Are you an emotional eater?

United States
July 22, 2008 4:25pm CST
I know that most of the weight I carry is beacuse I am an emotional eater. I eat because I have a bad day, My hubby is cranky, If I am feeling stressed then I head for food. I found this online and thought it looked helpful. Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to pass. Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid. Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself. Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don't influence your decisions at the store. Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving. Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast. Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more likely to feel fuller, longer. Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's fit and well rested. Do you have any tips to add?
9 responses
@Canteen (592)
• China
24 Jul 08
yes, i am. i can eat a lot of things when i am upset. sometimes it just surprised me, but even though i know it's bad habit i just can't stop eating. it seems i keep thinking about food every single moment. no doubt i've gained a lot weight. i am in my summer vacation, if i don't lose weight now, when the holiday is over i come back to school and my classmates figure out that i am fat. oh,no, i don't want that. i am struggling to be a vegetarian. i think it's healthier. but you know meat is always delicious. i'm still trying. :)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I had a really bad day yesterday so we went out to dinner and I at everything in site. I gave up the bread basket a while back but yesterday I emptied it fast plus got an appetizer. Now it is time to get back on the wagon. I like vegis a lot but I worry about the nutirents that meat provides.
1 person likes this
@Rzelikman (141)
• United States
24 Jul 08
Yes, I am not only an emotional eater , I can also eat when I am bored. Its pretty pathetic. I am sure alot of people are the same way. I know alot of people who are going under stress and would loose a ton of weight. Me on the other hand I will gain a lot of it. This just shows how its your mind telling you that your hungry and not your stomach. If most of us would actually pay attention to our hunger from out tummy most of us would be nice and slim. You know how you can sit in front of the tv and you just want something to munch on. I don't even have to write down what my patterns are because I just know them. I especially love to eat in the evening which is the worst thing i can do for my self. So now for the past 5 days I have been trying to get mind over matter and loose weight but paying attention to what my stomach tells me vs my mind. The light feeling just feels excelent because the bloated feeling is horrible
• United States
28 Jul 08
I hate the feeling of being to full but sometimes i just dont see it comming. Im trying to watch portions better. I heard that drinking metamucil about 15 minutes before you eat will make you more aware of when you are getting full. And the extra fiber cant hurt.
1 person likes this
@GreenMoo (11833)
22 Jul 08
I know that I eat when I'm feeling down, normally pasta or other 'heavy' filler foods. To be honest though, I don't worry too much about it. I don't have a weight problem really so I just figure that it's something my body is telling me it needs.
• United States
28 Jul 08
I eat pasta and gain 3 pounds so I am trying to cut back on the empty carbs, more high fiber types.
• United States
22 Jul 08
Maybe...lol. When I get angry at myself I might look for food. I don't know. Life's too frantic and sometimes I get so pissed off I can't help but to seek comfort in something that doesn't argue back, you know? It's hard to change.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jul 08
Maybe if I try fighting with my food I will learn to only need it for a meal instead.
1 person likes this
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
23 Jul 08
If I am really stressed out or upset I will drink a lot of water at first, to try to avoid eating. I do believe I am an emotional eater, and I am very concioce of that. I drink the water first, but if I am still really upset and can't calm down I let my self have some chocolate. But I don't gorge, I just eat a little and let the endorphins do their thing.
• United States
28 Jul 08
Good for you. Being concious of it is the big problem for me. It is a battle I am trying to learn more.
1 person likes this
@Amanda81587 (3042)
• United States
28 Jul 08
Yes i very much am an emotional eater. It's crazy and can sometimes get out of control very easily. I try to eat healthy when i do this but for some reason its all the fats I want and then 1 hour later i look in the mirror and get mad at myself because then i feel like a blimp!
• United States
28 Jul 08
It is a bad spiral for me. I feel bad so I eat then I gain weight and I feel bad so I eat. I need to find a new way to cope. I used to exercise for stress before I had kids but it is harder now. I need to get past the excuses.
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Jul 08
That is a big hurdle. I know I gained most of my weight after the kids. I spend a lot more time taking care of them and neglecting my self. It is a nother things I am working on.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jul 08
Yeah I tried to exercise when I got emotional but the only big problem with that is at my gym they only have daycare available at certain times of the day and usually i get emotional when they are closed lol
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
22 Jul 08
My additional tip would be to have a drink of water when you think you are hungry because it is possible that you are just thirsty instead of hungry. I eat because I am bored. I try to keep busy at work so that I don't have time to snack on the treats that the families bring for us. Also, I noticed that I was eating more of certain snacks because I knew that my stepson would eat it all before I even got a bite if I didn't act fast. So now, I buy myself treats and hide them in my room and eat them very slowly. I am trying to add more veggies and fruits to my diet, but it is hard. I seem to be the only one in the house who likes them.
• United States
28 Jul 08
I really need to get better at the water thing. I eat because I am boared so I am trying to keep healthy snacks on hand. It all helps.
@Chispa514 (871)
• Montreal, Quebec
22 Jul 08
I am a very emotional eater, I have been for years, and I'm trying to break out of that bad habit. I'm going to try your little hints and see if that helps me at all. For myself, all I been trying to do is keep myself busy when one of those moods hit, or I just go take a nap. It helps abit, but not much.
• United States
22 Jul 08
Keeping busy is a great tip. I know that diets are easier when I am distracted. Maybe just having other things to do will help me stop thinking of food. Thank you.
• Jamaica
22 Jul 08
You should eat a balanced breafast so you have enough energy in the day and will be less prone to emotional eating. Getting a colon cleanse will help your body expell of the extra waste stuck in your intentines, concequentially making you lose weight around your midsection and helps to control overeating as well.
• United States
28 Jul 08
I have tried to get better at the breakfast habit. I began making an egg dish that freezes well so I make a weeks worth all at once and simplify things. I have been thinking of getting a colon cleanse though. I guess I should just do it and get it over with.