How do you stop the eating for comfort cycle?

[dreaming4ever]

This is embarassing to admit but I've been trying to change my eating patterns so that I'm eating healthy consistently and exercising regularly at my gym but I have a problem. I am stuck in this awful cycle where I eat to comfort myself. If I feel sad, I eat.....if I'm angry, I eat....if I am frustrated, I'll eat. It's like a reward for feeling so crappy to make myself feel better. I know this is not healthy but how do you break out of it? I just can't stop thinking of food as my reward or as something to look forward to. Right now I am 5'4 and I weigh 160lbs and I really badly want to be able to look good in a bathing suit for the summer, which where I live doesn't arrive for 3 months so I do have some time. I just don't know how to change my thought patterns concerning food. I just can't seem to get excited at the prospect of eating a salad for lunch or something like that. Please help if you have had experience with this.....I want to beat this once and for all!

[Dawn82]

That is indeed a hard question

I'm on my 12th week of my transformation and i beleive i've finally

been able to cut that emotional link to food.

but only time will tell

 

Its very good that you recodnize this faulty emotional logic in yourself.

a few tips.

 

1. Out of sight out of mind. don't keep crap food

in the house at all. so worse thing u'll be able

to grab when u need a comfort food would be

an innocent vegtable

 

2. I find that when i am angry/upset a nice

20-30 mins brisk walking/jogging does the

trick way better then some Pizza/Chocolate

 

3. Write up your short/long term goals

including the ways you are going to acomplish

them and put in a strategic place, for example

the fridge door. maybe even add a picture

of someone that looks like you would like to

look a few months down the line...

 

4. I used to eat out of bordom. I actually replaced

that activity with cleaning out of bordom.

i find it to be more productive

 

5. I find i am more strick in my diet

when i actually write down every single

thing i put into my mouth. it really does not

take very long and while you can convince yourself that a little snack ain't the end of the world its a little hard to argue with Excell spreadsheets.

 

but the most importent thing is for you to

want it bad enough. no tricks for getting around that.

 

Good luck with your weight lost project.

and remember : don't think of it as a diet.

its a lifestyle change not a temporary 3 months thing.

 

Shahar.

[TeaCooler]

That is indeed a hard question

I'm on my 12th week of my transformation and i beleive i've finally

been able to cut that emotional link to food.

but only time will tell

 

Its very good that you recodnize this faulty emotional logic in yourself.

a few tips.

 

1. Out of sight out of mind. don't keep crap food

in the house at all. so worse thing u'll be able

to grab when u need a comfort food would be

an innocent vegtable

 

2. I find that when i am angry/upset a nice

20-30 mins brisk walking/jogging does the

trick way better then some Pizza/Chocolate

 

3. Write up your short/long term goals

including the ways you are going to acomplish

them and put in a strategic place, for example

the fridge door. maybe even add a picture

of someone that looks like you would like to

look a few months down the line...

 

4. I used to eat out of bordom. I actually replaced

that activity with cleaning out of bordom.

i find it to be more productive

 

5. I find i am more strick in my diet

when i actually write down every single

thing i put into my mouth. it really does not

take very long and while you can convince yourself that a little snack ain't the end of the world its a little hard to argue with Excell spreadsheets.

 

but the most importent thing is for you to

want it bad enough. no tricks for getting around that.

 

Good luck with your weight lost project.

and remember : don't think of it as a diet.

its a lifestyle change not a temporary 3 months thing.

 

Shahar.

 

good advice. and good for you!

[dreaming4ever]

Wow Dawn82,

Sounds like you really worked hard at this! I'm definitely going to try your suggestions! Kinda reminds me of Dr.Phil's weight loss book I read a while ago that said whenever you get a craving for junk, stop and do something else, ANYTHING, even if that means jumping in the shower or going to the library to distract yourself until that craving passes. I'll just have to see how things go. At least there's SOMEONE out there who has experienced this as well. I honestly thought a lot of people on here would say they've been through something similar but I guess not. Thanks for the response.

[Outcast]

I just can't stop thinking of food as my reward or as something to look forward to

 

Oh yes you can. The first thing you do is abandon the thought that you 'just can't' do anything. If you want to do it, you'll do it.

 

I cured eating for comfort by asking myself whether my tongue or my stomach was asking for the food - i.e. whether I was actually hungry or just wanted the taste. If the latter, I'd have a little bit of whatever it was and make sure to savour it. Having a full stomach isn't fun. Being overlarge isn't fun. So I refused to let my tongue dictate to me and I found it was quite happy if I had a little bit of whatever I craved.

 

Then get addicted to something else - like how good it feels to be fit, or how great it feels to be able to walk faster or lift more or whatever.

[Dawn82]

I'd have a little bit of whatever it was and make sure to savour it

 

Yeah exectly

don't deny yourself completely your favorite foods.

need a little taste now and then. but in reasonable amounts...

 

 

Wow Dawn82,

Sounds like you really worked hard at this!

 

Yeah I am/have Dreaming4ever, 25lbs down but 45 more to go .

I'm sure if you only apply yourself seriously you

will reach your goals.

good luck!

 

Shahar.

[sophia34]

I was definitely an "eat for comfort" girl. However, when the scale hit 158 (I'm 5'6"), that was it for me. I asked myself whether I'd rather eat those cookies/chocolates/pizza and be 160/175/190 pounds, or whether I'd rather face it and start losing the weight. I'm now 23 pounds lighter and much more comfortable in my jeans!

 

And I did EXACTLY what Dawn did, to the letter. I got rid of the high-calorie chips and the candy. I kept a food journal where I wrote down everything I ate and its approximate calorie count. I shot for 1500 calories a day and I upped my exercise for the week (4 hours cardio, 2 hours strength training or yoga).

 

Perhaps the most crucial part of Dawn's advice, though, is substitution. You can't just get the bad stuff out of the house and then have nothing to turn to when you DO need comfort. Food is doing that for you and once you take it away, you'll be miserable if you don't have something else.

 

So, foodwise, I replaced all my high-calorie/high-fat treats with substitute low-cal options. Low-cal pudding/whipped topping and strawberries or frozen bananas instead of high-fat ice cream. Baked chips instead of full fat (and I make sure I eat ONLY a serving. If I can't eat just a serving with my lunch, the chips have to go out of the house too) Vinaigrette salad dressings instead of cream-based dressings. I also gave myself one or two squares of dark chocolate a day as a treat. Another great, very healthy treat for me is a daily smoothie. 1/2 c. plain yogurt, 1/2 c. skim milk, 1/2 banana, and a handful of frozen fruit. It's delicious and only 200 calories.

 

However, those are PLANNED snacks that I've arranged within my 1500 calorie budget (three 300-400 calorie meals and two or three 100-200 calorie snacks per day). I no longer just eat whenever I want. When I feel the urge to eat something I know will derail my weight loss, I'll again do what Dawn says. Take a walk, clean a room, take a shower, give yourself a manicure, go window shopping, etc. A 10-minute distraction does wonders to ride out a craving.

 

I also eat a lot of low-calorie but really satisfying foods like Egg Beaters, leafy salads, fish, shrimp, chicken, soups, etc. I use low-cal tortillas instead of bread most of the time. I also include healthy, but high-cal foods such as nuts and peanut butter, because they're filling. But eat them only in moderation (a couple teaspoons of peanut butter are only about 75 calories. Two full tablespoons of peanut butter are a whopping 200 calories, so you gotta be careful there.)

 

Finally, indulge every now and then (twice a month or so). I'll eat light for the day and plan to cook or go out for a nice dinner. Or I'll eat a light dinner but have that dessert and I'll enjoy every single bite. (You can tell that sweets are my weakness!) If I have a party to go to, I'll eat light during the day and I'll choose my treats carefully when I get there--but I'll eat them! Because I don't do it every day, I know I can afford to have a rich dessert or some full-fat pizza every now and then...and I can enjoy it without guilt because I know I've planned for it within my weight loss efforts.

 

Hope this helps ... Good luck!