Question:
What do you do when you revert back to stressful eating?

I am under a great deal of stress regarding my daughter's health and I have reverted back to my old ways of dealing with the stress by food. I had my surgery 1 1/2 yrs ago and down 115 lbs. Sometimes I am aware that I hit the carbs and a little sugar and sometimes it is like I am on remote control. I desparately want to break the habit but I always turned to the food in time of crisis. I am terrified I will stretch my pouch because I am eating larger amounts. I know I should hit the protein or veggies but that doesn't cut it when I want to numb out the pain. I am desparate for any suggestions. PLEASE HELP. Donna    — Donna B. (posted on April 16, 2003)

April 16, 2003
Donna - Is there a support group near you? Especially good would be a well-run Overeater's Anonymous. If that is not available, check out AA - yes, Alcoholic's Anonymous. You are dealing with an addiction and addictive thinking. If meetings are not your thing (and please if you don't go to meetings right away, try to rethink that decision every few months) then go online and research compulsive eating - order the books that are recommended. There are just too many titles to name, but those books can really start to help you face this addiction. Fat is only the symptom - not the disease. Our disease is addiction and our addiction of choice is food. And,like all addictions, it does not go away EVER. As a matter of fact, when you deal with one addiction and go into recovery, you have to be sure that you don't trade in one addiction for another. Good luck and this could very well be the most important thing that you do for yourself. Yes, I mean the most important. The surgery is such an incredible tool, but it is just a tool. To heal yourself inside spiritually, that is the ultimate.
   — Jodie P.

April 16, 2003
Donna, I'm sorry you're going through a difficult time right now. These can be the times when they say WLS really is a tool. I completely understand, I'm sick myself, so I don't do much and just want to eat away the pain, etc. But I know that will lead me nowhere, so I try to make sure I eat smaller meals more often. This way I am pretty much always full, so if I crave junk, I can't really fit it anyway. Do you eat 5-6 meals a day? That may help you. Also, some carbs are ok, so don't beat yourself up over that. Maybe you can find a healthy food to eat when you're jsut feeling down? For instance, it sounds funny, but I just love radishes. And when I want to eat, I'll try to grab a cookie or something, but I make myself eat the radishes, b/c they're like 10 calories for a 1/2 cup and they taste good to me. How about a sugar-free popsicle, so its a treat, but not bad for you at the same time. I would suggest finding a support group as well, that may help you out alot. I wish you the best and hope you're daughter is ok.
   — Lezlie Y.

April 16, 2003
I am in the same place as you. I am fighting so hard not to eat junk all day long because I'm very depressed right now. I have found Detour bars. It's a new protein bar that actually taste really good, a lot like a Snickers bar. It's really filling and has 30 grams of protein. I'm 10 months out and so I can eat just about anything, but if I have some of these around, I can usually satisfy the sweet tooth demon on one of these. Definitely try to get some help, a counselor or even a really good friend, that you can talk to about your problems. Try to treat yourself in other ways than food sometimes, get a manicure or just get out of the house alone. Please try to give yourself a break, you will be okay in time. It's the waiting that kills you.
   — cjabates

April 16, 2003
Donna, I also eat when stressed or emotional and found that if I did not give in to it, it stressed me even more. I don't know if this will work for you, but I have found that if I build it into my day, I can eat stuff which comforts me, have my little treats and not let it get out of hand. There are some who have to keep the cookies out of the house or they will eat the whole package, but I buy the little bite size mini cookies and slowly nibble on 3 or 4. I also buy Sportcookies, which are the SF cookies with 15 grams of protein, about 130 calories and are good! I, too, use protein bars, like the Detour bars as substitute candy. For my ice cream fix, I buy the little mini ice cream sandwiches-100 calories each. And popcorn, if you eat it one kernel at a time, or sunflower seeds, one at a time can last forever! Now I build a few hundred calories into my day so that I can have these treats, otherwise I feel deprived which stresses me which causes me to overeat junk which makes me feel guilty and then I eat to assuage the guilt, well, you probably know the rest. I keep a supply of these little treats at work, where I am often stressed and of course, at home. The key to this is making sure I don't over do, which also means weighing every day, and working out several times a week. So far its worked for me. But beating yourself up is not the thing to do-leads to more stress-and we both know what that leads to!
   — Cindy R.