Replacements for Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating and eating withdrawal is a topic that's come up quite a bit lately.
How did you deal with emotional eating post-op?
For me, it was 10 hours a week of exercise. What was different for me (and still is) was I could get something back for every bit of effort:
No longer did I have to worry about weight I'd lost coming back in the same month.
Improvements in fitness/ strength came weekly (or less) - This in itself was positive reinforcement.
I think the continuing intimacy with my wife also helped me get through that stage (all types of intimacy, not just physical).
How about others? What did you do to get through that time?
It's already Friday a.m. here.
Best Wishes,
Dave
Doug
If we're treading on thin ice we might as well dance.--Jesse Winchester
I’m not sure I had that particular demon to battle. A couple of reasons I think this- I’m not sure I was what would qualify as an "Emotional Eater" prior to WLS. I was a "Habitual Eater" more accurately. I ate the way I always had- Till "Full." My definition of "Full" was what was skewed. That, and I didn’t restrain eating choices to healthy foods. I early on got in the habit of buying a Snickers bar When in line at the grocery store or at any checkout counter. I always had as far back as I can remember regularly "treated myself" at the checkout. If it happened every 3 days or twice on the same day It wasn’t something I would have even noticed. I was double the size I should have been by the time I was 3, and that proportional over-weight ratio stayed pretty constant my whole life. I wasn’t a "Binge Eater" by the standards I see out on the Boards, But "Seconds" (and even thirds) were just the norm for me. I don’t recall eating when upset, bored, angry, etc… Just over ate to a sense of ‘fullness’ that most would have considered – "Stuffed." Then, following WLS, I had a huge break from food, And even thoughts of food. Those first 3 to 4 weeks are a blur where I was mostly unconscious. The first 6 months were all about just getting healthy enough to walk and live and such. Quite a distraction from "Head-Hunger." In many ways I’m luckier than most. In computer terms- My complications caused a complete shutdown and required the installation of a whole new operating system, Rather than just a soft "re-boot." Old glitches and established patterns were wiped clean. Sort of a full out "Road-to-Damascus" total conversion. So what for many is in fact "A Journey" Hit me as one big rush, like a "jump to light-speed" moment in Star Wars. I don’t "long for" any of the old stuff. I noticed an odd "Double Negative few months back. I noticed that I hadn’t noticed –"not-wanting" a Snickers Bar at the checkout. It was an odd realization…. Noticing that –"I hadn’t noticed something…." I felt like I had missed out on some moment of realization, or missed some small victory over the attraction to a certain food…. Really, it was just becoming aware that my habits now are completely different Than my habits before, and aware that it wasn’t "a big enough deal" to notice. I know I love paradox, but what has been remarkable about my "Change" Is how "Un-Remarkable" it has been. I’m not "Perfect Body-Fat % guy," I’m not "Mr. Workout Muscle-Man," I’m not "Food Nazi-Total Health-Nut" I’m not unique in any of those things, just doing what seems to be working And going by Dr.’s orders. I have had extra energy, and that has allowed me more activity/exercise Than I’ve had in my whole life, But that’s almost "damning with faint praise." I turn 51 this month, and feel better than I have since my late 20’s. Maybe that’s how I’m "filling my time." Just enjoying life, and staying busy. Interesting thread….I hope plenty "check-in." Best Wishes- Dx
Capricious; Impulsive, Semi-Predictable
on 8/2/07 11:26 pm - Houston, TX
on 8/2/07 11:26 pm - Houston, TX
on 8/3/07 12:24 am - MO