Has anybody overcome compulsive or emotional eating?

N

NurseLRT

Cathlete
Hi,

Has anybody overcome eating in response to emotion or binge eating? I am not terribly overweight-I have a "few" pounds to lose, but for as long as I can remember I have had a problem of binge eating.

The reasons are numerous-I have been strict with myself, so I feel deprived and eat 3 pieces of cake, or I am stressed, or I feel overwhelmed by something I saw on the news, etc. Just yesterday when a former CIA head said that it is inevitable that Bin Laden would use a nuclear weapon on the US if he had one, I noticed that I ate a lot of junk in response to this report. I don't want to sound gloom and doom, but that's what happened.

If I could just be "normal" and eat when I am hungry and make healthy choices I would not have a weight problem.

I am just curious to see how many people have had this problem and overcome it.

Thanks,
Lori
 
I have the very same problem and I face it on a daily basis. I'm 24 and I've been this way since I was 15 or 16.

The only way I've been able to control it is throw out anything even slightly unhealthy out of my kitchen and keep fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread, brown rice, water bottles, non-microwave popcorn, low-fat yogurt, pre-mixed salad, soy milk, whole-grain cereal, etc.

If I don't stick to this and buy, say, a tub of icecream, I end up eating the whole thing! I can't have just one bite of something, unless I eat a few spoonfuls and throw the rest away immediately. It might seem funny, but it's a very serious issue I have with food. I've been doing this consistently for about a month now and I've lost 5 pounds, combined with Cathe's workouts, of course. It creates peace of mind for me, because I know that no matter what food commercial I see on TV I won't end up satisfying my cravings with junk food.

I saw a program on FitTV the other day and they say that fatty foods, etc. can be as addictive as any drug. Once, I even went through a period of withdrawal (the first time I completely banished junk and ate healthy for a period of time). I was cranky and miserable at first, but exercise helped to lift me out my funk.

I hope I've been helpful.

Chiquita
 
Lori - I know a lot of people who have the same problem. I'm more of a closet eater. I tend to binge when I'm alone - as though if no one sees me eat it then it has no calories:p . I think journaling really helps. I've kept a food journal for over a year now and there have been many times when I passed up a treat because I knew I would have to record it in my journal. I don't enter my food every day any more, but about once a week I still journal.
 
I wouldn't say I've overcome it. It's always hanging over my head like a big, dark, scary cloud, but I think I have it pretty well under control now. So far. It's been five years, but I'm still terrified I'll slip back into those habits. It would be sooooo easy, even now.

I work very, very hard to keep it under control, and as other people mentioned, I don't keep things in the house that I tend to binge on. I just figure they're not good for my family, either, and if they want those things, they'll have to get them on the odd occasion when we eat out. :)

Shari
 
Yes, I've had problems in the past with eating for reasons other than hunger, and for not being able to have "just a little". A few years ago I finally realized that eating in response to anything but hunger not only left the original problem unsolved, but also gave me a new problem: guilt and extra weight. Since then I have worked to address my problems head on, and actually let myself feel the emotions I was trying to avoid. Sad about something? Then feel sad. Angry? Then feel angry. Stressed out about something? Make a realistic plan of action to resolve the situation causing the stress. Feeling tired? Go to sleep. The gist of it is: eating for any reason other than hunger will not change the situation, except to make you feel even worse.

To help out while you learn how to do this, it is a very good idea to have all the junk food out of the house, and lots of healthy food within it. I keep a bowl of chopped fresh pineapple or cantaloupe in my fridge at all times, as well as baby carrots and chopped celery. If I'm feeling the need to *really* eat, I am permitted to "pig out" on all the fruit and vegetables I want. I figure an entire pineapple probably doesn't add up as much as an entire brick of ice cream.

It takes time to unlearn patterns of behaviour. You need to be really tuned in to yourself; there is lots of trial and error, but you need to keep searching. And look at every setback as an opportunity to learn more about yourself, not as "failure". Also, it might help you to remember that the only person who should decide what and how much you eat is YOU, because ONLY YOU have to live with the consequences of that decision. Don't eat crap because some greedy corporation splashes a fancy ad across your television, telling you to - unless they're willing to pay your medical bills and for the extra seat you will eventually need on the airplane.

Be kind to yourself; treat yourself the same way you treat your best friend. When in doubt about something, ask yourself what you would say to your best friend, if s/he were in the same situation.

Good luck!
Sandra
 
Yes, I have had this problem from time to time (usually if stressed or bored). I am doing DrPhils 7 keys and the 1st and 2nd Keys pertaining to emotions and thought control have been particularly helpful.

Another excellent book on the subject is called "If Not Dieting, Then What?" by Dr Rick Kausman. It's an Aussie book, but the best I've read on this subject.

Cheers
Liz N
 
Thank you everybody for your helpful and thoughtful replies.

Sandra-especially thank you to you. Your answer was extremely helpful. I am an information junkie. I think most of us "know" what to do, it's just so hard to do it! Sometimes I get too sure of myself and think, "I am in control, my bingeing days are over," and then I have another binge. It really does a number on the self esteem! It is so true that you now have 2 problems instead of one when you self medicate with food! You still have the emotion plus guilt and weight gain.

Journaling is a great method, I have done this in the past and it does make you aware of what you are putting into your body. I am on WW so journaling is part of the program.

I think also having regular meals, not skipping meals, and not letting myself starve are keys to success. Once I am starving, if I dive into something it's hard for me to stop.


Thanks for the replies and I will keep you posted on my progress.

Lori
 
Lori, I'm so pleased that I was able to help! I did WW a couple of years ago, and lost 72 pounds. Journalling was really helpful, I found, particularly in letting me keep a good perspective on how much I'd actually eaten in a day. Every so often, I would eat something that was high in points, and the old guilt would begin to creep in. In the past, my All-or-Nothing thinking would usually then kick in, and I would tell myself that since I'd already "blown" it for the day, I might as well throw in the towel and keep going, until I was satisfied. But with journalling, I found that that initial splurge usually didn't do very much damage; so I was six points over my limit for one day out of 20; that's hardly anything to freak out about. I was able to stop at the initial splurge, because I got my All-or-Nothing thinking under control. Plus, the flexpoint system gave me the tool I needed to accommodate small splurges periodically. WW made it difficult to actually "cheat"!

Eating regularly and curbing your hunger are critical to preventing binges. If you find that you are hungrier than your points are accommdating, add nutritient-dense snacks in small amounts; a few healthy calories more each day is okay, particularly if it helps prevent a binge.

Let us know how it goes,
Sandra
 
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