Starting today !

[HongKingKong]

160KG beast ! World champion of stress eating. Just wondering, has anyone had better success at weight loss due to mental therapy ? I'm a recurring weight gainer, everytime im under stress hell breaks lose !

[Dave1961 25kg]

Did you ever realise that STRESSED is DESSERTS backwards?

I started here at 140 kg about 5 wks ago so 160 doesn't seem so scary to me.

You're an emotional eater and you're used to being able to push down your emotions with food. The stress is not being fixed by the food its just being hidden by it.

For me? The thing that has worked really well is imagining that craving, that undeniable need for sugar or carbs, chocolate or chips, as a bratty little 4 year old who just throws a tantrum if you say no to getting the food he/she wants.

I imagine mine lying on the floor, sobbing and kicking his little feet, screaming "I want choc *sob* o *sob* late. *sniffle* You're so MEAN TO MEEEE!!!!"

Some3 how it makes the whole craving thing easier to address and deal with because it snot your body that needs the food its your brain being a child and demanding it.

I wrote a post about this recently called "Put your old self in the naughty corner!"- I think you might find it helpful?

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

I have found it helpful to just immerse myself in health. I listen to a podcast called "Cut The Fat" every day which has great tips and tools, I am reading a book about how the food industry has made junk food like heroin for us and another on a new diet called the Metabolic Effect diet, I have just taken up cycling, I using Myfitnesspal to count calories (love it), I have a Fitbit to measure my steps....

The list goes on and I am telling you this because I have pretty much overwhelmed myself with health and fitness stuff to the point where if I think "I want chocolate" it is now a full on battle in my head as opposed to "Oh OK - get chocolate".

And these days the chocolate wins a lot less often than it used to - which was daily!

There is a weekly weigh in on Mondays that @Lowcal runs - feel free to join that of you want or not...

As for your question re: Mental Therapy I assume you mean counselling for weight loss?

I don't think its a bad idea at all however the counselling should be geared to what the problems are that are causing your addictive behaviour not just how to stop eating badly.

Looking forward to seeing your round

[Gonti 10 kg]

I saw a counsellor for ten sessions over three months starting exactly this time last year. I went to see her to fid ways to cope with a distressing relationship And she was amazingly helpful, very proactive with practical suggestions, unonconditionally sympathetic and non judgemental and above all provided a space to think. Since then I have gradually made a lot of changes to my life, my business, my lifestyle, the way I act and yes I no longer binge eat. Family have all benefitted.

Standard advice , Be incredibly carefull to find someone trained, who is part of a practice, who is being supervised, who is a member of an association. It cost me 75 per hour and this has since proved to be a bargain.

Hope this helps

[Fran182716 in reply to Gonti]

Gontis given you some great advice there. I'm a stress eater too, couldn't afford the counselling though I'm sure it would be worth every penny. A couple of years ago I found a book on Amazon called The Binge Eating And Compulsive Overeating Workbook by Carolyn Coker Ross, which I found really useful for working out where the stress eating behaviours started. For me this was about discovering how unhelpful thinking and faulty judgements had allowed bad habits to become established, and how to change behaviours by changing your perspective (CBT style common sense) however I'd be wary of doing this if there are very distressing events in your past that this might bring up as you would need professional help. Giving up sugary junk has also helped because I found it truly addictive and now the cravings have gone I actually don't want it any more. this forums great for helping you keep on track, there's always someone happy to reply to your posts and give support. Good luck ☀️

[Gonti 10 kg]

Banana cake is absolutely right about everything but especially the sugary junk. I am still astonished at how much my mood has improved in the last three months since I drastically reduced sugar and refined carbs and processed food.

Public library -as Lowcal told me weeks ago -should be a good place to find books. NHS has a series called "bibliotherapy program".

I was lucky I could afford counselling. I certainly couldn't at the moment. Could you ask your GP to finance counselling for you. Although you would have a long wait for this in the meantime you would be reading, chatting on this forum, taking other baby steps, and knowing that was coming would help you reflect rather than brood.

Have a nice day. 🌻

[mandy_ydnam]

Morning

Can't help with your question, but wanted to wish you good luck on your journey

[Portlandprincess]

Hi King, some amazing posts here of support.....although I haven't got a stress triggar for eating...boredom is mine. Eat when I watch telly....so don't watch the telly so much and post more....I know it sounds too simple but is there a way of stepping away from the stress? Or distract from the stress?.....