How does one stop emotional eating?

[Naomi94]

Hello Fellow Fitbiter's,

One of the most common things I see in fitbit forums is that many people are emotional eaters. 

I've read comments where women and men state that they overeat after a death, divorce or just low self-esteem. The emotional eating is causing their obesity. We know it is a problem, we know it is happening, but how do we help a person who is doing it? What do we say to them to help them recognize when it is happening, or subsitute the comfort food gives them for something else?

I find that many of these people want to be coddled, and told that it isn't "their fault" that they are emotional eaters. So how do we advise or help these people?

[LewWagner]

Birdy77,

Well, being told I have Type II Diabetes back at the end of Oct 2013 and weighing 300+ lbs, kind of shocked me into action.  From there, I became very, very focused on losing weight, getting off the **ahem** Diabetes medication, and being around long enough to see our girls get married and have kids, AND being around for my wife.

Triggers:

Having "bad food" in the house, car, office desk drawers (candy, processed food, chips, salsa).  Avoid the eye candy and temptation

Regardless of all the tricks my mind and body would play on me to have "just this one little thing," I would get mad at myself and shut down emotionally and just OCD my way through the urge.  That took about 3-4 weeks to finally quiet down those demons.  They're still around, and I will always have to be on guard against their beguiling pitches.

Eating smaller portions and making smaller portions so I'm not tempted to scarf up all the leftovers.

Diving into my weight loss and diet regimen heart and soul.  Keeping focused on what I had to do gave me a lot less time to think and obsess over the food I once craved.

Setting up Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to record and track my nutrition intake, exercise, and weight loss over time.  Keeping these up to date on a daily basis also kept me out of the kitchen

Having a loving wife who decided to start her own weight loss campaign at the same time.  Made it so much more easy to just say, "NO" to bad foods and eating out all the time.

Going to restaurants a lot less.  And if I go to a fast food place, chicken breast with lettuce only or just grilled chicken.  No appetizers, no desserts, no sauces or cheeses. 

Taking long looks at pics of how I used to look and saying, "Nevermore..."

Drinking a bottle of water instead of snacking

Pacing around the house or going for a walk outside if the urge to splurge would rise in me.

Really tripping out and thoroughly enjoying it when I could buy smaller clothes.

Keeping my "eye on the ball."  170, 170, 170....I"ve got to get to 170. 

Seeing how over time, my oddyssey was achieving great results:  staying withing my nutritional daily limits and steadily dropping weight.

It worked for me... Not saying my way is for everyone, but if you're tough enough (both mentally and physically) and you're willing to seeing that you are the cause for what you are (i.e., stop blaming everyone and everything else for your problems), then perhaps it can work for you, too.

It has nothing to do with luck or molly coddling support groups...Just determination and grit.

Lew

[fluxcore]

I am a big supporter of juicing "reboots". As someone who is an emotional eater, jucing has helped me put down the donuts and chips for good.

There are emotional attachments to food that come from physical addictions to the unhealthy food. And like all addictions, you need to go through a period of withdrawl to sever that need inside you.

You do confront your emotional attachment with food, but you also learn how to sever that attachment to complusilvely eat.

After 15 days of juicing I no longer craved unhealthy food. I only wanted fruit and vegtables.

As a long time hunter and fisherman, I even toyed with the idea of going on 100% vegetable based meal plan (diet) for good. Now meat is a part of my life but not the center of my meal plan like it used to be. Lentils, fresh greens, and fruit are my cravings now.

I am in no way affiliated with the  movie, but for those who havent watched it yet, watch "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead". I have learned a ton about nutrition in the last few months and can tell you first hand that "re-booting" works.

Its not easy for the first 3 days, but on the 4th you will feel more alive then you have felt in years. 

[tori26]

I totally understand emotional eating. I have had a very unhealthy relationship with food my whole life. I've pretty much always eaten my feelings and as a result have never really been the weight I should be. It has taken until very recently and working as part of my degree with people who suffer from addiction not just limited to alcohol or drugs but food too that I realised that I have my own addiction. With food you can't simply go cold turkey you have to eat to survive. But the difference with dealing with emotional eating and food addiction is to have a solid structure that plan each day and what you  willl eat. You have to be organised and have people around you who will kick you up the butt if you try and stray from the plan. Making food lists for the week and ONLY buying what is on that list. Not buying snacky food is key. I'm not saying it's an easy fix but I have managed it so far.

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@Naomi94 wrote:

Hello Fellow Fitbiter's,

One of the most common things I see in fitbit forums is that many people are emotional eaters. 

I've read comments where women and men state that they overeat after a death, divorce or just low self-esteem. The emotional eating is causing their obesity. We know it is a problem, we know it is happening, but how do we help a person who is doing it? What do we say to them to help them recognize when it is happening, or subsitute the comfort food gives them for something else?

I find that many of these people want to be coddled, and told that it isn't "their fault" that they are emotional eaters. So how do we advise or help these people?

---

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@Naomi94 wrote:

Hello Fellow Fitbiter's,

One of the most common things I see in fitbit forums is that many people are emotional eaters. 

I've read comments where women and men state that they overeat after a death, divorce or just low self-esteem. The emotional eating is causing their obesity. We know it is a problem, we know it is happening, but how do we help a person who is doing it? What do we say to them to help them recognize when it is happening, or subsitute the comfort food gives them for something else?

I find that many of these people want to be coddled, and told that it isn't "their fault" that they are emotional eaters. So how do we advise or help these people?

---

[JMSilver]

Without getting into it too much, I am a recovering emotional eater. I'm talking binge eating since childhood due to an abusive situation. 

Anyway. A few things that have helped me...

*Identifying the emotions that track with the food. When I realised that I ate M&Ms when I was pissed off (crunch, crunch, crunch), it was a lot easier to give them up. Every time I craved M&Ms - or other crunchy, unhealthy things - I realised it was an anger reaction and started thinking through my emotions. A lot of times, thinking it through distracted me from wanting the food. 

*Reading a lot on the subject. I read as much as I could in any form I could. Articles, books, etc. I think knowing you're not the only one is a huge help to any situation. Also, this book might be for everyone, but it helped get me started on the right track: http://www.amazon.com/Losing-Your-Pounds-Doreen-Virtue/dp/1561709506

*Eating well. This is the one that sounds weird to me even though I am living it. I am now on a calorie controlled diet with plenty of fruits, veggies, salads, etc. I'm also on a schedule, too. Having such good food at regular intervals helped keep my blood sugar levels decent, which helps a lot with mood. Eating fruit regularly also seems to help me to not seek sugar out when I do feel strong emotions.

*Not letting my husband become my personal trainer/life coach/counsellor/etc. This is the hard one, because my partner wants to do all this for me. But when it comes to something like emotional eating, it's easy to start resenting the person trying to help you.

*Getting a counsellor. It took me more than a few years and more than a few counsellors/therapists/psychologists to find the right fit, but when I did... Brilliant.

*Never give up. I think the key is finding what you need (or helping the person you're with find what they need). Not anyone else. Not what the person on television or the author of a book tells you that you need. It took me a long time to figure out that I liked the sympathy, but it wasn't getting me anywhere. Other people I know have way too much tough love in their lives and could use a bit of sympathy.

Emotional eating is not a choice; it's a compulsion. But that doesn't mean it can't be beat no matter how deeply fused it feels.

[Jabrat]

That's how I gained my weight - emotional eating - it does take some discipline - thank you for the book !  Good luck and Fitbit on !  Once you realize you have a problem - that's half the battle my friend !  Have a great day !  

[HappyGirlHeike]

That is a good answer, "I can resist anything but temptation."  Just listening to Flourish by Martin Seligman, who sights studies were having a high IQ is great, but you are no where withough self discipline.  Those who have discipline end up getting higher marks that the high IQ kids who don't have discipline because they study more.  So, you can make yourself smart through endurance of study.  That is great news.  Love your quotes and John Cleese is great!

Going to leave you with something uplifting too, as a thank you for you good post.

At the end of today, ask yourself what went well and why.  Write down 3 things... it's from the book, though i wish i could take credit for being this smart, but hey, i can study how to motivate myself on a deep level.