is anyone lese here a stress eater?

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guest3

Guest
<span style='font-family: Century Gothic'>I envy those who can't eat then they're stressed, (yes this is sad) but I literally ate ate ate this weekend and could not taste or enjoy anything I ate, but it is like a reflex to stress I guess. I guess it is better then d/h who drinks drinks drinks. But I guess at least I can legally operate a vehicle after high volumes of twinkies, LOL

I am drinking a few gallons of water today to wash out the muck and hopefully I can get a grip before I wind up out of one-derland again (the 100 lbs vs the 200 lbs) sigh.............</span>
 

dlgallant

New Member
my step-difficult child(2) is a stress eater. At age 11 he was 40 pounds overweiht. Myself, I don't stress eat, but when my back went out 3 years ago I gained a lot of weight because I used to be extremely physically active. It's so depressing, which as we all know begins the downward spiral. I'm here for you cheering you on, you can control this. Don't beat yourself up if you slip, just get back up and take a deep breath and try again. Maybe try taking a walk when you're stressed. It can be a great mind clearer.
 
Oh, yeah. I do the crunchy foods myself. I don't know where the line is between an unhealthy habit and an eating disorder, although there are a lot of places to get help for either. I'm "just" in the unhealthy habit category, but I found a few tricks that work for me.

First, I make a point of asking myself if I'm really hungry before grabbing something outside of a mealtime. [Please don't ask if I'm always 100% honest with myself!] I also then ask why this particular food? Some people just need to raise their blood sugar, some are looking for tryptophan-containing foods to increase their serotonin levels, some like the chemicals in chocolate. So, my question to myself is really, am I using this food as a drug? Some times that will stop me. And then I'll ask myself, why not try doing something else for 20 minutes and see if I still want this? Sometimes I get busy enough I don't come back to it or the need is gone.

I do know that I have a much harder time stopping the chow session once it's started, but that it's important not to just give up if it has. Sometimes I'll say I'll finish the bowl or box or bag or what have you and then stop (a physical limit is a good thing) but it doesn't always work.

If you're unhappy about this habit, you might talk to your doctor about it but you want to be clear that you're not looking for a diet plan but a "how do I control myself" plan. Yeah, s/he'll probably refer you to someone else, but you do want to be healthy and happy. I sympathize with you; I really do. I've finally managed to make all of my tricks work well enough that I am now happy with how I look (well, pretty much anyway) but other family members have found no benefit with them at all. Good luck to you and don't beat yourself up and feel that you're doomed to have this habit forever. Much love...
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
When I am stressed, I can't eat real food, but I do crave chocolate.

Yesterday H was stressing me out on the way to pick up difficult child from her dad and almost instantly as the tears stung my eyes, I wanted pure chocolate. Ugh.
 

Alisonlg

New Member
I'm a boredom eater. It started when I was a child. I don't actually end up eating anything...it's more of a compulsion to look through the cabinets...the funny thing is every time I'm at my parents house I almost always HAVE to do it...and I'm not even hungry and I know they don't have any food LMAO! It's just such a habit...such a routine. I have no particular craving for any particular type of food and nothing appeals to me, but I just have to open all of the cabinets and look at them. Then, I *usually* end up leaving the kitchen feeling unsatisfied because I didn't find anything.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I am a stress eater, a happy eater, a bored eater, a ...well...a emotional eater! Its rare that I get too upset to eat. It has happened but not often.

I tend to want either chocolate or pure sugary snacks..things like jelly beans or gummy bears. Yes I know...grow up! Every week I buy a bag of jelly beans, gummy worms and a bar of dark chocolate. I ration them out. Or...I buy one medium sized bag of dark chocolate M&M's and only eat those all week. No jelly beans. If I do that then I normally have leftovers...

I think part of mine is my medications. I have to eat something at night after I take the medications that is sweet. Plus Im up so late anyway.
 
K

Kjs

Guest
I am the to upset to eat person. Chocolate is my downfall, but even when I am that upset I do not eat for many days. Then when I feel better I make up for it.
 

Sunlight

Active Member
I go salt then sweet then salt then sweets.
if very depressed I am unable to eat anything or even swallow. when just stressed or anxious, I munch.
 

Liahona

Active Member
I love gum. It gets rid of the tension like eating does but doesn't involve the guilt. I get scary depressed, so when I stress eat I don't really try to stop just substute with gum or water. Keeping my hands busy helps too. Cross-stiching or piano, but then when I'm that stressed the stressors (difficult child 1 and 2) don't let me sit for long.
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I'm an emotional eater like Janet. However, while most stressors make me want to eat, I've noticed that some (very few) very serious stressors (life changing) do make me lose my appetite.
 
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