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The problem with emotional eating.


schulzemor

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I think that for many people with overweight problem it is a well-known situation when some event or events trigger emotional eating.  The worst part about emotional eating is that you're creating the pyramid of problems which consists of weight gain, guilt about eating and worsening health. To stop emotional eating  you must be absolutely fair with yourself. You must understand your body hunger signals. True hunger actually feels like a mild gnawing sensation in the gut. To find out if you're feeling a craving or getting hungry, give the urge to eat a 10-minute waiting period. If you've moved on to doing something and you suddenly realized you're not hungry, it was a craving.

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Well, I'm not sure about getting overweight due to emotional eating, but one thing I've noticed is that I tend to overeat, or eat quickly whenever some event or thought gets me all excited and/or tensed.

For ex, today I got this whole new idea of doing something I was planning to do since a long time while I had a jug of orange juice in my hand. Within the next few seconds, I gulped lot of the juice without realizing it.

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You are correct in the notion that you need to discover what is the root psychological cause of the overeating. Until the afflicted realized what is causing the problem, the problem cannot be corrected.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think that for many people with overweight problem it is a well-known situation when some event or events trigger emotional eating.  The worst part about emotional eating is that you're creating the pyramid of problems which consists of weight gain, guilt about eating and worsening health. To stop emotional eating  you must be absolutely fair with yourself. You must understand your body hunger signals. True hunger actually feels like a mild gnawing sensation in the gut. To find out if you're feeling a craving or getting hungry, give the urge to eat a 10-minute waiting period. If you've moved on to doing something and you suddenly realized you're not hungry, it was a craving.

I've actually just started a fasting program (well, a couple of weeks ago).  It's been challenging, but it has been so incredibly enlightening.  After the first few days and you get beyond the initial hunger pangs, food, hunger, all of that takes on a totally different perspective.  I'm doing a modified water fast mixed with juice fast and raw foods in between.  I had high blood pressure and it went down pretty quickly within a day or so of starting the fast.    It really forces you to not respond to emotional events by eating.  I should be documenting my progress, but overall, I'm really happy with the results.

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Emotional eating is a substantial problem ill give you that, however I believe that this is more of a case of misplaced energy than anything else.  Like alot of people when I get depressed I have a tendency to reach for the fridge. However if you try a hard workout or other form of stress relief instead, you will be amazed at how your mind begins to relate the same emotions that used to make you want to eat into a desire to work out now.

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I'm not overweight and I don't think I have a problem with emotional eating, but I have found that I eat when I'm bored. It's better for me if I do something to distract myself, like make a cup of green tea etc.

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Hey I know what you mean about the over eating part.  This is the heaviest I've been throughout my entire life.  I've packed on 150 lbs since 1992.  I can't believe it has happened to me.  I wake up and look at myself in the mirror and I'm like dang I'm carrying another person.  So now I've started to incorporate a salad for dinner at work.  On my salad I have the lettuce that looks like greens, mushrooms, olives, a tablespoon of cheese, eggs, and meat.  I mix fat free and regular dressing together.  The regular dressing will have to go pretty soon.  I reckon you can say it's a weening process.  I also eat oatmeal or a peanut butter sandwich before work.  At break I will eat some veggies or a small bowl of what they have in the cafeteria to tie me over till I eat my salad.  I'm doing good so far.  I've lost 3 lbs in the past two weeks.  Three lbs is not a lot but it's 3 lbs that I don't have!

Bree

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I think you are right that emotional eating is a response to external stress.  But what I think you have to recognize is that most of us with this issue don't consciously relate the hunger to the stress.  For me, it's almost like someone who bites their nails.  You don't even realize your doing it until someone has pointed it out to you. 

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