IT'S NOT WHAT YOU ARE EATING, IT IS WHAT IS EATING YOU!

Hi - It's me MJ! Good Morning. Emotional eating is real!! We must prepare ourselves for the the good times and the bad. Lord knows, I ate my way through all the emotions. I am a recruiter for the Gov't and fortune 500 companies and a lot of the time I would get a last minute request for someone to start the next day and I would immediately look for chocolate! Like that would get me the best candidate NOW. Or like the time I was in University and ate a box of Smarties for good luck! Or when I was mad at someone and I ate. Well that was like me eating poison and waiting for them to die. How can I handle it now that I have physically altered my body? I will need coping mechanisms. So that is my question for the forum today. NOW THAT YOU ARE CHANGED, HOW DO YOU COPE WITH EMOTIONAL EATING?

Great examples and question. I'm still pre-op so hopefully many others will weigh in.

:)

Take a deep breath. Occupy your mind with something else. Go for a walk, pick up a book, put something in your hands that is not food - a hobby that you like, knitting, crocheting maybe.

Other than that, WHITE KNUCKLE baby. You know that eating your emotions is going to make you feel worse about yourself than the original issue at hand. And that original issue is likely still going to be there, dive in meet it head on. Especially work issues. Always remember two things. One, is that the work will still be there tomorrow so do what you can in a day without stressing yourself out. And two, is that you can be replaced, so take care of yourself first, and work second. You should know first hand if you get calls for employees to start the next day. Everyone is replaceable.

Just my rambling thoughts.

Good Morning Mj,

I was an emotional eater pre op... and at times ate out of boredom... honestly post op i feel I am in more control. I have sugar free chocolate and eat a piece from time to time. I even bake more knowing I can't eat it and give it away. I had a huge sweet tooth pre op even. Maybe it is my way of testing my own strength.

Hang in there and you are stronger then you give yourself credit for!!

Laura

I walk... take the dog out and just walk walk walk.... In fact since the surgery I've been walking so much... for the exercise...as well as when I want something bad to eat.. that the dog has lost weight...lol

Of course most days she's ready and willing to walk... but there are some days when she just looks at me and says What... not again...lol

I have also been using the elliptical machine... but like walking outside much better.. :)

I agree with what has been said and was an emotional/boredom eater. I can relate when members say they hunker down to relax and watch a movie and miss not having something to eat - even right after surgery.

Simply put, I now say, "What is my goal" (to lose weight, to maintain the weight loss and become healthier). Will eating junk meet this goal? (No). It is simple but isn't easy. I haven't felt too many cravings and when I did give in (I had six of my grandson's pretzels), I suffered for about an hour. NOT doing pretzels again.

I am different now and am inspired by what I have achieved so far and what I will continue to achieve on this program. I won't be giving this up and if I am tempted, I will reach out to my OH buddies for help. I'm in this for LIFE.

My other rule is if you don't have the crap in your house or office you can't eat it. If you need to eat something eat something protein healthy and that will satisfy you. Gum also helps too. Good luck.

I was an emotional eater too. Still struggle with it even after surgery 5 months ago. I try to just keep busy, walk or read or just leave where I am and change of scenery helps me alot. Going outside and smelling the fresh air helps. Reminds me what's important. Also preparation for those times when you want to snack be sure have healthy options at your finger tips -eg veggies and dip or some berries or sugar free popsicle. I boil up a couple eggs and always have them on hand if I'm desperate for a snack.

Drinking water too is a great way to curb an urge to eat.

Most of us are --- sad....happy..celebrating...angry...bored....give me that bag of crap.... but I was told this from my therapist and it has stuck with me .... "stop self flagellating" stop punishing yourself with food. And so I began to look at all the time I punished myself for not looking like I was supposed to or when I was told you are too fat..or.... or..or...

It is just food... it will always be there... Gineen Roth said she cured herself by eating chocolate chip cookies whenever she wanted... she began to take the magic out of them... I did that with ice-cream.... lol bought every kind I wanted... and guess what... ended up throwing all of them away... so now I try to look at food as food ... its hard ... but it is just an enjoyment, nourishment and not magical... it won't take away pain... won't make me feel better... not there to punish me...of course I am PRE -OP ... so I am trying to learn now

Hope it helps...taking walks, drinking water, getting a hobby all great and the biggie---- no eating from bags or boxes!

I'm almost 8 months post op and I feel much more in control of my eating. Part of it is really planning when to eat and sticking to it. For me, therapy helped. I was in therapy pre surgery and really worked on what is important to me. Focusing on how I feel after I eat badly helps me not do it to start. The instinct is still there. I run to the refrigerator after a stressful call (I work from home mostly) but now I'll stand there and say 'what are you looking for?". And it happens less and less now. Five years ago I would be digging through my desk drawers looking for chocolate like a crack addict. Having the weight come off is helpful to me too because now I am afraid to do anything that will derail this trend. You don't have to let your anxiety control you. Tell yourself you can get through it and know the anxiety will go away whether or not you eat. You just have to start not eating to prove it.