Emotional Eater

[beloca]

I am your prime example of the emotional eater. When I'm feeling any emotion at all, my thoughts immediately turn to food. I feel depressed and disgusted with myself, which in turn, leads me to more food. I have been on Atkins since September. I managed to drop to 127 lbs (125 was my goal). I was feeling good for a while, but I discovered low-carb ice cream, cookies, candy, chocolate.... I just cannot use these products in moderation. The last few weeks I averaged one carton of low-carb ice cream A DAY!!. Of course, this abuse stalls my efforts and naturally, I've gained weight. I've been fooling myself by telling myself that I'm not really cheating because at least all the products I'm eating are "low-carb." It doesn't help to substitute a healthier option for the ice cream because when I finish eating that, I will still want the ice cream just as bad.

Everything worsened a weekend ago. I went camping, and totally blew it. I didn't take enough food, so I ate what was available: doughnuts for breakfast, sandwiches and chips. Once I returned from the camping trip knowing I had already messed up, I went to the grocery store and bought pizza, chocolate milk, cupcakes, cheetos. It disgusts me to admit all this, I did it in secret without telling anyone.

Well, after my binge, I decided to start over the very next day. I did it for the work week, but on the weekend, I attended an event that served hot apple cobbler with ice cream. I ate FIVE heaping platefuls of it. I feel so repulsed. After that I had a hot dog, pizza, and a brownie.

So yesterday, I started over AGAIN. I feel very depressed and ready to give up completely. I have gained back all the weight I lost during the past few months.
Even as I type this, I'm obsessing over what I can buy to eat on my way home that will make me feel better. I feel no motivation. I want to feel the way I did when I was so close to goal, but at the same time, a voice in my head says "what's the point, you'll never be happy anyway." My problem is much deeper that simple vanity. I'm an educated person, yet for years, I have allowed my weight to determine every aspect of my life. These feelings have kept me from continuing my education, seeking more opportunites in my job, and deepening my relationship with my boyfriend of almost 4 years.
Well, I read what I just typed and it sounds like I need more than this forum to fix me. But there must be people out there who have felt as desperate as I'm feeling and that have managed to fight it. Maybe just knowing that will help.

[ztachick]

I just wanted to give you a big :hug as i can relate to what you are going through- i tend to be an all or nothing person so the moderation thing does not work for me either. stay positive and set mini goals you ae so close you will be at your goal weight in no time, drink lots of water and go back to a sticked eating schedule you will do just fine.

[Uniquely_Ambi]

*hugs* I'm dealing with my own emotional downfall right now and binging, so I definitely understand where you're at. I hope you can get through this.

[cala]

Hi, I just found this board and I can ABSOLUTELY relate to everything you are going through. I thought there is something wrong with me because I don't see others having these problems on regular Atkins forum. The more I eat the more depressed I get but I can't stop. I do well for a few days and then just binge. I just don't know what to do. ensive

[missyabbyme2]

Yes, I fall in this rut too, I start out good and then here comes the P.B,(Starbucks Java Chip Ice cream, Lays Kettle Cooked Jalapeno, there gone now thanks to my husband) Starting over again hope this time I will last today, without the the above items calling my name! :sadblinky Surprising these are the only items I seem to want any suggestion for a replacement would be great I like the flavor and texture the most.

[2big4mysize]

Emotional eating has to do with our brains being programmed that way our entire life and the fact that our brains have a fantastic systemn of filing not only how a food tastes to us but the chemical changes it prodeuceings in our bodies causing emotional changes energy level changes and lots of other stuff. Our subconcious wants to assist us in feeling and doing the best it can and when you feel tired it searches all the foods that your have filed away as pick me ups angry all the deanger foods, sad all the happy foods, etc. many foods can minic the neurotransmitters in our brain. Chocolate is a good example of that but the change is temp and soon the fix is gone and just like a junking you are back feeling that way again and Dr Brain is pushing its fix again.

We have also associated foods with events too and Dr Brain knows that too. Fall down and hurt yourself mommy gave you a cookie and you were all better gt a shot at the docs lollypop to make it all better so your brain got programmed with placebo effects too ... and on and on it goes trying to fix you up as it kwos best.

We need to reprogram those neural connections to those memeory storage pathways so our new healthy non food choices become the primary prescribed choice of our Dr Brain. To help Dr Brain we need to identify what we are feeling and use a different appropriate response that will also alter our brains. Angry or stressed do some exercise as that will use up the harmful chems our body produces during those emotions and also generate a very nice brain chem to soothe us. the more you resit and offer DR Brain new lessons and keep drilling those new lessons the weaker the patheways to the old ways will become. This is where that theory about exercising your willpower comes from.

One way for emotional eaters to help Dr Brain is to journal the Ws of who what when where and how didyou feel before andafter you ate and again 2 hrs later. you will begin to see some patterns you didn't know existed between your emotionaleating and preceding events. Once you see the patterns you know you can take steps to avoid those triggers even if it means avoiding some folk for a while or in certain situations.

You can get control but you have to work at it and don't just trust to luck you will overcome it. Just like doingyour Atkins to lose weight you have to work on it and keep planning.

Happy low carbing.

[Vicky_Linn]

Beloca, reading what you´ve written is like reading my own diary, I so know what you´re going through. I´ve been an emotional eater for as long as I can remember, but it got worse when I turned 14 and now I´m 19 and weigh 241 lbs.

I wish I had some good advice to you, but unfortunately I don´t. I´ve come to realize it´s difficult to go on any diet, even Atkins since I in the long run I want to eat pasta, potatoes, rice etc. It´s just a matter of deciding to do it. It´s difficult yes, but not impossible, just think about all the people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off by this woe. Keep a positive attitude, and remember you CAN do it, we all believe in you. Good luck and lots of hugs! :hug

[I-Can-Do-It]

i know how you feel beloca-i have always let my weight rule my life. It has kept me from doing many things that I would like to do like going back to school or meeting new people and even sometimes going places because I always feel like that people will look at me or that i wont be able to do things since Im overweight. i think my emotional eating is one thing that keeps this weight on me. I suffer from depression so I know all about emotional eating. When i eat like that I shovel it in like a bulldozer. Then I get so digusted with myself that I eat more to just try and comfort me. But I have come to the point that i know im going to mess up some but I cant let that hinder me from doing what i need to do- which is lose weight :guns