TrimDownClub, January 23, 2013
The combination of eating all types of food and maintaining your weight doesn’t sound very reasonable, but when you reach a point of awareness about your choices of food, things have a way of working themselves out, and so does our weight.
It’s the middle of the day in the office. One employee is cranky after an argument with her boss and rushes to the vending machine to grab some comfort food to help her relax. The employee next to her is exhausted after staying up all night with her baby, and she’s taking comfort in a bag of pretzels. Another worker loves his biscuits alongside his coffee (which he finished drinking a while ago) but the biscuits are still around, and their colleague takes pride in her cut up carrots that she prepared at home, but is getting on everyone’s nerves with the noises she makes while chewing them. Sounds familiar? As it turns out, quite often people eat even though they’re not even hungry, and snacking is a result of something that is most commonly not hunger-related.
In many cases people eat in order to get over a certain uncomfortable feeling such as anger, sadness, etc. People also have a hard time accepting the fact that they can keepthe uncomfortable emotion and would prefer to look for an immediate solution. It is a fact that the feeling would go away on its own even without immediately searching for food.
Eating through your subconscious
On the other hand, you can decide to take a different approach to relax, but it is important to understand that being an emotional eater isn’t a terrible thing, as long as you do it out of choice and you’re not harming a balanced diet and are able to maintain your desired weight.
And if you thought you were in charge of choosing what to eat, just because you “feel like it”, it turns out that many of our actions, eating being one of them, are connected to our subconscious, habits and acquired behaviors.
A movie portraying a sad girl after a break up sitting in her bed with a bucket of ice cream in her lap makes people understand that eating comfort food is acceptable and normal. However, when this turns into a pattern repeating itself it is vital to pay attention to it and ask ourselves what we want out of the food and what need is it fulfilling, and obviously does it take care of whatever it is that’s bothering us.
Avoid Self-Criticism
In most cases when people want to lose weight they give up certain foods that are considered fattening and assume that it’s the way to achieve their desired weight, but the result is to find them hanging around the kitchen too often.
Instead of avoiding certain types of food it’s better to get “used” to them, and insert them as a part of your daily routine. When you decide to give up certain foods all you’re really doing is thinking about food. It’s better to decide how much to eat rather than whether or not to eat at all. Another common mistake is people’s self-castigation – saying things like – why did I eat that, I am such a cow, why can’t I control myself etc. It’s vital to clean up the criticism and look at the facts without self-inflicting.
And what happens when you’re straightening the cake’s corners or looking for something sweet?
It is important to eat in an organized, yet free manner and not have bites of this and that and finish what’s on the children’s plate. Also, if every day at three in the afternoon you’re at work and you find yourself looking for something sweet, it’s important to understand if this is due to boredom or you just wanting to go home already, or if there is in fact a real need for something sweet. Where there’s understanding, there’s choice.
It is very important to be aware of your feelings and choices – why am I eating? Out of hunger or any other reason?
You are free to eat anything when the body signals it’s hungry. Of course it’s important to maintain reasonable amounts regulated by a feeling of fullness, and even if you paid for food in a restaurant and are full at some point, you don’t have to finish it just because it was paid for. The secret is to understand what works best for you and eat accordingly.
debradlamApril 24, 2013
I am a emotional eater as well, especially if I’m bored or mad. I am getting so many good tips and information. I really like this site. It is really encourging me to do the right thing and eat healthy. I fill so much better when I do eat healthy and I just cant understand why I keep going back to unhealthy food. I think It’s a habit that needs to be broken., Still trying.
bakerbond-2March 13, 2013
I was so happy to read this article and to realise I’m not the odd one out with emotional eating, particularly at 3pm in the afternoons. Just knowing that this is a problem many face has made me feel stronger and a commitment to beat this unfortunate habit. I joined the Trimdown Club some time ago and have not participated at all since, using the excuse of work and family commitments. It’s been a slow process but I now realise if I don’t look after myself no one else will. I also read an article of thinking of your internal organs as being your employees and giving them the encouragement and best conditions so they can work best for the ‘business’ of ‘you’.
MaryBishopMarch 6, 2013
This is so me.
JhshanahanMarch 5, 2013
I will need to get back to self discipline, engage in this forum and website tools, and the most difficult challenge is my current job. I am working on disconnecting, and have anticipated a job change per Dr’s advice. Yes I am an emotional eater and have been all my life- now it is up to me to do slow and deliberate .
MillisaD97March 4, 2013
I am a big time emotional eater.. I eat when I’m bored, sad, angry or, depressed…
MaryBattleMarch 4, 2013
I just lost my husband of 43 years last April, I was on a pill diet for a year and during fine started eating less and choesing the right food and lost 40 pounds. Then everything went south, the old habits came back and I can’t seem to get full the weight is coming back and I can’t seem to stop eating even when I am not hungry. I am stress out about this, I think I am an emotional eater, and lately I fine myself eating more sweet and that a new one for me. Reading this has been an eye opening for me. I can see that I need help and I hope that I am on the right track for getting it.
PatsySeoMarch 3, 2013
Good Article. I have used Coffee and sweets for energy. What I needed was rest, and less stress. I am also, an emotional eater, My solution is comfort food. Short term temporary stop gap at best.
Trimdown58February 27, 2013
Day two and ate an organic apple at work during the 2 p.m. Cookie snack time. I felt such a strong gravitational pull towards those home made chocolate chip cookies that are passed around for residents. Guess I need to wear blinders! Maybe I need to bring a visualization card in to view during this time focusing on healthy positive outcomes when the stress gets to high. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Wish I could leave the floor at this time but have to stick it through for another hour.
edielou-2February 25, 2013
Reading thru the commemts before I posted my message gave me the desire to post my own message. I signed up with TDC some time ago but am embarressed to say I have never really used it . Pressured with high stress home life and work, I just never seemed to have the time or energy to go to work for myself. I recently learned I am a diabetic and already have nerve damage in my feet and legs. This is something I must do to make a change in my life and in my eating habits. I am committing to do this no matter what!
Keisa1February 20, 2013
Ok..here goes. Nothing ventured nothing gained! I have been an emotional eater for years. I now want to turn that habit into something positive by doing something else (like srapbooking a page instead whenever I encounter those moments when I reached for food to ease the uncomfortable emotion). I know I can do this!
EartheegalFebruary 19, 2013
I think this is one of my biggest downfalls, emotional, mindless eating in the evening. I’m pretty sure it’s stress and it’s going to be interesting to see if changing jobs is going to alleviate my compulsion to eat at night, even when I’m not hungry. I was on Weight Watchers and lost 50 lbs. but I quit tracking my food and gained back about 12 lbs in the last year. I just joined TDC and am hoping to find a solution to my binge eating. For some reason, I seem to want to sabotage myself.
queenpeaFebruary 4, 2013
I had already started the plan by the time I read this article and like everyone else I am so guilty of the emotional eating. I just try to prepare now. I don’t skip meals even when I am not hungry and I tell the mind to shut up when it tries to tell me the processed crap is fine in moderation. It’s not fine for me and IT’S ALL ABOUT ME. I feel better. My energy level is up and pain level is down. I sleep better at night, so I’m not up picking on no no’s and I’m up before the alarm goes off. I look at this program as a very helpful aide and will not get into the, “this is too much work, I dont’t have time, why don’t I see a difference in 2 weeks.” This is a life change for me. Fast food and proccessed food is a conveinence, but I want to enjoy my life. I want to control my life. I am worth the work. May not thought so before, but I am. IT’S ALL ABOUT ME and I make the time for ME by learning from this program what I can grab when I’m mad, sad, happy, tired, horny, rushed, fustrated and just plain satisfied. I feel I’m on the right track. Now I’m going to go have have “Lemon Cottage Cheese Muffins,” I prepared for MYSELF last night. I feel HAPPY (smile).
hmfettyFebruary 1, 2013
I am an emotional eater. I am most vulnerable at transition times during the day. I am brand new to the club, but I’m thinking that if I can plan my snacks at those times it might help. I’ll let you know how it goes!
atheenJanuary 30, 2013
This was so me when I was working; I had a high stress job and actually enjoyed the adrenalin high it gave me. It took its toll though, and my weight was one of the ways I suffered.
AngeleyesJanuary 30, 2013
This is me when I get home from work…nothing prepared so I grab whatever is handy to eat and drink…don’t know why I am so hungry when I arrive home from work. I usually had a large meal for lunch. I will have to ready some healthy snacks to eat at 430 in the afternoon as we usually don’t eat supper until 630 or later.
LateeaJanuary 28, 2013
This is totally me
in the 3:00 hour I will just grace like a cow , one thing to the next thing until I find something that will make me happy and unfortunately I don’t usually get to that point I just usually get so full I feel sick. This is a very very terrible habit and I don’t know how to control it 
.
brianabarnes2011January 27, 2013
I was actually eating to comfort myself when I came acrossed this article. I realize now, that I need to find different healthy ways to deal with my stress levels. I need to start asking myself questions when I am about to indulged.
carolrcoJanuary 25, 2013
I agree I have only been on this site for a few days but reading through the articles and comments from other people , I see a lot of my own sayings and coping stratagies when stressed, tired,or unhappy. I am trying to get in the mind set that its not so much a diet but a better and healthier way of living. I too have food in my cupboards and will be using that up gradually introducing the healthier options over time. I have started by eating smaller portions and thinking about what I am eating taking it slow when I have a meal or snack, it is true I do feel fuller I am also starting to feel better and more positive about myself. Some of the healthier foods recommended are more expensive and more difficult to find but, I will keep looking and hopfully learning as I go changing my life for the better .
good luck to all
Globee1January 24, 2013
This really helps me because I’ve been guilty of all the above. However, I’ve been slowly getting my head round my new TrimDown Club eating plan and although off to a very slow start, I wanted to use up the supply of banned foods by baking and making meals for my husband and son before I replenished the cupboards. I wanted to have a fresh start for all of us and although I had to suffer some negative comments like: ‘another diet?? and how long is this one going to last?’ I quietly and calmly started experimenting with some of the recipes which I had decided to print out and file into 5 folders (I printed everything! just in case my computer conked and I wasn’t able to link up) So the sounds of ‘uhmmm….this is nice love, is it from your diet plan?’ was a great encouragement to me. I didn’t notice any dramatic weight loss, but after 3 weeks I have comfortably dropped 3 kilos and eating like mad! I’ve had a few slips (left over very fruity Christmas cake with marzipan and icing and whole grain bread (refined!) and although the moment was dizzying, I tried not to feel guilty overmuch but just went straight back to the plan. So far so good. I just need to figure out how to get stuck into the website and communicate with others!