Comfort Eating

I'm a comfort eater!!! I have been for a long time. I find that eating nice food when I'm down is all that I want.

Unfortunately I creates a vicious cycle (as I'm sure it does for most people). I eat because I'm low, eating the crap food makes me feel low and then I want something yum again to try and feel better. So I guess that means I need something else to use as a pick me up.

The advantage to it being yum food is that it's quick and easy. I can walk or drive somewhere, get it and eat it within 10 minutes.

Does this mean that I need something that's instant as a replacement?

In the article I read (this link http://www.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/emotional-eating.htm) it talks about finding other ways to feeding your feelings. And refers to emotional eating as emotional hunger.

Here are a few suggestions copied directly from the link above

• If you’re depressed or lonely, call someone who always makes you feel better, play with your dog or cat, or look at a favorite photo or cherished memento.
• If you’re anxious, expend your nervous energy by dancing to your favorite song, squeezing a stress ball, or taking a brisk walk.
• If you’re exhausted, treat yourself with a hot cup of tea, take a bath, light some scented candles, or wrap yourself in a warm blanket.
• If you’re bored, read a good book, watch a comedy show, explore the outdoors, or turn to an activity you enjoy (woodworking, playing the guitar, shooting hoops, scrapbooking, etc.).

The next list of tips are from this link http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342?pg=2

• Keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you might see patterns that reveal the connection between mood and food.
• Tame your stress. If stress contributes to your emotional eating, try a stress management technique, such as yoga, meditation or deep breathing.
• Have a hunger reality check. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not hungry. Give the craving a time to pass.
• Get support. You're more likely to give in to emotional eating if you lack a good support network. Lean on family and friends or consider joining a support group.
• Fight boredom. Instead of snacking when you're not hungry, distract yourself and substitute a healthier behavior. Take a walk, watch a movie, play with your cat, listen to music, read, surf the Internet or call a friend.
• Take away temptation. Don't keep hard-to-resist comfort foods in your home. And if you feel angry or blue, postpone your trip to the grocery store until you have your emotions in check.
• Don't deprive yourself. When trying to lose weight, you might limit calories too much, eat the same foods repeatedly and banish treats. This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Eat satisfying amounts of healthier foods, enjoy an occasional treat, and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.
• Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie snack, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with low-fat dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or try low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
• Learn from setbacks. If you have an episode of emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that'll lead to better health.

So I believe it'll be a matter of working out what I can do when things hit me.

This is going to be a process for me as I've fallen into using food as my helping hand, my support network.

For me, the first thing I am going to try is using this. I will write down when I have cravings (just as I did yesterday) and hopefully by acknowledging that I have an emotional hunger, I will be able to let it pass and not eat