How to Stop Emotional Overeating

don't buy food you shouldn't be eating-keep it out of the house. Drink more water and have healthy snacks at home-shop for the evening meal on a daily basis. Cut carbs, not fat.

I struggle with this a LOT. The partial, limited, quasi solution that actually works for me is ... water. As in, several liters a day. When I'm stressed I just have to put something in my mouth (and NO, ladies, I do not mean it like THAT), but if I quickly drink a fair bit of water, it can sort of neutralize the stress-eating compulsion. It's not perfect, but it's far and away the only thing that works for me.

Every time you are about to eat a snack, drink a glass of water first. Not INSTEAD of the snack, you can still have the snack, but drink the water first. You will feel better, fuller and won't eat as much. Sometimes you'll even skip the snack. That's one baby step.

Don't have the junk in the house. Make it inconvenient to get to. If I have a family size bag of blue corn chips in the house, I will eat the whole bag myself throughout the day. If I don't have any chips, I don't eat any.

Go to bed early. Giving your body at least 12 hours of fasting every night (from 8pm to 8am, go to bed at 10 or 11 on empty stomach) will help you lose LOTS of weight, both by the lack of eating, and because a more well-rested body burns calories better with a stronger metabolism. Dont' go t bed with a bunch of food in your belly, your body spends time moving that food, rather than metabolizing properly. If you MUST sack before sleepign, then eat something very small.

If you know you're going to snack all day, make your meals smaller.

Eat healthy snacks.

Stay busy.

Good luck, you can do it, but it's very hard-it's hard for everyone (or most people anyway) so dig in your heels and do your very best. It's OK to have an "off" day, just be good for the next few days and keep a balance.

i've spent years trying to figure this one out!
khairete
S.

For years,I have been trying to deal with this too. I do go for long power walks after work (when it is cool out) with my favorite music. This does help, but sometimes my mind gets the best of me!

Good morning
You are not alone... I 've done the same on and off for years.. However, I now attend OA.. (check it out online and answer their questions) it's a free 12 step program, and many people , including myself have had good success with it...

Initially, I went into it thinking it was about weight loss , which is actually more of a bi-product than what the overall program is about.. it's more about digging in emotionally, mentally and even spiritually (As you define that for yourself) .... and getting to the bottom of why a person may eat compulsively ..

I won't lie, I still have my ups and downs when it comes to food, but food is just a small part of things. Being in a 12 step is cause for you to look at all aspects of your behavior.. For me, I discovered that not only am I a compulsive overeater, but also a compulsive over-giver, co-dependent .. etc etc... I've discovered so much about myself and it hasn't always been pleasant... I realized that I played a major role in some of the negative situations in my life... and now, I am finding new ways in which to deal with problems and in some cases, not creating such problems for myself..

I am still a work in progress .... with a long road ahead of me.. but so far, I feel better emotionally, spiritually and mentally than I have felt in years.. Even on a day where I might binge, I don't put myself down.. I acknowledge the issue and then get back on track...

I would suggest attending a meeting or two... they have them all over the place and at all hours... check a meeting out, see how or if it's for you...
in the program, you learn tools that can help you better cope... you'll hear success stories of how people lost weight and kept it off.. you'll also hear stories of struggle and relapse (as no one usually has perfect sobriety) but point is.. you'll discover that you needn't take this journey alone....

good luck to you

Sarah and Robert E. gave a good suggestion. When I'm stressed I do something physical or if I'm in a situation I can't do something physical I pray. Prayer for me isn't just about me talking to God it is also about me listening for God to speak to me. Reading and studying the Bible helps me be able to solve problems and deal with life's curve balls and strifes.

Eating is only one way to handle stress. Give yourself some different options and you will get different results.

If you must eat to soothe your stress Robin M. hit the nail on the head about having healthy things to snack on like fresh fruit and veggies. I have yet to see an overweight vegetarian. So eating tons of apples, oranges, celery, carrots, cucumbers, berries of various kinds and so much more could be a great way of handling your stress while you reduce your pounds.

You may consider talking with a nutritionist or even better getting some counciling. Perhaps your stress could be greatly reduced by talking to someone about what troubles you and possibly getting a solution to your problems.

What ever you do don't keep you stress bottled up inside but get it out either by working out or talking it out or writing it out.

I've always found it helpful to replace the unwanted behavior with a healthier behavior. You can't simply stop the unwanted behavior and expect to succeed if you don't have a plan in place for what to do when you're stressed out and anxious. There's a vacuum that needs to be filled.

When I'm in a stress-eating comfort-eating mode and I catch it, I focus on shifting to drinking a glass of water instead. But I also have made a very conscientious effort through the years to NOT stock up on trigger foods in the house. If I wanted to comfort eat, I would have to make the effort of getting into the car and spending money I don't have on food I shouldn't eat. As it is, I keep healthy snacks and drinks on hand so if I do feel snacky or like I need to eat my feelings, at least it's in the form of a peach, whole wheat crackers, rhubarb, Greek yogurt, avocado and tofu, and similar stuff. The times I feel like eating my feelings are later in the evening when the kids are in bed and my husband is at work and I'm feeling too lazy to leave the house, so that works in my favor. :-)

Make a plan. Make a healthy meal plan for yourself and your family.

Switch your focus from filling up your own emotionally empty stomach with junk to filling it with healthy meals.

Then make sure you eat 3 healthy meals a day. Then as a reward, eat some delicious, small piece of chocolate whatever you must have. And savor it. Don't just cram it in your mouth standing in the pantry. Go sit down at your pretty table and enjoy the moment.

Drink More.
Move More.
Sleep More.
Take long baths.
Pamper yourself in other ways.
Focus on other priorities that have deadlines and get those done.
Garden
Dance
Listen to soothing music
Go to church and connect with support groups.
Fill up your time with healthy, healing, rejuvenating, recharging activities, so you feel happy inside, not drained.

Chew gum

Chew chewy foods

Anything that will make your brain think you are eating and eating and eating.

I find the chewing gum to work very well. We don't do anything sugarfree at all so I always have a pack of Juicy Fruit or some other flavorful gum in my purse but had run out. I have been eating a lot of junk lately too. TV I didn't find snacks in my lap all evening.

I look at it like this. I'm not hungry in any way. It's like my brain turned on and my mouth just wants to chew something. Sometimes eating and chewing is a reflex of our body when we're angry. So I chew and chew and chew and chew gum. If it runs out of flavor I pop in a new one or two.

I figure it's a lot less calories than chips, chocolate, or any other items I have around.

Also, if I really am angry and pissed off and reliving the situation over and over I find I want a crunch to my snacking. So I usually keep a bag of Starlite Mints, both Peppermint and Spearmint, around so I can pop in a few of them over an hour or so. They are not so easy to crunch up in my mouth and they do have a strong flavor. They don't have many calories at all so even if I eat a dozen of them over an hour it's not like eating a package of cookies or a bag of chips.

I think that stress eating has a purpose. It helps us get rid of anger, it helps us get out our frustrations and disappointments, and it really does help mentally. EXCEPT for the long term results to our hips and waist...lol.

So find something you can chew. There are tons of chewy foods out there. They are all choke hazards to babies and toddlers and good for kids that bite to give them chew time. So lists of chewy foods are pretty easy to come by.

There are even chew tubes out there now for kids that bite or that chew on non-food items all the time. They are basically a rubber tube with texture. It fills that need for them to chew/bite but doesn't hurt their teeth.

Another thing you can do instead of eating is find something to do with your hands. Take up crocheting or knitting. Do a jigsaw puzzle. If you keep your hands busy they'll be less likely to reach for food.

There are many many reasons we stress eat. If you can sit down in a quiet area and close your eyes. Think back to when you were stress eating. What were you thinking about, what kept replaying in your mind over and over. Did you find you were talking through a problem or situation to yourself, like saying all those wonderful witty comments to someone when they insult you that we all think of after the moment...

Sitting quietly and thinking, on purpose, about what is bothering you can help you to finally recognize all the aspects of it. You can make a list of the good and the bad of it. Try to work it out mentally so you can let the stress go.

I find that if I am really really really pissed off at someone or some situation that is out of my control I can write them a letter, a scathing one of course, or yell at them, or tell them off in un-lady like language. Anything that gets the frustration out of your body and somewhere else. Then burn the letter, or any other material that would be a tangible evidence of this activity.

Once you have the anger and frustration out and it's not being bottled up anymore you should start to see an improvement.

But don't forget to get some gum. Even if you're just sitting and watching TV and finding yourself snacking having that chewing motion will tell your tummy that food is on it's way and it will empty. It's part of the digestion system. The mouth starts chewing and the stomach starts preparing for food.This even works really well if you have a tummy ache or if you over ate and need some relief. Chew gum and your tummy will feel better.

hey mama, I recently started using "My Diet Coach" app. I get reminders throughout the day that I choose.
these are mine I like & the times I need the most:
-See tips for emotional eating before I do it; 915p
-Watch exercise motivation tips before I exercise; 9p
-Does the extra weight bother you? If it does, go on!; 1215p
-Don't lose control; 11p

these are just my examples. it also has motivational photos. well my fat pics weren't motivating me to quit being fat, but when sucked in REAL HARD and LOOKED skinny....now that's a good motivator! :)

ok, gotta get back to work but hope this helps :)

I haven't lost weight but its good reminders & keeps me focused :)

I am the exact same way. And it's not just during stressful times either! If I'm happy, I'll say "Oh I deserve a treat for doing so well!" and have 2 bowls of icecream ... or if I'm upset I'll convince myself I need comfort food, and so on and so on... Something that I found really worked for me, is switching even one or two unhealthy snacks with something healthy every day. I love the Naked drinks, and if I use a straw it feels like more of a treat, like a smoothie. It's sweet so I get the sensation of it being a treat. Also grapes are a great replacement too, because they're sweet and you can eat lots of it (like popcorn almost) and not have to worry about calories.. Another trick is chewing gum, like I saw was suggested, and drinking a LOT of water. For me, when I'm very hydrated I don't feel as hungry, but I do still have the urge to chew so I do chew gum occasionally also. Or (yes I admit it) I chew my fingernails... :P One last method that works for me, when all else fails, is force myself to eat something healthy FIRST (a salad, a turkey sandwich, celery even) to make sure I'm at least half-full of something beneficial, then I'll go ahead and allow myself to finish off whatever 'treat' I am craving to feel completely full. I eat the treat a lot slower so it feels like I ate the whole meal of whatever the treat was so I trick my mind into feeling more satisfied. But the bottom line here is not actually being hungry, it's exactly like you said: emotional. So to overcome the emotional issue that makes you turn to food, maybe ask yourself if you feel that your emotional needs are being met relationship-wise (are you and your partner intimate often enough for you? physically AND emotionally? If you don't have a partner, do you feel the lack of one is causing sadness?) and do you feel like you're allowed to have your own alone time? That also seems very important to a clear head- if you're constantly go go going and doing for everyone else, eating is the only way you're able to get any pleasure for yourself. Maybe if you're not already getting alone time, enlist the help of a family member or your child(ren)'s father for a few hours a week and just go do whatever feels good! Having those 'mini vacations' are a lifesaver to moms... That's all I've got. I hope you continue to find helpful answers and find a peace about this. =)

Thank You for asking this!

Perfect timing. You've just reminded me, that I need to do something about emotional eatting too. I have been denying I do that, but now I have to face it. Eating healthy and exercise doesn't seem to be working out for me, because I do exactly what another poster said, "I went through a lot today, so I deserve...." and the first thing you know, I'm buying that scrumptous cannoli from the local pizza parlor...I'm sitting down to a glass of wine and huge bag or 2 small bags of heavily buttered popcorn....I'm buying that lemon meragine pie, that only I eat and polishing it off in 2 days! The rest of the day I did eat healthy. I ate healthy meals and a healthy morning snack. When I was in high school, I was 95 lbs. No, I do not want to be 95 lbs. again, that's just too skinny. In college and at my first job I was a perfect 100 lbs. I had lots of stress then too, so what's the most important difference? I dealt with stress differently. When I my day didn't go right or got yelled at or made fun of, I didn't turn to food. Instead, I turned to music. I'd come home and play the organ or piano and the first thing I know, the "stressed out" feeling passed. Now I have hip pain and a husband that keeps asking me to play the same song over and over. The worst part is that the song has the same repetitive note....almost "Johnny one note" until you get to the chorus. (Boring.) I'm thinking of going back to drawing. I actually got myself a set of water color pencils. What I'm trying to say is eating right and exercise is important, but you also need to find some other way to redirect your stress away from food. Something you can feel comfort in. It can be anything like sewing, crochet, knitting, painting, drawing, playing an instrument, singing, gardening, etc.

Go brush your teeth. Something about the toothpaste and a fresh mouth make me not want to 'dirty' it with food.

Don't sit in front of the tv. You will eat and not even know that you have completed the whole bag of whatever.

Good luck

Try a local Overeaters Anonymous meeting.

www.oa.org

Throw out the junk.
When you feel hungry and stressed, reach for a piece of fruit/veggies and some kind of protein. An apple with a teaspoon of peanut butter or a piece of low fat cheese. Hummus and baby carrots. Right now my fav is half a peach and a very small handful of almonds. Have these options available at all times.
Know that you are going to slip and when you do, do not beat yourself up, but promise to do better next time.
When you have a bad craving, drink water or green tea and then exercise just a little bit. Go for a walk or even vacuum the house. It will distract you.

Imagine yourself with diabetes or heart disease. Think of how it will make it more difficult to be the parent you want to be.

I wish you all the best. It is hard, but good health is the best reward.

Awareness. Start becoming aware of the stressful thoughts you are having and the emotions that you don't want to feel. Get a notebook and just allow the negative, fearful, or stressful thoughts you are having, when you want to eat, pour out onto the paper. Then allow yourself to feel your feelings.

You are likely ignoring your stressful thoughts hoping that they will just go away or won't be so bad if you don't focus on them. Just the opposite is true. The more unconscious you make your thoughts the more power they have over you. The more you allow yourself to be aware of your stressful thoughts and give them a voice on paper, the less they will run around in your unconscious sabotaging your eating.

Most of us have made a pact with ourselves to never feel certain feelings because we know that they will be destructive somehow. Reality is that your feelings are just feelings and, as long as you allow them to, they will pass through. Again, you may have food and stuffing of feelings linked and therefore nothing will help until you give yourself permission to express your feelings in an appropriate manner.

Resource your stress. Ask for help. Take naps. Say no. Move your body more. Be willing to admit you can't do it all on your own. Question your thoughts (try www.thework.com by Byron Katie. All of her worksheets are free) Shred an old phone book or magazine when you feel angry. Watch a sad movie if you need to cry and can't. Take time outs for you. Get a good counselor/coach even if you only see them once a month. Most of all, be gentle and kind to yourself.

You can replace eating with another stress relieving action. It helps if it something you like already but you can try new things if those don't work. These could be; journaling, running, yoga, sketching, cleaning, etc. The point is it should be something that either relieves tension or rewards you some way. I would avoid non-active activities such as facebook games or watching soap operas.