Emotional Eating

Are you attending regular support group meetings?
This is from one of our Support Group Meetings. I just have to post this, as soooooo many of us are Emotional Eaters!!!! I keep this posted at work, in areas I can get a glance of it, especially where I keep my emergency food stash. This applies for  everyone Surgical or Non surgical Obese persons.

Eight Signs of Emotional Eating

A lot of people ask, "How do I know if I am over eating for emotional reasons?" If any of the following statements sound like they could apply to you, then it's likely you are struggling with emotional eating.


1. My hunger comes on suddenly. Physical hunger comes on slowly. Hunger from emotional eating often comes on quickly and suddenly.

 

2. I crave specific foods-generally not carrot sticks or steamed broccoli.Cravings for specific foods usually unhealthy foods are signs of emotional eating. Often people like the rush they get from satisfying their cravings. The rush is fulfilling emotional hunger.　

3. My hunger feels urgent- I need a particular food right away and I am willing to walk out of my way, or get in your car late at night, or raid my kids Halloween candy to get it. Physical hunger, unless you haven’t eaten for a long time, is usually pretty patient. It will wait for food. Emotional hunger demands to be satisfied immediately.

4. My hunger is often paired with an upsetting emotion- if I backtrack a few hours or a few days I’ll usually find an upsetting event and feeling that triggered the urge. Hunger thats comnnected to an upsetting emotion or situation is definately emotional hunger. Physical hunger is not typically triggered by emotions.

5. My eating habits involve unconscious eating-all of a sudden I’m eating ice cream and I find the whole contianer is gone.

6. I don’t stop eating in response to being full- I keep wanting more of the taste of the food. Physical hunger doesn’t need to be stuffed in order to be satisfied. Emotional hunger on the other hand often demands more and more food to feel satisfied.

7. My hunger isn’t located in he belly- I crave the taste of a certain food in my mouth or I can’t stop thinking of a certan food. Feeling hungry in this way is usually a sign of emotional hunger or binging. Physical hunger is happy to get what it can, while emotional hunger usually focuses on specific tastes and textures.

8. After I satisfy my hunger, I am often filled with a sense of regret or guilt. Feeding your body what it needs is not something to feel guilty about. If you feel guilty after you eat, it’s likely because part of you knows you’re not eating just to satisfy physical hunger.

When you’re eating for phyiscal reasons, you are usually mindful of what you’re doing. If you catch yourself eating, “just because”, then its likely you’re eating for emotional reasons..
 

Prek3

Thanks, I think I have seen this before but it is good to be reminded. I think I will print it out this time and keep it.

I sure wish the support group in my area was functioning but the leaders pulled out suddenly. Many of the people didn't come often anyway.

I have posted it before, like every 6 months or so when I see lots of " I have fallen off the wagon " posts.

Sadly my doctors office cut back on meetings too, and I think they are so crucial, but only when people are being honest. It's a different dynamic when newbies are in attendance they are still in the unicorn and rainbows stage! "Lol

Thanks for taking the time to post this.  I am an emotional eater for sure.  I always thought- I just like the taste of food and the feeling of fullness.  I still don't think I eat because of specific emotions, but I have lots of the other symptoms.

That's an excellent list. Thanks so much for posting it. I think emotional eating troubles all of us, to some degree and at various times.

Thanks for posting this. I can't believe I have not seen it before

For me, I think Boredom is a huge trigger to overeat.  I don't work.  I am a former teacher, had to quit due to medical issues.  I am now looking for kids to tutor, but no luck so far.  I know I need to get out of the house much more then I do.  I do go to the gym and run basic errands and visit with friends.  I need more though.  Any ideas for fighting the urge to eat out of boredom?

They stopped the Lap Band support group.  They still have the all surgery support group-read RNY but, some Sleevers are there demanding equal time.  Finally, the first ones left as the felt it was a RNY supports group.  I was the only bander there last time and now I don't even have a band.  Now that I am a failure on their books I'm not treated the same a when I was their "perfect" band patient.

I am printing this out to put on fridge.!