Emotional Eating

I would love to talk with you. I have had the same issues and sometimes at times I still want to eat when I am bored.
The thing is. NOW I am Diabetic and pregnant so I can not always have what i feel like picking up.
Anyway I would like to be an ear to listen. feel free to email me.

I think everyone has pretty much has said it, but I'll throw this one out there, go to the christian book store and theres a book about getting your eating under control. you pretty much list what you've eaten and how you were feeling when you went to the fridge. This book is to show you how to get to know your emotional and spiritual side and taking positive action. A few years ago alot of the churches did it as a womens group sorta like weight watchers. I wish I knew the name of it, I never took the class but I always wanted to at least get the book. Speaking of hobbies I love to paint it takes me a million miles away and does wonders for me. The ceramics are fun and you can make some really neat stuff for kids rooms. I recently painted Betty Boop for my daughter. You cant mess up just repaint. Good luck to you, I think as women most of us has been there.

Hi F., To respond to your despreate cry. I believe that it has nothing to do with your girls it goes further then that. I believe you have all the signs of depression. Im not a doctor or nurse but I do know the signs of depression, been there done that. It something you are worried or bother about, I think if you had someone you trust to share with what ever you are stress out about or whats bothering you. You will get to the root of the problem. I was there a few years ago and didnt even know that I was depressed or even stress out. But after just talking with my sister-in-law I began to share with her my anger and the thing that make me mad, and to come to find outI didnt know how to express myself or I was afraid of going off. so I wouldnt go off I will hold everything in. and eating helps calm me, but then I will get upset at myself because I was gianing weight and so on. You F. need a listing ear. I advice you find a friend, doctor or your pastor to share your concerns. You need to pray and ask God for the real problem.

Vicky

I've had success with this approach. Write a very terse but polite letter stating your case. If you know someone that's good at writing letters, like an attorney or secretary, have them word it up, basically threatening to contact the proper authorities about their establishment. They'll at least acknowledge you and the problem.

I'm sorry, Jo, I don't understand your statement as it applies to F.'s question...can you elaborate, or is it possible that you meant to post to another question??

F., you are in a BIG boat, sister! I think it's so easy to get overwhelmed with things and when we have little time or no outlet to deal with our stress we so quickly turn to food as a quick-fix. Been there, still there sometimes.

I agree with the first poster that you should check into PPD. Try your obgyn's office - I have gone there a few times outside of my yearly appointments and it has really helped me a lot. My dr. is female and I love her staff, so they've always been really easy to talk to when I needed some support in a professional and objective manner. She actually put me on Wellbutrin for weight loss, and I found out that when I take it in the mornings that it helps my moods AND appetite TREMENDOUSLY!!!

You didn't say if you work outside the home or stay home with your girls, but do you or your hubby's work have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? My work has this and you just get a referral to see a counselor in your area. You get a certain # of free visits (in my co's case it is 6) and you can continue seeing the person after that if you want to. I've found that it's great to have someone who you can go and talk to about anything, who doesn't judge you or get personal on you. Even if you don't have EAP, try your church's pastor (they're FREE!).

Some actual tips (which is what you actually ASKED for, isn't it?? LOL): Get your husband to alternate feedings so you aren't getting up every time; I had friends who alternated nights so that each of them got a full night's sleep every other night! If you have any interests or hobbies you've let slip, try and get back into them. Start off by doing 10-15 minutes' of the activity every night. I can tell that if I'm into the things that help me feel like "me" it seems a lot of the burden of the mundane junk is lifted. A food journal is great, and also a writing journal for getting things out that make you feel like you want/need to eat. If you have any trigger foods, try and get them out of the house - I notice for me that if it's not there I rarely think about it.

Hope some of this helps!!!!

Don't buy snacks that are fattening. Purchase only carrot sticks or celery, etc. and put them into baggies. whenever you get stressed out, there will be nothing to eat that isn't healthy. The baggies will help with portions. Typically when you are finished with one bag you will not open another. Eventually you will get bored with eating the same thing over and over and this is the point where when you get stressed out instead of eating, you add excersise instead of stress eating. This worked for me!

Hi F.,

I was a victim of emotional eating. There is an underlying problem other than fustration. You should find a meeting in your area for Overeaters Anonoyms. (did I spell that right???)Any who, I was in an abusive marriage and suffered from severe depression. Lil Debbie Brownie's was my best friend.

Hello F.,
I think the advice that you have recvd already is really sound. I just wanted to say that I can really empathize with your situation. Having an unhealthy realtionship with food can be really painful. I try very hard to never look at myself like I have a character deficiency because I have a problem with addiction around food. I *try* to always look at it as an opportunity to see what stuff stuff lies underneath and what it is I am trying to avoid feeling. Alot of times I am trying to avoid feeling my stress. I am involved in an ongoing group workshop that deals specifically with feeling your feelings even if they are negative rather than trying to eat them away or in my case, smoke them away.
I know how rough it is, and how badly it can make you feel, so my heart goes out to you. Look for parenting support, look for like minded community to ease the burden of mothering all the time. I think that sometimes mothers get set up for a less than positive experience when we are home alone, in isolation, parenting all by ourselves... Mined are 6 and 9 now, but those early years were when I put on tons and tons of weight because of depression and emotional eating.
best of luck
A. - mom to Dominic (9) and Julian (6)

First of all, know that you aren't alone. There are many of us that do the same thing. For me, listing helped. I bought a cheap journal notebook at the local dollar store for only $1. Then every time you put something in your mouth, you write down what you have eaten, how much of it, and why. The key is to be honest with writing it down. Don't just think, "well, it was only one sip" or "only one cookie doesn't count". EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth has to be recorded. It helps you become more aware of what you are doing, and more importantly, why. For me, the embarassment of someone seeing what I had eaten in just one day was enough to make me think twice before grabbing that second helping or reaching for the ice cream - again!

Also, if you are getting that irritated at the baby waking up, have you considered the posibility of Post Partum Depression? I had it SEVERELY after both of my girls (on top of my already mood-altering PMDD). It was also easier for me to control my eating once I got my raging hormones under control.

Good luck to you in whatever route you decide to try!!!!