Emotional eating - sorry to start another lose weight thread

fannyanna

Hi All,

As I said I'm sorry to start another thread about needing to lose weight but I need some help with the psychological aspect of losing weight and not the actual method of losing weight.

I know why I'm overweight. It's simple = I eat far too much bad food, not enough good food and live a very sedentary lifestyle. I've done diets in the past (last year I did WW and lost a couple of stone) but after a while I fall off the wagon and my old habits start creeping back.

It was on my last diet that I realised I was an emotional eater - that probably sounds really stupid but I never quite realised this. Prime example is that I get junk food cravings if I'm angry or upset.

Anyway, it's one thing understanding my problems but how on earth do I tackle them?

Has anyone overcome their psychological aspects of overeating in the past?

P.S. There is a money saving aspect to stopping overeating too - all this junk food and all the take-aways soon adds up. If I could stop this bad habit I'll be saving a fortune!

joeblack066

This is just like me! I have known for a long time, and yet still do it! I hate being overweight (I am 48, 5'7" and about 13st 12lbs) and have fibromyalgia, whichs affects me execising. However I could do exercise, and I know HOW to diet, I just need to stop eating rubbish! When I am happy, I don't overeat, but I have been stressed and miserable for a very long time now, and 1.5st I lost last year is now creeping back on.
So can I join you FannyAnna, in waiting for some helpful advice?

esmf73

Meeeee tooo. Need to join in. Unfortunately I don't think that there is any advice that anyone can give that will help. Its a question of remembering to do something else first.

I am trying to remember to drink a large glass of cool water first, to get involved with something - knitting in the evenings (I can't eat and knit!) and to keep busy if I can. It has been suggested to me that I try EFT - "tapping". Apparently its a technique that Paul McKenna uses, I suspect that it is the same. Just trying to remember to do something ELSE first!!!

Why don't we support each other! Am happy if you want to PM me - not that I have any fantastic ideas! I'm also thinking of sticking "fat" photos of me up around the kitchen, but I don't want my neighbours to see through the windows!! xx

thorsoak

Can I suggest that you do your grocery shop on-line - and JUST DON'T BUY THE RUBBISHY STUFF! If I don't have biscuits/cakes/icecream in the house, then I can't eat it!

Limit the amount of money you take out with you when you do go out - so that you cannot afford that doughnut/McDonalds/Pizza. Offer to do the driving so that you cannot drink ........

If it doesn't pass the lips, it can't go on the hips!

This is what I'm having to do.

soupdragon10

I realised with the help of a very good counsellor that eating while stressed had a link to childhood when mother would give me food if I got upset/distressed etc. and I had made the unconscious link that food = comfort.

It is slowly starting to change, although setback due to redundancy, but will stick at it as it's my thought patterns and relationship with food that has to change.

LMCD

I had counselling recently and it wasn't for eating but I think its all leads to the same self asking questions...

why are you unhappy

what makes you angry: if you know it, what is the reaction and what can soothe it other than food.

do you talk about what you are unhappy about, are you stuck in a rut of self pity....

think what you can change and do it....gradually.

write things down that you want to change.



on the other hand = throw away take away menus....

it shouldn't be diet - it should be change of lifestyle....

join a class again, where do you see yourself in five years time.

is there anyone that you can get support from? even on here...

someone I know used to put a pic of them on the fridge of them being big - then someone suggested that they put the pic on when they had previously lost all their weight - that was a better motivation for them.


good luck.