[hentaywee]

I was doing well, emotionally and physically, but seem to have been in a slump for about a month. My eating habits have gotten terrible. And even though I know I need to exercise and get out to socialize, I could very easily stay at home in bed sleeping, messing around online or watching television. Heck, I've even been seriously thinking about getting Netflix. But I know if I do, I know I won't want to leave the room.

Anyone else start to notice that you use food as a comfort tool? Or any tricks on how to talk yourself out of eating from boredom? I'd just like to get opinions from you guys, and find out if I'm not alone with this battle

[missbelle]

I have always had an issue with food. Always! Over the years it was a best friend of mine. It does not help either that I really love to eat.For a long while I went to Overeaters Anonoymous which is a 12 step program like AA or al-anon. It was nice to find people just like me and be able to share. It really is a great group. They run it like AA and have literature you can buy, phamplets, sponsors etc.

You just have to get your mind off eating when you get bored or stressed. Find a hobby, go for a run, or walk, join an exercise class, whatever....! There is some good books out there as well that can give you some ideas. You can also do an internet search of sites that deal just with this!!!

I can relate...Oh, I buy popcorn.....the 100 calorie bags. I pop it in the microwave and I'm good to go. There really is a lot of popcorn for 100 calories!!!

[Sunshine1992]

Yes food has been comfort for me many times...But i have to really fight with myself to go to the gym and get out and do things...If i stay inside too long ..Thats not a good thing for me..Its taken me weeks to get back on track ..But once i get over the food issue i'm alright...You need to get out .Dont stay in the house.. And limit your time online..That can be the worst ...sitting at the computer eating...Good Luck and i hope things get better for you.

[ladyjrnlist]

Clear all the junk out of the house so it's not at hand. Get snacks like carrots or whatever. I've had food issues my entire life. It's hard, but once you get used to the change, it's not as bad.

[BlackPup]

I have serious issues with binge eating when I'm emotional or over tired. My suggestions are: get enough sleep (good sleep routine with set bed times and wake ups) - when you are tired it is easier to overeat,
eat healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner,
clear out *all* junk food from your cupboards (I keep a small container of biscuits which I limit to 2 per day and my hubby keeps his chocolate stash hidden)
eat fruit when you need a sweet snack and veggies with dip for savory snacks,
have a set allocation of snacks for the day
try counting calories for a little while to get an idea of what foods are high in calories and what are low, and how much you can eat in a day.

good luck, its hard a first but worth it

I forgot: write in a journal about what you are feeling before you eat

[Ryask]

celery is boredom food, i like to cut up a whole bunch and pull the strings out...try to eat it different ways, peeling it etc.

[fallfromgrace]

I'm having the same problem, and I'm finding making fruit smoothies is the solution for me! They're delicious, healthy and super filling, especially after a good workout

[hentaywee]

Originally Posted by fallfromgrace

I'm having the same problem, and I'm finding making fruit smoothies is the solution for me! They're delicious, healthy and super filling, especially after a good workout

I'm joining the Y next week. So I'll be trying to get my old eating habits back too. I used to experiment with fruits n veggies in smoothies. Looking forward to that stuff again. It's just quite a bit harder with current living condition.

[Direction]

I binge eat when I'm depressed or my emotional intensity level is high. When I'm both it gets worse

[hentaywee]

Originally Posted by hentaywee

I'm joining the Y next week. So I'll be trying to get my old eating habits back too.

Got my membership app completed. I'm starting Thursday with my first water aerobics class. It's one day at a time now. Just gotta keep on myself about food & getting back to my old eating habits. Right now I'm scared about having to be in public in a swimsuit Guess no one said they have to look

[hentaywee]

Darn, so much for watching what I eat. I think I've already gotten my calorie intake in for today, as well as tomorrow. Not so sure I'm willing to stop at the grocery store after work tonight now.

[jack123]

My binge eating started back when I started on zyprexa and quit my job. I have gained way too weight and I have to find a way to control it. Depression always makes the worst time because that is when my self esteem is worse. Hoping to put my life back together once again.

[BlackPup]

I totally believe you have to be in the right head space to lose weight. When your not, you just have to try your best not to gain (too much!). Stress and emotions contribute to food cravings so try to minimise those pressures before trying to lose weight then it works better.
I find combining 1/2 hour walking 5 times a week with 3 x 300-400 calorie meals and 3 x 100 calorie snacks works for me. Anytime you feel hungry think of all the weight you are loosing!!!
Good luck.

[geekinthepink]

I aaaaaaaaaaalways use food as a comforting tool. It sucks, I can go up 20 pounds without even trying.

[SunnyD]

I thought this was tiemly to our discussion..from the latest Psyc news letter:

Seven Rules Of Mindful Eating For Health & Weight Loss

By Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC

The number one weight-loss, and health-improving move I made wasn’t just changing the content of my diet. It was my efforts at “mindful eating.”
Cultivating an awareness of what exactly a person does when he eats has definitely helped me and has given me the chance to share some of what I’ve learned. Although I’m not perfect (by any means), and although I still have areas in which I need to improve (I still have lapses), I’m grateful for the redefinition of healthful eating.
1. Choose what your eat. Make an informed decision and think before you choose. Differentiate between a craving/impulse and a nutritional need. Try to choose food that will nourish you. Make exceptions for special occasions. Making an active decision about what to eat empowers you to eat correctly. Remember, there are links between diet and mood, so skip the sugar, hydrogenated fats, high-salt, and white flour-based foods whenever possible.
2. Sit at a table/counter while you eat. Don’t eat while standing or walking around unless it is an emergency! Sitting while eating is the first step to eating with personal dignity. Try not to eat at the computer or while doing other work. You cannot eat mindfully when your mind is engaged elsewhere. Eating in a dignified manner brings awareness of your innate personal dignity.
3. Commit to putting enough food on your plate in one “go.” Put enough on your plate to satisfy your hunger the first time around. You will learn, after a brief time of trial and error, to correctly gauge your hunger. Making the commitment to eat the correct portion of food for you, you bring focus to your eating habits.
4. Acknowledge the source of your sustenance. Thank the God of your understanding. Don’t forget to thank the person who shopped for/grew/prepared the food, too. By acknowledging that the food that sustains you doesn’t just magically appear but is created in a miraculous process of spiritual energy, earth, seed, water, sun, animals, (and other elements of preparation such as shopping, cooking, the fuel, the electricity), and so on, your appreciation for your food, and life, grows. Visualize how all that tremendous energy that went into bringing you your food is about to be eaten by you in order to satisfy your hunger and nourish your body.
5. Pace yourself. Don’t “wolf” down your food. Don’t eat like a “pig.” Set your fork down in between bites. Why do we characterize sloppy, ravenous eating in animal terms? Though we are animal and nature lovers, we have to admit that animals generally don’t eat mindfully. They eat according to instinct and desire. Humans on the other hand, have the ability (if they want to) to eat mindfully. Part of that entails pacing yourself. Pacing yourself also has the wonderful effect of allowing you to recognize when your hunger has been sated. It takes the mind about 20 minutes to “catch up” with the body and become aware of when you are full. By eating more slowly, you can tap into that awareness.
6. Chew (Breathe). Ideally, chew each mouthful of food at the very least, 18 times. If you have a digestive disorder such as IBS, Crohns, Celiac Sprue, or other inability to fully utilize the nutrients in food, then chew each mouthful at least 36 times. Digestion begins in the mouth. Your teeth bite and grind the food breaking it down into smaller particles and the enzymes in saliva activate the digestion process. If you don’t chew, your stomach acids will have to work a lot harder to break down the food and benefit from the nutrients in it. Breathe in between bites. And mom was right. Don’t talk while you have food in your mouth. Forget about the manners-aspect of not talking while chewing for a moment. Talking while eating can actually cause you to choke!
7. Complete the meal. Stop when you are full. Take a moment to digest in a sitting position. Visualize how the food (and drink) you consumed can give you energy to do all the important, and not so important, things you have to do today. In our Jewish tradition, we again acknowledge the source of all sustenance. The meal, in effect, is sandwhiched between two expressions of gratitude. Any expression of gratitude that you are comfortable with can help you bring a new awareness to the miracle of life.
These rules were adapted from C.R.’s blog, healthyjewishcooking.com.

[Eloise42]

I can relate to all of this. This is what works for me: I wake up wanting coffee. Also I am so freakin' lazy that nothing sounds better than drive through coffee but once I'm in the car with coffee I know I will want to stay there so I go hiking.

If I start out the day hiking I've found that I'm a lot less inclined to want to put bad food in my body. Except right now I really want drive through food, except I just took my pills, dang it! Well that could work too: self incapacitation.