9 replies to this topic

[knittings]

Is it possible for this topic to be deleted please?

Edited by knittings, 16 January 2013 - 11:08 PM.

[wishingitallaway]

Hello I need advice. I'm an emotional eater, have been hard core for more than a year now. It's scary, I go into a frenzy that I can't control and my mind just tells me to eat to cope with my sad thoughts and depressed thoughts. I don't know how to combat it at all. I've read 2 books on eating disorder type issues, and they helped for the time being, but I always relapse. I just can't stay motivated and it scares me because I can't live with this mentality my entire life. My mother had an eating disorder and I struggled through BED, but emotional eating has crept back on to me. And no, I don't have any friends to talk to about it, so please don't suggest that. I am addicted to seeking processed unhealthy foods when I get those feelings, which seem to be when it gets later in the day. Also, it's impossible for me to eliminate the bad food out of my house. I still live with my family.

Thank-you. I really do appreciate any input.

hi knittings. My advice to you is to follow these steps : keep a food diary, record how much u eat, how ur feeling and how often u eat. this way u can truly see ur eating habits and plan alternative activities to eating. Next, know when your hungry and when your just having a craving. when u get hungry, give the urge to eat like 10 minutes and do somthing else. if u realize then that ur not hungry anymore then it was just a craving. Next, Talk to who u live with about it and see if they can eliminate at least some of the trigger foods u binge on. Next, dont skip your daily meals. finally, do alternate activities try and ind something even if its reading a book or a bubble bath lol. To stay motivated, just keep a positive vibe and if u mess up one day dont worry, it happens. dont dwell just remind yourself to stay focused on achieving your goal of getting rid of this, learn from it and remember it will take time be consistent. Give it a try good luck hope it helps!

[knittings]

Hello I need advice. I'm an emotional eater, have been hard core for more than a year now. It's scary, I go into a frenzy that I can't control and my mind just tells me to eat to cope with my sad thoughts and depressed thoughts. I don't know how to combat it at all. I've read 2 books on eating disorder type issues, and they helped for the time being, but I always relapse. I just can't stay motivated and it scares me because I can't live with this mentality my entire life. My mother had an eating disorder and I struggled through BED, but emotional eating has crept back on to me. And no, I don't have any friends to talk to about it, so please don't suggest that. I am addicted to seeking processed unhealthy foods when I get those feelings, which seem to be when it gets later in the day. Also, it's impossible for me to eliminate the bad food out of my house. I still live with my family.

Thank-you. I really do appreciate any input.

hi knittings. My advice to you is to follow these steps : keep a food diary, record how much u eat, how ur feeling and how often u eat. this way u can truly see ur eating habits and plan alternative activities to eating. Next, know when your hungry and when your just having a craving. when u get hungry, give the urge to eat like 10 minutes and do somthing else. if u realize then that ur not hungry anymore then it was just a craving. Next, Talk to who u live with about it and see if they can eliminate at least some of the trigger foods u binge on. Next, dont skip your daily meals. finally, do alternate activities try and ind something even if its reading a book or a bubble bath lol. To stay motivated, just keep a positive vibe and if u mess up one day dont worry, it happens. dont dwell just remind yourself to stay focused on achieving your goal of getting rid of this, learn from it and remember it will take time be consistent. Give it a try good luck hope it helps!

Thank-you. This helped me a lot.

[dejaclairevoyant]

How much do you eat during the day? During the times I was binging a lot at night, I wasn't eating enough calories during the day. I started eating a solid breakfast and lunch (whereas before I'd just have a smoothie or juice) and now I no longer feel the urge to binge at night.

[knittings]

How much do you eat during the day? During the times I was binging a lot at night, I wasn't eating enough calories during the day. I started eating a solid breakfast and lunch (whereas before I'd just have a smoothie or juice) and now I no longer feel the urge to binge at night.

I haven't been having the best breakfasts or lunch. I think that might be a factor as to why I'm binging like this. thank you I just feel like a part of me doesn't want to sotp doing this to myself, that it doesn't seem possible or that I'm doomed to suffer with this forever..

[o Havoc o]

Hello I need advice. I'm an emotional eater, have been hard core for more than a year now. It's scary, I go into a frenzy that I can't control and my mind just tells me to eat to cope with my sad thoughts and depressed thoughts. I don't know how to combat it at all. I've read 2 books on eating disorder type issues, and they helped for the time being, but I always relapse. I just can't stay motivated and it scares me because I can't live with this mentality my entire life. My mother had an eating disorder and I struggled through BED, but emotional eating has crept back on to me. And no, I don't have any friends to talk to about it, so please don't suggest that. I am addicted to seeking processed unhealthy foods when I get those feelings, which seem to be when it gets later in the day. Also, it's impossible for me to eliminate the bad food out of my house. I still live with my family.

Thank-you. I really do appreciate any input.

This is a tough one and there is not wrong or right answer.

Emotional is exactly that. You feel crap and foods like chocolate release large amounts of serotonin which makes one feel good.

You're associating food with feeling good and this is essentially an addiction. Don't feel bad, everyone is addicted to food, we are born addicted to it, its just a matter of managing it.

Physically i would say try eating a balanced nutritional plan and focus on lean protein, essential fats and veg.

Mentally. This is an whole different ball game. You will have to find a way to change your relationship with food but this means finding the root cause of why you are unhappy.

I would suggest seeking professional help.

[stickstickley]

Maybe try seeking out healthier alternatives first before you try getting away from altogether.

One of the snacks I eat a lot is a banana with some honey flaovred peanut butter and a glass of milk. It's really filling and I find it's more satisfying than most junk foods. Another thing you can maybe try if you absolutely need junk food is get an ice cream maker. They're pretty cheap (I think $25 or less) and the ice cream you make is going to be much better for you than most other junk food items.

Maybe you could just try drinking different things instead. You could try different flavors of teas and coffee. A lot of times these can alsokill food cravings for people.

[o Havoc o]

Maybe try seeking out healthier alternatives first before you try getting away from altogether.

One of the snacks I eat a lot is a banana with some honey flaovred peanut butter and a glass of milk. It's really filling and I find it's more satisfying than most junk foods. Another thing you can maybe try if you absolutely need junk food is get an ice cream maker. They're pretty cheap (I think $25 or less) and the ice cream you make is going to be much better for you than most other junk food items.

Maybe you could just try drinking different things instead. You could try different flavors of teas and coffee. A lot of times these can alsokill food cravings for people.

A few weeks ago i would have agreed with on the banana snack (which sounds awesome by the way)

While i agree that is a better choice over say chocolate it is still sugar. It does not matter if it is natural sugar or not, it still has the same effect on the body. It will still release feel good chemicals which will only serve to reinforce the emotional eating.

Don't get me wrong, you have a very good point about cutting down gradually but in cases of emotional eating i am not sure if that is the best way to go. It may be the right way to go as were all different. However given what i now know about sugar and what it does to the body i seriously believe it is as addictive as a Class A drug.

[dejaclairevoyant]

How much do you eat during the day? During the times I was binging a lot at night, I wasn't eating enough calories during the day. I started eating a solid breakfast and lunch (whereas before I'd just have a smoothie or juice) and now I no longer feel the urge to binge at night.

I haven't been having the best breakfasts or lunch. I think that might be a factor as to why I'm binging like this. thank you I just feel like a part of me doesn't want to sotp doing this to myself, that it doesn't seem possible or that I'm doomed to suffer with this forever..

Oh believe me, I totally understand. Eating healthy, balanced meals throughout the day is nowhere near as satisfied as restricting and then binging. It's a fucked up, disturbing sort of satisfaction, but it's addictive and it's real. I guess it just comes down to wanting to be healthier versus wanting disordered eating. I love disordered eating, in a dark way. I just love life a little bit more.

[o Havoc o]

What everyone has to accept and understand is that we are born addicted to food. It is programmed into us, it's a survival mechanism. We naturally seek calorie dense foods and into days world the most calorie dense foods are typically loaded with salt, sugar and all other sort of horrible stuff. These fuels the addiction even further, and given that these foods are so easily available there is no wonder why so many have bad eating patterns.

One has to find balance and find ways of managing our addiction. It is there and that is fact. It's just case of finding your own of saying "do i really need to eat right now? Am i hungry or am i emotionally hungry? Is this food really gonna help me?"

It takes time and great deal of effort to stay on top it. But as i have said before just start by making better and wiser choices in what you eat.