Emotions and eating....

I really like the idea of this exercise. Perhaps I'll try this tonight at work... Dina

Dear Dina, I ate (eat) SO THAT I won't feel things. First, the act of eating distracts me, helps me to keep from thinking about what is going on. Sometimes I get some enjoyment out of the food but a lot of the time I don't even pay attention to the food. The absolute best part is after I eat and I start to crash. That's when I just don't care about anything, and whatever is going on can't hurt me, because I don't care. And that is so much more preferable, as any alcoholic or drug addict will tell you - than feeling pain. To be able to knock myself out, 'zone out', whatever you want to call it, so that I could survive and tolerate whatever horrible @$%@ was going on. I try to be real careful about the cir****tances I put myself in now. If I can avoid stress I will - I don't care if that means I'm less emotionally available to support friends and family - I can't handle it so they're going to have to take care of themselves. I have a lot of friends who are dreading Thanksgiving, my plan is to stop by on my terms, stay as long as I feel like it, and get out of there if I'm not liking how things are going. If know something that I can't avoid is going to be stressful, like being audited at work, I try to excercise before or after and drain myself that way. I do still use food, too, but I'm more conscious of it and I'm using it less. I feel really bad for your loss and I hope that you can find a way to release the hurts from both your past interactions and the loss now. Jen

Like I said with Connie - I never thought of it like this before but I think it is so true. I don't think I've done it for a long time, but now that I know what it is, it makes total sense and I see where I have done this in the past without realizing it. My counselor will have fun with me this week! Dina

Dina, Hi I read your post and man I am right there with you. The last week or so I have found myself eating any and everything, like I never even had the surgery. I am sooooo freaked out!! I am still exercising, but I know by eating bad I am only hurting me. Sometimes I just cant get that through this thick head of mine. Anyway I am gonna get up start over and you do the same, keep posting because it does help others. Good Luck. Rhen

You got it! This place really helps us sort it all out, doesn't it? Dina

You know I keep saying no carbs but really mean the bad carbs like potato chips and potatoes and pasta and bread and sweets like candy and cupcake type items... BUT fruit... thats good carbs so I wouldn't cut them out unless the sugar in the fruit is causing you to feel more hungry. Yeah... lets cut the icky carbs like the chips and breads and pastas and sweets Good carbs arent so bad and we all need that fruit... it tastes soooo good now I would hate to give up my mandarin oranges at lunch!!! mmmm

Well, that means no more low-carb bread but I think I can do it. I'm just having brain farts regarding what to eat besides sandwiches right now. Ugh. I need to start cooking again......one of these days. What say we give it a go for this week? I already did low carb bread today but tomorrow I can go for it. Just need to shop a little. Dina

Dina; First of all, Please know tht you have my deepest sympathy on the loss of your father. Unfortunately, emotional eating of one sort or another is probably what has started most of us on this WLS journey. I'm sure none of us got to the sizes we did because we were physically hungry. "Head hunger" will probably be with us forever. One thing is for sure..... we all experience a state of shock from a death in the family and we don't necessarily realize it. Perhaps this is why you are not "feeling it"...just numb. What better time for head hunger to kick in???!!! I really think that the Alcoholic's mantra of "One day at a time" is the only way to survive this. God knows, I fall off the wagon often enough and just try to do better at the next meal. I'll bet that if you think about it, even your "BINGING" is much milder than it once was!! Just know that you have lots of company in this and that we all have the same issues and that we all care!! Take care and be well. Mike

Dina, I have not been on the boards a lot lately so I am attempting to "catch Up". I am sooo sorry to hear about your fathers passing. Losing someones parent is very hard even if you did not always get along, they are still your parents. I agree with many of the postes that say that you are eating to stuff out the feelings or numbing your self with food, that's how alot of us got here in the first place. Although I am not sure that is all it is. I wonder if we are all at this cross roads where we have to start to force ourselfs to make the right descisions food wise. Alot of the posts lately have been from people who have eaten things they should not and are felling a bit out of controll food wise. Lord knows that's how I feel a good deal of the time these days. Just a thought. Anyways I will keep you and your family in my prayers that the healing is swift and complete. Leslie