I posted Monday feeling down because I'd gained half kg. Lovely people here were supportive (thank you) but my head is in a bad place. I'm an emotional eater and I'm feeling down so I over eat which of course makes me feel worse!
My rational brain knows what to do and knows I feel better without the sweet hits BUT default is to hit the biscuits or chocs.
I can do healthy eating and enjoy it for ages but then a challenge and it all goes wrong
How do I convince myself that sweet food is NOT a solution and won't make me feel better long term?
I think it's tough to convince yourself in that way, as if sweet food is available, and the circumstances are right, then it can be easily reached for. I'm wondering if you can perhaps limit your access to it in some way? Maybe just buy very limited amounts, or even try not buying the tempting things at all - so that they are not available on those challenging times?
You mentioned that you can do healthy eating and enjoy it for ages, and that's brilliant. But if you have the chocolates and biscuits around, then on those occasions when you're not feeling as strong, then that is when it can go wrong.
Maybe also looking at the trigger to your emotional eating would be a good place to focus as well - maybe when you're feeling better, then write a list of things that you could do to distract yourself from turning to the sweeter things, and maybe try to do those things on the occasions when you know you need that extra help and support.
I'm not sure if my reply is making sense - hope it's helpful. I realise it's relatively late, and I'm feeling a bit tired, but I wanted to reply to your post before I go to bed.
Maybe get some sleep yourself, and I hope that tomorrow you feel much better.
Sleep well, and take care, and wishing you a good day tomorrow.
I know how you feel and wish I could do something to help. You're not alone, I guarantee there are other emotional eaters on here (including me). If I get upset, feel hurt or angry, etc. then I want to comfort eat and it's hard not to. You have to get your brain used to eating fruit or something else healthy instead, and that's easier said than done.
Just don't give up, each time you don't give in to it, it strengthens your resolve and it will become easier the next time until you get yourself into the habit of either having healthy 'comfort' food, or better still, doing something positive which takes your mind off your problem. I'm still going through this process myself, but it is getting easier as time passes. Good luck. 👍
Hello, like many others I am the same. Emotional eater, self medicating. What ever you want to call it. We know what we should do, but when the food devils arise, it's almost Impossible to resist. That's why I wonder about all the surgery that's given now. It's not a physical thing, it's mental help we need. To us food is a drug. It stops you feeling what you are self medicating against, whether that's self loathing, loneliness, etc etc.
I hope you find your way to stop over eating I know it's not easy....good luck.
Ceriandblue , I've just met my twin in you , sending you a big hug as every thing you said was me , when something gets me down ( and it can be nothing really ) I just say #### it and reach for anything I can get my hands on , I go into self district mode -hope this hug will help you feel better we can do it and we will do it all together --I'm so glad I joined this group albeit only -this week , we can find strength from everyone here so here's that big hug (((. )))xxx
Thank you all. As usual, after dark chocolate I've woken with a headache - still didn't stop me.
You see I know you're all so right - I don't keep biscuits in the house but yesterday I bought chocolate when I filled up the car!! I had my almonds with me but managed to resist those! Also went for strong cheese instead of strawberries when I opened the fridge.
Work wasn't great yesterday and I was home alone in the evening - triggers are boredom and stress. I've put things into place to deal with this but I'm very good at self sabotage.
Still today it's sunny, I'm riding my bike to meet my walking group and this evening it's dancing. All positive - it's just I know I can't promise it won't happen again.
Really hope you have a better day today. Lovely that it's a sunny start to the day, and hope you enjoy your bike ride and meeting up with your walking group. Dancing this evening sounds good fun too.
OMG, you're me, that's what I did yesterday. I'm not a sweet person, but I bought chocolates and a meat pie which was reduced, yet I know all I had to do was pay for my fuel and left: -((
Have you tried fruity tic tacs? They are 1-2 cals per tic tac...I suck 4 with a cup of tea instead of having chocolate or whatever (although I do also factor in a 100 cal snack every single evening as evenings are a bad time for me). I'm currently into "Strawberry Fields" tic tacs. Ok, it's not the healthiest thing, but it's far less calories than maybe eating a packet of biscuits on a binge, and even if you sucked a whole pack it would probably take you over an hour to get through them, during which time, bombard yourself with music, play scrabble online, or anything as a distraction...go take a nice hot bath/shower with some lovely smelly stuff, even lighting a scented candle is good, as scents are supposed to be good for enhancing your mood, apparently! Keeping your mouth occupied with SOMEthing which feels a bit "naughty" (in my case the tic tacs) but not containing too many calories might be helpful in controlling the calorie intake. Because the emotional side of things is much harder to conquer, so for me, for now, it's about tactical eating (or maybe tic-tac-tical!), getting the most out of my calories every day. Also you could freeze low calorie squash into ice lolly or ice cube form, keep a stash of those in the freezer and then suck on those when the food urge arises - again, keeps the mouth occupied, which for me seems to be what I psychologically want as a comfort tool.
Know that you are human, as emotional eaters we all get these times, the main thing is not to beat yourself up and try to move forwards and forget what's past. You can't change what you did but you can change what you DO in the future. My "cover" photo I find inspiring because it reminds me that it's never to late to start again...you can change things literally from second to second. Take the bull by the horns and plan what you are going to eat, but also factor in some "tactical" snacks to fall back on. Something else which helps me is this...before buying chocolate or cake or whatever in a shop...I think "How does this look to the shop keeper? I bet she is thinking that it's no wonder I'm so fat if I'm buying chocolate". This may not work for everyone, but the pure shameful feeling for me would be enough to put me off buying the "naughty" foods in the first place! So, if you are put off buying them, then they aren't in the house for you to eat. Just a few ideas, I hope they might be helpful in some way. Very good luck on the rest of your journey xx
PS I forgot to mention sugar free jellies. They are so low in calories and you could actually eat a whole jelly (the sachets I buy) for less than 50 cals. Talk about a tasty way to keep the mouth busy! If you think you can manage to eat it all, add part of a tin of mandarin oranges (in juice not syrup) for a real zingy kick for about 100 cals!
Hi there, I have been feeling much the same lately after having regained 20 of the 42 pounds I had lost last year. However, on Monday, I heard just the advice I needed. This person, speaking in a podcast, said to her listeners, "if there's something you need to do in your life to improve it/yourself then JUST DO IT!" Such timely advice made me stop in my tracks. I thought "Yeah, I just need to do this and move forward". I am back on track and hope to lose those regained pounds by the end of April. I hope that simple phrase might help you. JUST DO IT has become my mantra and keeps me focussed.
Hi! Somebody here ,write something that works for me.
Next time before eat the delicious thing..stand in front of the mirror and ask your self ,if you really need to eat it!
It is very hard and I do understand how you are because I tend to eat more "comfort" food when feeling down. Take one day at a time
I keep a packet of sugar free sweets around and "reward" myself when feeling low
I also stopped buying anything that tempted me to break my diet as the "down" feeling passes and you will feel so good when you have fought and overcome the temptation to overeat.
Put on your favourite music and sing and dance around which helps improve your mood. Think of how people you love around would be pleased with how far you have come already! Be proud of what you have achieved so far and don't focus on your "relapse" days
No one is perfect and we all have "relapse" days or weeks - just get back on your diet and think about it going forward.
I feel the same way, that's the only way I can combat the comfort eating, is to have a food/sweet alternative on standby. I wonder if one day I will actually combat the psychological urge to comfort eat when it hits, but in the meantime I have to do something to control the weight gaining aspect of it, so the lower calorie standby is better than the alternative even if it may not be completely healthy!
Have you tried not forbidding yourself chocolate/biscuits, but rather rationing them?
Maybe put together some little emergency ration packs of a portion size you know is not going to undo all your hard work, and when it gets a bit desperate, have one of them and a large glass of water.
The water will help hydrate and fill that gap, and you will have a pre-arranged portion of the sweet stuff so you don't overeat.
If you like you could even top it off with some positive music and a brisk walk somewhere just to get you out of that space?
It's something I'm doing for myself, having little 'cheat bags' that I have prepared when I'm not craving, so when I am, I'm not just binging on sweet food.
Some great support and ideas here. But I'll still put my two pence worth in.
It sounds like you have equated healthy eating with being "good" and by putting some
foods off limits, they have become "bad". So when you need a treat, you are being naughty and it's not your fault, because your head is in a bad place. Take it to a good place!
At one point in my forty year slimming life, I had a sparkling bathroom and oven, because I'd worked out that I wouldn't eat if I had wet hands, so I kept them wet! Of course I didn't need to work at it, just having a bath would have kept me out of the kitchen and wet. What I'm saying is that you need to out think and out manoeuvre your inner naughty child.
So, you have lots of options. If you need a treat, maybe keep a list of non food treats that you would enjoy. You could have it as a lucky dip, so you don't know what you're going to get. Ideas might include a manicure session, a face pack, a favourite magazine, phoning a friend for a chat. I'm sure you can think of loads more.
I have found some fruits can replace sweets because they are so sweet. Grapes, blueberries and persimmon (Sharon fruit) do it for me. If all else fails and it has to be chocolate, how about a hot chocolate from one of the slimmers' ranges like Options. They are around 40/50kcal. I sometimes use one instead of milk on a chopped banana and cereal. Then finally, have some planned treats. Make sure that you already know the kcal values, so that you can choose. I sometimes make myself a mini cheesecake with some quark or Greek yogurt spread on a biscuit, crispbread, melba toasts, etc and topped with 1 tsp of jam or some fruit. I do find fruit canned in juice is a winner here, though I have learned to dump the juice. Nothing feels as luxurious as a big bowl of fruit eaten one piece at a time with a toothpick. My yearnings for something bad has often faded by the time I finish that.
I have managed to move the family on with their treats, to ones I don't like. So my son tends to get prawn cocktail flavoured crisps, the one flavour I won't eat. I do find it really helps not to be able to put my hand on the wrong thing immediately. So I then have to think through a treat from the foods I think I should be eating. In the run up to Christmas, I told myself I could have crisps any time I liked, but I had to make them myself. Guess who hasn't had a crisp for 3 months? First time being lazy has helped me stick to my eating plan.
You just have to out think that sneaky bit of you that is trying to wreck your weight loss plans. Hope some of these ideas spark your own solutions. Good luck with the next week.
I am having the same problem after a fall last year am not walking too much so exercise is out wish there were something to curb late night eating. I have tried to curb my carbs which leaves me weak as a diabetic..will try again today and try to fill up on salads and eating a big meal at Lunch..Let us try together..
You are just like me ! Binge anything in my mouth and then regret regret ! However the sun is shining .. Let's start again !! Think a pound a week ! Not I have 6 stone to loose !!!
Small steps make big changes !
I have decided I'm giving up choc crisps and biscuits for 4 weeks till Easter ! And putting a pound away each week .. It's a little hard to do but I can do it if I am positive ! I don't need them and neither do u need the sweet stuff ! Clear out the cupboards now!! Put a photo on everyone to remind yourself that this is not what u want to see in 4 weeks time !
You will do it !!! I will do it !
I have to do it ! No one except myself got me here so I have to get myself back !! Fill up on protein and keep a food diary .. My fitness pal is brilliant !
It's a horrible cycle we are in ! It's cold and we want to reach out for food but food is our enemy esp the wrong food .. Have ur meals 3 times a day .. Snack on protein chicken baby bells and ur see a difference ! U probably eat when ur bored !! Try a colouring book ! I spent 3 hours colouring in the other day and I didn't think about food ! We can do it !! Be positive !! Don't let the food and the way u feel get in the way of ur goal ! X
ah i love your positivity today today i have been in brilliant form. when i am sad i eat. a lot. i was given some colouring in books at christmas. will have a colour-in definitely this weekend.
We all seem to be in the same boat, trying to think of ways to change our hard wired evolution of eating as much food as we can, when we can, as in primitive times. Lions still do the same, gorge for 3 days then sleep until hungry again. In India a bride is confined to bed and given endless milk to drink to make her fat for her wedding. This culture thinks that if you are fat then you must be well off or you could not afford to buy the food to get fat. They also think it looks more attractive than a skinny woman. As long as we are not obese and are fairly fit, it is ok to be rounded and not skinny. Our media tells us that we have to look like the girls in the magazines, adverts and catwalks. They are told a size 8 is fat. It is possible to be fit and over weight. They are now bringing out 3 new Barbie dolls, 1 short, 1 tall and 1 average weight for the population. Parents still want their girls to have the skinny one so as not to be fat !!! Men are led to believe that they should be sporty and muscular and workout to achieve some very distorted bodies, sometimes using steroids to help them. Again not all boys/men are athletes and as long as they are reasonably fit they do not have to be muscly. Sorry but I tend to discuss things from abstractly as I have mild Aspergers so am not always aware of my feelings and at other times I avoid my worthless self. K am always told to get in touch with my feelings in therapy but I find it very hard to but that is another story. I have bought some new smaller clothes that I am trying to lose weight for in time for Spring in UK, which is nearly here!!! I am not ready as usual !!! Good luck all XXX
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