Identifying & preventing emotional eating

[Twiggie]

I'm sure many of us have issues with emotional eating, whether we're aware of it or not. What do you all do to avoid those moments of weakness?

Right now I'm feeling very low and tearful and my thoughts are turning to food and wanting to stuff my face with anything and everything :break_diet:

I know I can't do this as I'm being weighed on Monday prior to seeing the Consultant and he won't offer me a surgery date if I've gained any weight. He's expecting me to have lost weight!!

I think I know *why* I'm feeling like this...

a) I'm in a depressive period anyway with my bipolar.
b) my son is away for a few days so I'm home alone.
c) despite all my efforts to lose the weight and stick to 1500 cals a day I've actually gained 3lbs :cry:

The only thing I can put the weight gain down to is complete lack of exercise this week as I've spent last few days in bed due to the depression, or maybe due to an increase in my meds. If that's the case I can't see how a bypass will work unless I stop taking all my meds and risk becoming seriously ill and hospitalised.

Part of me feels like saying sod it just do it anyway but then I will sabotage everything I've gone through over the last 6mths and I just haven't got it in me to start all over again

How do you stop yourself from emotional eating?

 

[cah-ching]

I guess you can't stop yourself from emotional eating. Instead you identify and address the things that are making you emotional.

By all accounts you are half way there since you've identified what is making you sad and stressed.

So to this end contemplate the things you can do to combat those feelings

a) I'm in a depressive period anyway with my bipolar.
b) my son is away for a few days so I'm home alone.
c) despite all my efforts to lose the weight and stick to 1500 cals a day I've actually gained 3lbs :cry:

a) I guess you recognise this and see the signs. Whatever techniques yo've been given to counteract the darker days - harness their power right away.

b) He's away for a few days. Have you fallen out with him? Is he coming back? How old is he? At some point he will fly the nest completely, use this as a learning opportunity so as he gains further independance you will be able to cope. Additionally if you haven't fallen out with him - try and look passed his absence and think about his return. May be you can make him some thing nice to eat on the day he is back?

c) So you' can't lose 3Ibs overnight. So you have to accept the status quo. All manner of reasons could be behind the weight gain ... it may not be entirely due to you not exercising. So think about how you will discuss this with your doctor/consultant and how you will address them so that he has faith in you succeeding post op because ultimately you have to show willing now so that you can succeed later on.

I hope this helps xxxx :hug99:

 

[yorkiegal]

I'm afraid that my problem right now is that I eat without thinking. Especially when I first wake up. Obviously I'm still pre op so can eat those amounts without getting sick, but it's like I eat it then realise what I've done afterwards. So today I woke up and had 6 pancakes before I'd even had my first cup of coffee.
I think I eat first to numb myself from any possible emotions later on. Originally it was eating as a reaction to stress or upset. Then my mind realised that it helped a lot, so now I do it first. And now it's a daily habit.
If I'm in a situation where I don't have any sugary foods in the house, usually late at night, I can feel very stressed about it. In the past I've found myself at Tesco at 4am because I can't sleep til I've had chocolate. My therapist likened it to feeding a baby so it can sleep.

I'm starting a food diary now so I can start to get to grips with when and why I over eat. I've been very good at just going into denial and not thinking about what I eat.

 

[cazbandy]

I was a terrible emotional eater, I was also a reward eater and a binger.

My triggers could be almost anything, from a snidey remark to just plain old boredom. Or if in reward mode I would think, "good old me, I've done the dishes now I will eat 3 cakes from that box" or in binge mode I would buy stuff, eat it and dispose of the packaging and feel utter contempt and disgust and shame.

With my band I can no longer binge or want to binge and have knocked that one on the head.

With my emotional and boredom eating I have learnt to go make a nice drink instead, a good cuppa or a hot chocolate. I find this usually curbs the really strong feelings to eat. But if I really have to have something I try for something with less that 100 calories and low fat.

And as for rewards, that has gone too...now I just do something else nice, like a facial or polish my nails.

Its all about breaking down the feelings behind the action and doing something else instead. Eating emotionally is just a bad habit and all habits with hard work can be broken. Or if you have to eat find a healthy good choice that does no harm.

 

[Twiggie]

I guess you can't stop yourself from emotional eating. Instead you identify and address the things that are making you emotional.

By all accounts you are half way there since you've identified what is making you sad and stressed.

So to this end contemplate the things you can do to combat those feelings

a) I guess you recognise this and see the signs. Whatever techniques yo've been given to counteract the darker days - harness their power right away.

It's just a case of increasing my meds and getting through it best I can until it passes.

b) He's away for a few days. Have you fallen out with him? Is he coming back? How old is he? At some point he will fly the nest completely, use this as a learning opportunity so as he gains further independance you will be able to cope. Additionally if you haven't fallen out with him - try and look passed his absence and think about his return. May be you can make him some thing nice to eat on the day he is back?

No, we've not fallen out or anything, he's just gone to stay with a friend for a few days as it's half term. At 17 I guess I'm very lucky that he spends as much time at home as he does so I never complain when he wants to go out. I know I need to get used to it as he'll be off to University next year and then I'll only see him once a month or so. Hopefully my own life will be back on track by then and I'll be far too busy to miss him

c) So you' can't lose 3Ibs overnight. So you have to accept the status quo. All manner of reasons could be behind the weight gain ... it may not be entirely due to you not exercising. So think about how you will discuss this with your doctor/consultant and how you will address them so that he has faith in you succeeding post op because ultimately you have to show willing now so that you can succeed later on.

I hope this helps xxxx :hug99:

Thanks, yes it does help to focus as I was starting to feel so overwhelmed and on the verge of chucking it all down the drain. I've been very good and had 3 mouthfuls of a WW chocolate mousse thing (YUK!!) and a small banana. I've made up some more jellies too as I can usually get by on those if I want something sweet.

I'm just worried he won't believe that I've actually been trying really hard to lose weight. I mean, who ever believes an obese person when they say they're on a diet but aren't losing weight, and even worse, gaining it!!

I think I'll email the dietician tomorrow and ask her advice, and maybe do a copy of the graph below to take with me so he can see how my weight has been yo-yoing since my referral.

 

[cah-ching]

Great you're sounding much more positive.

I mean, who ever believes an obese person when they say they're on a diet but aren't losing weight, and even worse, gaining it!!

He's an ignorant twazzock if he doesn't empathise I mean come on - why else would anyone go for gastric bypass or any other bariatric surgery?

Anyway harness your will cos you'll need it post op! xx

 

[cah-ching]

I'm listening to this as I was typing my previous and this current message.

It's worth watching - may be of use, something you could identify with and learn from?

[YOUTUBE]5xIMNZXIDuw[/YOUTUBE]

Much love xxx

 

[yorkiegal]

wow that video was hard to watch. Checked out her website and she is doing amazingly well now though.

 

[Twiggie]

If I'm in a situation where I don't have any sugary foods in the house, usually late at night, I can feel very stressed about it. In the past I've found myself at Tesco at 4am because I can't sleep til I've had chocolate. My therapist likened it to feeding a baby so it can sleep.

Interesting theory! Evenings are always the worst for me too and if I don't have anything immediate to hand, or son refuses to go to the shop for me (which happens all the time now! lol ) then I'll scour the cupboards for something to make. Microwave sponge puddings only take minutes! :8855:

Obviously I'm trying to stick to low-cal, low-fat stuff now, and eat much less of it. Depends how many surplus calories I've got left at the end of the day as to what I can have. Sometimes it might be 50 or less, in which case I'll have just a jelly, but other times I might have as much as 2-300 so can have a few biscuits, a bowl of cereal/porridge or even a glass of wine!

 

[cah-ching]

wow that video was hard to watch. Checked out her website and she is doing amazingly well now though.

I found it hard to watch too. Very much worth watching though don't you think?

 

[Twiggie]

I'm listening to this as I was typing my previous and this current message.

It's worth watching - may be of use, something you could identify with and learn from?

[YOUTUBE]5xIMNZXIDuw[/YOUTUBE]

Much love xxx

Thanks for showing me that, very tough but also realistic. Felt I wanted to give her a big hug and thanks her for being so honest. I think we could all learn something from it.

Thank you xxx

 

[yorkiegal]

I found it hard to watch too. Very much worth watching though don't you think?

yes very much so.

 

[cah-ching]

Thanks for showing me that, very tough but also realistic. Felt I wanted to give her a big hug and thanks her for being so honest. I think we could all learn something from it.

Thank you xxx

yes very much so.

My pleasure. Here to help where I can. xxxxxxxxx

 

[galm37]

I think she was very brave & honest.

The operation is on our stomachs and not our heads! It's such a pity that the poor woman doesn't have a support group to go to.

 

[Stellap]

I find that distraction works for me. If I'm starting to feel like I want something bad then I make a hot drink, get the laptop out and start browsing clothes or come on here to get me motivated again. It proves to me that a lot of it is boredom and not hunger. If I really can't do without something sweet then I have an options hot chocolate.

 

[Twiggie]

I find that distraction works for me. If I'm starting to feel like I want something bad then I make a hot drink, get the laptop out and start browsing clothes or come on here to get me motivated again. It proves to me that a lot of it is boredom and not hunger. If I really can't do without something sweet then I have an options hot chocolate.

Thank you, some good ideas there! Although browsing clothes might not be great idea as I'm a compulsive spender so try to avoid looking and delete all the Sales emails in my inbox as soon as they arrive

I think I need to stock up on some of these Options though as I've seen quite a few people mention them. I tried those little sachets of WW instant dessert (like Angel Delight) as they can be made and eaten almost instantly but to be honest they taste disgusting :yuk:

For the rest of this weekend I'm eating nothing but Muller light yoghurts and protein drinks lol ....I sooo need to lost those 3lb I gained, plus more, by Monday if I can!

I've also done 3 hours solid gardening this afternoon ...digging & pruning so pretty strenuous ... and now I ache in places I didn't know I had!

I'm feeling positive about not giving in to any food cravings this evening, especially as son not here so no need to cook. My biggest hurdle tonight will be not opening a bottle of wine as I usually have a glass or two on a Saturday evening but at 600 calories a bottle, I can well do without it!!

Right, I'm off for a now to soothe my aching body lol

 

[chocchucky]

Have just read this and oh boy this was hard to watch glad to see she is doing better tho

Sharon xx

 

[Twiggie]

Ooops what was that I said about giving in to the bottle? <hic> arty0036:


But .... I haven't eaten anything!!

 

[cah-ching]

Drink is the elixir or the devil!

 

[Twiggie]

Drink is the elixir or the devil!

Isn't it just!!

I've battled the demon drink for many years, and is probably where most of my weight gain originally came from!

Thankfully I overcame those demons and whilst I'm not completely tee-total, I can now enjoy a couple of glasses without feeling guilty, or the need to drown myself in a bottle ... or three!