Comfort eating

Nicki

Have been going through stressful times recently and am aware I'm putting on weight due to comfort eating. Does anyone have any tips on how to manage this? Either low cal healthy snacks or drinks or techniques to avoid temptation. This often strikes in the middle of the working day so ideas to keep hands occupied such as painting nails or knitting won't be an option.

I'd ultimately like to drop 20lbs which have gone on over the last few months but in the short term stopping more going on would be an achievement in itself.

Cazzaswfc

Try slimming world? See the thread.

I just do it from home using YouTube, Instagram and blogs for inspiration and the thread on here for support.

I'm a huge comfort eater so I love to be able to have "proper" food and still be able to snack.

DebrasSewingProject

I always thought I was a comfort eater but realise now that I eat because of stress! Also it doesn't help the masses of information we are bombarded with so I continually yoyo diet. I'll try the latest fad ony to realise yet again it doesn't work! My latest idea, fingers crossed this works and I stick to it, is to look at it scientifically. What should the human body be consuming as advised by authority nutritionists/wikipedia. I've come up with a long list of foods the human body should consume with a reason/why beside each food such as what vitamin it includes and what benefit serves the body. I'm going to eat to live only and hope the weight drops off naturally. I've long list of foods such as sweet potatotes, salmon, nuts, avocadoes, cottage cheese, tuna, sardines, brocolli.... I'm pleased the list is long and varied.

givememoney

I've been off the sugar for a few weeks now with just a couple of falls off the wagon.

I would normally love a biscuit with a cup of tea and also feel that something sweet is needed after a savoury meal.

Anyway, the way I have got round this is to sort of look deep inside and ask myself "am I really hungry?" and the answer is of course no, so why do I need a biscuit/piece of cake etc.

This seems to work most of the time and if genuinely hungry, I have something to eat.

Mrs_Boo_Boo

Have you ever thought about tackling comfort eating from the other angle,the psychological one. So finding out times when you overeat.places and feelings?
I have started to keep a diary of when I overeat to establish what when and how. As mentoned by givememoney it's about inituitive eating. Beyond Chocolate is a good book and anything by Geneen Roth.
Diets are ok but they don't address whty we comfort eat.
Stress relief is good too. Things like relaxation,mindfullness etc can help too at these times.

Pop_Up_Pirate

Diets do address why we comfort eat.

When the human body obtains all the nutrients it needs to function properly without causing oxidative stress, all cravings and desires to 'comfort eat' will go away.

Anoneemoose

I would recommend not dieting in any form..for example, Slimming World and their ilk.

Dieting to lose weight pretty much guarantees weight gain, as contradictive as that sounds. There are studies which show that the biggest risk factor for obesity is having previously 'dieted'. It is estimated up to 95% of people will regain their weight and of that 95%, 40% of those will put even more on.

I did SW on and off for 20 years and gained an eating disorder because of it. I believe I may have posted previously about my weight and food issues.

I have now taken an 'intuitive eating' and 'health at every size' approach, combining that with private therapy to overcome my turbulent relationship with food. I threw the scales away months ago and have had no issues with gaining weight since then (well, obviously I am not sure of numbers but my clothes haven't got tight).

I now eat a wide variety of foods, mostly unprocessed. I don't binge anymore. I am still 'obese', but I trust my body to sort itself out as long as I am feeding it with quality food (and some treats).

I would recommend you look at this website before embarking on any diet.


http://peacefuleating.co.uk

teddysmum

I'm the complete opposite. If stressed I can't eat and some years ago, during extreme stress went for two weeks on just mugs of tea.


Nowadays, if something upsets me (eg I'm worried about a dog's health) I can make a meal then bee unable to eat it.


My antidote for stress is to play a computer (hidden object or puzzle ) game, but you couldn't do this away from home....though perhaps a mobile phone game would help

fireblade28

My solution has always been to not buy bad food and don't go shopping when hungry.

Habit doesn't necessarily explain why but it plays a big role in it.

pollypenny

Buy Michael Mosley Intermittent Fasting, 5:2 Diet book - it's not education!
We've completely changed our habits and appetite.

Find things to do when stressed - do your nails, try those adult colouring books etc.

Don't have biscuits etc in the house, but snack on crunchy things like carrot sticks if your desperate.

Anoneemoose

fireblade28 wrote: »

My solution has always been to not buy bad food and don't go shopping when hungry.

Habit doesn't necessarily explain why but it plays a big role in it.

I would argue there is no such thing as 'bad' food, and it's thinking that that causes people to want more of it. I can have biscuits, cake, crisps, chocolate and all sorts im the house and it can stay there for ages.

If you look at my previous post history and my own threads, you will see this was certainly not always the case and I was where OP is.