel for a looong time. Try it.

 

Edit- For your specific situation, attempt to hold off until around 6 pm. If you can do that, eating before bed won't be a bad thing, because it's part of your feeding window. Just want to say as well, there's nothing wrong with pizza if we're talking aesthetics. As long as that pizza fits into your daily calories, there is NO reason to feel bad about eating it. Not too long ago, I was eating an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's every night (Damn Celiac disease) before I went to bed and I'm quite lean.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Titanwolf

[MonsterMash]

Doesn't matter what your diet is if you don't exercise.

[Lauriebell82]

If you have a smartphone you can download an app called mynetdiary. You plug in how much weight you want to lose and your activity level and it gives you the number of calories you can eat per day, plus a layout of exactly how much carbs, fats, profeins, ect. Then you plug in the food you eat and it takes away from the daily layout and shows how many more you have for the day. This is very helpful for emotional eaters, especially if you are short. Then if you want to eat, you can make a smart choice. It also cuts down on emotional eating because food isnt "forbidden".

 

I am an emotional eater so i can relate!

[JamesM]

Congratulations for recognizing what is behind your weight gain!

 

A few things you can do.....

1. Get counseling and "vent." You can also learn new ways to handle stress and problems. For some reason, you like to escape your problems by enjoying the comfort that food gives you. Conquering that habit can change your life.

 

2. Look for any books by Geena Roth. She has a book or two about why we eat. She talks alot about emotional eating as she herself had/has the same issue.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=geneen+roth&sprefix=geneen+%2Cstripbooks%2C204

 

3. Find a diet that fits your lifestyle and not one that makes you feel like you are on a diet. If you eat food and hate how you have to eat, then (like everyone else) you will be doomed to fail. My weight loss came about because I made little changes and then made more after the first changes were more habitual.

 

4. Find a book called Move a Little, Lose Alot I personally found that helpful. It basically states that trying to fit in an exercise program that is not normal for you is going to be less beneficial than thinking of ways to move more throughout your day. It jump started my weight loss of 35# over the last eight months. (Granted, I don't have an emotional eating problem, like my wife has.)

http://www.amazon.com/Move-Little-Lose-Lot-N-E-A-T/dp/B005ZOFWTU

 

5. And last but not least, an exercise program either at home or in a gym WILL be helpful because you will become more fit. It will not by itself be a guarantee for weight loss, but it will be a good way to improve your blood pressure, cholesterol level and other health indicators.

 

Good luck...and never give up. Even if you screw up, then don't assume that you have failed. Many, many people lose and gain and lose until they finally reach their goal weight. The only failure is the one who never quits trying.

[coffeeloverx]

Thanks guys! I've started exercising a few weeks ago. I go on at least a 3 mile walk every other day, do some yoga in the morning and I've recently started the Couch to 5k program. I'm not totally inactive, I just struggle with eating.

[mario_C]

Glad to hear it!

 

I'm not experienced with measuring calories, consuming specific amounts daily, and all that crap, so I'm wondering how it will hold up through my next breakdown or mental/career crisis. eg if I consume my normal breakfast and lunch (300 calories each) and by night time I'm feeling like a big slab of cheesecake would make me feel like living again, great - but now I've got 200 calories to burn off, and a real food dinner would add to that. Then comes bedtime, and you're starving. Now what?

It's easy to think rationally now about all that responsibility and hard work, but not so much when you're actually in that dark state. I think reminding yourself how much worse you'd feel if you gave in to those kind of temptations, vs how much better if you worked through it and followed your purpose, would see you through.

Usually. Or not, what do I know?

[coffeeloverx]

Just thought I'd give an update.

 

I've actually been doing really good, I try to exercise a few times a week, sometimes I just can't schedule it in between school and work, but I move around a lot a work (retail) so I'm getting a wee bit of exercise that way.

 

I've also been doing better with my food. I eat a healthy breakfast, generally have a snack that is a fruit or veggie, lunch, another snack, and then dinner. I drink water between meals and at them. I'm trying to do other things when I'm upset, ie, exercise. Which has been working.

 

I've lost five pounds.

[JamesM]

Yes!! Congrats!

[Leigh 87]

I eat emotionally every day.

 

I am 130 pounds and eat like a horse. I could be thin if I ate normally.

 

I am 5 ' 5 with a curvy bodytype by the way and look thin even though my weight and height do not sound remotely slender.

 

What happens to me, is I just eat too much of everything, every time I eat! Instead of having one bowl of cereal, I will go eat another one.

 

I tried smoking, which helped, but have since quit. Since I am all about being healthy:sick:

 

I am in the process of trying to stop still, and have been for about a year.

[JamesM]

I eat emotionally every day.

 

I am 130 pounds and eat like a horse. I could be thin if I ate normally.

 

I am 5 ' 5 with a curvy bodytype by the way and look thin even though my weight and height do not sound remotely slender.

 

 

With all due respect and I mean this seriously, at your height 130 is a very good weight. It may not be slender, but it is a desirable weight and IMO is a body size that looks sexy and attractive. It is also in the normal range on the BMI chart for women.

 

Please do not think it does not sound "remotely slender." It sounds quite good to me.

 

When my wife (who is your height) was in her 130s, she was absolutely gorgeous ...and based on the eyes directed at her by other men, I am not biased.

 

Just my 2c.

[Madman81]

Go through your fridge and cupboards, and get rid of everything unhealthy. Try not to keep things that are easy to snack on, like chips. Every food item in your home should be either (a) something that requires time to prepare, and/or (b) healthy.

 

I say "and/or" because, while everything should be healthy, you should have some snackable things. But make sure they're healthy food. Baby carrots, almonds, pickles, fat free individual yogurts, etc. Salad items are great for what you're trying to accomplish -- you can eat until you're stuffed (avoid creamy dressings, and go easy on other dressings), and only consume 400-500 calories, and it's all good stuff.

 

Keep it up!

[coffeeloverx]

Go through your fridge and cupboards, and get rid of everything unhealthy. Try not to keep things that are easy to snack on, like chips. Every food item in your home should be either (a) something that requires time to prepare, and/or (b) healthy.

 

I say "and/or" because, while everything should be healthy, you should have some snackable things. But make sure they're healthy food. Baby carrots, almonds, pickles, fat free individual yogurts, etc. Salad items are great for what you're trying to accomplish -- you can eat until you're stuffed (avoid creamy dressings, and go easy on other dressings), and only consume 400-500 calories, and it's all good stuff.

 

Keep it up!

 

See, I'd love to do this, but I live with my mom and brother and they both like unhealthy foods, so I can't throw them away.

 

Still doing good though. I've had a few bad days, but I'm getting better at saying no and exercisingmore.

[Sammysunder]

You can try meditation to control your mind from eating too much. If you feel like eating try to divert your mind to some other thing which you like the most. Never sit simply while ypou feel like eating or when you are emotional. Make sure that the calories that you consume is less than that of the calories that you burn through your physical activities.

[Madman81]

See, I'd love to do this, but I live with my mom and brother and they both like unhealthy foods, so I can't throw them away.

 

Still doing good though. I've had a few bad days, but I'm getting better at saying no and exercisingmore.

My fiancee and I started P90x about two weeks ago. So far so good. A good thing about it is that it has a nutrition program attached to it. We're not following that part slavishly, but we are working diligently at healthy eating. And after two weeks, I've noticed that I crave salad, and feel a bit crappy if I eat something somewhat unhealthy for lunch.

 

Problem is, in the fairly near future, I'm going to have to get the waist of all my pants taken in. Ahh well...