Emotional binges, any trick?

[meryjune]

Looking for hindsight...I know that regular meals help with hunger binges, but what if binges are emotional?
I try to keep busy, but when I feel stressed, hurt or alone, the frige gets to be my 'best-worst' friend, and I've gained weight. I was just wondering if anyone has a trick to get over the urge to binge without doing too much damage. :(

[Ptrcmcc6]

Maybe you can take up something you enjoy doing such as knitting or crochetting? Something which will keep your hands busy so you can't eat might help. Sometimes I also find just coming here and posting in my journal helps keep me from making numerous trips to the fridge.

[Rachel1]

It's really hard ... I'm an emotional eater and have struggled with it for years. Here are a few things that have helped me at various times:
--eating sunflower seeds in the shell, which take FOREVER
--making sure I have only legal foods and trying not to bring LC trigger foods (like nuts) into the house
--taking myself out of the "eating zone" (living room) and curling up in bed, in a hot bath, or at my computer, which are places I never eat
--having a hot drink with my snack, which cuts down the urge to overeat
--chewing SF gum

It is tough! Overtiredness and stress are triggers for me, so more recently I'm just putting myself to bed earlier - a simple solution that really helps. I don't necessarily go to sleep right away, but I read or do a crossword puzzle - it's very relaxing and I sleep better and longer.

Rachel

[Finola]

I'm not sure how long you have been eating low carb, but as a person with binge tendencies, I personally have found a low carb diet to be a life saver. My urge to binge eat and drink (almost always emotional) have been decreased greatly since I have been eating low carb.

The other thing that helps is identifying what triggers the urge to binge. It can be a habit - something you did on Friday nights, while watching a certain show, in certain places or circumstances. Identifying the triggers can help you to avoid or reprogram them.

Finally, allowing yourself to binge on something like steak might help break the habit. That is particularly useful when the trigger is something like hurt feelings.

I think the depressive effect of binge eating is often used to dull other feelings like anger, sadness and stress. Finding ways to acknowledge, express and deal with those feelings can eliminate the need to suppress them with eating. Therapy can be really, really helpful with that.

Exercise is also great for stress and sadness. Easier said than done, sometimes, but even a good walk can do wonders when the urge to binge is threatening.

[Some1Sweet]

I dont think I am an emotional binger, I think i am just an over eatter. So I do the flower seed thing Rachel mentioned. I always have to be moving my mouth and chewing something, it helps. Walking is really good to, go to a neighborhood park and put on your mp3 player and just listen to the music while you walk, try not to focus on how far you are walking just pay attention to the music. I have a beautiful park across the street that I love to go walking at but with the weather the way it is right now i can not take my 7 week old baby out yet.

[meryjune]

WOW!! You have come up with a lot of ideas I'll try!
Crochetting, I can restart it, used to but lost the habit when switched job.
Eating sunflower seeds, I didn't really think about it, and I have a bounch downstairs! YAY for that, will try it at the next binge.
It's difficult to control what comes into the hous because I share it with my parents, I may not buy trigger foods, but they do, and no way to talk to them, it's futile.
My remedy up to now was a cup of hot tea with a piece of fruit, the fruit makes me feel full, the tea makes me feel warm and it often helped.
Exercize is great, do it regularly. And therapy, sic...I won't do that again, 4 therapists 4 failures and I have had only damages, therapy no more.
Also the crosswords, I have put some on my desk, just ready to take away my mind next time I feel the urge.
Thanks so much all!

[Steady]

It's really hard ... I'm an emotional eater and have struggled with it for years. Here are a few things that have helped me at various times:
--eating sunflower seeds in the shell, which take FOREVER
--making sure I have only legal foods and trying not to bring LC trigger foods (like nuts) into the house
--taking myself out of the "eating zone" (living room) and curling up in bed, in a hot bath, or at my computer, which are places I never eat
--having a hot drink with my snack, which cuts down the urge to overeat
--chewing SF gum

It is tough! Overtiredness and stress are triggers for me, so more recently I'm just putting myself to bed earlier - a simple solution that really helps. I don't necessarily go to sleep right away, but I read or do a crossword puzzle - it's very relaxing and I sleep better and longer.

Rachel

Rachel- Your advice is very good. Your tricks and triggers are the same as mine. I just want to add a warning about the sunflower seed (I got into this habit). Eating sunflower seed does minimize the damage from binging but it doesn't resolve the emotional trigger or change the handling of emotions...it can lead to "mindless munching" or "eating to escape", just be careful.

[NixCarbos]

As a friend of mine would say, reach into that closet, pull that big bad dark feeling out by its bull horns and look it straight in the eye. Call it what it is and deal with it head on.

Yes it's scary. Yes it can get ugly. It gets better though.

{hugs}

Lisa

[SurfRider]

Ok, I HATED when people would say to go for a walk when you get emotional but now I have found any workout helps. If it is late or just not in the mood I do the following in this order:
Eat a nice big steak, with a salda. Take a hot shower. Put on my favorit PJ's. Slip into bed. Read the easiest read ever.

I just finished the whole "Twilight" series. Pathetic? TOTALLY. I loved everybook and it kept my mind occupied so other issues could not get in. Then, when I felt better because I was so dreaming of the hottie vampire, I would journal. It helped me.

Surfrider.

[NANCI B]

I too am an emotional eater. I have started playing with my son's xbox360. It totally sucks me in and I forget what it is that is troubling me....... before this, I considered video games the devils workshop.......now, I am not so sure. They stop the binging.

[NrgQuest]

Ok, I HATED when people would say to go for a walk when you get emotional but now I have found any workout helps. If it is late or just not in the mood I do the following in this order:
Eat a nice big steak, with a salda. Take a hot shower. Put on my favorit PJ's. Slip into bed. Read the easiest read ever.

I just finished the whole "Twilight" series. Pathetic? TOTALLY. I loved everybook and it kept my mind occupied so other issues could not get in. Then, when I felt better because I was so dreaming of the hottie vampire, I would journal. It helped me.

Surfrider.

Surf, I like this idea so much. IMO, it sends a signal to your body that you are taking care of it. I think some emotional binges are really your body crying out for nurishment and your brain sending signals that you are over stressed. If you take care of yourself instead of punishing yourself with pushing your calories lower and lower your need to binge should calm down.